Cycling in New York

I think one of the best ways to see a city is by push bike. You're able to cover more ground than you would on foot but, just like walking, you remain connected with your surrounds as you travel. You lose this if you're in a car.

This time around, I waited for a nice day, rented a bike and set out to visit Manhattan's quietly spoken sibling Brooklyn.

Weather-wise, I picked one of my best days in town...it would have been 10 degrees C and perfectly clear. My hostel was in the Upper Westside and I needed to get to the East River which funnily enough runs down the east side of the island, so I plotted a route through Central Park.

Central Park is big enough that when you're in the middle of it you can forget that you're in one of the world's biggest metropolises. I read that the land it occupies is worth about $528 billion! Wherever you are in the park you can find a spot that is either bustling with activity or eerily secluded.

After weaving my way through the throngs of joggers and little dogs with coats and shoes I emerged on the Upper Eastside (home to much of the city's (especially) high-end Real Estate)... not of huge interest to me so I pressed on toward the banks of the East River.

The river isn't particularly pretty. Lots of barges. From Manhattan, one looks across at a very industrial looking Queens, where most of the factories on the river's edge are still in operation.

I was frustrated when the bike track I was following along the river suddenly ended around East Midtown. I followed my nose through some back streets and ended up on First Avenue. I nearly fell off my bike when I realised that I was casually peddling past the United Nations.

I love the fact that New York very casually oozes history and prestige. Wherever you are in the city you will be a stone's throw from something significant, whether it's the location of a famous movie or somewhere more profound and sombre like Ground Zero. It is the volume of such note-worthy places that gives the city such a unique pulse.
I got off my bike and stared at the UN wondering what might be being discussed inside. The reverence in the air kind of dissipated when I realised that it was a Sunday. I found my bike path again which led me under Manhattan Bridge and onto an overpass which fed on to the Brooklyn Bridge.

In the words of my guide book, "Manhattan will most likely overshadow Brooklyn for all of eternity", but I found that it had a quite confidence about it. Apparently it is where the 'edgy' people live i.e. cool but not as pretentious as Manhattanites.

It is big - I stuck to the West side of the city. I will not claim to have conducted a broad and comprehensive analysis of the place, but I caught a good vibe. I was struck by the diversity between various neighbourhoods; a full socio-economic and ethnic spread.

I stumbled upon another bike path, which looked back at Manhattan from the other side of the East River. I was just in time for an awesome sunset behind the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

Pics:
1. Central Park (look for the squirrel in the foreground)
2. East River
3. My bike under the Manhattan Bridge
4. Verrazano Narrows Bridge at sunset