"For those who will be joining me and other cycling cohorts for this Sunday's club C (""see"") ride covering the NYC marathon course, you may arrive at the Brooklyn start by way of subway.
Another option is to ride your bike to the start. For those coming from Manhattan I highly recommend this option. I plan on doing such myself, know the way and will welcome the company of others.
I plan on leaving at 6:30 am from the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. More specifically the location is the wide sidewalk located adjacent to City Hall and directly across from the bridge's pedestrian/bike entrance.
(Yes, I know that's early, but I expect to arrive at the official club ride start a little bit early and enough to have a light breakfast beforehand. Depending on the weather, a little indoor relief between rides may be beneficial, too.)
Please consult the club ride listing for other details. Thanks.
Peter
Side note:
Misc details and musings from last year's ride:
http://www.nycc.org/mb/Thread.aspx?B=1&T=3122&TP=1#Msg12564"
Bike NYC Marathon - 2005
I plan to take the Manhattan Bridge over, since it's closer. Will you be on the Brooklyn side of the BB at about 6:40? And what's the route case I miss you there and want to meet up with you along the way?
Nothing is concrete/formal with the arrival time and the route taken, so it's hard to say. While the Manhattan bridge is closer from uptown Manhattan, regardless it's still effectively the same distance travelled.
Besides the Brooklyn Bridge has a much nicer view and much easier access to and while riding along the bridge. Also, for an early Sunday morning, pedestrian and pedal traffic on the bridge should be minimal.
bumpity-bump this thread to the top since it's a fun ride and the weather is lookin swell.
For those of us who might slack and might hit the snooze and sleep in, why is this ride fun? Are the bands playing yet? Are there crowds to cheer us on?
Signed,
Haven't Run the NY Maraton....yet
Don't hit snooze. It's fun because it's casual, the streets are closed to traffic, we get to ride through all 5 burroughs, the crowds are starting to come out and cheer, the bands are warming up, the coffee at dunkin donuts is hot, the cops are friendly (mostly), some people ride fixies, and you get to be a part of, albeit an unofficial part of, a great NYC institution.
"You are going to have to get up awfully early if you want to ride ""through all 5 burroughs"" because the only way to and from S.I. is by the ferry (unless you go by way of NJ)."
>>For those of us who might slack and might hit the snooze and sleep in, why is this ride fun? Are the bands playing yet? Are there crowds to cheer us on?<<
I've done this ride twice. And I ran the marathon last year.
Even though running the actual race was kind of life changing, well at least it was something I'll remember for ever. I feel guilty saying this - but it was tedious, painful, and boring. It didn't really thrill me.
The entire route I kept thinking how much more fun it would be on a bike and kept imagining seeing my bike leaning against a parking meter up ahead. Actually whenever I run I fantasize about my bike being just up ahead.
Others that have run the marathon rave about the crowds and the experience. But I didn't feel the rush of the crowd at all while coming over the 59th street onto first ave. Instead it seemed like the blank stares of people looking for their friends, and it was't me.
It was great seeing my girlfriend midway at an agreed upon place - amazed I'd made it that far. And my family was tracking me via the internet thanks to electronic notifications sent as I crossed sensors at various points on the course. But all I could think of was that I wanted to stop running, ride my bike, and have a drink afterwards. Or if I had to run, it would be nicer somewhere quiet with my ipod.
So as for me, I prefered to ride the route. There were no bands or snacks. A few people cheer - either out of cluelessness or enthusiasm for what was to come a few hours later. Or for no particular reason other than the specticle of the sporty looking crowd on bikes.
All that said, I was actually all set to run this year too. That's just my masochistic streak I guess. But a bike accident 2 months ago ended my training.
I'm recoving pretty well. And right now it's 2am and I'm thinking I'm going to polish off my bike for the first time since the accident and join the ride. If I get up? We'll see.
I overslept.... :(
The cop who let us go over Q-boro bridge (great many thanks to him, BTW) said that we'll be the last ones. If they really closed the brige after that, a big part of the group must have gotten cut off. How did you guys cross?
P.S. Really enjoyed the ride. Thank you, Peter (hope you and others were able to cross OK).
"Not sure if you were in the group with Peter or ahead of us. We were stopped at the bridge entrance by a pleasant enough cop who insisted the bridge was closed (""frozen"") and we couldn't get across. As we politely tried to convince him to change his mind, others rode up - probably everyone who remained on the ride. We eventually got him to call his supervisor, who came and allowed us to cross, and hopefully there was no one left behind."
Thanks! I was wondering if people had to abandon the ride or use subway because of that.
"I see you were posting at 9:35 am. So what time did you approach the bridge?
When I and others crossed the bridge, it was pretty quiet and no one tried to stop us, although there were a couple of ""friendly cops"", who were busy stretching a tape across the entrance, directed us to go around it to get on. When I sat down at 81th and 1st, it was also 9:35.
Once on the Manhattan side, the streets were not closed yet and traffic was quite busy. So riding became un-appealing. I sat down and ate breakfast and watch they close the street. At almost 10, I started riding again. No one paid any attention to the few bikers on the now closed street. So I rode the rest of the course all the way to the finish in Central Park...
"
something must be wrong with the timestamp on my msg - I posted about 4 or 5 PM. Not sure what time I cross the bridge, sorry.
