Hi, We are a couple and members of the Oakland Yellow Jacket cycling club. We are coming to NYC for the 5 boros ride, and are finding the hotels frightfully expensive. We are wondering if anyone could put us up for the nights of 5/6 and 5/7. We have Bike Fridays, and will need a little ground space to assemble them. In exchange, we would be more than happy to have someone stay at our home. We live in Marin County, just north of SF. We are within riding distance of the Golden Gate Bridge, Mt Tam, and Point Reyes National Seashore. Thanks.
Jane Middleton and Simon Tarlen
looking for a place to stay for 5 boros ride
Sun, 03/12/2006 - 8:54am
Sun, 03/12/2006 - 9:16am
#1
If no takers, check out NY International Youth Hostel
Sun, 03/12/2006 - 1:32pm
#2
Okland Cyclists
Hello ; please contact me @ the above e-mail , I might be able to accomodate you ..
Ciao,,, Tony,M.
Mon, 03/13/2006 - 5:38am
#3
if you've never done the ride before, then
"the very best place to stay in new york for the 5-boros bicycle tour, especially if you live in marin cnty, is at home. this is in no way a snide remark against visitors to new york city. its a friendly warning from one cyclist to another. there are far too many horrors of a 30,000-person, mass-start tour to describe here at this time. but try to imagine gathering with 30,000 other ""bicyclists"" (a great many of whom only ride their bicycles once a year) at the emarcadero market, only having the north-bound lanes, all going at once thru the presidio and up onto the GG bridge's foot/bicycle paths and then onto 101's north-bound lanes. also, remember, the temperatures at that time of year can easily reach mid 90s and our air quality isn't quite what SF's is.
if it's not too late, and you are intent upon doing an organized tour of all the 4 boroughs, excluding staten island which from what i hear causes the most grief, i would suggest transalt.org nyc century bike ride.
however if you need perspective on your your own hors catagorie riding environs then by all means, please come and punish yourselves. actually, i think you deserve to do the 5bbt"
Mon, 03/13/2006 - 9:28am
#4
Reality Check on Early May NYC Temps
>also, remember, the temperatures at that time of year can easily reach mid 90s
The average high temperature in NYC for May 6 (the date of this year's 5 boro ride) is 68, with 92 being the record. Easily reach the mid 90s? Not likely.
http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/daily/10024?climoMonth=5
Mon, 03/13/2006 - 8:01pm
#5
"oooohhhh, wayne you may have me there you sly fox. but the one summer i was driving back along the bqe from my cousin's wedding in delaware must have been that record-breaking 92 degree day. clogged traffic moving nowhere. all i could think watching those poor shlubs slogging southward was, ""thank god i'm trapped inside an automobile with air conditioning instead of suffocating on engine exhaust and desicating under a baking sun."
Mon, 03/13/2006 - 6:02pm
#6
The famous last word
"""...excluding staten island which from what i hear... ""
Right, the infinite wisdom of a ""local"" who only ""hear"" about the ride.
Anyone who would even give a moment's consideration to such a hearsay deserves to NOT ride the 5bbt!"
Mon, 03/13/2006 - 7:49pm
#7
you, lovely april, could not be more right. i have NEVER riden the 5bbt. I've seen first hand, and have been trapped inside this rolling catastrophy. and riding along the BQE in ANY temperature conditions is a miserable experience. and i don't even have to have first-hand experience to know it is.
i've also over heard enough first-time riders bitching up and down about the 2-hour wait for the fairies back to manhattan.
as far as not deserving to ride the 5bbt. thank you thank you thank you thank you a million thank yous. it is an entirely miserable ride from start to finish. and may i remind you, i do not have to participate in this event to know.
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 8:37am
#10
"""Cheap"" lodging"
"I believe the Marriott in the Financial District is offering special rates to riders. Something like $180 a night. That's nowhere near ""frightfully expensive"" for any big city.
The hostel is offering $60 a night, including dinner and breakfast.
http://www.bikenewyork.org/BNY-lodging.htm"
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 10:21am
#11
Bike Friday cyclists @ BNY 2005
"http://www.bikefriday.com/main.cfm?fuseaction=news.article&ID=472&Category=News
Lynette Chang, Bike Friday cyclist, was here last year. She gave a presentation of her film, ""16,000 Feet on a Friday,"" which was shown at a Times Up! meeting. She also rode her BF to the annual Blessing of the Bikes. This year it will be held Sat. April 22, 2006.
You may also want to seek out the Bike Friday Club of New York. Many, including Lynette, did both the Blessing and Bike NY.
Enjoy your time in the Big Apple,
Alfredo (Bike NY ride marshal, sometimes captain, since 1994)
"
Sun, 03/12/2006 - 4:11pm
#12
You can also check out the 63rd street YMCA. It is quite reasonable there.
Mon, 03/13/2006 - 6:50am
#13
Without dissing the 5bb tour,
I prefer the New York Century:
http://www.transalt.org/calendar/century/index.html
Much more of a ride than a procession, with nuanced perspectives of city neighborhoods rather than it's highways and, particularly if you finish the century, an unparalleled experience of the city's breadth.
IMO, the trick is start a couple of hours late so the crowds thin out, and you can actually pick your pace.
The downside on a late start is getting through the Bronx after dark when you can't see the road markings -- but if you can't find a group to guide/escort you -- you'll still be able to do the 75 mile route.
One last tip: Bring a strong bike. Tough rims, Armadillo-class tires and front/rear flashers.
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 7:10am
#14
Hometown favorite
Well personally I prefer the Escape New York. This year I hear they'll have new swag, new give-aways and improved rest areas....
GO Escape NY!
Oh and if you want to volunteer, I'm sure they will welcome the help!
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 8:48am
#15
Escape New York is a fine ride but, as its name implies, is hardly a ride in New York City.
If the OP is looking for a ride to experience Bergen and Rockland counties, however, I'd recommend it.
- Christian
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 1:24pm
#16
Is Escape New York an Urban Adventure Ride?
Escape from New York (1981)
Directed by John Carpenter
Writing credits: John Carpenter and Nick Castle
Genre: Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi / Thriller (more)
Tagline: 1997. New York city is now a maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane.
Plot Outline: In 1988, when the US President crashes into Manhattan, now a giant max. security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in for a rescue. (more) (view trailer)
User Comments: A rough and enjoyable film built on a great character in Snake and a great performance from Kurt Russell.
http://tinyurl.com/s4h34
--------------
Can I lead a group wearing an leather eyepatch?
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 1:26pm
#17
only if you bring a parrot!!!! (nm)
Mon, 03/13/2006 - 8:44am
#18
The Great Five Borough Bike Walk
Presumably you know what the ride is like, but if not, I think you'll have fun. I have always enjoyed it.
The ride goes slow enough that you can actually look at the buildings and humanity seething around you, unharassed by impatient drivers.
--Weird people on even weirder bikes. Just try to keep track.
--Kids proud to be doing such a long bike ride.
--Car-free streets--a vision of the future.
--Ladies in Harlem in their Sunday church hats.
--Stops along the way, like for Polish food in Greenpoint.
--The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway wide open.
--New or infrequent cyclists realizing how much fun it is just to ride a bike.
--Everyone else in the city reminded that we are out there!
You do have to watch out for unsafe riding (guys bombing down hills on mountain bikes and then blocking traffic on the uphill; people passing unannounced on the right; expensive road bikers showing off). Because most people aren't yet used to riding en masse like this, there are always injuries, unfortunately.
I like to hang in the back with the families with kids. All the adrenalin rushes up to the front and leaves calm enjoyment in its wake.
Would be much better without that wait for the SI ferry at the end, of course. Last time I did the ride, we rode to the Path train in NJ.
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 6:25pm
#19
Love it? Hate it?
I know both types.
Whichever, it's the only way you'll get to ride a bike across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
Tue, 03/14/2006 - 6:56pm
#20
all kinds
"Love? Hate? It takes all kinds. Just as there're many different kind of bicyclists.
It's childish to assume just because you don't enjoy it, others shouldn't!
(by you, I don't mean Evan personally)
The flame over 5bbt has intensity even surpase the big S vs. C debate! So much for the ""tolerant"" of New Yorkers."
Wed, 03/15/2006 - 5:19am
#21
anybody noticed that Jane, the original poster, has not returned with a follow-up comment or question?
Wed, 03/15/2006 - 7:08am
#22
no surprise
"There're enough helpful response regarding reasonable lodging. So it's entirely possible he's found what he needs and are not interested in the ""great debate"" that facinate the locals so much!
I can understand this may come as a disappointment for those who hope for attentions by posting controversal point, that the original poster didn't even bother to participate in the side trip and this thread is about to fade into the archive."
Wed, 03/15/2006 - 8:09am
#23
That's it, whoever you are. I curse your bike and computer.
"I've warned you, Mr. so-called ""etoian shurd-ulu warrior.""
It takes someone of miniscule intellect and Cro-Magnon ethics to steal somebody else's handle-de-guerre, but you've done it, and continue to do it even after you've been warned on this message board to cut it out.
Too slothful or thick to dream up your own handle? Then you deserve to be cursed.
Therefore, I call upon Skidzee, the mysterious Spirit of All Things Slippery to put an oil slick under your wheels wherever you ride, so that you will not be able to keep your bicycle upright and will instead find yourself crashing willy nilly into all things on the road.
I call upon Bendar, the Spirit of Things That Twist, to bend your frame like an accordian and pretzel your front and hind wheels when you crash.
I call on Zorloch, the Spirit of Things That Stick Together, to stick your cleats to your pedals, so that you will not even be able to stop without falling over, and so that you will be publicly humiliated and will need someone to help you to detach yourself from your bicycle while you are lying on the ground.
I call upon Zitz, the Spirit of Saddle Sores, to burn your butt, beyond the capacity even of bovine teat balm to relieve your suffering.
I call upon Hzzzzzt, the Spirit of Rushing Air, to puncture and flatten your tires, especially the hind one that attaches to your disgustingly filthy chain. (If it's not already filthy, I call upon Shmootz, the Spirit of Dirt, to make it filthy.)
I call upon Mysterious Code Message Z2310978T45 to crash your computer without provocation, forcing you to shut down and reboot so constantly that your teeth will gnash.
I call upon Zorloch yet again to get your shoelaces caught in your filthy chainwheel and your paper caught in your cheesy printer.
Finally, I call upon the spirits of Murphy's Law to make certain that anything that can go wrong with your bike on a ride, or your computer while you sit at it, or your cleats or your modem or your your gearing or your UBS cables or your handlebar tape or your wi-fi or your presta valves or your schrader valves or your microchips or your cable wires, or your computer wiring, or your printer or your print jersey, will.
Your Pal,
Etoain Shrdlu
"
Wed, 03/15/2006 - 1:23pm
#24
It takes someone of miniscule intellect and Cro-Magnon ethics to wish all this upon someone for copying their - false - nickname.
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 1:06pm
#25
Plagiarism is plagiarism
"Oh George! Even assuming you are right that my ""false"" name is actually false and a nickname, copying it is plagiarism. It's also defamatory, since when you sign postings with my name on it, you credit me with opinions I do not share.
If you published any best seller under the wrong author's name, both the real and the puported author, and publisher, would sue your overinflated innertubes off. But I'm getting unduly technical.
So let me just say, thank you for your marvelous sense of humor, George. I call upon Javakava, the spirit of coffee, to accidently knock a cup of something liquid and conductive over your keyboard while you pontificate there, frying your motherboard like an edible krispy kritter.
Your Pal,
Etoain Shrdlu"
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 1:47pm
#26
Exactly! Well said and you beat me to it first.
Your Pal,
Etoain Shrdlu
