Central Park is a bit of a mess - trees and limbs down across the road.  They're not letting people in, so it's hard to assess the full extent of the damage.  But crews were already out starting to clean it up before 11:00 this morning.  I imagine the drive will be open to cars by tomorrow morning's rush, but there's no guarantee.  I'll walk over there this evening and see if I can get a better assessment.

The usual flood prone areas are under water:  the area and small streets around the Goswick Pavillion, library & post office.  The main commercial street and the bike shop building area and parking lots are OK.  There might  one tree down in the village.  Both roads along the canal (Sparkill Creek) Ferdon and one by Canzano's deli are flooded and closed.  Power was lost during the night for an hour or two. Apparently the only connections with the outside world are up Ash or to Nyack.  Piermont Community Market just opened--the only open store.  I am sure that other areas near streams and hills are also flooded and have down trees.

A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?"

The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying the sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the first student, "You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do."

The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!" The teacher commended the second student, "Your eyes are open, and you see the world."

my last days off for the summer are monday & tuesday, so i would be up for riding all day on one or both days.  Prefer A pace, some/a lot of climbing, and maybe a train to get home - weather is supposed to be 80s and sunny (again)!! message me if interested

Insert Coin: PumpTire self-inflating bicycle tire

It's the weekend...and it's raining....La Vuelta is live on Universal....the US Pro Cycling Challenge isn't on until 4PM....you tire of watching Mike Seidel of Weather standing in hurricane winds....Mass transit is shut down.....it's too early to drink (or is it?).... time for cycling porn!

Check out Danny Macaskill's newest, "Industrial Revolutions":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShbC5yVqOdI&

And there's "Way Back Home":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj6ho1-G6tw&

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/27/sports/cycling/cyclist-merckx-had-big-appetite-for-racing-and-winning.html?ref=sports

Hmm, he was in town for Rodale's 50th birthday party. And we weren't invited?

I ride once a week. Saturday. Tomorrow is Saturday. It may rain tomorrow. I don't ride in rain. But I just kinda, sorta, you know, like, have a sense that, uh, umm, maybe what the hysterics are trumpeting may not eventuate. This skepticism is born of wayyy too many dramatic alerts for dire conditions that didn't eventuate. What I most dread is being caught on the GWB in a high wind.

Conclusion: As of 7:30PM Friday, I'm not of a mind to call off tomorrow's ride. Yet. Check at 8AM. If it seems there are some few hours before Pat Robertson wreaks His vengenance on us for trucking with gays, we'll do a shorter ride and I'll make it as hellish as possible. That would be River Road, Ike and Speer.