Bike ride

We thought we 'd be gone for a couple of hours. ( I had refused to do the guided one because 7 hours was just way too long) . We found the blazing saddles bike shop on pier 75 on the Hudson River . A nice leisurely bike ride by the river I thought, but tour leader H had a lot of items to tick off. So we head to battery point to see the Statue of Liberty .

 We then had to bike back through some hairy traffic to get on the bike path across Brooklyn bridge. It was extremely busy with walkers . I would hate to see what it's like on a weekend day during the season with the sun out ( because overcast Wednesday in nov it was packed). Riding was definitely the way to go much less busy on the bike path , although we had to keep an eye out for the wayward walkers.

 We get lost in Brooklyn heights trying to find the pizza shop recommended by the kid at the bike shop ( we haven't had pizza yet) . But still a very pleasant ride on the esplanade . Old piers have been turned into parks and  play grounds with great views of the Manhatten skyline.

The pizza was well worth it when we finally found it ( julianos pizza) but we are now feeing pretty sluggish on the bikes and have got to get home. Back over the Manhatten bridge ( I made Harley stop at a gorgeous book shop in Brooklyn "Dumbo" ( area of NY ) because I haven't seen too many in NY . 

The Manhattan bridge was much quieter and we end up in china town on what the  tourist map says is a dedicated bike path but you are really riding around in the middle of traffic.

. I nearly went on strike here but tour leader H said no pikers allowed and we were also now on a time watch . Where did the hours go ? We had to be back to the bike shop and Harley's credit card by 6 pm and it's about 4 pm and Central Park the final highlight is no where to be seen.  After much stopping and starting on ( my part anyway ) and a very slow count down of the streets  ( sometimes those numbers can be annoying) we found Central Park and got out of the traffic. ( phew) . But we still had to get back to the Hudson River bike path . That's why travelling with a tour guide is so great . The map is ever at his finger tips and he finds our way home . I am too busy dodging cars to worry about directions . We get on to the bike path finally which now has river on one side and a six lane highway on the other. People are walking their dogs here. I tell you  Eddie is totally living it up in the Deni forest . It is now 5:05 pm getting dark and we only have 50 streets to go. Tour leader H says we will do it easy and we do because I insist we pick up the speed now we are in a relatively safe bike path.  You only have to dodge other riders  , who mostly have flashing lights ,  walkers and dogs . ( Easy peasy  ) . Back to the bike shop at 5:30 . We were the last ones in. Only a ten block walk back to hotel  where we both promptly collapse on the bed. ( no off broadway show tonight)