I've taken to riding my bike there; from my apartment in Harlem, down 135th street to St. Nicholas, where a high, sloping park blocks further progress and I turn south towards 125th street. Around 127th or 126th, I dart right and navigate over rough streets, underneath the elevated 1 train, past Fairway, to a park on the river. The park is new, and decorated in a sort of Fireman's motif. Here, the city has managed to run a bike route all the way to Battery, and to points north of me. I cross in front of the highway exit and head down the narrow pedestrian/bike path.
This stretch along the river is beautiful. In short order, the highway veers away, and you're basically riding through a park, alongside a mile-wide river, just across from the high cliffs of the Jersey side. It's a pleasant paddle as well, I know from experience, gliding in a kayak to or from the George Washington Bridge, this stretch of the river mostly uncluttered by river traffic.
Once I get to 100th street, things get busier, but still parklike. More residential, the park is full of strollers and joggers and people hanging out. A long pedestrian esplanade has been built, overlooking the river and underlooking Upper West Side brownstones, until I curve down a ramp and onto the bike path from the low eighties onward. I pass the 79th street Boat Basin, or sometimes I turn up and head down the West Side Highway, either way eventually coming down around 60th street, past the sanitation pier, to the boathouse.
A pleasant crowd awaited. We were having our annual race; for the first time in years, the traditional winner is out of town, and the fugly trophy is up for grabs. I am competitive in spirit if not ability; pulled down a boat and got my gear together, and after some brief interactions with the public, headed out onto the water to get acclimated to the boat and line up for the race.
We were off! Up from 56th street to a marker buoy near 72nd. I broke strong, faded, then came back to a durable pace. I am not sure how I placed but I did well among women; the top ten I would say. The ultimate winner, however, was a white-hulled gig, one of two competing, a crew of four or five people all pulling together in unison to round the buoy and come back in time. They were very well machined.
Afterwards, a picnic, which we later opened up to the public. A logistical oversight resulted in fisticuffs; a senior woman, overburdened with an armful of paddles, bumped into a freeloader who took fierce umbrage and got physical; a young man of ours interceded, and received wounds to his chin, fists, and foot. we closed out the public and kept to ourselves, trying to enjoy the remains of the day.
Later, as the event wound down and I polished off angel cake, a cookie, another cake, and more, I gathered my gear and mounted my bicycle. Too early to go home, I rode south, past the Intrepid, along the highway, past the Javits, past the helicopter port, when I recall the terrible news of a mid-air collision earlier in the day. Further along, past Chelsea Piers, near 14th, I can see across the river, the police boats and fire boats, the ESU trucks, the news cameras, cable news, broadcast news, internet news, all staring across the gray waters underneath the pale blue sky. I shrugged it off and continued on down, North Cove, South Cove, Battery, Wall Street, where I overhear a man telling his son that this building houses the Federal Reserve, and holds more gold in one place than anywhere else in the world, the walls are three feet thick, and it is very important.
It was getting windy and I started to head back. I considered getting on the train at Wall Street, but decided I wanted to ride back as far as I could. I made it to 34th street, where I gave up and jotted over to work - I work there, above the train station - and boarded, and sat, and rode all the way home.
