Intro:Igotintothisfromalocalac1vist’sposi1on,wan1ngespeciallytoclosethe1-milegreenwaygappasttheUnitedNa1ons.OneyearwehadStateSenatorLizKruegerspeakaboutclosingthegapatthebeginningofourannualManhaHanLoopride.Andthesamecomplicatedmi1ga1onplantoClosetheGap(hHps://www.change.org/p/close-the-gap-2)iss1llpendingattheU.N,goingon20yearsnow,butinthemean1me,I’velearnedtoappreciatewhatwealreadyhaveandareslowlygeQngmoreof.It’sneverfastenough,butthereareover200milesofGreenwayinthe5boroughs,outof350planned(hHp://bikeroute.com/NBGBikingCi1es/NewYorkCity/NYCBiking.php).AlltheridesareavailablebygoingtoEventbrite.comandsearchingfor“eastcoastgreenway.”Let’sexplore…

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Thisyearwillbethesecondyearofthe5-IslandTourandit’salreadyoneofmyfavoriterides.Foronething,ifyoutellpeopleyoubikedthe5-IslandTourinjusttherighttoneofvoice,they’llthinkyourodeall5boroughsofManhaHan!Well,weactuallyonlyridethrough3,plusRandall’sandWard’sIslands–technically2islands–andRooseveltIsland.Butthisyearweaddedtheexci1ngSouthBronxwhentwonewbridgesopenedup–theHighBridgeupnorth,whichisagreatphotostop–andtheRandall’sIslandConnectorlinkingtheBronxtoRandall’sIsland.Botharewalking/bikingonlyspans.HowmanyofyouhaveriddenonRooseveltIsland?It’sreallyfun,withgreatviewsofQueensandManhaHan.Plus,yougettotaketheTrambacktothestar1ngpointattheend.Don’tforgetyourmetro-card!

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TheNPSanniversarytourisbrandnewandmaybedoneonlythisyear,soyoudon’twanttomissthisone.WewillstartatCastleClinton,withaprobableranger-ledtourforthefirst30bikersat9:00am,TBA.ThenwewillrideuptoGrant’sTomb,whereyouwillhave1meforaself-guidedtour.Therideismorethan¾onthegreenway,butwedogoon-streetbrieflyintheBronx,beforefinishingupontheofficialEastCoastGreenwayroutethroughPelhamBayandendingatSt.Paul’sChurchinWestchesteraround1:00pm.TherewillbeColonialDaycelebra1oneventsthisyear,whichyoucanstayforbeforereturningbysubwayorMetro-north.

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TheManhaHanLoopisthefirstrideIco-ledforEastCoastGreenwayandthiswillbemysixthyeardoingit.Thisisafantas1cridewithgreatriverviewsalmostthewholeway.Itgoescounter-clockwisearoundManhaHan,anditoughttobeoneveryone’sbucketlist.It’sourlongestride,at32miles,butwestopforanicelunchatHudsonRiverParkneartheFairwaysupermarketat125thstreet.Thisistherideforac1viststogetexcitedabout,andtolearnwherewes1llhavetope11onourelectedstoClosetheGap.Seeoneproposalhere:hHp://www.slideshare.net/ScoHOnTheSpot/land-value-tax-gap-closure-proposal-29529037

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ThejointNY-NJHudsonLoopisoneoftheoldestridesofferedbyEastCoastGreenwayandthelastoneweofferintheseason.Hopefully,byOctober,you’llhaveyourbikinglegsattheirmaximumstrengthtorideupthe179thstreethilltotheGeorgeWashingtonBridge!Fortunately,itisliterallyalmostalldownhilltoHobokenontheothersideaoerthat.Thisisoneofthemostinteres1ngrideswithunparalleledviewsonManhaHanandbecauseofthevariedwaystheHudsonRiverBikewayhasbeencompleted,andeveryyearthereisaliHlemoreon-pathandoff-streetriding.ThisistrulytheridethatgetsbeHereveryyear!ReturntoManhaHanifyouneedtobyferryorPATHtrainorjustbikeordrivehomeifyouliveinNJ.

ThankyouandI’llbeavailableforquesitonslater.

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