On the footbridge over the BQE in Carroll Gardens last night. #bikenyc
Fifty miles of #bikenyc pedaling today. Carroll Gardens to Summer Streets, then out to Fort Tilden and back. Love that post-ride dull muscle ache.
This ratty old bike has been parked near my apartment for a couple of months now — just getting rustier. I walk by it a couple of times almost every day. It’s kind of growing on me…
5 Best Places to Bike in Brooklyn
We all know there have been a lot of improvements to the bike infrastructure in New York in recent years — and Brooklyn has been at the epicenter of that. So what, I have challenged myself to determine, are the most blissful places to bike in Brooklyn right now? Here’s what I picked (at least as of today):
5) Clinton and Henry Sts — No protected paths and lots of traffic lights, but still a couple of great streets to explore through the heart of Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. Also connects very well to East River bridges and Red Hook. DRAWBACKS: Lots of traffic lights, so you can’t TOTALLY sit back and relax.
4) Jamaica Bay Greenway — Probably the longest stretch of separated bike path in the entire borough, from Gerritsen Beach to the Queens border near JFK Airport. DRAWBACKS: Parts of it, including many of the bridges, are crumbling or overgrown with branches. Traffic from the highway is also quite loud.
3) Kent Avenue — The new two-way bike lane from Flushing Avenue all the way to Greenpoint is fantastic, and a great place for people (bike) watching through Williamsburg! It’s also a fantastic new connection between North and South Brooklyn. DRAWBACKS: Some traffic lights and hidden driveways near the new Williamsburg condo towers.
2) Belt Parkway Bike Path — If you haven’t pedaled down this path along the waterfront in Bay Ridge, you’re missing out. It’s smooth, several miles long and has a spectacular view of Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge and New York harbor. DRAWBACKS: It’s annoying to get to from the north, with Sunset Park not very friendly to bikes.
1) Prospect Park Loop (of course) — Three and a third miles of (mostly) car free cycling through one of the country’s premier parks. Not as crowded as Central Park. Just enough ups and downs to make it a great work out if you want. Accessible from all directions. DRAWBACKS: Wish it were even bigger!
Bonus:
Place I wish I could bike: Greenwood Cemetery — Lots of hills, well paved, great views. Wish someday I could ride my bike through it!
Place that will probably on the list next year: Brooklyn Bridge Park — The bike lane through the new park is sure to be AWESOME!
What am I missing? Did I get it all wrong?
A piece of the Smith Street bike lane stuck to my tire. White paint and tar!
They were putting markings down on the bike lane about an hour ago near President Street and I rolled right over it. It took a sharp knife to carve most of it off. Hope it didn’t damage the tire!
In more bike lane-related news… The Smith Street bike lane is open in Carroll Gardens!
Spotted it this morning on my walk to the subway.
One question they asked that I thought was great was: Are there any parts of the CB6 bike network that are particularly dangerous? Here’s one of my responses:
“Union Street through Park Slope is pretty dicey sometimes — and it’s a route I commonly take after riding east from Carroll Gardens on the Union Street bike lane toward Prospect Park.”
What do you think?
I think I heard my bike breath a sigh of relief this morning…
(via Brooklyn Paper)
