So, this week I started riding full-time again. After a few weeks of taking the subway, I’m finding that the time difference between riding in and taking the subway really isn’t all that different. After all, with the bike you can just get going, while with the subway you have to walk to your stop, take the stairs, wait for your train, and put up with the “we are being held due to train traffic ahead” announcements.
Monday morning I decided to be a little different and check out the bike path on First. That, of course, meant riding crosstown for what seemed like forever.
I did get a new piece of scenery–the UN Building that always reminds me of the monolith from 2001. Da, da, daaaaa….da da!!!!
Today’s Route: East on 36th, north on First, West on 47th
Best Thing About It: Beautiful, clear bike path once you get on First.
Worst Thing About It: Getting on First. Also, you feel like you’re going in a big circle (because you are). Also, it feels way too long, although station to station only took me about 14 minutes, on par with my usual rides.
Route Rating: 5 of 10
I sneaked out of the office early at 5 and found bikes on 47th and Park. I rode West on 47th (no bike lane = no fun) and made my way to the bike lane on Ninth.
This morning I took a different route–all the way up on Eighth to 50th, then East on 50th. Again, with no bike lane on 50th I found myself weaving in and out of cars, which is just trouble waiting to happen. My some miracle I found one open dock at 53rd and Madison.
Today’s Route: North on 8th, East on 50th
Best Thing About It: Beautiful, clear bike path on Eighth until you get to Port Authority
Worst Thing About It: No bike lane on 50th makes for some scary moments
Route Rating: 6 of 10
That night I left work late and pretty much gave up on getting a bike near me. But I started to walk towards Grand Central and found a bunch of bikes near 43rd and Vanderbilt. The walk to the bike station from my office is about 10 minutes, and the ride was 12 minutes and 26 seconds, so it saved me about half the time, and so I’ll consider it half a ride in my “cost per ride” calculations.
Cost per ride: $95/54.5=$1.74 per ride
Stress: 6 of 10
Aggravation: 2 of 10