ManifestDestiny2010Redux: 7/24 Into the City

We woke up to bright hot sun. We packed up the bikes and got back on 52 and immediately began climbing the Shawangunk Ridge. We stopped near the top of the climb for some bike maintenance, then finished off the gorgeous hill and descended quickly in Walker Valley. We ate a gas station and noticed the oppressive heat and humidity. We got back on the road and road the semi busy 52 through Pine Bush, Walton and Orange Valley on a sunny Saturday morning. We were happy to arrive in Newburgh where we met up with our next main road NY9W. We took refuge from the weather in an air conditioned gas station outside of town and got back on the road where I was stopped by a flat not a eighth of a mile after beginning riding. We rode 9W until we took the 218 at Cornwall on Hudson, where we climbed along the banks of the Hudson on the Storm King Highway and biked past West Point. As we climbed back towards 9W the oppressive heat began to weigh on my mind. 9W is a four lane highway with lots of traffic and was sketchy in parts. We would have long downhills with big shoulders only to round the corner and see the shoulder disappear, with two lanes of traffic on your tail. We stopped in Fort Montgomery and rehydrated to the best of our abilities and took refuge in the air conditioned convenience store while we saw some of the results of the final Tour de France Time Trial. I made a mixture of half orange juice and half water which my friend Bob had always recommended was the perfect on the ride drink. We got back on the road for less than a mile until we stopped at the busy Hessian Lake for a mid-day Siesta. We rested under the trees and let some of the hottest hours of the day pass. As we were getting ready to leave we told our story to some random folks who were shocked by our adventure. This encounter enlivened us a bit and we got back on the road, where I was struck by another flat not an eighth of a mile down the road. It was my fourth flat in 24 hours and it had become comical at this point. We got back on 9W and rode steadily and determined. We had found out that Carrie and Ashley were in Nyack earlier in the day and were about to make it to the city. What a remarkable coincidence. We arrived in Nyack and decided it was time to eat, we found an empty "latin american" restaurant where we happily ate and wondered if the establishment was a front based on its strange service and menu. We were good and fueled as we hit the highway again. We came across another biker who informed us we had one more climb as we entered New Jersey. We summited the hill and descended into New Jersey. In New Jersey 9W parallels the Palisades Interstate Highway, and their was little traffic on the shaded road. We saw signs for the George Washington Bridge, our way over the Hudson into Manhattan. I intended to soak up the experience of the last few miles on the open highway as we cruised as a pack. We entered Fort Lee where we found our way to the GW bridge. As we climbed up the bridge and got a view of the megalopolis it all hit me, I was stunned by the enormity of it all; the city, our ride, of our strength. We descended down into the Upper Westside, put on our lights and made our way to the Riverside Parkway, with the vague idea that there was a bike path somewhere on the west side. We gave a temporary goodbye to Aidan, whose girlfriend happened to be in the city making a movie and was staying in the upper westside. Goody, Pete, Will and I rode down riverside and then turned east to meet up with Broadway. It was saturday night with all the lights, cars and pedestrians. Goody, normally the most cautious rider, got the most excited as we dodged cabs and town cars with our loaded bikes. We sprinted and weaved through the city. We saw the craziness of of Time Square and made it down to the lower east side where Carrie's old apartment waited for us. In another remarkable timing of events, Carrie had just moved into a new apartment with her boyfriend and had her old vacant apartment waiting for us in the city. We waited outside for our companion who we had last seen in Plains, Montana. She arrived with some friends and told us about Carrie and hers ride into the city. We carried our bikes up four flights of stairs, dropped our stuff and borrowed some of Carries boyfriends shirts and followed Carrie to a German bar where Ashley and her friends were celebrating. We joyously greeted Ashley, talked a bit with everyone and feasted on the leftovers from the parties previous orders. Carrie, Ashley, Goody, Pete, Will and I left the bar, bought some more alcohol and then went back to the Apartment to meet Aidan. I was already drunk and didn't last a few minutes before passing out.