NYC: A Bicycl-Empire

Picture courtesy of NYTimes.

While it's true that Minneapolis still holds the title for most bike-friendly city in the country, New York City holds its own caliber of cycle-friendly streetways, abundant bike lanes and a visionary transportation commissioner that transformed the metropolis into a Bicycl-Empire! Frank Bruni commends her work in the Times today.

I recommend using Google's bicycle option to find routes from A to B, but if you are looking for a ride that tests your endurance and rewards you at the end, cycle your way across the Manhattan or Brooklyn Bridge over to Prospect Park West, ride through the park to the Southern end and take Ocean Parkway down to Coney Island. You can either stop there to enjoy the kitschy and gleefully trashy Boardwalk, of turn due East and continue along the parkway across the bridge to the Rockaways, destination: Fort Tilden. Here you can enjoy the grassy beaches and overgrown bunkers, catch some sun and refresh  yourself in the Atlantic waves - a true escape only 20 miles from Manhattan.

For indulgence, grab an ice cream cone near the Beach 116th St station. Ever wonder where the good ol' reliable A train ends up at the end of its journey from the top of Manhattan? Enjoy a scenic ride home over the sounds between Brooklyn and the Rockaways.

Picture courtesy of Google.