We caravaned up to transport the bikes, reaffirming my feelings about Toll Booths and driving in unfamiliar cities, but I was delighted to find a free parking spot right in front of Kenway’s apartment. We arrived so late that I had little sleep before our ride, but was so excited I didn’t feel tired. Although I love my bike, I decided to rent one for the day up there and found a bike shop near where my friends were staying that became our rallying spot. Imagine my surprise when amongst Stephanie’s New York friends was Aaron, visiting from Orange County.
Truly a small Mormon world. The temporary tattoos for this ride were bicycles and pizzas, and I had one running up my forearm like a sailor.Two of Stephanie’s friends, Tim and Adam, were our guides who not only planned our route but made sure none of us got lost (we proved the value of that more than once). We started off with a leisurely ride through Central Park, enjoying the perfect weather and lack of cars.
Next leg: Times Square. The thought of biking on the streets of New York made me rather anxious, but it turns out that they’ve made bike lanes throughout the city. And riding with such a large group on a Saturday meant we were more visible and the traffic was lighter. The taxis may not have liked it, but we took over the slow lane for the part where we shared the road.
After a few miles of biking through neighborhoods we were ready for our first food stop: Joe’s Pizza.
Learning my lesson from the Tour I shared a slice with friends, but couldn’t resist the gelato place nearby for dessert. I was glad I did, as our next few stops were all closed for Yom Kippur.Our next successful stop strayed from the pizza theme, but the doughnuts were round and delicious so no one complained.
From there we biked across the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn for pizza at Grimaldi’s. 
Adam became our hero by braving the line so we could enjoy the gorgeous weather and city skyline at a nearby park, where we eventually had a picnic with this delightful fare.
I’d say it lives up to the hype and is well worth the wait…especially if someone else is doing the waiting for you.The worst traffic we encountered were the pedestrians crowding the Brooklyn Bridge as we headed back to Manhattan, but it gave us a chance to slow down and enjoy the beautiful views more.
Back in Manhattan, I was surprised at the light traffic. Where was everyone? No complaints, just a little confusing to see a deserted street in that town. We biked to a shop on a quiet street that specialized in cookies and milk—again straying from the theme, but providing a round treat that we all enjoyed.The final stretch was biking up the west side along their bike path, enjoying the setting sun and the perfect day. My previous trips to New York always left me exhausted from all the walking around; exploring it by bike was a revelation because you got places so much faster and with much more energy (my feet weren’t the least bit tired). After returning the bike to the shop, we parted ways to shower and change before reconvening in the evening for a bit of a victory party. There was a YSA conference that weekend, and we recruited a few folks to join us for a karaoke party in Koreatown that’s not to be forgotten. We couldn’t have asked for better weather or company, and it ended all too soon.
