Escape from Manhattan

Biking along the west side of Manhattan is one of the best ways to a break away from city and immerse yourself in the beauty of the green pathway that snakes its way around this big island.  The ride from Midtown to Riverside Park (99th Street) takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes.  Anyone thinking about taking a ride might think that going all the way up to 100th Street seems out of the question, but there is a reward for those who take on the challenge.  They will be both rewarded and possibly surprised when they find the uptown section of the bike path is less crowded and more tranquil then the tarmacs below 40th Street.  Riders here are able to focus more on the beauty of the surroundings and less on the obstacles which may block their path or come out of the blind spots without warning. (strollers, dogs, joggers with headphones, rouge bikers or the occasional rat making run for it)

Uptown can get really crowded during the warm weekends of summer.   Large groups and families are in full force and stake claim on a pieces of the large open lawns early in the morning and make a day of it. The parks are places where families can picnic, grill and play.  They even take their pets out for the day and these pets aren’t just the usual dog or parrot but of more the exotic type like their friendly pet boa or domesticated rat.

If you don’t have a bike  then there’s plenty of places to rent.  Bike and Roll most convenient and probably most expensive bike rental company with a couple of locations on the bike path.   Here’s a list of others near by which give more reasonable rates.    The best times to bike during the warm months are obviously during the week and from early morning until mid afternoon.  The weekends aren’t too bad but it’s always good to get an early start.