I’m always looking for excuses to explore a new neighborhood so when I read about 239 Play, also known as “Dan’s Parent’s House,” I knew I had to check it out and visit City Island.
I took the ferry from 34th Street two stops to Ferry Point Park by Throgs Neck, just a 30 minute trip up the East River. At one point, we were directly under the flight path of the landing jets at LaGuardia Airport. I didn’t get a photo by the views of the Manhattan & Brooklyn skyline was pretty impressive as well.
I have an old beater mountain bike that I ride around on. I wouldn’t want to ride it too far but it’s fine for 30 – 50 mile exploration rides and the shocks are great for urban riding. After getting off the ferry (where I met someone who gave me some pointers on where to ride) I headed up past a Trump golf course and a couple of malls next to a freeway until I got into Pelham Bay Park which had some nice bike paths on the way towards City Island.
On the way back, I took a detour to check out Orchard Beach which was totally empty,
and then took a little back trail and stumbled across a scene that felt like rural Maine.
The journey is half the fun. I rode home instead of taking the ferry just to see how long it would take. Amazing to think all this greenery is only a 90 minute ride from midtown Manhattan.
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