Ah, the sweet sweet goodness of an indian summer (or Global warming)

Today made me happy for two reasons:

1) I got out of work early since no one was around and it was the day after thanksgiving,

2) It was a beautiful, sunny, 50 degree day.


Well, after last night's culinary binge, I'd been itching to get out and put some base mileage on. So off i went to the park wearing a short sleeve jersey and some knickers. I may have been pushing it, but I love sunny 50-degree days. its the perfect temperature once you get your heart rate up.



I went out and went for a spin around Manhattan's backyard, aka Central Park. Brought the camera so I could share with internetland. People must've thought i was batty taking pictures while on the bike, but hey, I'm an ARTIST, DAMMIT.

Oh, how I love central park. Regardless of how many stupid, blind, jaywalking pedestrians there are, it's always a good experience for me. Sure, there are the leash less dogs and crazy mothers pushing their SUV-like baby carriages into oncoming traffic, but I think it adds to the charm of it all, and it definitely helps with your handling skills. In all honestly, I'd go batty without that park being as close as it is. As a New York city cyclist, it's my bread and butter.

I try to get out there two or three times during the weekday at about 6 in the morning to get the training in before work. it's a pretty loop, with some nice rollers and what passes for a hill (Harlem Hill) if you do enough repeats of it (like 5-10).

In the CRCA, we use the 6 mile loop for a bunch of our weekly races. it makes for a good circuit race, with most of the finish lines being at the top or right after the top of a steep little rise called "Cat's paw."



Biking around the park is a great way to see a random sample of the city. Next to the subway, its the greatest place for people watching. Even the cyclists are a motley crew:


The Bike Racers in training:

The Freds (Oh yes, Fanny Pack and all):

and, of course, Crazy old dude:

On a beautiful day in the park, you simultaneously forget and remember that you're smack-dab in the middle of the greatest city on earth. A little green in a concrete jungle, the New Yorker's sandbox, the cyclist's respite. It's even better early in the morning, when you can catch the sun rising and hitting the buildings on central park west. It's a vivid and refreshing sight.

Without this strip of land in the middle of Manhattan, cyclists would have a much, much harder time training and riding in the city. I think about that every time I almost get killed by a runaway child, dog, raccoon, or homeless person. This park is so many things to so many people, and for me, it's my escape from the drudgery of life. I just follow those double lines until I'm ready to attack the world again.