"Going To The Dogs", a Harold Kravis ride; by Nick Poulos

Being a member of the BTCNJ for 2 years, I'd like to share my experiences with the club. I've enjoyed all the rides I've been on. Sometime in the fall of 2002, I met for a NYC bike tour with ride leader Harold Kravis. It ending up becoming one of my favorites.

On one of the tours, Harold talked about riding to Coney Island. Well me being the adventurous person that I am said ok. So, Harold and I got together one Sunday in September of 2003 and started out in Weehawkin NJ. We rode through Hoboken NJ. (hardly any traffic) down to Jersey City. Unfortunately, the ferry was not running until 10 AM, so we rode back to Hoboken and took the PATH to Christopher Street in Manhattan. The worst part was carrying the bikes up 3 flights of stairs.

From there we rode on the bike path to Battery Park and crossed over to City Hall. For the first time in my life, I got to ride over the Brooklyn Bridge.

With Harold's knowledge, it was on the streets of Brooklyn past beautiful brownstones and into Prospect Park. Riding through Prospect Park is an clone of riding through Central Park in Manhattan. Then back on the streets of Brooklyn to Ocean Parkway. Now, Ocean Parkway is laid out like some boulevard in Paris, France. There is a bike path or street to ride on from Avenue A to Avenue Z. It finally ends on the boardwalk in Coney Island. This would be a good place to go to in the Summer for a swim at the beach.

After a ride on the boardwalk, we went to Nathan's for hot dogs and lemonade. Then it was back to Ocean Parkway to Prospect Park to the Brooklyn Bridge. On the way back to NJ, it was a nice ferry ride to Hoboken and on to Weehawkin.

Of course we did similar ride in October and are considering a ride to Staten Island.

Hopefully, more people will join us next spring.

~Nick Poulos