Over the bridge and through the streets, to the five boros we went

Me and the rents in Astoria Park

On Sunday my parents, AGK and I participated in the TD Bank Five Boro bike tour.  We joined 31,996 other participants as we pedaled 42 miles through, you guessed it, the five boroughs of NYC - Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and good-ole Staten Island.

AGK - so strong

This is my second time doing the event, and I loved it just as much as the first.  Like last year, we hopped on at the entrance to the Central Park, bypassing the crazy crowd down in Battery Park and soared through the course with ease.  The ride is a great way to experience different areas of the city that New Yorkers may not be typically subjected to.  The rolling hills and beauty of Central Park, the gospel singers serenading us in the Bronx, Astoria Park in Queens, adorable Williamsburg and Dunbo in Brooklyn, riding along the BQE, and the fabulous Verrazano Bridge (a.k.a. the death of my legs) all offered a unique experience.  However, the scenery that you bike through is only a part of the fun.  The other participants provide just as much entertainment.  Such as, but not limited to: the elliptical bikers (click here to see what I'm talking about), the woman biking next me in four inch heels (you can read about her journey here), and everyone's favorite weatherman, spotted by my momma, Al Roker.

Our swag

The Five Boro bike tour celebrated it's 35th anniversary this year and the event organizers have worked out almost all the kinks.  It is one of the most well run events I've seen, with hundreds of volunteers along the way cheering you on, directing you through the next wide turn, and warning you of the dreaded potholes.  They even offered a three day bike expo at Pier 36 this year rather than the usual pick up your packet and run from Eastern Mountain.  The only problem they have yet to perfect is getting all 32,000 participants on the Staten Island Ferry efficiently.  Again, we were at the front of the pack so we walked on, returned our bikes, and had bloody marys in hand by 1:30pm.  Others were not so lucky and were stuck on Staten Island waiting until after 7pm.

The experience is one that I think everyone should try at least once.  Catch ya in 2013! Check out more images from the ride below.

Images from the race: fuel, under the bridge in Astoria, riding the BQE, LARA, halfway point, finish line & view of Verrazano