Tour de Bronx

Most people, when they hear the words "The Bronx" think of things like high-rise housing projects, crime and urban decay. I know that was something of the image that I had of it. It is the poorest buroughs in New York and one of the poorest areas in the US.

I'd only been to the Bronx twice before today; now, having cycled through it for a 40 mile 'Tour de Bronx' ride, I have a better idea of what it is like. And that is: high-rise housing projects, crime and urban decay *and* a lot of other things: sumptuous mansions overlooking the Hudson and the Jersey Pallisades, Lobster Restaurants and yacht life around City Island, stunning views and an old stone fort at the New York State University Maritime College, suburban living (with picket fences) in the neighbourhoods along Long Island Sound.

The event was free, chaotic and fun; it drew a mixed crowd which included me, Julia Henderson and Yinbel, the IHouse team. It was organized in part by Transportation Alternatives, an organization which pushes for fewer cars in New York. They have a long way to push.

New York (Still) Cares

Last year I painted hopscotch squares on a school yard in Queens; today I pasted category labels onto Harry Potter and Charlotte's Web books with other engineering students at a school with the great name of MS 394 K in the heart of Brooklyn. It was all part of the New York Cares day, was a lot of fun and had me itching to read some of those books.

This is our book-categorizing team, and the school librarian who had a sweet, lilting west-indian accent.

Newtown Creek

Another History of the City of New York tour took us to Newtown Creek, which is the heavily polluted stretch of water between the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, east of Manhattan. The tour was lead by Jack Eichenbaum, a retired Geologist who does tours of Queens. Here is a New York Times article on him.

The section of the walk in Brooklyn was in the Greenpoint neighbourhood, the polish enclave I have blogged about before. The entire waterfront here is fenced off, decaying industry which is really frustrating because of the beautiful views of Manhattan which the it hides. This is what the Empire State Building looks like from there:

Hiking Upstate, Driving Downtown

Long day in which the official driver of the hiking club's trip out to the High Point State Park in New Jersey (me) missed his alarm and awoke half an hour before the group was supposed to be picked up. A hectic taxi ride to midtown Manhattan and even more hectic drive back up to Columbia later, and I picked them up only 15 minutes late. Whew! I enjoyed the driving, and the hiking, through trees all turning red and gold on a beautiful autumn day, was great. This was the first hike on which we didn't see the Manhattan skyline off in the distance. This site of the hike was the highest point in New Jersey, which is about as exciting as the highest point in the Netherlands.

When returning the car in the evening, I had the experience of driving through downtown Manhattan in the middle of the day. The operative word here is pushy: everyone is, and if you aren't, you're lost.

The Gunks

It may sound like a disease, but the Gunks is not, in fact, something you have (and scratch like crazy) but a place you go to. Preferably with with plenty of climbing gear in beautiful autumn weather and some of the fine climbers from the Columbia Rock Climbing Club, which is the experience I had today.

The Gunks are in Minnewaska State Park in upstate New York, about two hours north of the city.
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They are are series of sheer, 20-30 meter high basalt cliffs which provide excellent, varied climbing. I have a lot of indoor experience, but this was only my third time to climb outside. It was a great experience, but at the end of the day, my hands were stiff and sore - they really had the Gunks.