Biker Gang

Pam, Jon, and I went bike riding through Central Park

one Saturday morning in September.

Pam and I had vouchers for discounted bike rentals,

so we met up,

walked our bikes over to Central Park

(we hardly ever ride bikes,

so riding on the NYC street seemed a bit suicidal),

and road from the Plaza end up to CPW and around 108th Street.

The park was extremely crowded

with other people on bikes, runners, and park trucks.

It made it really unappealing to bike around.

There is also a HUGE hill right 

as you round the northeast end of the park.

Have you seen Premium Rush?

It's the bike messenger movie with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

We stopped and exited the park around

the part when he's like WTF

because he has no gears to help him get up the hill.

I had to stop.

I hadn't eaten anything,

and I was freaking out from all the people.

And the hill seemed neverending.

I thought I was going to die.

So we walked our bikes across town,

and incidentally found a wonderful fresh smoothie place.

It had actual fruit pieces in the smoothie.

No powder crap at all.

We got lime/mint and watermelon.

I think Pam got mango.

I stood outside with the bikes,

snacking on a granola bar Pam generously gave me

(she's a smart lady),

while Pam and Jon went inside.

They said the man who worked there

was very nice.

He also sold bahn-mi sandwiches.

I'd go there again based on the smoothie 

and the recommended niceness of him.

YESSS! I found the place!

It's called Quick & Quality.

We road up a bit and then down

through Riverside Park.

Then we road along the bike path down by the river.

It got a little crowded with tourists and people walking their kids and dogs

as we neared the Boat Basin,

but it was mostly other leisure-bike riders--

not Lance Armstrong-types.

We walked back crosstown with the bikes to return them,

and headed to lunch with Kat and Tif at Bosie Tea Parlor.

It might be because I was starving,

but the eggs Benedict I had there was the best I've ever eaten.

I'm not sure how well this video will work,

but here goes: