September 21, 2020 - Nyack via the Tappan Zee Bridge

Start: New York, NY
Turnaround: Nyack, NY
End: New York, NY
Miles: 60.7
Feet climbing per mile: 54
Record of today's ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/56514764

I woke at 7:15 to the jolt of my alarm bringing me out of a dream in which I was looking for a small piece of paper containing some important information. I turned off the alarm and went back to bed, not sure that I would carry out my plan for a 60-mile ride. I hadn't gotten to sleep until after 1:00, so it was a short night that ended unpleasantly. Perhaps I would delay my ride until tomorrow. Nevertheless I arose at 7:30 and was out the door at 8:15, just 15 minutes later than I had intended.

My plan was to ride up the east side of the Hudson to the new Tappan Zee Bridge (or is it the Mario Cuomo Bridge?), cross the bridge, ride to the Runcible Spoon, and then ride home on the west side of the Hudson in time to make an appointment in midtown at 2:00.

Looking westbound on the Mario Cuomo Bridge

This was my first time riding across the new bridge between Tarrytown to Nyack. With so few cyclists and pedestrians it was a pleasant three-mile ride, with one side dedicated to cyclists and the other to pedestrians. I suspect that when it's crowded with pedestrians they will spill across the dividing line.

Looking north from the Mario Cuomo Bridge

Earlier, eleven miles into my ride, I encountered a hazard that I've seen every time I've entered the bike path north of Dyckman Street. The first time I encountered the hazard, June 26th of 2018, I was not aware of it until after I hit it with my front tire which then had a blowout. The bollard was removed from its base and placed in the nearby grass. I suspect the culprits are workers who need to drive on the bike path. It's unfortunate, and dangerous, that they seem to never reinstall the bollard, which I always do whenever I pass this way. More than once I've reported the hazard to 311 but so far no action has been taken.

The base of the bollard ready to harm an unsuspecting cyclist

The bollard in its base

Less than a mile later, about an hour into my ride, I stopped to turn on the navigation in my RideWithGPS app. Although my phone was fully charged when I left home, because of the cold weather (low 50s) my phone was now down to 50%. Fortunately I had brought an external battery with me, but I did not bring my small bag that straps on to the top tube which could have held the battery. So instead of placing my phone on the handlebar mount I had to place it in my saddle bag with a cable connecting it to the battery and make due with audible directions from my Bluetooth earpiece.

I forgot how much I dislike riding Riverdale Avenue (mile 14 to 16.4). Even when the traffic is light some of the drivers seem unwilling to move to the left lane to safely pass me. The route https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34213871 would have allowed me to avoid all but 0.4 miles of it.

After leaving Riverdale Avenue the rest of my ride to the Tarrytown was safer but mostly suburban.

After crossing the bridge from Tarrytown to Nyack I rode north to the Runcible Spoon, where I've stopped many times to have a brownie. After a rest of 30 minutes I headed south on a familiar route, stopping at The Filling Station to have a scoop of their very dark and rich chocolate ice cream.

Chocolate ice cream at The Filling Station

As I continued to ride south on the west side of the Hudson, I noticed how rural that side is in contrast to the suburban east side, and how much I prefer rural riding to suburban riding. While I need to ride new places, I also enjoyed a special pleasure from riding a familiar route with no need to listen to navigation cues.

So is it the Tappan Zee Bridge or the Mario Cuomo Bridge? In Chicago, the Sears Tower is now officially the Willis Tower, but I, along with many Chicagoans, reject the new name and continue to use the original name. But in that instance it's the same building, whereas the Mario Cuomo Bridge is a new structure that replaces and improves the function of the Tappan Zee Bridge which was demolished and dismantled. On the other hand, the Tappan Zee is the widening of the Hudson across which the new bridge was erected. I'm therefore sticking with "Tappan Zee Bridge".