RIDE THE NYC MARATHON COURSE AHEAD OF THE RUNNERS!
RBC Ride Organizer: Mitchell Fink
Cell: 917-690-3371
Email: mfink@mfink.com
We will be joining and be the guests of the New York Cycle Club and some of my old friends on this fun tour of some NYC neighborhoods and the excitement of the NYC Marathon.
This is a touring pace ride, 23 miles, 12 mph avg.
Note new departure location this year -->> Brooklyn Public Library, Ft. Hamilton Branch, NW corner (north west) 95th St., 4th Ave., opposite R train entrance
Please try to wear some part of club kit so we can identify each other.
TWO SETS OF NOTES BELOW-PLEASE READ AND BE FAMILIAR WITH EVERYTHING.
1. The notes below are from the NYCC official web site and my friend Alfredo Garcia who is the primary organizer of this ride. Please read and understand all the details. Be sure to check back here as the date approaches, some details may change. There is a lot to read, please read and understand it all
2. ADDITIONAL LOGISTICAL NOTES FOR THOSE NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE NYC MTA ARE AT THE END
Extra Bonus – Daylight Saving time ends at 2:00am November 5 so you get an extra hour of sleep.
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NOTES FROM NYCC - WE ARE THEIR GUESTS. YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SIGN THEIR SIGN-UP SHEET
This unofficial ride (no connection to the actual NYC Marathonn race itself) is an annual Cycle Club tradition for at least ten years, started by Life Member Peter O'Reilly.
PLEASE READ ENTIRE RIDE DESCRIPTION - IT IS REDUNDANT IN PART BUT HAS IMPORTANT DETAILS.
NOTE01: We will meet at 6 AM and we'll start cycling at 6:30 AM. Daylight Savings Time ends on November 5, 2022 at 2am, so set your clocks back an hour. Here is your chance to ride the NYC Marathon course, long before the official race begins. While runners start in Staten Island, we will forego the Verrazano Bridge crossing (sadly not an option) and start in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
NOTE02: This is not an official ride connected to the New York City Marathon or the NY Road Runners group. We ask people not to bring backpacks, large handlebar bags or panniers on this ride, as this will cause security problems with the NYPD. Carry a small saddle bag for tubes & irons as well as a good small pump in your jersey pocket, plus a current New York City cycling map. If we are lucky, we may finish in Central Park just a mile from the official race finish.
NOTE03: There are NO cue sheets. No cue sheets. We basically follow the blue lines and blue-bounded tape of the marathon route and ride with good cycling sense in traffic. The ride unofficially ends at Central Park South and 59th St. in Manhattan, if we get there. In addition to checking out pre-race festivities, this is an opportunity to explore many diverse communities that make up our beautiful city, at a time of very little vehicular traffic. Please try to arrive early and budget enough time for your travel to the start (like at least 90 minutes from Manhattan).
NOTE04: The ride will start promptly at 6:30 AM. It is important that we start cycling to avoid race course closures and not interfere with the race in any way. If you take the subway, your best option is to catch the N train in Manhattan or Queens, then transfer to the R train at Brooklyn's 59th St. station and get off at the last stop at 95th St. If you are running late, hop off the R train along 4th Ave. in Brooklyn and try to meet up with the group en route. There are plenty of bailouts - bring an MTA MetroCard or the OMNY card, just in case. It's also a good idea to bring the current NYC Bike Map. Biking to the start is another great option while getting a few miles in. Check the Club message board and/or the Club's Facebook site for potential pickup rides heading to the start.
NOTE05: If we or anyone in our group is stopped by the NY Police Department (NYPD), PLEASE COOPERATE WITH THEM.
NOTE06: The following items are prohibited (no kidding, it's meticulously serious) from all NYRR events and race venues, like the NYC Marathon:
A weapon of any kind, including firearms, knives, Mace, etc. Any dangerous item or "dual-use" item that could be dangerous, including hammers, saws, sharp objects, etc. Flammable liquids, fuels, fireworks, toxic chemicals and explosives. Large packages, coolers, tents, and lean-tos. Duvets, sleeping bags, and large blankets or comforters. Alcoholic beverages and illegal substances of any kind. Unmanned aerial devices, drones, survey balloons, photography mini-copters, and any flying device with an on/off switch. Opaque trash bags and any non-transparent plastic bags (clear trash bags are allowed.) No animals/pets allowed. Folding chairs, camp chairs, and tables of any kind. Glass containers. Containers of liquid larger than one liter. Strollers. Suitcases and rolling bags. Backpacks and any bags other than the USP Baggage Bag. Camelbaks and any type of hydration backpack (Fuel belts and hand-held water bottles are allowed.) Weight vest and any vests with multiple pockets, especially those that can be used as a water reservoir. Costumes that cover the face and any bulky outfits that extend the perimeter of the body (Form-fitting outfits are allowed.) Props, including sporting equipment, military and fire gear and signs no larger than 11' x 17". Selfie-sticks and any camera mount or rig that isn't attached directly to the head or torso.
-See more restrictions at http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/plan-your-race/prohibited-items#sthash.qKi...
Ride starts from the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Brooklyn Public Library, Ft. Hamilton Branch, NW corner (north west) 95th St., 4th Ave., opposite R train entrance
Leaders:
Alfredo Garcia
allen lum
LOGISTICAL NOTES ABOUT TRAVEL
With a 6:00am start for the ride the logistics could be very challenging. The best option is to arrange for a place to sleep Saturday night, get up early and take the subway to the start point.
Some hints about the subway:
- You must pay with a Metrocard. (or OMNY app on your phone) It would be best to obtain a Metrocard ahead of time so you don’t have to fumble while rushing to catch a train. I suggest loading a Metrocard for multiple rides, in case you have to bail out or we get detoured by the Police as happened one year.
- Be sure scope out the subway station you will be using to get on board. Some stations have the standard entries that allow you swipe your Metrocard and just lift your bike over the turnstyle. Other stations (mostly un-manned stations) have a ‘man-trap’ entry. You will not be able to get your bike through this type of entry. If the station you are planning to use has the man-trap style, you will have to pedal a few blocks to get to another station.
If you choose to drive in the morning of the race:
- We will end the ride somewhere near the southern part of Central Park, think somewhere near 59th street between Columbus Circle and 5 th Avenue (subject to change)
- You will have to leave Ridgefield sometime around 3-4 o’clock AM, find a parking space or parking lot that is open and has space and then hop on a subway. You can find parking lots if you Google ‘NYC Cheap Parking’. Some lots permit you to reserve a space ahead of time.
- I have ordered some NYC Bike Maps from NYC 311. They are available by visiting Ridgefield Bicycle Company and asking for one.
