I can't believe we did it. We rode all the way 42 miles.
It was 8am at the South of Central Park. We started the tour from this point. Two years ago we lined up at the starting point, Battery Park at 7:30am, it was so crowded with participants that we had to push our bikes till the district of the wall street. It was raining and cold we were so miserable. Being all wet and exhausted became an enough excuse to leave the tour at the Central Park. We've learned the lesson from that experience.
The weather cooperated us this year. We peddled lightly on the path of Central Park which were filled with beautiful flowers and new green of endless trees. After the park we entered Harlem. The scenery had been changed completely. All the beautiful green had disappeared and I saw a lot of stores with guarded by iron shutters and spray painted old brick walls. I wondered "Am i hearing the music?" Yes, I was. some group of people played drums to cheer us up with Zumba. After while, I heard girls singing gospel. It was so heart warming.
Then we reached the second boro Bronx and turned our backs to the south again. We rode back on the east side of Manhattan and reached at the Queensboro bridge. That place is where we parked our car. we were supposed to leave the tour at this point. But we didn't! As a matter of fact I was ready to leave the tour, but my girls didn't. They begged me to continue the race. Well..we weren't tired yet and weather was nice..there was no reason to quit. We continued peddling with a slight anxiety of where we were heading and how we can get back!!
The course led us to Astoria, Queens which was the third boro we entered. The atmosphere was so homey. We rode in between the tiny cozy houses, some residences came out to watch us cheerfully or curiously. Then we reached Brooklyn the forth boro. I thought we had reached Soho or some cool arty place. That was Williamsburg. There we came. the Brooklyn bridge was the last chance
for us to get back to Manhattan otherwise we have to ride till the goal. I didn't even dream of finishing the tour. Now we must leave. However, my girls again. "Mom! once you started, you have to finish!" Yyyeeessss...but can we? "Yes, we can!" then we kept peddling.
From that point to the Verenzano bridge, I didn't have chance to please the weather or scenery. The seemingly highway was stupidly designed the repetition of uphills and downhills. Of course my favorite was downhills. When It came an uphill it was torture. Surprisingly my girls were so strong.
We managed to get the last rest area in Queens. They provided bananas, cheese crackers, energy bars, raisins and of course water. We ate some and had some rest. I was exhausted but so excited by the fact that we were almost there!!
The bridge from Queens to Staten was long and windy. Also, you can easily tell that the first half was so uphill. We peddled without thinking. No fun, no complains, just peddle. There was no such thing endless hell, oh boy, we made it, we were finally going down without peddling. We reached the top level of the bridge. Only we had was downhill. Hooray!
We arrived the festival. It was not a goal yet but looked like goal or almost goal. A man with microphone yelled at my daughter" The young lady in lavender!! you did it!! So proud of you !!" my younger one brushed a little by the compliment and the excitement. Yes, we made it! I'm so grateful to my daughters and husband. Without them I never finish the race.
We'd really loved to stay more time at the festival but hurried to the ferry terminal. We boarded the ferry with our bikes all exhausted. We didn't even bother to go out to watch the statue of liberty from the ferry even though we had a perfect view of her.
Our race hadn't finished yet. We had to ride back to our parking spot which was 62nd street. We realised that when we reached our car we completed the race. There was no option not doing that. Then finally we made it, mission accomplished!!
That was the one of the greatest day in my life. I really really proud of my girls!
