The city can seem huge and daunting. Looking at a map of it can make you feel like the only humane way to get from point A to B is to be teleported. But I’ve found that jumping on my bike has made some seemingly distant places seem within reach, especially when there’s a bike path involved. A recent bike ride from Prospect Park to Coney Island had this sort of borough squashing effect.
I began my ride at the Southwest corner of Prospect Park. After navigating a few blocks to the northern most part of Ocean Parkway (at Ocean Parkway and Church Avenue) the bike path begins (the top of the green line in the middle of the map). Here’s a little historical background on this bike path. After Fredrick Olmsted and Calvert Vaux completed Central Park and Prospect Park, they designed and proposed Ocean Parkway to the Brooklyn Park Commissioners. By 1880, Ocean Parkway was completed and in 1894, the pedestrian path was split to create the first bike path in the United States. The first bike path in the United States? Pretty innovative Olmsted/Brooklyn!
The ride down Ocean Parkway is a tree-lined, straight and flat bike path that covers about 6 miles. Besides the journey itself, the payoff is at the end of the path, where a beautiful boardwalk, gorgeous beach and the history and aura of Coney Island confronts you. You are only allowed to ride on the boardwalk from 5am to 10am, but I have cautiously rode on it at other times (on weekdays) without incident. In my opinion, you can’t ride all that way and not experience the feeling of seeing the sights on the board walk, staring out at the beach and feeling the ocean breeze on your bike.
Before you head out on your ride to Coney Island, there are a few things to keep in mind. The ride is bumpy at times, so be prepared to avoid places where tree roots have mangled the path and fallen victim to disrepair. My biggest complaint is the intersections along the ride. They are an obvious necessity for a bike path that runs along a parkway, but they do pose some challenges. The first challenge is that of safety. Even when you have the “pedestrian walk” sign in your favor, you still have to be 100% aware of your surroundings, watching for any turning cars that may interrupt your leisurely ride/precious life. Since you may be traveling at a rate that is difficult for a moving car to notice, you need to be extra cautious and defensive.
The second challenge is the necessity of pausing at intersections never allows you to build up much momentum. This makes the ride hard to justify for those looking for a good fitness ride. Regardless, it still makes for a great leisurely ride. Riding along a tree-lined street, being able to cover quite bit of distance and ending up at a gorgeous beach and historical landmark makes the challenges worth it. The Ocean Parkway bike path (in addition to Central Park, Prospect Park and Coney Island to name a few) is a testament to the beauty and power of public space and the foresight of intuitive designers over a hundred years ago.
Let me know of any great bike rides you enjoy around the city. Be on the look out for my review of the ride to and around Governors Island.
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