Lions and Tigers and Bears on the East Coast Greenway!

Nicole and I recently took advantage of winter's receding coarseness to meet some of our animal friends at the Bronx Zoo. The Zoo, which lies just on the south side of Fordham Road, along with the Botanical Gardens which lie to the north, collectively make up what old-timers refer to as "Bronx Park." These 718 beautiful acres are surrounded by various bike paths, several of which contain current portions of the East Coast Greenway. And believe us, it is worthy stop for day cyclists, weekend warriors and cross country-trekkers alike.

Ahh, the sullen look of a surly teenage tiger.

Any who visited the zoo last summer had a chance to see some baby tigers. Nicole and I loved seeing the three siblings play to the hearts content. Sadly, now these three have left the childhood behind, and spend their days as brooding teenagers. And they say people are more intelligent than animals!

Although the tigers were a thrill to see, perhaps nothing brought us closer to nature than our trip to "Africa." Most of the Bronx Zoo's African wildlife gets transferred to warmer climate zoos during the winter months. Not only do the animals need to stay in warm weather, but it also helps gives these captive creatures some of the variety that they so sorely need.

One such animal was certainly new to the territory at wanted everyone in New York to know he was King. A young male lion decided to roar--loudly and repeatedly. To say his manly lion-call gave us a chill would be an understatement. We could literally feel the sound waves of his roar, and we actually felt a touch of mortal terror. Incredible, to say the least. The female was more subtle, as females generally are, as she patiently and methodically sharpened her claws on a tree trunk for all to see, before slowly slinking away to leave Mr. Macho to himself.

If all you're going to do is yell, Leo, I'm going to walk out.

If you are riding towards Florida: Follow the Pelham Parkway bike path as you travel from east to west. After you ride underneath the "2" subway elevated tracks and under the Bronx River Parkway overpass, Pelham Parkway becomes Fordham Road. You will cross over a bridge and reach the intersection of Fordham Road and Southern Boulevard. Turn left on Southern Boulevard and ride for two and half blocks. The pedestrian entrance to the Zoo will be on your left. And yes, they have secure bike parking.

If you are riding towards Maine: Northbound riders have two options. Option 1 is to follow the East Coast Greenway route north on Broadway in Manhattan's Marble Hill, through Van Cortlandt Park, then travel southeast on the Mosholu Greenway. Upon reaching the New York Botanical Gardens, you can make a right turn on Southern Boulevard and ride between the Botanical Gardens and Fordham University. After riding for about one mile on Southern Boulevard, you will reach the pedestrian entrance to the zoo on your left.

Option two is to take a shortcut. Instead of taking the Broadway Bridge over the Harlem River, simply take the 207th street bridge into the Bronx. Once in the Bronx, 207th street simply becomes Fordham Road. Follow Fordham Road for about two miles until you reach Southern Boulevard. Turn right at Southern, and the entrance to the Zoo will be on your left. Though less scenic that riding through Van Corltandt Park and the Moshulu Greenway, this will save you about two and half miles of riding.

Please enjoy the video below, and if you're biking in the neighborhood, definitely make time to make the Bronx Zoo a destination!

It's Cherry Blossom Season!!

Greetings fellow Atlantic and/or cross country bike tourers!

Unfortunately, Kevin has a non-bicycle related injury, so much of our activity for now is based on trips closer to home. Not that we are unhappy about this. Since we still live near the New York portion of the East Coast Greenway, we have much to discover in our own backyard.

A Great time to see cherry blossoms and other pretty things.

Now that we have relocated to New York City, we have become regular members to the New York Botanical Gardens. Located in the north Bronx, the Gardens offer some of the finest views that the Big Apple has to offer. Not only do the New York Botanical Gardens display a world-class collection of trees, patios, and the like, but perhaps its Crown Jewel is the Thain family forest. In all, there are over 250 acres of natural beauty.

We love visiting the gardens, and do so nearly every weekend. Every visit, we see something different. Urban life is so static, so the gardens are a welcome respite, as we enjoy the rapidly changing ephemeral periods between the seasons. One week, its a stub coming out of the ground. The next week, its a daisy. The following week, the flower could be turning inwards, ready to disappear until next year.

Two months ago, we had the privilege of walking through the gardens in after the great February snowstorm that brought New York City to a standstill. With everything snowbound, we enjoyed the gardens and its accompanied two feet of newfallen snow. All 250 acres were practically ours.

Hey buddy! You certainly look familiar.

At one point, we walked down daffodil hill, a few trees all that could stand out in a see of winter white. Nicole saw some life amongst the stillness after the storm. She saw some young chickadees--so young and small that we wondered if they had ever seen humans before. Our little smartphone cameras didn't allow for the finest in long-range photography, so we had to get close to get our pictures. Incredibly, the little creatures didn't seem to mind. One of the young chickadees was so fascinated with the constant "clicking" of Nicole's smartphone camera that it left its perch on a tree branch and landed right on her phone! We couldn't believe what we saw, and before we had time to even grasp what had happened, the little bird took flight, back to the safety of the tree.

All that was two months ago. On our most recent trip, we got to enjoy the lovely cherry blossoms that show their radiance only in early spring. Like the snow, they will wisp away, slowly at first, then vanish until next season. So of course, Nicole and I made time to visit the gardens again.


As we walking through one of the Garden's many trails, we saw some chickadees. Were these the same birds we saw in winter? One of them seemed very comfortable around us. Perhaps he recognized his former friends and wanted to say hello. It always good to stop by and catch up with an old friend.

And yes, the New York Botanical Gardens are great for cycle tourists. There a very few places in the five boroughs where you can lock up your bike where it will be under the watchful eye of a security guard. And the East Coast Greenway itself runs right along the southern and western edge of Botanical Gardens. So by all means, if you are riding by the East Coast Greenway in New York, this is definitely worth your time.

Getting there:
By Bike: Use the auxiliary entrance at the intersection of Southern Boulevard and Bedford Park Boulevard. Walk through the gate and lock your bikes on the bike rack. Wave to the security guard.

Nothing gold can stay . . .

By Public Transportation: Easy. Take the Botanical Gardens stop on the Harlem line of Metro-North. If one is traveling by car from regions outside of the New York Metropolitan Area, it is best to drive and park the car in White Plains, New York.

By Car: If one must drive into New York City, relax: The Bronx isn't nearly as crowded as Manhattan. No traffic tie-ups and no tolls. The Gardens has its own parking lot, but if one wants to save some cash, there is parking garage at the intersection of Bedford Park Boulevard and Webster Avenue, and the Gardens are a very, very short walk away.

And no, you don't have to worry about crime in this part of New York. So what are you waiting for?

Winter is dead. Long live winter!!

For the first time since November, our home in the northeast was sunny and warm. Finally, we can put another winter firmly behind us as we spring forward into good weather.

Winter and us have shared some good times over the last few months, but it is clearly all over for now. See you later!

Bronx River, February 7th, 2013.