Papa Tom

Hey, Queens is Long island enough for me. I consider anything within a short drive of Nassau or Suffolk a "Long Island" ride.

csi56: Have you ridden the Waterfront Walkway in NJ? This sounds like your type of ride, but you should probably ride the West Side Greenway in Manhattan first.

Billy1111

still looking foward to hitting the west side greenway...maybe in a couple weeks next vaca

Papa Tom

Do it when it's not too hot. This summer has been a perfect West Side Greenway summer, in my opinion.

csi56

People have reported the West Side Greenway to be a big chore on crowded weekends, so I'll try it when I manage to get up bright and early -- perhaps this Sunday. I'd also like to revisit the Moonlight Ride in Central Park this Friday night - I did it once about a year ago, it was a hoot! I've done about 30 miles round-trip on the North County Trail near the Yorktown area, but I haven't tried the Waterfront Walkway yet - thanks for that tip.

Papa Tom

Rode Cedar Creek to Jones Beach tonight for the first time since June. Still one of the best rides anywhere. However, there was a show at the theater and the bike path through the parking lot was swarming with drunken high schoolers, mostly beautiful 17 year-old girls who might as well have been naked. The old creep that I am, this might have been the best thing that happened to me all day, but tonight I just wanted to ride, and I was pissed that all these teenyboppers were slowing me down.

As expected, I didn't feel much need or desire to continue to TOBAY.

GlennR

Yes... kinda hard to hide your response when wearing spandex.

Papa Tom

That's why I ride in cargo shorts.

GlennR

Missed this:

GlennR

Went to Toby yesterday around 4:00pm. When I got near the theater I see there was a concert scheduled. The staff setup a ticket checkpoint for the VIP parking lot on the bike path. Yes I stopped at the stop sign and had to zig zap pas the cars blocking the path.

On the way back I stopped again and watch a woman fall as she maneuvered past the cars. I said to the staff that they should move the checkpoint over 5 feet so it's BEFORE the bike path. That way the cars don't block it.

The head guy told me "you should not be using the bike path when there's a concert". I told him that's one hell of an attitude, after all it's a public state park. I also told him i'll be writing a letter to Live Nation, the promoter, with his statement. And send a copy to my state senator, state assembly man and to the state park police.

I have a feeling they'll have a different suggestion.

GlennR

Spoke to my state assemblyman and together we called the NYS Park Police and explained the situation to a Sargent. He's going to relay the story to his Captain. There's another show tonight and they'll be sending a officer over to check it out and if there's a safety issue, he'll have the check point moved.

I'd like to see those guys give a wise a$$ comment to a guy with a badge.

GRVR6

I got turned back at the same place Monday at 4pm because there was a running race.

Papa Tom

I'd be curious to know what the actual policy is regarding the bike path when there is a show in progress. The theater lot appeared to be gated off when I rode down there the other night, but the concert staff did not bat an eyelash at any of the cyclists riding right through the gates. Once into the parking lot, it did get very dangerous on the path, though; not just for me, but for the concertgoers.

To anyone challenging the Parks Dept or any of its employees, please be smart and don't make such an issue that the State starts talking about taking away the path extension -- OR that someone can use this as ammunition in the fight against extending the path any further than TOBAY -- OR simply that Parks employees start to harass bicyclists as they pass through the lot.

The rules and policies of this bikeway may need some tweaking, but let's remember that it's a gift--and one of the best things we have here on Long Island. No need to holler and scream and get up in arms. The $15-20/hr Parks guy probably got no briefing at all on what to say to cyclists when they want to pass through on a concert night, and in my opinion, I don't think his response was so off the mark. I mean, think about what YOU would have said.

GlennR

Tom,

It's understandable that there will be many pedestrians on the bike path during a shop. There are signs at every opening in the parking lot that you have to stop for pedestrians. What i'm talking about is a private company setting up a checkpoint that causes cars to block the bike path.

The police officer I spoke to agreed that its a public safety issue and by simply moving the checkpoint 5 feet so it's before the path, the problem is resolved.

I did not speak to a park employee, it was staff from Live Nation.

Don't tell me I can't use the path when they are running a for profit event.

Yes, I have no problem if there is a charity race/event that is using the path/boardwalk and I can't use it. It's the same as when they close a road for a race/event. Those are public events which have permits and the support of law enforcement.

GlennR

I did the Tobay ride and upped my average MPH to 16mph. On the way there I averaged 17mph, had a tail wind for some of the ride.

Billy1111

went cedar to tobay....the wind going really blew .... i like how they barricaded the entrance to tobay, u cant even walk your bike thru!

GlennR

Agreed... what if you have to go to the bathroom? Do you dare leave your bike and hope its still there?

FIVE ONE SIX

well, before the barricade was put in place there WAS a sign that said not to bring bikes into that area, so that's really applied since a week or two after Memorial Day. and as far as getting a bike stolen, do you REALLY think that's going to happen there? you would have a much better chance of that happening if you go to one of the bathrooms in the park, cause there are cars close to those bathrooms and someone can throw it in their car and drive away, but i HIGHLY doubt someone is going to steal a bike at the Tobay turn around point knowing they have to ride it at least 9 miles to get away...

GlennR

It's pretty easy for 2 guys to head down ocean parkway with a minivan. One hangout at the turn around and grab a $5000 bike, ride a short distance and throw it in the waiting minivan.

Are you willing to take the chance?

The Town of Oyster Bay needs to revisit the security gate. Signs at Jones Beach seem to work in letting cyclists know not to ride on the boardwalk. As things stand, i won't be stopping at the turn around and will continue to the Jones Beach East Bath House to relieve myself and refill my water bottles.

FIVE ONE SIX

sure it would be easy, if you were the only person riding the bike path at that particular time, which will pretty much NEVER happen. i rode there Saturday morning with 2 friends, and when we made it to the turn around point there was literally not one spot open to even put a bike to go to the bathroom and there are always at least a handful of people there either eating or hydrating, talking to other people, or just resting. and that's still a LOT safer than when you leave it outside one of the bathrooms in the park, when it's usually the only bike outside of the bathroom, and a parking lot is 50 or 100 feet away. and even the in the park scenario is still a lot safer than when you're on a solo road ride and you leave it outside of a deli to grab a bottle of water and you're on line behind 5 or 6 people waiting to order breakfast, and the 2 guys behind the counter couldn't care less how long you have to wait, which sometimes turns into a 5 or 10 minute wait and some kid can easily jump on it and ride away...

or you could just bring a lock and lock it, since securing your bike should be YOUR responsibility, but i know that lock just doesn't fit in the saddle bag on your $5000 bike...

GlennR

So you believe in the 30 pound rule, where if you have a 30 pound bike you don't need a lock, a 25 pound bike needs a 5 pound lock and a 15 pound bike a 15 pound lock.

FIVE ONE SIX

no, i just don't believe that the worst is going to happen everywhere i go, and you obviously do. like i said, if you want your bike secure than it should be your responsibility to do so, period...

Papa Tom

So wait a second...

Have they completely closed off the area by the snack bar -- the one that was originally designated as the end-point for cyclists? I'm not sure what you guys are talking about.

Also, I was never comfortable leaving my bike at the old parking area by the theater, either. It's not so much the bike (mine is "customized" with all kinds of tourist decals, etc), but the accessories I travel with. My panniers carry an mp3 player, a speaker, a headlight, an expensive set of tools, some spare tires, first-aid supplies, my phone, and my wallet. Of course I can just take the panniers with me, but that's more of a hassle than just taking the whole bike with me. So essentially, I will never park my bike and walk over to TOBAY. But I'd like to know that I can stop at the snack bar, grab some salty chips, and pee if I have to...

GlennR

Yeah.... Sure... People don't steal bikes on long island.

Stop fooling yourself.

Btw... There was a group caught stealing high end bikes out of a few local stores... Including brands.

FIVE ONE SIX

wow, you really don't read, do you. i never said that at all, i was actually implying that there was more of a chance of it getting stolen when someone stops in a deli or 7-11 to fill their bottles than it happening on a major parkway where there are always people around. so yes, people do steal bikes on Long Island, the Tobay loop is just going to be one of the last places it happens at cause there are way too many people there during much of the day. in addition, at least half of the people that ride that loop aren't riding on expensive bikes and in case you didn't notice some people actually DO lock their bicycles at the turn around point when they walk over to the snack bar or use the bathroom...

and as far as that group that was see stealing ONE bike from ONE shop, the only place they actually got away with it was at Brands. they tried it at Sunrise too, but they noticed what was happening and prevented it. also, there's a HUGE difference between stealing a bike from a shop with plenty of $1000-$5000 bikes on display over taking a chance at a spot ON A MAJOR PARKWAY where you have no idea who or what is going to be around. and that group of 3 were from out of state, which is why no one's heard anything about them since...

but hey, you could always do what Brands never did, and throw a Tile on it somewhere like under the saddle and track it if it ever does get stolen...

Bluetooth 'Tile' allows you to find lost keys, bikes, dogs, anything really | ZDNet

and if for some reason you can get that one, there are a lot of similar GPS tags that are for keys and such, that you can easily hide somewhere on a bike...



and Papa Tom, they didn't "completely" close off that section, but you go have to walk through an interlocking walkway that you can't pass a bike through. so if you want to use the bathroom or get something from the snack bar, you have to leave your bike on the bike loop side and walk thru to that area. it looks like they put it up in say the last week or two...

GlennR

Looking forward to a good ride on Long Island as soon as the weather clears up.

I hope you are too.