The New York City skyline is unique and ever changing. Every time I go in our by the city I always spend a little time enjoying the skyline. This past Wednesday my other club had a ride from Liberty State Park up the bike paths and multi-use trails on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River and I decided to join them.
It was an easy drive up to Liberty State Park. It took just over an hour and I didn't hit any real traffic. There were 12 people on the ride, a few which I knew. I brought my mountain bike because I thought the roads and paths might be a little bumpy.
We road north along the path in Liberty State Park until we hit a canal we had to go around. There was a mile or two where we had to ride on the street but there was a bike path most of the way so although we were in traffic I didn't feel worried about getting hit by a car.
Once we got off the street we road on bike/walkways along the river.
These public paths are required for any new construction along the river but each office or condo complex could design it however they wanted so there was no consistency to the design or material. Most were brick and cement but there were a few sections that had wood like a boardwalk and there were a few asphalt paths along the way. This isn't a true bike path or multi-use trail but more an interconnected set of walkways you can ride on.
Since there was no overall plan for this walkway there are no signs showing how to get from the walkway of one complex to the next. So basically you just make right turns until you hit the water and if the path goes away from the water you make the next right. As long as you take your time its not too hard to work you way along the river.
Besides the office building and condos there are also some nice parks and playgrounds along the way. Forty years ago when I went to school in Hoboken the area along the Hudson was mostly docks and warehouses that were rundown or abandon. It's made quite a comeback since then.
I like the fact that they do have some public spaces and parks interspersed with the builds so if you can't afford a waterfront condo at least you can enjoy the parks by the waterfront.
The walkway ended about 3 miles below the George Washington Bridge. The plan is to eventually continue the path all the way to the bridge but that will take a while to complete.
It took us 15 miles to get to the end of the walkways where we took a look back at the New York skyline. It was a mostly cloudy day so most of the pictures I took are kinda dull.
On the way back we made more stops just to take pictures of the skyline as the light was a little better. We stopped across from the Intrepid aircraft carrier which actually looked small next to the cruise ships.
I also got a few pictures of some interesting new buildings. There is the Via 57 building
Which is a pyramid like building that really sticks out in the sunshine. Then there is the Vessel in Hudson Yards.
It's been closed because people kept jumping off it but is schedule to reopen later this year.
Lastly there is the Twist which looks like it is leaning over but is really just twisted.
These are just a few of the cooler builds we saw. There were also a few monument to 9/11 along the walkways.
On our way back we rode through campus of Steven's Tech where I went to college.
It's changed quite a bit since I was last there.
The biggest change was the addition of two new 15 story builds for new dorms.
We stopped for lunch in Hoboken and ate at a park by the train station.
The last stop on the way back was in a park where they had a sculpture of a ladies head schussing people.
Then is was back to Liberty State Park where I took one last picture of lady liberty.
It was a long day but it was a interesting ride and something I won't mind doing again sometime.
