I spent much of today on the bike, riding a 30-mile loop along the Brooklyn waterfront. It was a pretty hot day, but not terribly so, and there were some great breezes coming off the water. Plus, the waterfront was full of people enjoying a beautiful Sunday — swimming, boating, fishing, and bicycling too.

Riding 30 miles felt fine (although I was pretty leisurely about it: an average speed of 11.5 mph, not least because I took so many pictures), so as I suspected I’ll have no problem with the 30-mile version of BikeMS. When I got home, however, I wasn’t really feeling like doing the whole thing again, so we’ll see if I can manage the 60-mile version of the ride.

I started at the beginning of the Shore Parkway bike path at 65th Street in Bay Ridge, and rode along it until Bensonhurst where the western leg of the path ends. From there I rode into Gravesend, one of the original towns of Brooklyn (founded 1643) and the only one founded by the English, in this case Lady Deborah Moody who was fleeing New England religious intolerance. There are still some remnants of the old town, including this cemetery and a few houses.

Then I rode into Sheepshead Bay and had lunch at Randazzo’s Clam Bar, one of Brooklyn’s landmark restaurants. Almost everyone at the counter was also on a bike ride, which apparently happens just about every Sunday in the summer. Then I got back on the bike path, which starts again at Knapp Street, and rode to Canarsie, then back home via Rockaway and Eastern parkways. Some definite nostalgia moments, since I used to spend a lot more time in that part of Brooklyn in my college days. The beaches and marshes down there don’t really look like Brooklyn, but you always have the Belt Parkway to remind you.

Lots more photos on Flickr.