Route #1: School
Since this blog is a project for school, I figured my first substantial post ought to be about that. I currently attend Baruch College in Manhattan, a little over 10 miles away from my home in Brooklyn. There, I study a mix of entrepreneurship, psychology, and marketing. Getting there though, is a bit of a story on it’s own.
My trip starts in the neighborhood of Midwood in Brooklyn. Although it’s a pretty far trip, I’m lucky enough to live close to the Bedford Avenue Bike Lane, which stretches almost 10 miles through the borough.
I’ve lived in this neighborhood for almost my entire life. Like many southern Brooklyn neighborhoods, the area has a much more suburban feel to it. It’s a primarily Jewish neighborhood, and I’d say about 9 out of 10 of the families on my block are Hasidic. A few classic New York movies have featured the neighborhood, from The Lords of Flatbush to The Godfather, and is also the birthplace of many notable figures, such as Woody Allen, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and the late Beastie Boy Adam Yauch.
At the north end of Midwood is Brooklyn College, one of Baruch’s sister schools. Built in the 1930’s, the school is highly regarded as having one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, despite its size. It’s always a treat to bike through there.
Not much further north is a Sears. This isn’t any ordinary Sears, though. The tower here was built in the 1930’s in the classic Art Deco style, a staple of old New York City (think Chrysler Building). Just last year, this tower was approved for city landmark status, which is awesome, since with so many prepackaged condos popping up all over the city, it’s great to preserve what’s left of the past.
After about a mile, we’ve hit the Ebbets Field/Jackie Robinson Apartments in Lefferts Garden. The former home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the apartments were opened in 1962, two years after the stadium was torn down.
We then climb up a long steep hill to Eastern Parkway. Although a very busy street for cars, the city has built a wonderful greenstreet for both bicycles and pedestrians. It’s beautiful in the fall, where the rows of trees turn that great orange color.
Not much further down is the Brooklyn Museum. While it has a great collection of both older and contemporary artists, I would say it is one of the more under appreciated museums in the city. They also have a huge collection of African and Egyptian works.
We’re now in Fort Greene, really close to the Manhattan Bridge. While this schoolyard is empty now, every Saturday in the summer this spot is packed with vendors for the Brooklyn Flea. They sell everything there from vintage upholstery, to clothing, and even bikes! There’s even great food by local vendors It’s definitely worth checking out.
And after a quick wind through the Fort Greene housing projects…
…We’re on the bridge!
From here, we can see the Williamsburg Bridge, another essential for city cyclists. It hosts around 5,000 riders a day.
In the city, I take Allen Street up, which eventually turns into First Avenue. The city has just finished a few blocks of protected bike and pedestrian islands for the avenue, a great improvement for the always busy street.
Another look at the protected path, further uptown this time.
Once we’re on 25th Street, it’s just a short ride west…
…Until we’ve hit the school! With the block in between the main campus building and the library now a pedestrian path, it’s easy to ride in, lock up, and get into class.
Well, that’s my ride. It may seem like a huge feat, but once you’ve started, it’s hard to stop. Until next time!
-Eddie