There's no substitute for the confidence that experience brings. Now that I know how to get across the GWB, I'm ready for an alternate route. And no better time for this particular route (I'm told) than the weekends, because countless cyclists are making the same trip and they will guide you. After the GWB, some are headed up Route 9 to Nyack or even further, some are circling under the Bridge and riding up the Palisades.
I'm on the Greenway headed north, and spy two cyclists riding up past the Little Red Lighthouse. They are clearly on a mission, and it seems like a good idea to get into their slipstream, so I follow them up the hill. I know this hill.
The first time I encountered it with Lucille, we did not make it up. But I've conquered many hills since then - both with Lucille and Janet - and I fairly coast to the top now.
I'm on the Greenway headed north, and spy two cyclists riding up past the Little Red Lighthouse. They are clearly on a mission, and it seems like a good idea to get into their slipstream, so I follow them up the hill. I know this hill.
The first time I encountered it with Lucille, we did not make it up. But I've conquered many hills since then - both with Lucille and Janet - and I fairly coast to the top now.
I know what's coming though, and it's not pretty. It's one of the reasons I wanted an alternate route to the Bridge to begin with (besides not knowing any). When I took a trip to Riverdale in June, we did this hill. That is, we walked up it. There were a few cyclists not in our group who biked up, but I considered them show-offs. Why else would anyone want to do this? It's impossible!
That was before Janet. Before Annandale. That was before doing repeat hills with L. That was before I knew the value of training. I've decided to attempt the hill this time, curious as to how I'll do.
We sail through a tunnel
That was before Janet. Before Annandale. That was before doing repeat hills with L. That was before I knew the value of training. I've decided to attempt the hill this time, curious as to how I'll do.
We sail through a tunnel
Gear down and round the corner to face this nasty incline (one of these days, I'm going by with a level to measure it).
The experienced cyclists in front of me no doubt have carbon fiber bikes (Janet weighs an additional 5 lbs), and they make it up pretty strongly though not without effort - I notice they're standing on the pedals.
To my surprise, if more slowly, Janet and I actually make it up too - though if I'd had to pedal one more stroke, I would have slid backwards or fallen over. But we do make it, which is huge. Fiend's Hill has paid off!
The worst over, we pedal to a ramped bridge...
Make a right towards 181st st.
And a left onto 181st itself.
By now I have an inkling as to where we're going, and the street names are familiar: right on Cabrini (not sure why).
Quick left on 180th,
Right on Ft. Washington Ave (I'm coming at it from the other side now) and down 177th back to that familiar corner of Cabrini - and a veritable crowd of weekend GWB cyclists.
There is much more to tell about this day, but for now I have an alternative route. Here it is:
*Greenway all the way to the end
Up hill and across pedestrian bridge, through tunnel
Up steep hill bending left, ride to ramped highway crossing
Take a right upon exit crossing, and left up 181st
Up 181st and right on Cabrini one block
Left up 180th
Right on Ft. Washington Ave
Right on 177th
Right on Cabrini
Left onto sidewalk
entrance to GWB on your left (gear down)
*Greenway all the way to the end
Up hill and across pedestrian bridge, through tunnel
Up steep hill bending left, ride to ramped highway crossing
Take a right upon exit crossing, and left up 181st
Up 181st and right on Cabrini one block
Left up 180th
Right on Ft. Washington Ave
Right on 177th
Right on Cabrini
Left onto sidewalk
entrance to GWB on your left (gear down)