This last weekend I bought a beautiful Cannondale road bike from a guy off Craiglist. After getting it tuned up and buying a sturdy new helmet, I decided to bike into work from Brooklyn to Times Square. Being that it's Memorial day Monday I figured it shouldn't take me any more than 30 minutes.
As I hit the road at 6am on my way to my 7am shift (I left early just to be safe) I noticed some grey clouds covering the manhattan skyline as I cross the bridge that binds Brooklyn to Queens. "Funny" I thought to myself, "The forecast today is for clear skies and a high of 92." I pay the bleak weather no mind as I head toward the 59th st. Bridge (AKA the Queensboro Bridge.) Now, I was well aware that there was a lane on the bridge for bikes and pedestrians but being as how I had never biked or walked over the Queensboro Bridge, I had no idea how to get to it. "Whatever", I thought as I approached the massive bridge, "I'll figure it out when I get there." Just then I see a sign, It says 'Queensboro Bridge' and it had a little picture of a bike on it. I follow the signs and end up on a bike trail leading up to the on ramp of the bridge. "This is it." I thought as i enter the on-ramp of the bridge.
As I pedaled further realized this is not the bike lane but that I am entering the upper level of the bridge which is 2 lanes of one way traffic for cars only. I think about turning back but it's too late. More and more cars get on the on ramp and I am stuck where I am. The only way to move is forward into Manhattan, backwards is not an option. At almost the exact moment I realize I am totally fucked I feel raindrops beginning to hit my helmet and I hear a crack of thunder off in the distance. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" I say out loud as the rain begins pelting down on me.
I have practically no room between the guardrail on my left and the cars passing me on my right. "Get the fuck off this Road!!" shouts one angry commuter from his window as he passes me by. "Thanks buddy," I thnk to myself as the rain continues to drench me and decrease my visibility. As if I don't have enough problems this morning I gotta deal with asshole drivers as well.
The bridge seems to stretch on forever as I work to not get hit by NYC commuters. As I reach the end of the bridge the rain continue to drench me. I exit out onto 59th st. and 2nd ave. and break away from the bridge commuters. "Fuck me!" I think. "I'm never doing that again." Once I'm in Manhattan the ride is easy though the rain continues to fall. I ride with traffic toward the west side and take a quick detour against a one way street to get to my hotel. Once in the locker room I strip down to nothing and change into my bellman's uniform. I throw my drenched clothes into the dryer in the housekeeping area for an hour and head upstairs for my shift. Once upstairs, I find that Natasha, the dumbest front desk agent we have is on staff and working alone today. "Great." I think. "Looks my problems today have only just begun."
At least I didn't have to deal with the subway!
As I hit the road at 6am on my way to my 7am shift (I left early just to be safe) I noticed some grey clouds covering the manhattan skyline as I cross the bridge that binds Brooklyn to Queens. "Funny" I thought to myself, "The forecast today is for clear skies and a high of 92." I pay the bleak weather no mind as I head toward the 59th st. Bridge (AKA the Queensboro Bridge.) Now, I was well aware that there was a lane on the bridge for bikes and pedestrians but being as how I had never biked or walked over the Queensboro Bridge, I had no idea how to get to it. "Whatever", I thought as I approached the massive bridge, "I'll figure it out when I get there." Just then I see a sign, It says 'Queensboro Bridge' and it had a little picture of a bike on it. I follow the signs and end up on a bike trail leading up to the on ramp of the bridge. "This is it." I thought as i enter the on-ramp of the bridge.
As I pedaled further realized this is not the bike lane but that I am entering the upper level of the bridge which is 2 lanes of one way traffic for cars only. I think about turning back but it's too late. More and more cars get on the on ramp and I am stuck where I am. The only way to move is forward into Manhattan, backwards is not an option. At almost the exact moment I realize I am totally fucked I feel raindrops beginning to hit my helmet and I hear a crack of thunder off in the distance. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" I say out loud as the rain begins pelting down on me.
I have practically no room between the guardrail on my left and the cars passing me on my right. "Get the fuck off this Road!!" shouts one angry commuter from his window as he passes me by. "Thanks buddy," I thnk to myself as the rain continues to drench me and decrease my visibility. As if I don't have enough problems this morning I gotta deal with asshole drivers as well.
The bridge seems to stretch on forever as I work to not get hit by NYC commuters. As I reach the end of the bridge the rain continue to drench me. I exit out onto 59th st. and 2nd ave. and break away from the bridge commuters. "Fuck me!" I think. "I'm never doing that again." Once I'm in Manhattan the ride is easy though the rain continues to fall. I ride with traffic toward the west side and take a quick detour against a one way street to get to my hotel. Once in the locker room I strip down to nothing and change into my bellman's uniform. I throw my drenched clothes into the dryer in the housekeeping area for an hour and head upstairs for my shift. Once upstairs, I find that Natasha, the dumbest front desk agent we have is on staff and working alone today. "Great." I think. "Looks my problems today have only just begun."
At least I didn't have to deal with the subway!
No comments:
Post a Comment