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Hal's Thursday night ride - a review

This may have been the most enjoyable frolic in NYC I have ever done - organized or not!


Hal's Thursday Night Ride: A review

Last night, I did the evening ride to Coney Island with Bicycle Habitat's Hal Ruzal. This may have been the most enjoyable frolic in NYC I have ever done - organized or not! The weather was way beyond excellent. The sunset on the Shore Parkway enveloped us in spectacular oranges and reds and illuminated the Verazzano Narrows in a way I've never seen before. The people and the route were eclectic.

The motley bunch of riders (27 strong!) stopped at Nathan's Hot Dogs for a bite and some fun mingling. Though I knew some of the folks on the ride, I made a lot of new friends, all of whom seemed at a mystical peace that transcended description. Under Hal's leadership, we returned to Manhattan via Prospect Park, a funny visual with cyclists wheeling in the dark with dozens of red blinky-lights guiding the way.

I really needed this ride after a hard day at work and a nightmare trip to the dentist. On the way down, I blew two spokes out of my bike which (thankfully) Hal was able to fix in a few minutes. I almost didn't do it. Please, please allow yourself at least one Thursday night this summer to do an evening ride with Hal. If you had half the fun we did, it'd be worth it.

--Clarence Eckerson

Ed Note: Every Thursday at 6:45 pm, the ride leaves from Habitat