George Washington Bridge

In an effort to avoid the crowds created by the festivities in our neighborhood today, we took off in a Northerly direction today. Our destination: New Jersey!

(We do not discriminate, we avoid all parades when possible!)

Last summer, Mike and I circumnavigated the lower Hudson using the path on the north side of the George Washington Bridge. We determined that this route was not kid friendly and so the squidlings had to wait until the southern path was reopened to "do" the bridge. This summer Mike and I will investigate the northern routes in Jersey and see if they are more child friendly.

Today we rode up to the Little Red Lighthouse and started up the Big Hill. Halfway up I found Papa grumpily staring at his chain -- which had broken. This is one of those times when knowing the theory and having the tools paid off. He managed to remove the broken links and reattach the chain. Riding was then possible despite the constant skipping due to the too short chain.

We finished mounting the hill and found our way to the bridge pretty easily.
Little Squid became temporarily stupid and forgot to use his gears so he wound up walking up the ramp to the bridge but he did get there ...
The G.W. bridge is essentially flat once you reach the road bed and personally I find it a much easier bridge then either the Brooklyn or Manhattan bridges. Look, they made it to New Jersey under their own power!

And, after pedaling past kayakers, and ruins (?)
and wonderful views (this photograph attests to my refound confidence as I took the camera out of my bag and snapped this photo while riding)there was a cooling dunk in the fountain.
21.6 miles with no real rest stops except for the chain repair. (A few quickies while the lead team waited for Little Squid and his accompanying parent but those were less then a minute each).