Point to Point Day Trip

I didn’t know what I wanted to do this morning for a bike ride. I thought of going out with one of the two rides of my tri club, but couldn’t get my act in gear. There was a ride leaving from Central Park at 7:30am and 8am. I loafed around my house watching the clock until it was too late to make either ride. Eventually, I decided to go back to bed. In retrospect it was a wise decision as I conked out until 10am.

When I finally got out of bed, I thought about riding out to my brother-in-laws house out in Long Beach NY and then onto Point Lookout. When I walked into my living room, I saw an Instant Message from him blinking on my computer. Riding out there was it seemed, preordained. He told me about a party that was going to be held on the beach, so I figured what the hell; I have nothing else to do. I figured I would hang out at the party for a while and then continue on my ride in the early afternoon. Because the party was starting around noon, I didn’t go my usual route when I ride out in that direction. I went the most direct route possible so I could make it there on time. The 24 mile trip took me 1 hour, 20 minutes; which was 5 minutes before noon. It turned out that I needn’t have rushed as he screwed up on the dates and the party he was talking about wouldn’t happen for another two weeks. It didn’t really matter though as I was just as happy riding down to the beach with him and watching several volleyball games that were going on. I also took a lovely dip into the ocean, which was invitingly warm and full of seaweed. When I emerged from the water I had globs of it hanging from me and in the pockets of my bathing suit (actually my B-I-L’s bathing suit as I didn’t have anything decent to wear).

I hung out on the beach with him until just before 3pm. I decided if I was going to make it to Point Lookout and back home early enough to get a decent meal and rest for tomorrow’s activity (a seven mile run to Coney Island, race in the Grimaldo’s 3rd annual Ocean Mile and run back home) I needed to get a move on it. The wind was at my back, so I made very good time to the Point. Fortunately, when I arrived there was a couple admiring the view and they were nice enough to take a picture of me with my Treo.

After the picture I started to head home, but not before I decided, I’d made it over to Breezy Point. I decided my day wouldn’t be complete unless I literally made it a Point to Point ride. I had a headwind the entire ride to Breezy Point, which I figured more than made up for the lack of hills on today’s ride. I was also able to get a picture of myself at Breezy Point, but the sun was in the background and you can’t really make me out. I did have to walk over the sand for about 40 yards in order to make it out onto the beach so you could see that I was at the end.


Having completed my PtP ride, I decided that I was going to head home as quickly as possible. It was around 5pm at this point and I didn’t really feel like riding for much longer. I wanted time to rest up for tomorrow. Before going home, I stopped at the corner bodega to pick up some spinach to eat with a steak that I had leftover from my trip to San Francisco last week (another blog entry to be written at some point). I also got a Gatorade to slake my thirst and replenish those lost electrolytes. My preferred drink HEED which I had in my water bottles was disgustingly warm as the temperature was in the low 90’s all day.

So that’s it. Now I rest comfortably typing this entry and sucking on an Ambien so I can fall asleep for tomorrow’s Run, Swim, Run. I am in training now for the SOS Triathlon in early September. That is always a fun race to do.

Ride Stats:
1st 24 Miles – 1:20
Next 41.3 miles – 2:34
Calories burned – 985 + 1861
Water Consumed: about 1 Gallon