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Biking Manhattan from Ft. Lee Historic Park
You just bought a new bike. You have a new, comfortable seat. Your helmet fits perfectly. Now you need a place to ride. You're looking to do 25 to 30 miles of moderate to level cycling, and as traffic-free as possible. We have the perfect ride for you. It starts at the Ft. Lee Historic Park, continues over the George Washington Bridge, and before you know it you are on one of the safest and most beautiful rides along the Hudson River.

SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
Members of the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey enjoying the sights during this 25-mile ride that starts at the Ft. Lee Historic Park.
The route is part of the East Coast and NYC Greenways that will take you to the tip of Manhattan. Once on the Greenway you will have almost uninterrupted cycling and encounter very few cars crossing your path. Stay alert and observe the stop signs and traffic lights.
At the base of the Park at Bruce Reynolds Boulevard and Hudson Terrace, head north for a few hundred feet to the entrance of the southern bike path for the GWB. Follow to the end to 178th Street. Right turn to Fort Washington Avenue. Cross the street in order to make a left turn onto Fort Washington Avenue, ride to 181st Street. Left turn to Riverside Drive. (At this point it is also called Plaza Lafayette.) Be very careful here. Steep downhill. Right turn to entrance of a pedestrian walkway on your left.
You have now ridden a grand total of two miles from the start site. At the end of the walkway you will be on the Greenway. Be careful here as the path curves and will take you down another steep hill. Follow the signs that take you under the George Washington Bridge to your first stop of the day, the Little Red Lighthouse. Great photo-op.
From here it's a piece of cake. Beautiful riding. Beautiful views. Just keep heading south. If you need reassurance, look right and you'll see New Jersey watching over you.

Our next turn will come in about 2.5 miles when you reach Riverbank State Park. You will have to bear left and right and follow the path alongside the water treatment plant that sits under the park. Be prepared for some foul odors. Be brave. It will soon be replaced in a few minutes by the wonderful aromas from a nearby barbecue restaurant and supermarket. Right turn and quick left at the end of the water treatment plant. You are now back alongside the water.
For nostalgia buffs, at 132nd Street if you look across the Hudson River to New Jersey, you will see the site where the once mighty Palisades Amusement Park once stood. Continue south toward the 79th Street Boat Basin where you can stop for lunch. Just after 72nd Street, cyclists have to bear left. Continue on the bike path under the West Side Highway until you reach 59th Street. You will now be following the path along West Street and pass the cruise ships terminals, the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, and on to Chelsea Piers.
Continue past Chelsea Piers to a right turn just before you reach Stuyvesant High School. Right turn to end. Left turn at the water's edge. Follow this route past the Irish Memorial (very interesting) until you reach the boat basin. You will have to make a left, right, right, left series of turns to continue south.
Continue south past the Museum of Jewish Heritage to the tip of Manhattan and Battery Park. You have now arrived at your destination. Look across the river and you will see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the old Colgate clock. While you are here you might want to consider taking a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. It's free, and you get a fantastic view of the Statue of Liberty. Another option is another free ferry (weekends only) to Governor's Island. It's a seven-minute boat ride, and filled with cyclists.
Ready to return? Real easy. Head north by following the same route that brought you here. There is one difference. Remember those downhills at the beginning of the ride? We have a slogan at the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey. "Half the hills are down." Don't despair if you have to get off your bike for a short walk.
After you cross the pedestrian bridge, there will be some route changes to return to the GWB. Right turn to 181st Street (Lafayette Plaza). Left to Cabrini Boulevard. Right on Cabrini. Left on 180th Street to Fort Washington Avenue. Right on Fort Washington Avenue to 177th Street. Right on Cabrini to T junction (178th Street). Left on 178th Street onto the sidewalk to the entrance of the southern GWB bike path. Left turn at the end of the path to the Ft. Lee Historic Park. You've just completed about a 25-mile bike ride.
Biking is provided by Ethan Brook, President of the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey.