Our Bicycle Month 2011 community bicycle ride for May 11, 2011 was the “Tour de Parc” planned and led by Claire.
We started from two locations, joining up at the Henry Johnson Memorial at Madison and Willet in Washington Park for a quick ride to Christa’s Community Garden plot in Lincoln Park where Christa showed the developing fruits of her labor in her new plot. John then pointed out Beverwyck Creek as it can be heard flowing beneath a utility cover.
We next used the Holland Ave. Shared Lanes to cruise over to Ridgefield Park to check out the clay courts, the dirt pile, and our lighting as dusk was fast approaching. By the time we got to Westland Hills Park, dusk had arrived as we rode through the peaceful wooded path for another stop at the kiddy pool re-build project. Leaving Westland Hills, we again crossed a now-calm Washington Ave. soon to arrive at Brevator Park for another stop and explanation of the spray pool.
By this time of evening, even Western Ave. was mostly light traffic as we rode on it to Colonial and then down to Buckingham Lake (or Rafts Pond) and Park.
At this point, just after 9:00 PM, John headed off to the ‘burbs while Perry, Claire, Christa, and Lorenz circled the pond, cruised though beautiful Albany neighborhoods, and headed back downtown via New Scotland Ave. Even though there was a spring chill in the air, the well-lighted streets of the city combined with many charming neighborhoods made for a relaxing and pleasant ride.
Our next ride will be on a completing different theme – the National Ride of Silence to commemorate local riders killed on the road.
Albany Bicycle Coalition 