Though the day dawned hot and sticky, by the time Erin (my boss and RR Program Manager) and ten cyclists met near McCarren Park at 4.30 it was cooling down, and they set off to paint the town white and black- with RightRides posters advertising our free rides home to the women and transfolk of Brooklyn!I watched Erin spend hours researching, planning and testing the Get to Know Your Borough Bike Ride route, and meeting with RR volunter extraordinaire Liz (see the post about her and her Volunteer of the Month award below). And it all paid off!
The Ride's participants worked hard spreading the word for us, but it wasnt' all labor- Erin planned stops along the way to showcase some of Brooklyn's finest and oddest sights. The "big hit" of the day, she told me, was the Brooklyn Navy Yard in North Brooklyn. Abandoned for almost half a century, the Navy Yard built battleships during WWII, as well as the first steam-powered battleship, and at its height employed over 70,000 people. Now, business is finally back: a manufacturing plant, Steiner Studios (of Spiderman 3 fame) and other small businesses are moving back into the historic buildings in the Yard.
The group of cyclists (a gaggle? A murder, even?) then moved south, hitting up Gimme Coffee! (on Lorimer, north of Grand St.) for some free drinks. Then it was on to Habana Outpost (on Fulton, south of Lafayette) for some free corn to refuel. In all, the ride wound its way around Brooklyn for about 15 miles, and was a great way to see our beloved borough while doing some good, and getting some free food!
Thanks to all who came out, to BUST Magazine for listing the event, and to Dikes on Bike-cycles for advertising the event and coming along for the ride.
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