Roosevelt Island

I finally got out and crossed some items off the list!! This weekend I rode my bike up through Brooklyn and Queens and over to Roosevelt Island. You can see my route here. I really enjoyed the ride since I haven't seen much of the waterfront north of Dumbo. I also had never been over the Queensboro bridge!  After some deliberation (but actually just me getting sort of lost) I decided to head from Queens all the way over to Manhattan. Then, I took the Tram over to the island. I have to admit, riding the tram was my favorite part. I was standing next to another man with a bike and he leaned over to me and said,   I've lived here for 10 years and done this numerous times... but this ride never gets old." It was so fun!

The island itself was a very interesting place. I was able to do a loop of the entire island but actually... there wasn't much to see. We all know I love a good lighthouse so getting a closer view of the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse was fun. I also got a nice up close view of the "Octagon" as well as the abandoned Small Pox Infirmary . As much as a love a good abandoned over grown building, the coolest thing I saw was the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial on the south end of the island. The cement paving and triangular lined trees were breathtaking with the Manhattan skyline as the back drop. I'm so happy I went but... not really sure I'd go again.

On the ride home I also got to see the tops of some more abandoned buildings inside the Brooklyn Navy Yards ( I smell an adventure). Since I've accomplished so much on my list... I decided it was time to add some more items (in italics). Cheers Everyone!

Summer To-Do List
Astoria Beer Garden
Drink at McSorleys
Visit Watkins Glen
Visit Hart's Island
Try to obtain a permit to visit North Brother Island

Bike from Westhampton to Montauk

Visit Washington DC

Try Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Visit the NY Botanical Gardens

Run the steps in Morningside Park

Try the Trapeze
Explore Roosevelt Island

Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram

Explore Governor's Island

Explore Greenwood Cemetery

Bike the Manhattan Greenway Loop

Visit Grant's Tomb

Mountain Biking

See Kaaterskill Falls

Explore St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine

Bike to 2 different beaches in 1 weekend

Bike from my house to the Rockaways

Summit Mt. Taurus

Hike Breakneck Ridge and not break my neck

Explore all the Central Park sites

A Country/City Girl

Last week, while waiting for the train near West Point to head back to the city... I closed my eyes for a moment.  It was so.... quiet. The only sounds were the Hudson river lapping behind me, crickets, a few birds, and a breeze whistling through the trees. I sat there for an entire 15 minutes just taking it all in.

On the train ride home, I started to think about how much I had enjoyed that moment and I realized that each move I've made, I've develop new and sometimes random appreciations.  Just a few examples:

My first big move was when I was 18 from my home in the St. Paul, Minnesota to Charleston, SC.   Growing up in Minnesota I really had no appreciation for snow. It came every year, why fuss about it?  Snow in Charleston, on the other hand was enough to stop the press (literally, everything shut down). Now whenever it snows, I am a child... seriously ask my co workers, I went outside and danced the last time it snowed.

The second big move was to Charlotte, NC. While in Charleston... I hadn't fully appreciated how easy it was to access GORGEOUS beaches and rich, rich history.  Now, whenever I get a wiff of that salt water smell I instantly feel relaxed (and crave beer). I also try to take advantage of being somewhat near  the ocean here in NYC as much as possible.

My most recent move was to NYC and obviously (while I LOVE this city) I have come to appreciate nature, quiet, and a dark sky to see the stars (seriously.. the sky never gets dark here). Growing up in the Twin Cities, which is a large metropolitan area... I was always craving something more urban. Now that I've had it I'm craving something more, well... rural. Of course there are a million more things I've loved about each city, and a million things that I miss about each of them as well. For the most part though, I've always been ready to move on.

I am so grateful that I have the chance to experience such different places and have come to have an appreciation for the little things. It's funny how life works itself out isn't it? Peter and I are hoping to be headed to Alabama next. If I hadn't had the chance to live in NYC I wouldn't have developed an appreciation for the peace and tranquility that being outside (or nowhere near) a city can bring you... I would have been miserable in AL. Now, the idea of having space, cheap rent, and being in the middle of nowhere is actually pretty exciting!

In the meantime, I'm going to continue trying to take advantage of everything that NYC has to offer!!! I  will continue to chip away at my list and also add new things until life (or the Army) takes me somewhere new!

I love this city....

But, I love this too....