One Sunday afternoon, I hopped on my bike and headed west. I wanted to see if I could bike from my new neighborhood in Sunnyside, Queens to Manhattan. Bridges and bike lanes were involved. The views were awesome. It was surprisingly easy!

Scenes from biking across the Queensborough Bridge

Simon and Garfunkel singing “Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy” loops in my head the whole bike ride because that song is not technically titled Feelin’ Groovy but The 59th Street Bridge Song. 

This bridge has so many names- 59th Street Bridge, Queensboro Bridge, Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge- but only one name makes me think of a song that I’ve loved since I was 9 years old. 

The best part was a perfect view of my favorite little red tram car – the Roosevelt Island Tram line runs parallel with the Queensboro Bridge.

Yeah, I got off my bike to get the full view.

The Roosevelt Island Tram is indisputably the cutest public transportation in NYC, if not the whole country!

Back on my bike and pedaled most of the way across until I saw what looked like an abandoned roller coaster just east of the FDR.

People were hanging out on the grass, it looked like a park, and eventually I Googled what the story is behind it. Visit this Untapped Cities article for the scoop: What’s That Abandoned Roller Coaster Thing Along the East River?

I felt pretty accomplished (and groovy) when I arrived on the streets of Manhattan. Commuting to work by bike is within my grasp…if I can just stand body sweat and the fall wind chill!  ….And going against all the lyrics of The 59th Street Bridge Song….“Speed up, you’re late to work….Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ sweaty.“