(Daniel is pictured here, second from the right.)

Our summer intern, Daniel Weiss, had this to say about his experience at a recent Bike New York Local Ride:

Last Wednesday, instead of coming to the office, I was sent on an eight mile adventure along the Lower Manhattan waterfront at one of our many Local Rides (which are completely open to all and available on Bike New York’s website under the “Events” tab, here). Our meeting point was the Manhattan Portage flagship store in Soho, and the reward for completing the ride was wine and cheese at the store upon our return. Not a bad day for an internship!

Our Events Manager, Rebecca Karrin, had also joined me “in the field,” and was directing our ride. After a safety briefing and mechanical check, we set off towards the Hudson River Greenway via the Prince Street bike lane. Upon reaching Pier 40, we made a left onto the greenway and began our ride down the waterfront. Considering that I have used this route hundreds of times while attending Stuyvesant High School, it felt like a completely new experience with a group. The leisurely pace allowed me to enjoy the views of the water and the buildings. We also rode under the Brooklyn Bridge and past the Statue of Liberty. But the best thing about the pace was that it allowed me to have great conversations with the fellow riders, who were all incredibly wonderful and amiable people.

Upon reaching Houston Street on the East Side Greenway, we cut across Alphabet City and returned to the store. Upon arriving, we were met with our reward: wine and cheese! Another pleasant surprise was the 15% store discount, since Manhattan Portage is a loyal sponsor of Bike New York and the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. I cashed in and bought myself an awesome forest camo bag for college.

We then all chilled out and talked for a while. It was a very nice and relaxing experience, and definitely one of the better “field activities” I have heard about from an intern. (My friend’s internship, meanwhile, had him kayaking in the Gowanus Canal- yuck!) I totally recommend trying one of our Local Rides out—the ride isn’t too challenging and the people are fantastic!

-Daniel Weiss