Hike #818; Manhattan Holiday Loop

Hike #818; Manhattan Holiday Loop

12/21/14 Manhattan Loop (High Line, East River, Wards Island) with Justin Gurbisz, Michele Valerio, Gregg Hudis, Ken Lidman, Alyssa Lidman, Sarah Hare, Jack Lowry, Jen Berndt, Shelly Janes, Eric Pace, Craig Nunn, Steve Salveson, ?, Cory Salveson, Linda Whiteford, Sarah Jones, James Quinn, Irina Torres, Jon Wilson, Al MacLennan, Angela Guinta Williamson, Dr. Jen Redmond, Angela Castro, Rob Anders, Rob's gf, Tom Vorrius, Irina Kulikovskaya, Joe Tag, Tony Bertuch, Jess Collins, Kathryn Cataldo, Dan Lurie, Sue Olivar, Maria ?, Steve Sanbeg, Erin Brandt, Jimmy Graham, Ira Gardner, Haobo Lai, Bobbie Landrock, Jason Kumpas, Serious Sean Dougherty, Jim "Uncle Soup" Campbell, Stephen Argentina, Jim Schlenker, Jordan Yanko, Nadia Udeshi,

Group shot on the East River at 10th

The time had come again for the annual Holiday NY City Hike. It's a tradition we have had every year through Metrotrails that I never grow tired of.

The premise of this hike and my dislike for the holiday season may make this seem paradoxical. Christmas time and nearly everything associated with it have grown sour for me over the years, and seem to just get worse for me as time goes by. I've had far too many bad experiences, bad feelings year after year at this time, and they just seem to keep piling on. Furthermore, I strongly dislike the obligatory nature of holidays like Christmas. People expect to give gifts, to send cards, and expect to receive in turn. When I'd fallen on tough times and could no longer afford to buy gifts, I asked not to have any given to me. Of course, that didn't work, and I felt like a schmuck. Also, even the large dinners seem to be obligation. I'm expected to eat, and when I'd gotten my fill, told to eat more. This is not necessarily my family; it seems to be a constant everywhere I go. I love giving gifts when it's a surprise, and I love sharing my family dinner nights at my grandfather's house as we do every other Wednesday evening. I try to avoid attending any family holiday things altogether.

For me, the pinnacle of Christmas spirit is always on my Holiday NYC hike. We walk, we talk, we sing, and we're surrounded by lots of happy people, some with us, some not, all in high spirits. Aside from the negative holiday connotations, the obligatory nature of doing a hike in the same area every year seems against what I like to do as well. However, I've managed to come up with an almost entirely different hike every year since 2006, and NY City is never a place I'll get tired of. There is an infinite supply of new things to see in that area. We will certainly never run out.

For this hike, my plan focused around the planned opening of the High Bridge, oldest bridge in NY City, which was to be opened by the end of 2014. We visited either end of this bridge a couple years back, on our Old Croton Aqueduct themed NYC hike. The bridge was built to carry the aqueduct over the East River. Built originally with a pedestrian promenade, but closed down after someone threw something off of it and hurt or killed someone, the bridge has remained closed for years. I figured it would be great to incorporate this with the opening.

Unfortunately, the High Bridge opening was pushed back, but I kept much of the planned hike the same, and incorporated another new pedestrian route: the northern end of the High Line.

New High Line Segment

New York's elevated railroad was the subject of part of my Holiday NYC hike twice in the past, last year and in 2009. On our first trip on it, only the southern portion was completed. Last year, we walked another ten blocks that had been opened. Now, all of the High Line, each of it's phases, have been completed and are open to the public.

Early High Line

My plan was to meet everyone at NY Penn Station, as normal at the large Christmas Tree in the mall section. I took a trail this year from Short Hills instead of Summit. I always used to take Summit, but there is less parking there than at Short Hills, and both are free weekends. Short Hills has much closer parking, and if you know the way, it's pretty easy to get to. I met with Eric, Shelly, and Bobbi there, and we boarded for NY.

On the train, we met with the Lidmans, and for the first time Ken's Wife/Alyssa's mom Sarah joined us (I'm sure she thought I was a lunatic well before meeting me). We found seats on the already crowded train, and when Ken came out of the bathroom we gave a bit loud hug, and so everyone else would have thought us insane too. Gregg was on the same train too somewhere, but further back.

When we arrived in Penn Station, and herded ourselves through the people up to the upper mall levels. I hurried ahead to find everyone. There were already a lot congregated when I arrived at the tree. Tons of phone calls came in trying to find us while we were there. One guy named Rodney I was unable to get to us. I gave him directions when we started walking but never seemed to find him. I counted at least sixty one participants for this hike in the end, but there were probably a few more. A little less than last year's 77, but not bad.

Once we were all together, we headed up to the street and out toward the High Line, down 34th Street. Craig and others were there, but they left us immediately to do some different things they'd not done yet, and join us again at 10th Street later. I chatted with Steve Sanbeg for a while, who used to hike with us a lot, but I'd not seen in quite some time. It's hard to catch up with everyone in such a large group!

New section of the High Line

We reached the High Line's new northern terminus soon. It was not done over like so much of the rest of it. There were still original tracks to the left of us, and the section to the right was just a hard packed surface around the original rail, just sticking out the top. I liked this less is more approach to the newer section. It's cool that different sections are so much different than others.

High Line before trail development

High Line after trail development

This section wrapped around the active rail yard, which was always in view to the left. To the right, we had a great view out across the Hudson River. The right of way curved around to the south, then turned to the east again. In this stretch, the trail got to be a bit more developed, looking like the first section that was opened up. There were seating areas, and some sort of lowered spot in the rail footprint. Stephen went out into it, and there was something kids could crawl into and stick their heads through some sort of netting cone. Not what I was expecting to see, but interesting.

Historic high line

Everyone sort of re-grouped when we got to where the High Line again turned to the south. It was a narrower route there, soon leading to the section we had walked before the previous year. This section was not as done over, but had a narrower walkway over a section of warm season grasses and such.

We made our way over the second phase of the High Line rather quickly, and we burst into singing "Feliz Navidad" for the first of countless times. Jon Wilson had suggested that we'd end up singing it probably 9 or so times. I'm certain we beat that.

I pointed out to everyone the sort of "amphitheater" set up to watch traffic at Tenth Avenue. When the High Line was constructed, a big part of the reason were the accidents here. The road was nicknamed "Death Avenue" due to the many train vs. car accidents with the original at grade rail line.

Historic High Line

While we were walking Serious Sean joined us on the High Line. Everyone laughed at the ridicules red blazer I'd worn. I bought it at Family Thrift for $3.83, but it still had an original price tag on it of $250.00, so I left it on because I thought it was so funny.

High Line

While we walked, we came to a widened area where there was a guy playing a miniature drum set. Jack of course started playing along in his carbon fiber guitar. Jack even showed up wearing his full Santa suit, which just added to the cheer. Most people who we came across just thought we were a group of carolers. I suppose in a way we were.

Entertainment on the High Line

Jack had a seat with the drummer, and immediately broke into a rendition of Richie Havens' "Freedom", the rousing improvised number that opened up the original Woodstock. Excellent choice, I thought, as Havens had recently passed away. I'd met Havens after one of his shows years ago at Deer Path Park in Hunterdon County, and he was a very charismatic and friendly performer. I'll never forget how down to earth he was, willing to have a conversation, and when I went to shake his hand, he took it in both of his hands and thanked me for coming to his show. Until my house burned down, I kept a framed photo of him that he signed "A friend for life" to my ex girlfriend and I.

Jack and the drummer played for a few minutes, and a crowd formed apart from just our group for a time. Everybody who had cash put a dollar in the drummer's container, and Shelly stuffed one into Jack's guitar.

Historic High Line

Ahead, we entered one of the buildings the High Line passed through. There were a few places where this happened, always sort of interesting. I recalled my first time out here, the lower end of the spur was not opened to walk. This time, we could get down to it, so I checked it out.

The High Line Spur in 09.

A few followed me to the lower level. It was interesting to hike another bit that I hadn't done. We continued on from here heading south, and passed under the hotel building where exhibitionists like to have sex in the windows. We didn't see anyone up to any tom foolery this time.

The High Line Spur Then

Soon, we reached the south end of the High Line. There was a restroom there at the top, and so we took a break for everyone to use it. Those not in the restroom hung out outside and sang Christmas Carols and other stuff with Jack. There were probably another couple of renditions of "Feliz Navidad".

Once everyone was done with the restrooms, we headed down off of the High Line. From here, I left the hike for a while in the able hands of Joe Tag. Joe was a bank President in Manhattan, and knows the city very well. In fact, this wouldn't be the first time; I left part of the route of the hike up to Joe for our Holiday NYC hike in 2007, and he showed us the High Line from below, before it was open, as well as many other interesting spots.

We headed down to follow Gansevoort east, then somehow made our way along the south side of Jackson Square (which is a falsehood seeing as though the park is shaped like a perfect triangle).

Jefferson Market Library

We took Greenwich Ave south, and soon passed by the historic Jefferson Market. Built in 1883, this High Victorian Gothic structure first served as a court house, and when faced with demolition was re-purposed as a branch of the NY Public Library. Joe tried to take us in to have a look around at this lovely structure, but employees told us even the park section outside was closed.

We continued south, and down the streets we had good views of the new World Trade Center 1, at it's highest peak now for quite some time. Eventually we'll do a hike where we go into it.

We followed more back streets from here to Washington Square Park. I'd never been into this park before, but it's quite a famous one. The park was originally along the Minetta Brook, but as the city expanded, so did the brook disappear into it's modern drainage system. It was agricultural fields until the city began using it as a potters field, a grave yard for the poor. It saw continued use as a cemetery after a yellow fever epidemic. We entered the park at the northwest side, and headed along it's paved pathways along the north side passing a giant Elm tree (apparently known as Hangman's Elm). We continued until we reached the giant Washington Square Arch to take a break.

Washington Square Arch

There was a guy playing a grand piano out in a circular area just to the south of the arch. We fit in quite well here, as Washington Square Park is known for it's non conformity.

After the cemetery was closed in 1825, plans were set to turn it into a park. It was first a military parade area, then in 1889, an arch was constructed to commemorate the centennial of George Washington's inauguration. The original was made of wood, and the current Tuckahoe Marble Arch, modeled after the Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, was constructed in 1892. None of the bodies were removed from the cemetery; an estimated 20,000 bodies are currently interred there!

After our break, we continued along more back streets, and stopped to serenade a store owner who was giving out free coffee. We continued on, and stopped for some food when we got to an amazing Two Brothers Pizza that was selling for $1 a slice! I couldn't believe something like that in New York City. The slices with toppings were only $1.50, and I got a mushroom one, which was loaded up great. They were also large size slices. The guy working the counter moved like a machine. It was a great stop. Stephen and Joe opted not to get the cheap pizza and instead got expensive cups of Lobster Bisque nearby. Along the road walk, we lost a couple of people to other things; Jimmy went to school in one area, and others were meeting someone else as I recall.

We continued heading west, and I think we went through Tomkins Square Park (Where Joe pointed out a statue saying he was going to teach me about Temperance) to 10th Street, and soon reached the pedestrian bridge that led across to the East River Greenway. We crossed to find the rest of our group, who had left us earlier, waiting. Some of the group fell behind to use the restrooms at Tomkins Square, despite my asking them to hold off for what were supposed to be better ones along the East River (apparently they weren't great either).

After waiting around for everyone, I got my group shot, and we were off to the north along the waterfront. We had good views to the south of Williamsburg Bridge, and to the north of the Queensboro Bridge. It was sort of windy and colder on the waterfront. I was glad that I'd brought another sweater I could put on under my blazer, after which I was fine.

Queensboro Bridge

I had already walked this section of the East River Greenway before, on the Holiday NYC hike in 2010. Once we had reached 59th Street though, I had never walked that section to the north of there. Of course, Simon and Garfunkle's "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" must refer to the Queensboro Bridge, and inevitably Jack and I started singing it.

A happy group along the East River

The walkway sort of ended at points, and there were times we had to walk sidewalks directly beneath FDR Drive. It's always interesting wandering along, whether it's an official trail or not, especially in NY.

Craig, undisputed King of urban hikes, soon pointed out to us an interesting location probably few would ever acknowledge: the Robert Moses Playground. Craig noted to us that this was the only park named for Moses, who served as Commissioner of NY City's parks from 1934 to 1960. Many of Moses' plans were controversial, blasted by environmentalists, but others were applauded and well loved. The fence work around the park had panels at the top, each depicting and naming one of Moses' accomplishments.

We stopped for another restroom break here, and Craig told us that this park was strange in that it was on United Nations property or something, and that the long term plan was to destroy the park in favor of extending the UN over it. There are apparently people against this plan, although there didn't appear to be anyone using the playground.

We continued up to the next street, as there is no good walkway from this point to the other side of the Queensboro Bridge. On the way, we passed the United Nations building; this was the first time I ever remember walking by it from the more famous perspective.

United Nations

We soon reached the Queensboro Bridge, under which there was a grocery store thing. We were running low on drinks, and Dan wanted to run in to get something. I think Sean went in as well. When Sue told me Dan hadn't come out yet, I went in looking for him. The building was quite beautiful, laid out with interesting ceilings. I caught up with Dan, and I recall we took a little while longer, just looking around I guess.

We left the building, re-grouped, and headed to the right toward the East River once more. Joe and a few others opted to leave us at this point, while the rest of us continued on the waterfront northbound.

Queensboro Bridge

There was a deck area with some outstanding views of the Queensboro Bridge. It wasn't a through route, but well worth heading up to have a look around. We made our way back down, then continued on the waterfront north. There was a nice narrow paver walkway with street lamps, and occasionally we were routed around to the street, but it was all still nice. The Robert F. Kennedy and Hell Gate Bridges soon came clearly into view, and someone pointed out Mill Rock I think it was, and told us this was where there was a ventilation shaft for one of the tunnels. We paralleled Roosevelt Island, and after the island ended had good views across of Long Island City and Hallets Point.

Robert F. Kennedy and Hell Gate Bridges

The trail on the East River made a strange turn, up a section of steps, then over FDR Drive to the opposite side. From this higher vantage point, we had even greater views of the Robert F. Kennedy and Hell Gate Bridges. It was even an interesting retro looking foot bridge that carried the walkway across at this point.

East River greenway and FDR Drive

We continued north, and the pathway appeared to have been a regular public road at one time. It was much wider, with the paver surface, but with sidewalks along either side. It was a very nice promenade type of area. I really enjoyed this section. We wandered along and drank schnapps. Tom had joined us right when we got to the waterfront with some chardonnay. We were having a great time walking along, past Gracie Mansion, and then around the curve toward the Wards Island footbridge.

Justin was laughing a lot, and seemed extremely happy. He kept saying how great he was feeling, but I could tell when he started shouting about James K. Polk and walking with his arm around Stephen that he might have drank to about his limit. Still, he seemed alright.

"Oh, Stephen!"

We soon reached the Wards Island Bridge, the foot bridge connecting to Wards Island Park (Justin last remembers saying goodbye to Kathryn here and that was it). We crossed the bridge, then turned left to follow the walkway north along the island. I walked away from the group to follow the beach more closely and get some good pictures, then went to catch up with them. The pathway continued along the waterfront north.

Wards Island Bridge

We reached a turn to the left, where a prefabricated pedestrian bridge, designated on Google as "Little Hell Gate Bridge" crossed a small body of water. Apparently we switched to Randall's Island here. Wards and Randalls Island at one time must have been separate land masses, but were connected some time during development of the city. Much of this section of the pathway was on a boardwalk structure, which was pretty nice.

We followed Harlem River Pathway to the north from here, then went under the next bridge, which we ascended to on the walkway and made our way back across to Manhattan.

Silly group mirror shot

Once on the other side, we stopped at a corner so I could figure out the best way to head to the north again. While waiting, Justin laid down on a corner. When I was ready to go, I was called back that Justin wasn't getting up. Knowing him, he was probably up half the night anyway. When we asked if he was okay, he nodded his head. I figured the best thing to do is get him the one or two blocks away to a nearby pizza place, we'd get some food and let him rest up. We picked him up and carried him down the street to the pizza place (and my hand slipped and dropped him once!), a guy out front said he was an EMT or something and that he didn't think he was okay. When we sat him on the chair in the pizza place, he nodded his head that he was alright when we asked him. Still, the guy out front apparently called an ambulance, and they showed up to check him. They said he wasn't responsive enough, came in and put him on a stretcher. Still seeming half asleep, he swatted away at them not to bring him, but they took him anyway. The hospital was very close by, and so Tom headed over there to try to get him.

I wasn't happy with how they handled it; they immediately put him on his back, and if he had to get sick he was strapped in such a way that he couldn't turn his head over to the side. We ate some pizza and hung out for a while, then decided to move on to the south. The route I chose was to head over to 5th Avenue and make the turn for Central Park.

Serious Sean doing some seriously silly night climbing in Central Park

We made our way from the street into Central Park, and wandered some of the paths generally heading south from around Harlem Meer. When we got to a spot where we had to head into the park more, Sean and I climbed a steep rock area in the dark, tangling into some weeds closer to the top. The energy level hadn't depleted a lot despite how far we were into the hike.

"Survivor Shot" Central Park

We continued out and around the Onassis Reservoir, still heading to the south. We continued through the park until we reached the southwest corner. From there, we turned right to follow 59th Street west to 7th Avenue south. We continued on this route until we got to Times Square, where we seemed to have lost a few people again.

Times Square

Somehow, we managed to re-group a little bit, but we continued on to the south to 34th Street. From there, we made our way back into Penn Station. It was too late to make the next train out, and we had Justin's backpack, so we weren't going to go until we knew he was alright. At first we'd heard they wouldn't let him out if there was not a car to pick him up. I was going to hurry back to my car and drive back to the city, but that ended up not being necessary. Tom was there, and they managed to get him out.

We went into a little bar in Penn Station, and soon enough Tom and Justin walked in, and Justin seemed fine. For Christmas, Justin gave me an epic calendar of his Vacant NJ photos, hands down the coolest calendar I have ever had (this will be the first year in over a decade that I've actually hung a calendar).

This has absolutely nothing to do with this hike

I hurried down to the station after he'd arrived to see if I could make the next train, but I missed it by like two minutes, so I had to wait another hour. It was fine though, I hung out and chatted with everyone a little while longer. James, Sarah, and I had to take the same train to get out, and so we ended up there together looking for where we needed to be. We managed to get to the right one, and the thing was so crowded that we had only standing room. I asked James strange questions while in close proximity to other riders, which is always a hoot for reactions. I believe I asked him what he'd do if he woke up in the middle of the night to find a Goth chick and Edgar Winter with a big vat, ladling cream of mushroom soup into his sneakers.

I continued the remainder of the ride home alone, actually still earlier than many of the holiday NY hikes have gone. It was very strange walking from the station platform back to my car alone.

Now that all of my friends had gone, my celebration of Christmas would be about over. My celebration of the holiday diminishes every year, and this year I did not even attend the regional holiday party of the state park service. I'm finding myself wanting nothing to do with any other further holiday celebrations or gatherings. I receive cards and more text messages than my phone can handle, but I don't answer any. Everyone means well, but all I truly want from everyone for Christmas is freedom of obligation.

During the holidays, it's like people are a firing squad of love, firing it off in all directions, at each other, at me, everywhere. I love that positive attitude, because that's what it's supposed to be. That is what the holiday NJ city hike is for me. Not the obligatory exchange and gluttony. Love is firing off in all directions, forcefully, but on Christmas itself I'm only interested in it at point-blank.