This scenic highlight of the spring season takes us through Cherry Blossomland outside Newark not once, but twice. Cherryblossomland recently surpassed Washington DC for number of cherry trees. http://www.newarkhistory.com/branchbrookcherries.html

We’ll also go through the lovely Montclairs and depending on weather and our conditions, we’ll lunch in either Montclair or Upper Montclair. This year, we get a bonus -- the route goes very close to the site of the controversial senior center in Belleville which received $ Millions in Hurricane Sandy money meant for reparations, even though the area is high and dry. Helmets are required; there will be strict observance of Club riding etiquette. Bring money for PATH. We will leave from Greeley Square, just upstairs from the 33rd St terminus of PATH (open space triangle 32nd St and 6th ave). Alternate pickup location is at Newark Penn Station between the bathrooms. Cancellation: 50% predicted chance of precipitation. Call Maggie (212-567-8272) after 8 am if in doubt

Longtime 5BBC member and bicycling advocate Steve Faust passed away last month. We'll talk about Steve's life and accomplishments, and ride by the Verrazano Bridge, the site of Steve's nearly lifelong campaign to get a bicycling and walking access over the bridge. Bring a pencil or pen and some righteous indignation. Bring or buy lunch.

If you are not riding, you can meet the group at 1:00 PM, Kaiser Playground, north side of Neptune Ave near W. 29th St. Continue North into the park from W. 29th to the waterfront path. Nearest subway is F/D/N/Q/R to Stillwell Ave, around 0.9 miles away. At lunch, we will talk about Steve and how to continue his legacy.

NOTE: this ride will take place on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 10 AM (not Saturday)

The City College of New York was founded in 1847 to provide children of immigrants and the poor access to free higher education based on academic merit alone. This "poor man's Harvard", thus became one of the nation's great democratic experiments. Now the flagship of the 24 institutions comprising The City University of New York, City College has produced more graduates who went on to win Nobel Prizes than any other public college.

We will ride to the campus, where Dalton Whiteside, a student in the School of Architecture, will lead us on a tour of the beautifully restored 1907 Neo-Gothic Shepard Hall, and for contrast, the concrete-and-glass Spitzer School of Architecture, built 100 years later.
Read more about the history of City College and its campus here: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/about/history.cfm

Bring: lock, $ for lunch, inquisitive mind.

Ever look at a map of the Jersey side of the GWB? So many controlled-access highways, it looks like a plate of spaghetti. Learn some inventive ways to navigate those noodles while taking a roll/stroll through the lovely green "meatballs" amidst the highways: Flat Rock Nature Preserve, Overpeck County Park, and Teaneck Creek Conservancy. Find out what mysteries lurk behind Strictly Bicycles, and discover one of the easiest climbs up the Palisades. There are two brief (~1/2 mile) stretches where we will dismount and walk through nature trails--be prepared! For folks not planning on marshaling or riding in the Five Borough Bike Tour, which is happening the same day.

This will be the first of two day rides in the Bike Touring SIG. It will be a relaxed teaching ride where we will examine the bike you plan to tour with and discuss anything that could be changed to make loaded touring easier. There will be some discussion and question and answer time at lunch. You must register and contact the leader to find out the start location (somewhere in Manhattan).