Ride Photos
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We kicked off the week with a Cyclopedia classic, the Highbridge ride! Kevin, a medical student from Honduras, was our special guest! We biked up to the Highbridge, a bridge near the Hamilton and George Washington bridges that connects Manhattan and the Bronx. Once we reached the bridge, we played in the sprinklers and raced across the bridge. Lauren taught us about the word of the day, aqueduct, meaning to lead water. The ancient Romans originally constructed aqueducts to transport water across great distances into their cities. An aqueduct visible from the Highbridge is a remnant of the Old Croton Aqueduct System, which used to transfer water from the water house to parts of New York City, powered solely by gravity.
We stopped for lunch on the Bronx side of the bridge, and all of a sudden, it started raining cats and dogs! Luckily, the rain died down a little before we started off-roading through Highbridge Park; we biked on dirt and grass through trees and rock formations, earning the off-roading badge!
Then, we kept biking to the Morris-Jumel Mansion, a landmark that George Washington used as a lookout point during the Revolutionary War. In front of the mansion, Ori led a dance break and taught choreography to Finesse (Remix). We found a geocache hidden in a screw, but the paper was completely obscured by rust. Afterwards, we walked through the Sylvan terrace, admiring the quaint colonial houses. A local struck up a conversation with us about his 6 cats! Cappy told us about how the old aqueduct system was removed in some places, leaving behind spaces that are now occupied by gardens. We continued on to a cemetery, where we searched for a geocache that was unfortunately muggled. Finally, we enjoyed the scenery at Riverside Park before biking home.
Ride Statistics:
12.9 miles biked
460 calories burned biking
.57 miles walked
39 calories burned
Total Calories Burned: 499
*http://www.mapmywalk.com/improve/calorie_calculator/
Estimates based on 100lbs, 5′ 2″ ht, 13 yo, average between male and female.
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