How The Government Shutdown Affects Cyclists In Brooklyn

The Federal Government shutdown is now affecting cyclists.  Well, some, anyway, in this part of the world.

The closure of Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon and other sites administered by the National Parks Service has been well-publicized.  But another NPS site here in New York is also off-limits to visitors:  Floyd Bennett Field, which is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area.

When GNRA opened in 1972, it was the first national park in an urban area.  It includes a number of areas that abut the Atlantic Ocean and Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn, Queens and the northern Jersey shore.  

Floyd Bennett Field, at the southernmost part of Brooklyn, sits across Jamaica Bay from Rockaway Beach. It's about as big as LaGuardia Airport and, in fact, was the second-largest airport (after Newark) in the New York Metropolitan area until LaGuardia opened in 1937. Howard Hughes, Amelia Earhart and other pioneering aviators embarked upon some of their groundbreaking flights from Floyd Bennett.  

In 1941, on the eve of the USA's entry into World War II, Floyd Bennett became a Naval air station, a role if played for three decades until larger aircraft, and easier entry for ships at more modern ports, rendered Floyd Bennett obsolete as a military aviation facility.

There has been talk of making it function as an airport again, perhaps for small private planes.  That seems unlikely, however, as the paths of its runways (which are longer than those at LaGuardia) criscross those of nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport.

I, for one, hope that Floyd Bennett never becomes an air terminal again.  Its runways make all but ideal bike lanes.  When I lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn, I often pedaled down to Floyd Bennett for a pre- or apres- work ride.  I also participated in a couple of the sanctioned weekly races held every week in spring and summer--and a couple of impromptu wildcat races.

According to one website, a group of cyclists was planning such a race for this weekend.  Of course, they have to cancel, as the runways and paths will be inaccessible to them.

I am guessing that the race is not the only ride so affected by the government shutdown:  There were probably other rides (if not races) planned in other government-run sites.

Monk On A Bike

Today is Thelonious Monk's birthday.

I have no evidence that he was (or, for that matter, wasn't) a cyclist. However, there is at least one frame builder--and there are at least a few bike shops--called "Monk Bicycles", "Monk Bikes" or some variation thereof.

Any one of them could base its logo on this:

 

And, of course, one of Schwinn's more successful bicycles--the Criss Cross--shares a name, if only coincidentally, with one of Monk's albums.

 

The Wheels Of Change

One Christmas, I (or one of my brothers--or my brothers and I) got a Spirograph set.

If you're of a certain age, you might remember it.

A set consisted of interlocking wheels, bars and gears and pens. Using them resulted in some interesting shapes, patterns and designs--if, at times, inintentionally.

One of us came up with a design that looked something like this:

For years, I thought the rose windows in the great cathedrals of Europe were drawn with a toy my brothers and I fought over.

We came up with other designs that looked like various wheeled vehicles:

I wonder whether any bicycle builders drew their inspiration from one of our favorite childhood toys.

P.S.  Last year, Hasbro, the company that made the original Spirograph, made a new drawing kit with the same name.  Sadly,that is about the only thing it and the original have in common.