John Findlay Walk

I had a bazillion things to do today - too many that should have been done last month or the month before - but it was just to beautiful out there today. Just like yesterday - cooler than it has been and no humidity. Don't even have to run the a/c.

I decided to pack up my bag go someplace. While I was in the elevator, I weighed going to Central Park with heading over near the river. Rick is talking about going to the Central Park Zoo on Saturday, so I picked the river. Plus I could hit the produce store I really like :)

I started walking south and east, and it was so nice out I decided to just keep walking a while to see more of the neighborhood (though is it my neighborhood if it's more than 2 blocks away? Some NY'ers indicate not as they want to stay close to home I guess, and others not, willing to walk further). So around 77th street or so I decided to make my way all the way to the river - where ever I was, there just happened to be a ramp crossing FDR Drive to drop pedestrians on the otherside near the river.

See the teeny tiny strip on the otherside of the highway? At this point along the river it's really more like a median strip than a walk way or park. And, no kidding, some chick was sunbathing on the 3' wide strip of grass in her little black bikini. I guess you have to get sun when and where you can :)

Now, you probably can't read this, but the graphic is nice - it tells you that the landing strip you are about to come upon is John Finlay Walk. It's actually pretty nice for runners, walkers and bikers that it's continuous and there is access.

While I was sitting on a bench listening to the traffic a few feet behind me and reading my book, I looked up and found this boat right in front of me. I had to wait a little to take a picture because it wouldn't fit in my view finder!

This cleate is very big and it looks like there used to be boats parked up along here. Kinda hard to imagine doing any kind of unloading or loading since the highway is so close. These line the area near the water every few feet.
Oh - I just found this picture and it looks like I was on 78th street not 77th. Gotta love documentation that makes up for a leaky memory :)
Up around 84th Street this strip widens considerably and is raised above the traffic so you really can barely hear it. This is Carl Schurz Park. There are lots of flowers and benches, and 2 dog parks - one for the little ones and one for the big ones. I didn't see the sign that said "You must be at least this tall to go on this ride" on the park for big dogs - maybe they should have one :)

While in the Carl Shurz Park, I got this nice shot of the light house. At some point they must have needed it, though now it aways seems pretty bright in the city.

I stopped on the way back from the park at my favorite veggie shack - U Don't Know Nothing Produce. I really wish this place was closer to me. I got some beautiful heirloom tomatoes, some blackberries and a nectarine. Some night soon I'm going to make my Tomato and Feta salad. Gotta celebrate summer while it's here!