Driving Around on Two- and Four Wheels

In an attempt to get back to a routine I am doing two things: trying to exercise more and restoring our weekend drives. I road my around the park last night (two laps) and enjoyed myself despite the general discomfort of being on a bike. While the park is beautiful and yada yada it was the people that I loved to watch. As I rode around there were lots of families if all shapes and sizes walking to activities, having a picnic, and often just sitting in the grass making googly eyes at each other. There were ultimate games, softball, and soccer games going on and a huge NY Philharmonic concert to go up. My favorite group of people were the friends walking around, talking and exercising. They were obviously doing something for themselves by exercising but making it more bearable by doing it together. There were two ladies, not spring chickens mind you, walking with those strange rubber wrestling suits on. Hey, whatever works for you.

We also took a drive around Red Hook. P hasn't been to Red Hook and I needed to go to the nursery. I usually go to Gowanus Nursery despite their high prices. This week I got the high prices but didn't get the help I needed. Usually there is someone there willing to help me translate my strange gardening ideas into purchases but this time the lady just scolded me and charged me $6 for my bolted sage. I may have to explore other options such as the Liberty Sunset Park Nursery over by the Fairway.

We drove down Van Brunt and Red Hook showed us her tamer side. There are a few shops open, a number of houses about to fall, and a few yuppie baby stroller out but it kind of looks like a postindustrial wasteland. Fairway blends like a dragqueen's foundation and all P could say was "wow, that's crowded". We drove in circles for a while and P felt a bit short changed. "Where is the IKEA, isn't there an IKEA." I dragged him through more post-industrial wasteland before coming upon the giant, out of place, tranny in a commune IKEA complex. Honestly it looks like a giant blue transit hub a la Port Authority. There was no good design to be had and a lot of congestion, security, and confused drivers trying to find parking or a rule to break. We drove by, mouths, agape, as the security guards tried to wave us inside.
"Let's go, I want to see IKEA".
"Are you insane? Do you know what they do to people in there?"
"It'll be cool, It'll be magical."
"That's what you said about your mom's chemo."
"Why not?"
"Seriously..."

I was in charge and control of the vehicle and I just kept driving (trying very hard not to hit people streaming from their illegally parked cars across the seemingly overnight appearance of a 4 lane highway. I'm sure I will appreciate the IKEA when I need more HJuupg or Jumkipg or lingonberry juice in a huffpo but right now it just offended my delicate sensibilities.

I was glad to see that the Red Hook Community Farm had put up big banners to take advantage of the increased traffic. They have a new farmers market open on Saturdays and I would totally go except, where the hell would I park.

Next time, I'm going to bring the camera and try to take some awesome pictures of the remaining, decaying, superfundy sites that still exist.