To spend the summer in New York is to accept the human body in all its sweaty, corpulent glory. There will be flesh. A lot of it.
In the three summers I’ve spent in the city, my inner prude (read: I’m British) has never truly got on board with baring that much skin. And so I never thought the day would come when I’d find myself donning a pair of lycra short shorts.
But what started as a way to avoid the subway when I first moved here turned into an unbridled love of cycling. One thing led to another, and one morning I found myself in (padded) shorts, getting ready to ride 40-odd miles.
America might not be the first place that springs to mind when thinking of bicycling meccas, but I’ve found no better way to punch through the oppressive heat of the summer than on two wheels. Even just a few laps around the park – along a contentiously designed dedicated cycle track – after work are enough to cool down. Weekends offer the opportunity to saddle up for a more ambitious ride: either taking a train further afield to dedicated tracks, or just riding around the city exploring new neighbourhoods. The beauty of bicycling is that there’s a way to do it that works for anyone. You don’t even need to own a bike. Major cities, including New York, San Diego and Miami, have bicycle sharing schemes, which are a great choice for a leisurely afternoon city ride.
For the more adventurous, mountain biking is an excellent option. Western Spirit does full package deals with include the mountain bike rental, camping and food.
