The big bike ride

Public holiday in America today so most of the stores were open but the city had an eerie, quiet about it, which suited me just fine.  The day began with phone calls which quickly derailed my plans.  I’d been trying to make contact with Judy Heumann for several weeks – emails always bouncing back and phone calls unanswered.  She’s a major figure in the story of disability rights in America so I’ve been very keen to meet her and our correspondence earlier this year was encouraging and she was happy to meet me.  So this morning I finally found her voice on the other end of the phone only to find out that she is going to Libya and other places in Africa tomorrow for 2 weeks and will not be in DC next week when I’m there.  Devastation.  I’m so disappointed.  But she did spend about 40 minutes on the phone to me in between what sounded like a very chaotic morning for her (mobile phone ringing, assistant in tow, husband nearby, friend arriving – all asking questions and needing attention) and she gave me a whole lot of names and phone numbers of other really good people I need to meet.  So that made the disappointment slightly less so.

After I got off the phone from Judy I needed something positive so I tried Johnny Crescendo – another key person for my film who I’d been trying in vain to make firm contact with for weeks.  That call went much better – he was great value and really ready to help me get to the people I need to in Philadelphia – phew. 

These 2 calls took nearly 2 hours and the weather outside was looking way too good.  I’d had in mind that I wouldn’t get much work done it being a public holiday and all and so I’d made a plan to go for a bike ride and see a bit of Manhattan.  With the sun shining I really wanted to make the most of it so I got out and first went to buy a pair of jeans I desperately needed as my old ones had gone to shreds (lucky too they also needed a wash – a great time to chuck them out).  I decided to go the Century 21 the discount designer department store next to ground zero that’s a real bun fight, and strangely as I found out full of French people.  I swear 60% of the voices I heard in that store were talking French.  Nothing happens quickly in Century 21 and so after more than an hour I actually managed to find jeans that fitted and one or 2 other items that didn’t break the bank.

I quick salad next door and then I was off to find the bike hire place and see a bit of Manhattan.  There’s a lot of stuff that’s weird here – they sell cigarettes in pharmacies, there are no acoustic pedestrian lights at intersections (nor in Paris) which means you have to concentrate more when you cross the road, and there’s a million smells that constantly demand attention – much of it bad.  Today in the street I smelled brine, rotting rubbish, hamburgers, urine, bleach, fish, exhaust fumes, dog poo, cigar smoke, flowers, toilet cleaner, coffee and probably more things I can’t recall.  It’s a constant assault on the senses.  Once I got to cycling these smells just got quicker and more intense.

I grabbed a bike from the super friendly bike hire boys near the Brooklyn Bridge and headed off in the direction they suggested for a tour of Manhattan.  The bike was really easy and comfortable to ride not like the one I hired in England, and just as well and the ride was well over 2 hours of constant cycling.  I rode up along the east river to about 90^th Street, then across to Central Park, through Central Park and out and across to the Hudson River side of the island and then back downtown to near the Brooklyn bridge.  By the time I got back I was exhausted – and the guys were impressed by my speed.

The speed was actually necessary as I’d got going a bit later than intended and also because I had a dinner date with a couple of friends of Eva’s who’d offered to provide me with some social interaction.  Jonny Santlofer and his wife Joy were absolutely lovely company.  Great friends of my friend Eva who now lives in LA but used to live here in NY and I can see why she loves them.  Jonny’s a crime novelist and also an artist and his wife is a food historian – what in interesting field.  We had loads to talk about over an early dinner at a really good pizza restaurant nearby.  That was a lovely end to a day that started out a bit wobbly but seemed to get back on track.

I’m almost asleep as I write tonight and tomorrow I have to seriously hit the phones and make things happen.  I also have 2 meetings late in the day – one an on tape interview.  So things are hotting up.

Tonight after a glorious day the heavens opened up – lighting and rain on the way home from dinner and then hail and heavy rain just after I got in the door.

Family have arrived home safely according to Jasper via facebook – probably all very tired and grumpy.

Brooklyn Bridge & another

Central park Columbus Day

Your intrepid correspondent 

BOO!