Staten Island - Bayonne Bridge and more

Since it's been more than a year since I last led this one, which I know is a favorite of many, I'm offering this one again! We will meet at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at 845 am, in time to catch the 9 am ferry. Our first stop will be at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden (a can't miss!), followed by a walk along Forest Avenue (there'll be food opportunites all along this stretch), which will take us to the Bayonne Bridge. The bridge walkway entrance is at the 7 mile mark and and the bridge itself affords great views to the east of Staten Island the Kill Van Kull, Manhattan and Brooklyn as well as Port Elizabeth and Newark Airport to the west, along with views of the Goethels Bridge and other points south.

Once over the bridge, we'll be in Bayonne, New Jersey, where we'll begin hugging the waterfront a good part of the way (great views of Port Elizabeth, the largest ship terminal on the East Coast) until we arrive at Stephen Gregg and Rutkowski Parks. These twin parks are absolute gems, offering a beautiful scenic stroll fronting Newark Bay.
I never get tired of these two parks! We'll then exit Rutkowski Park and walk along W. 54th Street to Broadway. At Broadway, we'll stop at a very friendly cafe/coffee shop where we can take a nice break. The free icy cold water alone is worth the stop here. The NJ Transit Light Rail Station is nearby W. 45th Street and Avenue E.

PLEASE NOTE: As I've been dealing with some back problems lately, this is going to be a decision point: If my back doesn't hold up, we'll end the walk at the NJ Transit Light Rail station at W. 45th Street. This will be at approximately the 14 mile mark of our walk.

If my back holds up, however, we will walk along Broadway until it becomes Garfield Avenue and after a mile or so, we'll turn off towards Port Liberte (this stetch to Port Liberte is a bit of a slog). At this point we''ll be walking steadily along the waterfront via the Hudson River Waterway passing through Liberty State Park, with great views of Manhattan and Brooklyn and Staten Island, as well as the derriere of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the old Central NJ Railroad Station, and evenually ending our walk in downtown Jersey City, where we can catch the PATH back into NYC (or continue on to other parts of New Jersey), for a total of about 22 miles.

Please wear good walking shoes, sunscreen, and light snacks (although there'll be food opportunities along the way). There are numerous drop out points on this walk, whether by bus or, in New Jersey, bus or light rail. Although all are welcome (to the 15 person limit), please sign up only if you are serious about showing up for the walk, and are okay with my deciding whether to end the walk at the 14 mile decision point or continuing on the full 22 miles to downtown Jersey City.

My cell number is 929-919-6022 if you have any questions.