New York City bike riding is experiencing a real renaissance. There are now more bike paths, venues for biking, bikers’ resources and programs aimed to make cycling easier, cheaper and more fun. If you want to give New York bike riding a shot, the NYC Department of Transportation can provide you a NYC cycling map and other useful information.

New York City’s “greenways” are paths or trails connecting parks and neighborhoods. They are designed for biking, walking, and skating. Greenways are the safest routes for New York City cyclists because they are especially marked for bike use. They also afford you a much better scenic view that makes for a unique New York City bike riding experience. The New York City Mountain Bike Association has information on some other popular New York riding spots: Highbridge Park’s free ride trail, ideal for expert cyclists; Cunningham Park’s wide trails, recommended for beginners; Wolfe’s Pond Park’s ponds and woods for those who enjoy biking in a pleasing natural atmosphere.

The Second Annual Tour de Queens which is held every 12th of July begins in Flushing Meadows Park and runs for 24 miles. It is open to all cyclists regardless of age or skill. Joining the tour is a good way to get acquainted with Queens and the borough’s unique culture. There’s also the Annual Tour de Brooklyn which is held every 7th of June. It runs about 23 miles, beginning and ending in Coney Island, with a stop in Prospect Park. This tour includes a ride through Flatlands, Bensonhurst, and other Brooklyn neighborhoods off the typical tourist map. You’ll also get to see the famed Green-wood Cemetery, final resting place of such notables as artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and actress Lola Montez.

Spring 2009 is just around the corner and Yankee fans will be able to visit the new Yankee Stadium. Of course, it will be a little while before fans warm to the new stadium – these are indeed some big shoes to fill. Yankee Stadium has seen a lot of history come and go in the South Bronx over its 86 years; but the new Yankee Stadium will replace something great with something even greater; the new $1.3 million stadium promises to be a worthy addition to the team and to the city of New York.

Since 1980, the idea of a new Yankee Stadium has been kicked around. Originally, the owner wanted to move the stadium given the state of the South Bronx at the time. As ideas were brought up, discussed and discarded, the neighborhood turned around and the team gained in popularity. By the early 1990s, the Yankees organization were still interested in building a new stadium – but right there in the Bronx.

The plan also waived sales and property taxes on the teams, would have provided both stadiums with state subsidized low cost electricity and allowed the teams to keep 100% of parking and other revenue brought in by the stadiums, with the city receiving a mere 4% of the ticket sales. Things looked a little less rosy for New York’s ball clubs when current Mayor Michael Bloomberg too office. Mayor Bloomberg decided to exercise the escape clause provided for in the contract – however, the contract also included a provision allowing the teams to leave the city should the escape clause be used! Happily, the city and the two teams came to a new agreement and planning for new Yankees and Mets stadiums kept moving along.

The new Yankee Stadium has been designed carefully to be reminiscent of the current stadium. Indiana limestone will encompass the entire structure, just as was the case until the original stadium was renovated in 1974. The copper frieze which was present on the original stadium has also been replicated, but the interior features many new amenities for Yankees fans, including two new restaurants which will be open year round. Whether you support it or feel like many do that a piece of history will be lost forever, it is safe to say that the new Yankee Stadium will keep with the tradition that brought the old Yankee Stadium, one of progress and financial risk taking. It paid off the first time, we will soon see if it will a second time.