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Why are people who live or move to New York so lazy?
I sometimes "there are no parks! no trails to ride my bike!" No outdoorsy stuff"! Is this some sort of joke? It's like there is this massive concrete barrier around the city limits of NYC that nobody in the city ever crosses. There are many really nice places in and out of NYC to ride your bike and nice areas right out of the city (heck, even on the very northern end of Manhattan) to hike and raft.
Or heading 10 miles north of Astoria Queens (I google mapped it) and hiking, rafting, whatever in complete seclusion like Palisades Park? Is 10 miles too far? You don't hike everyday, do you? I live on the opposite end of the country, but even I'm familiar with some of these places!
There is a barrier around Manhattan but it's water, not concrete. Most NYers, particularly Manhattanites, don't have cars. So, getting to the Palisades or Harriman State Park is not a great option for them. It's $8 to take the bridge or tunnel back to NY, not to mention gas and the rental car or zipcar rate. Also, traffic, especially going back, can make a 10 mile drive into a 30+ minute drive, easily.
Plus, the places you mentioned most were in New Jersey, and many NYers - particularly the transplants - hate NJ and treat NJ like a foreign country which they avoid at all costs (except for good shopping or to see the "NY" pro football teams play their home games).
As for rafting, as much as I love NY and NJ, and do believe there are plenty of outdoor activities in the area for those who look, I can't ever advise anyone to use the rivers around Manhattan for any kind of water sports that would involve getting wet. Yes, there are people who raft, canoe, kayak in the Hudson and East Rivers, but even most of them are sure to get shots, and their crazy to do those things there, anyway. Especially the kayakers who "roll" in that filthy water. The rivers are cleaner than they've been in years but they're still filthy and polluted. Equally, or even more crazy are the nutjobs who fish in the rivers (mostly the East River) and eat their catch! Hepatitis or whatever other poison/disease just isn't worth a free striped bass dinner.
There is a barrier around Manhattan but it's water, not concrete. Most NYers, particularly Manhattanites, don't have cars. So, getting to the Palisades or Harriman State Park is not a great option for them. It's $8 to take the bridge or tunnel back to NY, not to mention gas and the rental car or zipcar rate. Also, traffic, especially going back, can make a 10 mile drive into a 30+ minute drive, easily.
Plus, the places you mentioned most were in New Jersey, and many NYers - particularly the transplants - hate NJ and treat NJ like a foreign country which they avoid at all costs (except for good shopping or to see the "NY" pro football teams play their home games).
As for rafting, as much as I love NY and NJ, and do believe there are plenty of outdoor activities in the area for those who look, I can't ever advise anyone to use the rivers around Manhattan for any kind of water sports that would involve getting wet. Yes, there are people who raft, canoe, kayak in the Hudson and East Rivers, but even most of them are sure to get shots, and their crazy to do those things there, anyway. Especially the kayakers who "roll" in that filthy water. The rivers are cleaner than they've been in years but they're still filthy and polluted. Equally, or even more crazy are the nutjobs who fish in the rivers (mostly the East River) and eat their catch! Hepatitis or whatever other poison/disease just isn't worth a free striped bass dinner.
The OP doesn't live in Manhattan - he lives in Queens. And NJ was just an example. There is a lot of nature and beautiful fresh water upstate towards Westchester.
That's true, but it's a pain to do so if you don't have a car and NYC is less conducive to car ownership than elsewhere. This should play a large factor. The fact of the matter is, for the kind of outdoor recreational activity the OP wants, there are many cities that make it more accessible or more pleasant than NYC does. I get my outdoor kicks in and around the city fairly often, but it was certainly much easier to do (less costly, more accessible, more serene, etc.) so in a lot of other places.
I agree with this. I do have a car and it's very expensive (and time consuming) to travel anywhere outside of the city. Yes, there are some amazing places along the Hudson or on Long island (I've went running on the beaches during storms in the evenings, amazing sights, but the drive is ridiculous, even though it's only 20 miles). Sure, you can go to all of these great places that are technical only about 20 miles away. However, you have to factor in the horrible traffic and tolls. The Long Island Expressway, Jackie Robinson Parkway and BQE are all traffic cesspools. I mean, it has taken me 90 minutes just to get north of the GW Bridge, and that’s in off traffic hours! Then, by the time you get there, you’re exhausted and/or frustrated after sitting in traffic with a bunch of a**holes! NYS has many beautiful and fun adventures/outdoor places to live, visit or play at, but from NYC, it’s a trip…literally. I’d much rather live somewhere where I have quick access to these areas, or within a 4 hour drive. I mean, from State College, PA, I could be in upstate NYS quicker than if I lived in the NYC metro area because you can automatically delete two hours of traffic just to get out of the city!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OyCrumbler
That's true, but it's a pain to do so if you don't have a car and NYC is less conducive to car ownership than elsewhere. This should play a large factor. The fact of the matter is, for the kind of outdoor recreational activity the OP wants, there are many cities that make it more accessible or more pleasant than NYC does. I get my outdoor kicks in and around the city fairly often, but it was certainly much easier to do (less costly, more accessible, more serene, etc.) so in a lot of other places.
I hear ya. I had a car in Manhattan for six months before giving up. I tried to leave twice on Saturday mornings and had to sit in traffic for over an hour at the Holland and Lincoln tunnels. No wonder we never left unless we were airlifted out by plane.
This is so true and I think this is why so many people never leave Manhattan/NYC metro! On Thanksgiving this past year, I sat in the Holland Tunnel traffic, specifically, SoHo area, for over 3 hours!!! I could have almost made it back to my hometown (380 miles away) in that time alone (my trip usually takes less than 5.5 hours in good conditions)...that day it took 10+, no joke.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clevedark
I hear ya. I had a car in Manhattan for six months before giving up. I tried to leave twice on Saturday mornings and had to sit in traffic for over an hour at the Holland and Lincoln tunnels. No wonder we never left unless we were airlifted out by plane.
Definitely something to consider, but I have always loved Resort and College Towns, specifically ones that cater to the outdoors.
You may want to look into Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Madison, and far as Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, and the major California cities. Closer to east coast would be: Boston, Washington D.C, Pittsburgh, perhaps even New Haven and Newark.
Also to mention if you really would like to consider Stage College, also may want to look at Itacha/ Lansing, New York.
Why are people who live or move to New York so lazy?
I sometimes "there are no parks! no trails to ride my bike!" No outdoorsy stuff"! Is this some sort of joke? It's like there is this massive concrete barrier around the city limits of NYC that nobody in the city ever crosses. There are many really nice places in and out of NYC to ride your bike and nice areas right out of the city (heck, even on the very northern end of Manhattan) to hike and raft.
Or heading 10 miles north of Astoria Queens (I google mapped it) and hiking, rafting, whatever in complete seclusion like Palisades Park? Is 10 miles too far? You don't hike everyday, do you? I live on the opposite end of the country, but even I'm familiar with some of these places!
New York people aren't lazy we are always on the move. Remember this is the city that never sleeps
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