Back in the Saddle, 03/12/09

Dover, Denville & Mt Tabor, 03/12/09

  An open day, at last!   But first, a half-hour raking up leaves, then several hours of paperwork (cleaning up after finishing and mailing my income tax returns).  Lunch, then I finally get the bike out of the garage.

  I get out at 1:55 pm.  Dover is the first stop, walking around part of town.

   2:55 – Train 6650 backs from the yard and departs two minutes later; multilevels 7006, 7221, 7563, 7613, 7265, 7218, 7560, 7549, 7283, ALP 4625.

   3:15 – Train 6631; ALP 4613, multilevel 7580, 7544, 7571, 7271, 7540, 7515, 7566, 7558, 7020.  A train in the yard has multilevels 7000, 7256, 7222, 7238, 7276, 7602, 7603, 7576, ALP 4606.

   3:19 – Train 877; F40PH-2 4119, 4 Comets.

   3:28 – The 7000 set heads east, train 6654, as I cross the railroad on Dover Rockaway Rd.

   3:56 – Train 6635; ALP, Comets, at Denville as I arrive.

   4:09 – Train 6658; equipment from train 6631.

   4:24 – Yard move, MP20GP 100x, multilevel, Comet V, eastbound at Mt Tabor.  I head home.
  19.02 miles today, 68.3 for the year.  My shoulders are sore - why?

  I'm considering the Five Boro Bike Ride on May 3.  My problem: it starts in Battery Park at 6:30-7:45 am.  I CAN take the first train from Denville to Hoboken, PATH to WTC, then a short ride downtown - but the train is at 4:30 am.  I have done that in the past for steam trains from Hoboken, but I was nearly 15 years younger then.  Overnight lodging is available; I have to consider that.