‘I want to wake up in the city that doesn’t sleep’. I hate to shatter any illusions, but when I staggered downstairs, bleary-eyed, at 4.30am this morning, if New York wasn’t asleep then it was doing a bloody good job of pretending.

• Today’s Distance (miles): 86
• Time in saddle: 6h 41
• Max/min temp – in full sun (°c): 41°/21°
• Climbing (feet) : 818
• Calories used: 3,903
• Today’s 2nd Breakfast: cream cheese bagel and coffee on the ferry
• Cafe time: 5h 30

Susie has found this complete video of the elevator ride at One World Trade Centre and posted it in Comments. Much better than my scrappy version.

The reason for my insane departure time was yet another weather system, not too bad but timed exactly for when I wanted to ride across the city to the East 34th Street Ferry Terminal. The simple but unpleasant solution was to pack as quietly as I could in Jacob’s apartment, scribble a note, get all my gear downstairs in the elevator, retrieve my bike from the garage, pack and leave.

Then it really was a great experience to cruise 6 miles of 2nd Ave in the dark. After about 15 minutes of cycling the signs of the city waking itself up began to appear – shops opening, corner kiosks restocking for the day, buses and garbage trucks thundering past, groups of people heading to prayer, people just standing on corners, smoking and watching me pass by.

It takes a surprisingly long time to travel about 100 blocks. This is a big old place. I passed one restaurant that was open (just), but with a name that honestly would not encourage me to risk a visit.

I passed the Roosevelt Island Tramway – can anyone explain to me what this is? Is it a cable car? Because it really looks like one! Feel free to Google – I like delegating sometimes.

I visited the ferry terminal briefly just to make sure there wouldn’t be any nasty surprises about schedules and the route to New Jersey – all fine. Ferries at 6.55 or 8am. I decided to choose using the weather as my guide, so probably the later one…

Then I dashed over to the nearest Starbucks and was their first customer of the day at 5.30am when they opened. Then the rain started. And lightning. VERY glad I got here early!

I saw the rain falter, so dashed down to the terminal to catch the 6.55am boat. I LOVE a ferry day. Did I mention that before?? We passed under the Brooklyn Bridge, which has become my reference point every since entering the city on its bike lane.

The Seastreak ferry took me past downtown Manhattan and out into the harbour.

Sadly the view I was hoping for of the Statue of Liberty didn’t quite materialise. The other side of the boat had clear windows, but the wind and the spray meant that the Statue side was a streaky washout.

The contrast arriving at Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey was very extreme!

Having managed to avoid one downpour in New York, I did the same in New Jersey, stopping straight away for a cup of tea at the wonderful et al fine food, where I met Kim, the owner, and Tina, whom I spoke to for the longest! We talked for some time about my trip and about the great playlist they had of classic American songbook repertoire. It was a lovely spot to sit out the rain and to video call Susie back home to catch up.

I’m now all done at the New Jersey campground and have to confess that I’m exhausted tonight and the phone signal isn’t great, so I’m just going to post some photos from back when I had energy, of the ride along the coast then inland down to Cedar Creek if they’ll upload. Superb evening so definitely a fly sheet-free one tonight.

Uploading is just too slow so I’m going to stop and try again tomorrow!