Day 26

October 29, 2021:

Mama had been incessantly warning me to take my bike to a shop to get it in the box as soon as I could, since I didn’t know how long it would take them. But as I keep telling her, I have done this before. It takes about an hour to disassemble the biggest pieces of the bike and package them for travel. It might be a bit longer since I have racks, but it’s really no big deal. But I decided to heed her advice and take it in to the shop this morning. The plan was to find a bicycle shop in New Jersey – as close to Newark as possible – that would be willing to do it. From the bicycle shop, I’d use an Uber XL to transport the box to the airport, along with all my other things. The Uber cost from Brooklyn was exorbitant – well over $100. But taking it from Jersey City, say, would cost maybe $50 including the tip.

As such, I took my bike bags off that morning, stowing them in the downstairs living room where I had put my other things. I took my CDC vaccination card out of my passport bag and put it in my wallet for the day. I also messaged my friend Bob that I could meet him that afternoon, figuring that the board game café on the Upper West Side near Columbia University would suit us well. I was feeling much better. While my left shoulder still was a bit tender, the chills and other symptoms were gone.

I left promptly, then returned, realizing I had forgotten my jacket. I also decided to bring one bag with me to carry a water bottle in case I needed it. I did forget my bike’s U-lock though, something I wished I could have also put in the bike box.

My initial plan was to ride back across the Brooklyn Bridge and take the ferry back across to Jersey City. But after a minute of consideration, I decided to take my bike on the subway instead. It would save me both time and energy, and ensure I arrived at The Bike Hub (a cycling shop in NJ) just after they opened, putting me first in line. Bringing just one bag did kind of destabilize the balance of the front wheel, but I quickly learned to counter it. Without my heavy bags, the bike was nimble and fast. It was easy to carry up and down subway steps and through turnstiles as needed. While a fully loaded bike might be the worst way to explore New York, a totally light bike certainly has advantages. After riding the F line to 33rd, I transferred to PATH to Journal Square. There, I got off, and cycled back past the café on Bergen St, past Hunor’s place, to The Bike Hub on Monticello. They were open when I arrived, and after waiting for another customer to leave, I was able to ask if they could do the job.

AND MAMA WAS SO RIGHT. The guy was worried. I was cutting it close on timing. He called his boss to see if they could fit it into their schedule. Thankfully, he assured me they could, and said they’d give me a call with updates tomorrow. I hadn’t been factoring in the ‘everything takes longer in NYC’ phenomenon. Worst case scenario, this is something I can do myself so long as they have a box. I paid about $100 for the job, and this in my experience is a fair price. I expect I’ll have to pay something similar in Dublin to get it reassembled. I’ve done this reassembly myself before, and I seriously messed up my bike as a result. I’d rather just pay to have the job done right, especially given the circumstances of this trip.

I left my bike there, paid in advance, and walked back to Journal Square. On the way, I stopped at a discount store to look at their baggage. I would need a pretty good size piece of luggage to carry my tent, sleeping bag, clothing, and other panniers and equipment (including that bike lock!). The luggage they had was very good quality, but I’d have to pay full price. Think $80 - $100. I also checked Craigslist to see if anyone was willing to pawn off used bags that I could schedule to pick up somewhere. Same deal, full price. Hmm. I checked the checked bag requirements with the airline, looking specifically to see if I could just take a cardboard box. That only costs a few dollars, and if I tape it up real good, it’ll get the job done and I can easily chuck it when I reach Dublin. That idea is viable, and the airline will accept it. It just needs to fit within a certain set of dimensions. Hmm. Something to look for. I also checked if they had international plug converters. They did, but they were very cheap, poor quality stuff. They also didn’t convert either current or voltage, and I was very concerned about this. I recall my 2016 trip in which I fried a shaving razor when having used a plug that just changed the shape rather than the power.

I grabbed an Uber from Journal Square to the CVS pharmacy in New Jersey where my PCR test was scheduled. In hindsight, I probably should have just used one of the walk-in clinics that have popped up all around the city. But this way, I was sure I’d be able to get in, and I was confident the results would be back in time. I arrived about forty minutes early, and decided to take a look in the grocery store next door for pastries. I bought two tasty-looking ones, and walked out. The cashier said they didn’t have utensils for me to use, so I had to risk getting sticky. I hate when my fingers are sticky. The pastries weren’t good; I felt cheated. They were vaguely sweet but otherwise flavorless… something like pound cake. I couldn’t finish the second pastry, and chucked it. With twenty minutes to my appointment, I figured I’d just walk up to the drive-thru window. +/- 20 minutes were within the margins. The pharmacist manning the drive-thru counter was surprised to see me on foot, but administered the test anyway. It was a self-done test, so she just walked me through the instructions. After the test, I took another Uber back to Journal Square.

I took the subway up to Columbia University. Each subway train is filled with ads. I saw two that were interesting. The first was for a augmented-reality public art project in which standing at various important locations around the city and using an app would reveal colorful art installations all around you. I downloaded the app for free, but unfortunately never went to actually see one of the pieces. The other one I found interesting was run by the Poetry Society of America and featured a piece by Audre Lorde. Check it out:

After getting off the subway, I walked to the Hex & Co board game café. I walked in to get a feel for it, and saw an extensive selection of games, a full menu, and a good atmosphere. For $10 all day, this is pretty nice. I still feel that’s a bit steep, but it’s a good solution for me when traveling. I’m sure Mama will complain that I’m not using my time in New York well – that I can play board games anywhere – but I don’t care. While Mama may look for the best cheesecake, I look for the best board game café. And plus, I was meeting my friend Bob who was taking the train down from Danbury, CT just to see me. I wanted to make it a good time and worth his efforts.

I was a bit early, so I spent the time exploring the area around the café. There was a very nice book store that I perused. I noted the House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I never finished reading that one. And much like one of the characters in the story, it now haunts me somewhat. It’s like a disheveled pile of papers I keep finding around. It follows me. I’ll have to open it again someday, if only from curiosity. I think I know what it’s about. I got in pretty deep last time. Hmm. The bookstore also had a section called ‘Blind Date with a Poet,’ in which they had several books covered in gift wrap with a small selection on the front. That’s a good idea. There was also a book recommendation section, where people would leave notes about books they especially enjoyed.

I messaged Bob. He was running late, and figured he’d come at around 3:00 pm instead. I got impatient, so I grabbed lunch without him at a Shake Shack up the street. I took a survey in the restaurant and was awarded a free burger coupon. I messaged Janthomas and Ella that I’d have to come home late and would likely miss dinner. They understood, which was nice. I wandered around, taking a look at the Columbia University grounds. I remember those steps. I went into the bookstore. I considered walking to Target to try to find the right plugs. Instead, I went into a print shop and asked there. They did have some, but once again, those adapters changed the shape of the plug, but not the power. Hmm. I left, and waited on the corner by the subway exit for Bob. It took him another half hour or so. Not his fault. The trains from Danbury had been delayed, and went much slower than usual, perhaps due to the heavy rains of the last few days.

When Bob did arrive, I gave him my Shake Shack coupon, and we walked to the game café. It was a bit busier now, but we were able to find a table. We played a few games of Quoridor, one game of Ticket to Ride, and learned how to play Catan: Struggle for Rome, but didn’t finish. I had to leave about half way through the game in order to make the subway back to Brooklyn so I would arrive back at a reasonable time. I was aiming for 8:00 pm. I suppose in hindsight I could have stayed out later since it wasn’t a workday evening, but I still wanted to be considerate. I got back a few minutes late (8:05), but only because I had stopped at a sandwich shop on the way home to pick up a sub. It was a ‘Sweet Thing,’ and it was definitely the wrong choice. Yuck. But I ate it anyway, since I was hungry, and I didn’t think there’d be any leftovers waiting for me. I was right about that.

I had another bath before bed. I was tired. It hadn’t been a particularly strenuous day, but I nevertheless felt the weight of exhaustion press me into bed. I guess New York has that effect on me.