and green with algae, this structure once
served as a transfer terminal for railroad
cars. It was under consideration to act as
a ferry terminal some years ago, but alas,
it stands as it is—a reminder of a more
industrial era, juxtaposed with the city’s
modern skyline.
By now, you’ve been biking for a few
miles, and hunger, thirst and fatigue are
likely to have set in. Take a rest at the
West 79th Street Boat Basin Café, where
on a nice day, you can sit on the patio that
overlooks the Hudson and spy a few boats.
If you’re feeling up for a little side trip,
General Grant’s National Memorial ➋
is an excellent pick. (Warning: “up” is
the operative word, as you’ll have to bike
uphill to reach your destination!) To get
there, take a right onto West 125th Street
o; the bike path and up Riverside Drive.
This national memorial is the largest
mausoleum in North America. Completed in 1897, this monument contains
the remains of the 18th president, Ulysses
S. Grant, and his wife, Julia Dent Grant.
Once an operational lighthouse that
warned boats away from the shoreline
between New York and New Jersey, the
40-foot Little Red Lighthouse ➌ was
made famous by the 1942 children’s
book The Little Red Lighthouse and the
Great Gray Bridge, by Hildegarde Swift
and Lynd Ward. When the lighthouse was
slated for demolition in 1951, it was saved
by a petition from thousands of children
who loved the book. Today, it is owned by
the New York City Department of Parks
& Recreation.
