This Morning's Bike Ride

Nov 30, 2004

A lovely fall morning greeted me as I steered my bike into the entrance of Prospect Park. A few joggers and walkers were out doing their thing and I whistled by them, wanting to circumnavigate the park for my morning exercise. I sped down the hill toward the lake, my bike building up speed. The park is situated of top of the moraine that was formed in the last ice age (you remember that, don't you?) In fact, all of this area is up on high: Park Slope, my neighborhood of Prospect Heights, Eastern Parkway. That accounts for some fabulous views of Manhattan, looking north over the rest of Brooklyn and the East River.

When I reached the lake I stopped to admire the birds floating in the morning calm. There must have been a thousand ducks, geese, swans and other aquatic Aves. It was a beautiful sight - the morning light, a blue sky and the mirrored surface of the lake.


The lake in Prospect Park.


This little white duck in the middle thought he knew me and swam right up to me. He must have been mistooken or maybe he was just looking for a handout.

Continuing my ride, I took a middle road that led me into the center of the park. I rolled along alone as I crossed a little bridge that led me over the serpentine creek that feeds the lake. It flows through tall grasses and skirts a breathtaking meadow called the Nethermead and I remembered that, in another part of my life, Stacey and I would spend hours here with friends and our dogs. The dogs would run and play and we would sit and chat and take in the view and wile away the day. Now I was rediscovering and remembering the park once again that I had loved so dearly thirty years ago.

I returned, via the ring road, to the the top of the park and Grand Army Plaza. You'll remember from my last Blog the name of James Stranahan, the wealthy real estate developer and civic leader who was instrumental in the building of the park. Now, looking more closely at a statue in the entrance of the park I saw that it was Stranahan's likeness. The plaque describing him was badly weathered but I was able to understand that it attributed the building of the park to his efforts.


Looking up at James Stranahan.


The man behind the park and its first commissioner, James ST Stranahan (What's with the "ST"??)

I was also impressed by the wall that separates the park from the street and the magnificent plaza beyond. Atop the wall are magnificent bronze bowls, each decorated with snakes whose tails entwine to form handles. What artwork for the public to admire!


The serpent-decorated bowls at the Grand Army Plaza entrance to the Prospect Park.


Another view of the bronze bowls mounted on the wall at Grand Army Plaza.


Who created these bowls? I haven't been able to discover the artist or any other mention of these magnificent pieces ... yet. Stay tuned.

My ride was over - just about 6 miles or so. Nice bit of exercise and some more reminiscing and appreciating this 526 acre masterpiece that belongs to the people of Brooklyn.