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TRANSCRIPT
TRAVEL GUIDEMAY 4th
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Thank you for participating in the 2019 Great Saunter. This is the 34th consecutive year that people from around the city, the country, and the world have gathered to walk 32 miles around Manhattan’s shoreline.
As you walk the length of the Great Saunter this May, many people may ask you, “Why are you doing this?” Your personal reasons may vary: discovery, challenge, curiosity, recreation. But Shorewalkers’ shared goal in hosting the Great Saunter every year is to lay the groundwork for a better New York shoreline for the future.
In the last half-century, as New York’s shorelines transitioned from economic zones of trade and industry into swaths of idleness, some began to recognize the recreational value that these pier-dotted edge lands represented. Abandoned and rotting piers transformed into parks, and areas of the waterfront that were once desolate turned into destinations.
We believe that a livable city is one that integrates an economically vibrant waterfront with the needs of residents and visitors to enjoy our harbor’s vast beauty. That is why Shorewalkers works to promote public access to and enjoyment of the waterfronts around the entire NYC Metropolitan area. It is estimated that New York City alone has 520 miles of waterfront within its borders. So after you finish the Great Saunter, you still have 488 miles to explore! This is why Shorewalkers conducts more than a hundred volunteer-led walks around the region every year. Advocating for our shorelines is a long march of steady progress.
By participating in the Great Saunter, you are supporting the mission of Shorewalkers and the dozens of volunteers who keep our organization running year-round. When someone asks you what you are walking for this year, you can tell them that you are walking for New York, the waterfront, and the future.
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NY TIMES, SAM ROBERTS, OCTOBER 18, 2018
Cy Adler, Pied Piper of Manhattan’s Piers, Is Dead at 91
Walt Whitman hailed “Mannahatta” as “the place encircled by many swift tides and sparkling waters,” and Herman Melville wrote that even when New York City was belted by working wharves, deskbound crowds gravitated to “the extremest limit of the land” in order to “get just as nigh the water as they possibly can without falling in.”
About a century later, Cy Adler started his Great Saunter, an annual signature walk to promote his vision of a shoreline green ribbon encircling Manhattan, and to remind its residents that they inhabit an island. Mr. Adler, a mathematician and oceanographer by training, became the pied piper of the piers.
…It began in 1982 with an advertisement in The Village Voice and grew into an annual 32-mile, 10-hour hike through Hudson River, Riverside, East River and a dozen other littoral parks as well as barricaded, abandoned and bedraggled railroad yards and other tracts that, while not actually parks at the time, could have been linked in a verdant belt around Manhattan someday if he had mustered enough public support.
“The walker is the supreme conservator; he does not add pollution to the air or water, he does not waste natural resources, he destroys nothing,” Mr. Adler wrote in “Walking Manhattan’s Rim: The Great Saunter” (2003). The tours have since expanded into Brooklyn and the Bronx.
...”Walking around the edge of a big city along an unknown path can change you, expand your horizons, knock you around for a while,” Mr. Adler wrote.
He told The Times in 1984: “You see things on these walks you wouldn’t see anywhere else in New York. We saw cows in Staten Island, oysters in the Bronx and pheasants above the George Washington Bridge. We saw dead chickens hanging from trees on the Harlem River that looked like they had been part of a voodoo sacrifice.”
“Should you get lost,” Mr. Adler added, “consider yourself lucky.”
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IS THE GREAT SAUNTER SOME TRAIL AND SOME SIDEWALK?
The Great Saunter is almost entirely on paved trails and sidewalks.
DO PEOPLE WEAR GOOD SNEAKERS OR MORE OF A HIKING SHOE?
We recommend that participants wear whatever shoes they know in advance are most comfortable over long distances. This is not the best time to break in a new pair of shoes. Given the long distance and paved surfaces, we recommend not wearing anything heavier than a trail shoe. If you take 64,000 steps to complete the Great Saunter, a lighter shoe can make a big difference. This participant has completed the Great Saunter ten times and always wears sneakers.
HOW DO I TRAIN FOR THE GREAT SAUNTER?
We recommend going out and walking as often as possible in the months leading up to the Great Saunter. Shorewalkers organizes walks each weekend, which are listed on our website calendar and at Meetup. Start slowly and build up to longer distances. Also, you may want to consult with your physician before starting an exercise program.
CAN I PURCHASE A LUNCH IN INWOOD PARK?
There are no food vendors in Inwood Park. We recommend that you pack a lunch or purchase something delicious at one of our sponsors, Fairway Market, located along the Great Saunter route at 135th St. and the Hudson River.
WILL THERE BE WATER STATIONS?
Please bring your own water bottles. A water station is planned for Riverside Park, but Great Saunter participants are encouraged to use water fountains (marked on the course map) along the route. Where the Great Saunter diverts to city streets, participants should take advantage of convenience stores to purchase water or drinks. Shorewalkers is an environmentally conscious group that seeks to minimize our impact on the environment. Any water stops will not include disposable cups.
WA T E RB O T T L E
S U N S C R E E N S N A C K S C O M F O R T A B L ES H O E S
H A T S PA R ES O C K S
B A T T E R YPA C K
M O L E S K I NB A N D A G E S
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SHOULD I WEAR A BACKPACK WITH WATER?
Backpacks with bladders are a popular way to comfortably carry water during long hikes. We encourage participants to remain hydrated during the Great Saunter. A water bottle that can be refilled along the route at water fountains is another alternative.
ARE THERE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF NYC? Approximately 35% of Great Saunter participants from outside the city. In 2018, Great Saunter walkers traveled from 28 different states and the District of Columbia, in addition to visitors from many foreign nations.
DO MOST PEOPLE FINISH?
Approximately half of all people who start the Great Saunter walk the full 32 miles. Finishing is not an obligation! If one is unable to complete the Great Saunter in a single day, we recommend returning another year to cover unexplored sections.
ARE THERE SNACKS ALONG THE WAY? There will be rest stations located intermittently along the Great Saunter route where snacks will be distributed while supplies last. We recommend that participants bring along their own snacks (e.g. energy bars, crackers, etc.) to keep one fueled up during the event.
SHOULD I PACK SNACKS IN THE BACKPACK THAT I MAY OR MAY NOT BE WEARING?
Yes. Manhattan is a bear-free zone, packing snacks is recommended and should pose no danger.
IS THERE A FACEBOOK PAGE WHERE I COULD GET MORE INFO?
You are in the right place for info, but we also have a Facebook page (/Shorewalkers), and you can follow us on Twitter: @ShorewalkersNY or on Instagram at IG: @Shorewalkers_NY.
WHAT IS THE AGE RANGE? DO PEOPLE EVER BRING THEIR KIDS?
The Great Saunter is open to all ages. Participants can rely on their own evaluation of their personal fitness and how they’re feeling on the day of the event. While kids often join the Great Saunter, we trust adults will be fully invested in guarding the safety and welfare of their children during the event. Please use your best judgment in evaluating how far a young person is able to walk.
HOW MANY YEARS HAS THIS SAUNTER BEEN GOING ON?
2019 is the 34th Annual Great Saunter.
Do you still have questions? Send us an email at [email protected] with FAQ in the subject line and we’ll try to answer it and add it to our list.
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Times are approximate and presume a 3 MPH pace.
R E G I S T R A T I O N / S T A R T L I N E
Fraunces Tavern 52 Pearl St., New York, NY
7:00 AM
7:30 AM
1:00 PM
4:00 PM
7:00 PM
9:30 AM
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
3:00 PM
5:30 PM
B R E A K
Inwood Hill Park Flagpole:Seaman and Isham Street
B R E A K
Carl Schurz Park East 84th Street
F I N I S H L I N E !
Fraunces Tavern
L A T E R E G I S T R A T I O N
West 42nd Street by Circle Line Terminal
E A S T H A R L E M
East 120th Street
East 34th Street and the Greenway
Little Red Lighthouse under theGeorge Washington Bridge
Pass beneath Riverbank State Park
T H E G R E A T S A U N T E R B E G I N S
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FRAUNCES TAVERN 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
54 Pearl Street, New York City There will be two lines at Fraunces Tavern entrance at 54 Pearl Street with signs noting who should enter each line. FOLKS WHO PRE-REGISTERED WITH PACKETS
This line will be designated for those who registered before April 15 and received a Great Saunter packet in the mail. This line will start to the left of the doors on the sidewalk.
If you have your race bib(s) and map(s), you may enter through this line for access to restrooms and the restaurant. Please be aware that if the women or mens restroom line gets long, we may need to continue the line outside from here. FOLKS PICKING UP PACKETS AND REGISTERING THAT DAY
This line will be designated for those who pre-registered after April 15 and did not receive a packet in the mail AND for those who are registering for the first time on Saturday. International Participants may also pick up their packets from this line as well. This line will start to the right of the 54 Pearl Street entrance and wrap around the corner of Broad Street for access to the restaurant. Please keep to the side of the building and DO NOT BLOCK THE SIDEWALK. Volunteers will be stationed outside to encourage people to keep the sidewalk clear.
PICKING UP YOUR RACE BIB AND MAP
Volunteers will pass out registration forms to those paying cash AND will remind folks who pre-registered after April 15 to have their confirmation email ready.
The confirmation email has the subject line: GREAT SAUNTER 2019 CONFIRMATION - MAY 4. Please have this email ready on your mobile device to check in, or show a printed version.For cash registration, the cost is $25 per person. Please have exact change if possible. Cash registration on the day of the event will NOT include an annual membership to Shorewalkers. Online registrants receive an automatic one-year membership to Shorewalkers, and we recommend you register online so that you may join the many Shorewalker hikes throughout the rest of the year.
Once inside Fraunces Tavern entrance, a volunteer will direct you to the designated registration area. Once registered, you may move into the main restaurant’s designated areas open to all participants.
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EXITING FRAUNCES TAVERN
Everyone must exit Fraunces Tavern via the Water Street exit. Doors to the restaurant will open at 7:00 AM SHARP.Please do not enter the restaurant until we officially open registration at 7:00 AM. If you need a restroom before 7:00 AM, you may use the facilities at the Staten Island Ferry located just a block away. If you are eager to get started on your hike before 7 AM and do not wish to enter Fraunces Tavern, you may do so. BE RESPECTFUL
When you are inside the restaurant, please be respectful to the facility and do not leave any trash behind. Safety pins will be available and we ask if you drop safety pins, please pick them up from the floor and throw them away.
FOOD AND BREAKFAST
There will be complimentary pastries and decaffeinated coffee to help get you going (while supplies last!) located on the back bar in Fraunces Tavern. Also, there is an eatery called Essen on the corner of Pearl and Broad Street that serves hot breakfast and regular coffee. Keep in mind that coffee can dehydrate you so, drink plenty of fluids along the route. NO ACCESS & DESIGNATED AREAS There will be some designated areas that are off limits. These areas will be marked with signs that say: “No Access” and we ask that do not wander into these areas, nor sit at tables that have been blocked off by management. Please do not exit through any of the Pearl Street doors. Everyone must exit Fraunces Tavern via the Water Street exit. AFTER YOUR 32 MILE GREAT SAUNTER
When you finish the Saunter, volunteers inside and outside Fraunces Tavern will be available to give you the official Great Saunter Certificate of Completion. We invite you to enjoy a meal at Fraunces Tavern or their sister restaurant Lovelace located on the same block at 66 Pearl Street. Tables at both restaurants are “first-come,” and there could be a wait during peak finish line crossing. Fraunces Tavern and Lovelace both have excellent food but should you not wish to wait, there are a lot of restaurant options on Stone Street one block away.
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HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO A 32 MILE GREENWAY?
Close enough that the gaps are that much more apparent. Participants in the early Great Saunters more than 30 years ago got to engage in a fair amount of bushwhacking at the water’s edge and clambering over and around chain link fences. Manhattan’s waterfront has come a long way since then, but there are a number major gaps in Manhattan’s greenway that diverts us from the island’s waterfront. Most of these gaps occur along the Harlem and East Rivers and force the Great Saunter to detour along city streets for occasional stretches.
Shorewalkers continues to advocate for the resources and action required for all New York neighborhoods to have access to a great common treasure: our waterfronts. Like the Great Saunter itself, a 32 mile greenway around Manhattan cannot be completed without great determination, concerted effort, and consistent forward movement.
WHY DETOURS?
There are two major reasons for detours along the Great Saunter route: 1) a lack of recreational access to waterfront areas in some neighborhoods, and 2) crumbling infrastructure or a project to improve infrastructure has made the existing greenway inaccessible.
CURRENT PLANS FOR CLOSING GAPS
There are five major gaps in the Manhattan greenway. Multi-million-dollar proposals are in various stages of planning and execution to remedy these situations by building out parks and esplanades along the Harlem and East Rivers.
FORT WASHINGTON PARK
INWOOD
ESPLANADE GARDENS-HARLEM RIVER SPEEDWAY
HARLEM RIVER GREENWAY LINK
EAST MIDTOWN GREENWAY
UNITED NATIONS ESPLANADE
EAST RIVER PINCH POINT
• Inwood Hill Park to Sherman Creek along the Harlem River
• Esplanade Gardens - Harlem River Speedway from 163rd St. to 145th St.
• The Harlem River Greenway Link from 132nd St. to 125th St.
• East Midtown Greenway from East 61st to East 53red St. on the East River
• The U.N. Esplanade from East 53rd to East 43rd St. on the East River
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CALLS TO ACTION
CONTACT your local representatives. Even if you don’t live in a district where one of the major greenway gaps exist, let your local council member know that a continuous connected greenway is good for all New Yorkers and visitors. Ask them how they are supporting any of the gap-closing proposals listed above.
JOIN groups to stay informed about what is happening with our waterfronts. Organizations like SHOREWALKERS, Riverside Park Conservancy, and Friends of the East River Esplanade are different-sized organizations that are all working in different channels to effect changes in our community. Get involved!
VOLUNTEER with Shorewalkers! As our organization grows, we have an expanding need for specialized volunteers with different skill sets for short and longer-term projects. Send us an email at [email protected] to start a conversation with us about getting involved.
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FOLLOW US!
And share your experience by tagging Shorewalkers in your posts and adding hashtags #32milehike #greatsaunter2019
@shorewalkers_ny
@shorewalkersny