Chaos Ensues! (Second Day, First Leg)

A pitch-perfect day...hardly a cloud in a bright blue sky, a slightly-greater than cooling breeze, a growing group of walkers. Today had all the earmarks of working out remarkably well for the second section of the "great walk" from the top to the bottom of Manhattan along the Hudson River (starting today at 145th Street and ending at 72nd Street). Upstate Annie, one of three "guest" strollers who was a bit peeved on the early-morning timing, was a few minutes early (and looking for her coffee).

Just before her arrival, the phone rings. It's Nature Girl (who is bringing a second "guest" stroller in the form of Junior Miss or NG the Younger). Car troubles could spell trouble for the New Jersey duo, but they persevere and are on their way into town via those old reliable standbys, New Jersey Transit and the vaunted New York City subway system. Catastrophe avoided.

Aah, but what of our third "guest" walker, the self-nicknamed "Tracker." Upstate Annie and I are wondering where she is as we "coffee clatch" in a primo parking space right at the designated rendezvous corner of 72nd Street and Riverside Drive, directly across the street from a striking statue of Eleanor Roosevelt (who I believe lived in the nabby). (Side Note: in the race between Starbucks and McDonald's for the fastest coffee service, Starbucks was victorious, to the chagrin of those that shun the mighty coffee titan of Seattle. I say "in your face!") We've tried to reach "Tracker" via cell twice, but she is notorious for not leaving it on, even when she's packin'. After a short wait, we try her at home, expecting to reach her husband or one of her brood. A few rings later, a groggy "Tracker" picks up.

Thinks I "she must not be feeling well." Says I "what are you doing home?" Says she, "I got no sleep last night because of incredibly rude neighbors who partied all night, with music blasting despite two visits from the local police, until 5 AM! Didn't NG call you to tell you I wasn't coming?" Says I "Uh, no." Thinking I "Arrrrgggghhh!"

With only one car at our collective disposal now, the plan of leaving a car at each end of the trek is in tatters. I hate plans gone awry...especially when there are timing issues involved. An executive decision is quickly reached to hot-foot it to the nearest subway (the IRT #1 Train, Broadway line) up to 145th Street. Trying to reach NG before descending into the depths of Manhattan's "tubes" produces a voicemail message to this effect "why the #@#&$ didn't you call me that 'Tracker' was 'off the scent' and not making an appearance?"

Not being terribly familiar with the 145th Street Exit on this particular line, but knowing that it does pretty much follow Broadway all the way up to Fort Tryon Park...and beyond into the wilds of Riverdale, The Bronx...I was fairly confident that we'd not have far to walk. And, I was right as we spilled out and up only two short blocks from the entrance to our now "touchstone" of Riverbank State Park. The plan was to meet NG and NG the Younger at the base of the elevator that goes from the River-level path up to the park.

I must digress a moment to give UA the prize (thus far)for the most "bathroom breaks." And, to give kudos to the clean and (mostly) well-stocked ladies rooms (not port-o-potties -- actual concrete and stone structures with working plumbing) that the Parks Department has seen fit to provide at decent intervals along this riverside walk. We women "nearing a certain age" with various stages of faltering bladders, salute you!

The digression was prompted by UA's post-coffee urges that were satisfied in the "park in the sky's" athletic facilities. I took the opportunity to try NG again. She picked up...and told me that Younger and she were waiting at the corner of 145th Street and Riverside Drive. We had just walked right past them -- neither contingent spying the other! And, despite (or because of) it being a glorious Labor Day weekend, there weren't great crowds in this part of town. Oh, the confusion...oh, the chaos!

We're finally united in front of The River Room (from a few blogs' ago) and we're on our way down the elevator, in the company of a young woman and a carriage full of two young daughters. At the bottom, we ask Heidi to take our photo, explaining our purpose. She obliged:

Once we got Lila and Ruby to stop watching the action away from the camera, we returned the favor, as is our policy during "the walk."

So, after a little voodoo, chanting and shaking of wrists to rid ourselves of the "vibe of chaos" and only about 15 minutes later than the originally-scheduled departure time, we were back on the trail, eight pairs of rubber heels slapping the asphalt around the base of Riverbank State Park, aka the city's garbage incinerator.