Staten Island

It’s the day before Ground Hog Day, and we’re headed out to the Staten Island Zoo – home of Staten Island Chuck.

These days there seem to be innumerable ground hogs giving conflicting forecasts about how long Winter will last. Punkxsutawney Phil is losing his grip on the franchise, and the field has become rife with amateurs. How hard can it be to be a ground hog, you ask? But there are hazards. Last year “Chuck” (actually Charlotte) gave a correct forecast. But it made no difference. He/she paid the ultimate price for the privilege, tumbling into oblivion from Mayor DeBlasio’s arms. It’s a dirty job.

I meet the 5BBC at City Hall for the trip. I’m only one to show up. The weather may have something to do with it (it’s about 25˚). But veteran leader, Ed DeFreitas is undeterred.

And so am I. So off we pedal to the Ferry - which is free! I’m glad to hear this because Staten Island is the one borough I have not visited on a bike (and have only visited once without). So now I have a real incentive to return. We are inspected briefly by the K9 Unit, clamber aboard and park our bikes.

First stop is to the National Lighthouse Museum, a quick left off the Ferry.

I always think of lighthouses as quaint artifacts, not that historically vital. Not true. With no Federal Income Tax until 1913 (says Ed), it was through trade tariffs that the government was able to raise funds. And if ships didn’t have safe harbor, there was no trade – and no tariff. So lighthouses were vital to protect trade and hugely important in New York, especially because of its connection to the Erie Canal.

Our mission is two-fold: to visit the museum - and to encourage them to put up bike racks (once a cyclist in NY, soon an advocate). It would be better if there were more of us, but it doesn’t matter, because the museum is unexpectedly closed.

Probably didn’t anticipate many people on a cold Sunday in February (and I can see their point). But I’m glad I know how to get there now.

We make our way back along Bay Street, which gives onto Richmond Terrace taking us northwest around the coast.

To be honest, this isn’t the most beautiful time to visit Staten Island, which seems bare and industrial along its edges.

And with trees absent their foliage, it’s rather bleak. But we’re urban cyclists and up for anything. We cycle West to Clove Road and make a left up to the entrance of the Staten Island Zoo.

Following signs to the Dinosaur Exhibit. Given Ed’s and my age combined ages – we both got in on Senior tickets – I wonder we’re not the ones on display, but the point becomes moot when we find the exhibit under construction. 

We proceed to the rest of the zoo.

As a childless female, I’m typically a great animal lover and hence never big on zoos. No matter how much room the animals have, it never seems enough. And although they may have it better in terms of being adequately fed, few it seems live according to their true nature.

But the Staten Island Zoo treats their animals well, keeps their environments clean, debunks some common myths...

And advocates heavily on their behalf with information on habitat and endangered status. Volunteers are also around handling some of the smaller animals which the public can see and touch.

There are lots of reptiles, birds and primates, but all I have is my camera phone and since using a flash would be cruel, many of my photos are not blog-worthy. These are the ones that came out (don’t judge the zoo’s variety by this):

A convex fish tank where the fish appear to be swimming in the air. 

A gorgeous Crested Crane.

Iguanas.

A Polish Rooster.

And a magnificent animal carousel, perhaps the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen.

There are no bears (I’m happy to say), and one leopard outside who I hear has a nasty temperament. But I can’t say I’d be otherwise and having seen so many animals in captivity, I say a silent prayer for them as we are leaving, and pray not to be born into that state myself one day.

Our trip back is via Clove, left on Cheshire.

To Victory. Not unlike my Riverside Park experience, the plowing holds surprises.

But the trip to the top of Victory is worth it for the view.

We coast back to Bay Street and enter the Ferry terminal, greeted by one of the handsomest dogs I’ve ever seen in a K9 unit.

The ride back is easy. I thank Ed for his expert guidance, and head up the Greenway looking forward to making a day trip of my own come Spring.

As for Ground Hog Day, we stopped by Staten Island Chuck’s “house” while we were at the zoo, but saw no sign of him (probably in the Green Room). I learn later, that he’s going out on a limb this year and contrary to Punxsutawney Phil’s more experienced forecast, predicting an early Spring. Really? Does anybody believe this? We have snow. We’re getting more snow – and ice. Chuck is cute but let’s face it: Phil is the Walter Cronkite of ground hogs. He has credibility. He has gravitas. He has white whiskers. Like Cronkite, Phil is a brand I’ve come to know and trust. When it comes to weather forecasts, I’m not messing around. When it comes to weather forecasts, I’m leaving it to the professionals.