Ftrain, by Paul Ford

Down to the Verrazano–Narrows bridge via 4th Ave.; back on 7th Ave. and 5th Ave. 12 or 13 miles. Along the way sights of all kinds: people spending their afternoons on the pavement, improvising shade with some blue tarp pinned to a fence. Many bakeries. Small, ugly churches; large, beautiful churches. Sushi joints with Chinese in the window. As you go further south you get closer to hungry America proper-- Pizzeria Unos and Dominos and KFCs abound, often in the same building as a medical center. The bridge itself lacks all access to bicycles or pedestrians and could be no crueler.