Summer Fun!

Summer Fun!

There are so many ways to enjoy the pleasures of summer in the Valley — it all depends on your mood. Looking for something relaxing? Take a stroll through a formal garden or a cruise down the Hudson. Need more excitement? Watch a stock car race, rock out at a summer concert, or hurtle down a 600-foot water slide. The choices are endless. So gas up the car, and get going!

Published April 14, 2010 at 01:44 PM

(page 10 of 17)

Rent a Bike on the Walkway

The recession may be rough on our wallets, but planning a day of fun in the sun can still be as easy as riding a bike.

Hyde Park resident Brooke Anthony loved the concept of the Walkway Over the Hudson. But something was missing. Though the 1.28-mile Walkway attracts dozens of sightseers and cyclists each day, the only way for them to enjoy a leisurely bike ride was to bring their own — somewhat inconvenient for those who don’t own the equipment or don’t want to hitch their bikes to their cars in the city.

Enter Anthony’s Bike Rentals, brainchild of Brooke and her brother, Jason. Located on Parker Avenue in Poughkeepsie, the shop came about as the result of Brooke’s own travels to Europe — especially Amsterdam. “They have a really big biking culture there,” she says. “They use cruisers, which are casual-riding bikes with really comfortable, extra-wide spring seats. They’re perfect for the casual atmosphere of the Walkway.”

The bro-and-sis team — recent grads of Marist College and the Culinary Institute of America, respectively — rely on the trust system when bike renters come calling. “We photocopy guests’ IDs and get the bikes and helmets fitted while they sign a waiver and release form,” explains Brooke. “They take a practice loop around the parking lot, and they’re good to go.” Bikers can ride wherever they please — they’re not confined to the Walkway.

The Anthonys set up shop last March, and business has been booming ever since. They’re hoping to spread the wealth to their neighbors. “We’re in the process of teaming up with local businesses to help bring a draw to them,” Brooke says. Anthony’s Bike Rentals is also the official sponsor of the Walkway District Map, which details more than 20 local eateries and shops within biking distance of the bridge. Download a copy at www.dutchesscountyregionalchamber.org/WalkwayMap.php

“It’s good to see other cyclists on the bridge with you,” says Brooke. “They always smile at you. They’re happy to see other people taking up the Walkway, doing what they want to do, and using it to their full advantage.”