I'm riding in the 2023 TD Five Boro Bike Tour to raise money for Hudson River Park Friends.

Hudson River Park (HRPK) is the longest waterfront park in the United States. It runs over four miles along Manhattan's west side, from Battery Park City in Tribeca to 59th Street in Hells Kitchen, and attracts over 17 million visitors each year. For many people who live on the west side of Manhattan, HRPK is the only nearby significant outdoor space. It’s probably the only park in the country with an aircraft carrier (The Intrepid) as a resident  

HRPK is a special place for my family (check the picture gallery). My kids use the playgrounds, play Little League baseball, soccer, and ride the carousel in the park. My dog Tanner loves the dog park because it's the only place he can run freely off leash and also loves sitting on a bench by the river. I use the bike path, which is the busiest bike path in the country, and love riding along the river to the George Washington Bridge. My wife and I love attending the park's annual gala fundraiser, which is a special night for us each year. Maybe one day my kids will try the skate park.

I've served on the board of directors of Hudson River Park Friends since 2016, the official non-profit arm of the park responsible for fundraising and advocacy for HRPK. HRPK does not receive guaranteed funding from the city or state and relies heavily on private donations for the maintenance of the park. My wife is on the Playground Committee, and the two of us led a $3m fundraiser to rebuild the playground at Chelsea Waterside Park (now also known as Pipefish Park because of the super cool giant new pipefish play structure, which wouldn't exist if it weren't for fundraising efforts like this)

Check out everything happening at the park here:  https://instagram.com/hudsonriverpark

This is my first bike race. I've never ridden anywhere near 40 miles. I'm not expecting to finish high in the standings but I will finish (no money back guarantees though)!