Saturday, February 4, 2012

Weekend Pet Bloggers Blog Hop-Ping's Grand NYC Adventure

Today mom and dad decided to take me Ping, bike traveling pug extraordinaire,
on an NYC adventure.

We left early in the morning after our usual walk.  Mom and Dad took me outside and put me in my Cynthia's Twig's basket (mom says its very safe and secure).

Come on lets get a move on!

 We rode down to Exchange Place 



were you can take the Path Train to the World Trade Center.  Its a very short ride (only about five minutes).  I didn't seem to mind being a commuter pug.  I did wiggle around more in the basket when it was still, I like to be in motion.




We got out at the World Trade Center.  The new tower is almost finished:


We rode down the West Side Bike Path to 60th St.  Then we rode across town to Central Park.  Mom and Dad had a special destination in mind they wanted to take me to the statue of Balto.  



Balto is the famous sled dog who led the last portion of the 1925 run to deliver medication to Alaskan children in the village of Nome who where suffering from a deadly diphtheria epidemic.  Balto ran in a terrible storm.   When Gunnar Kassen the Norwegian born musher arrived in Nome and was thanked by the villagers he insisted that the majority of the praise go to Balto.   Ten months later the statue of Balto by Frederick Roth was erected .   It reads:




 

Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the Winter of 1925.
Endurance · Fidelity · Intelligence

The real Balto spent several years touring on a Vaudeville circuit and like many performing animals of that time received poor treatment.   Eventually, a business man from Cleveland Ohio arranged to have Balto and his team brought to the Cleveland Zoo where they spent the rest of their lives in much better conditions.  Today, Balto's remains are on display in the Cleveland museum of natural history.

I was impressed by Balto's story.  I don't even like a dusting of snow imagine running miles through the stuff!  So I made sure to pay my respects to Balto 





While I was posing we met an older gentleman who visits Balto everyday and says good morning to him.  Mom and Dad thought that was very sweet.


Of course I wasn't finished having fun after we saw Balto.  I wanted to check out more of the park.  I hadn't visited for years and I wanted to see some of my old stomping grounds.  See when I was young pug: mom, dad, Tubby, Norbert, and I all lived in an Apartment on East 71st and we walked in Central Park nearly every day. Today was a great opportunity to relive those days.

I climbed on some rocks:



and I saw some awfully large dogs being ridden by police officers.  I had almost forgotten about those.




 Since its the warmest winter ever there were even flowers about


We visited Pug Hill near the Alice in Wonderland Statue.  There were no other pugs about but I had a good time running


 and getting hugs from Dad:


Then we walked by the Central Park Boat House.


Soon it was time to head home so back on the bike.  On the way home dad stopped to take a picture of me and mom near the Intrepid Air and Space Museum.   I wonder if they allow pugs on that big boat.
          






I was a very good girl on the ride home.   




Mom and Dad said I must have been tired from my big adventure.  An afternoon nap is in order.

14 comments:

  1. Great bike ride. The story of Blato was very interesting, so sad he ended his days at a zoo. I don't think greyhounds and bikes would be a great mix!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh wow, I know all those places....you were right by our work neighborhood! Looks like a fun adventure for sure. They didn't mind you on the train?

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great virtual tour of New York

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Ping, what a fun day you had!! Riding the bike through the city...you really enjoy your city life :-)
    The story of Balto is very touching. It's so sweet of the gentleman to visit and say hi to Balto every day.
    I hope you had a long, relaxing nap in the afternoon!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ping, you are quite the poser! Not one of us would stay put in the basket or on the rock.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ping is s woofing cute in that basket!! I wish that I was able to get Koly to sit in a basket. I looks like so much fun to travel that way!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Ping! I'm so jealous of your cool ride! I get to go on lots of adventures, but I've heard NY is great and I'd love to go there some day. Glad you had a fun day!
    Love,
    Payton

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ping looks so cute (and content) in her basket! I have always wanted to go to Pug Hill ... maybe one day!

    By the way, we have an award we'd like to give you - please stop by our blog and pick it up!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What an awesome adventure and tour of New York! I love the picture of you with Balto, Ping! You must have felt pretty special for your pawrents to take you on that adventure with them! Great pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great bike ride! So cool to see the WTC site!

    Gampy

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have never been to Central Park but I did enjoy the photo tour you gave. What a sweet basket for you too sit in!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Ping! Every time Momma sees you she squeals! She just loves her some Ping!

    I have been asking for one of the bike baskets forever. Maybe, just maybe, I will get it this year for my gotcha day. Paws crossed, okay?

    When I get my basket I will get to go on cool adventures like you do. I can't believe you got to go on the Path. Momma says her friend had a business that was housed in Exchange Place and they would take the Path to the World Trade Center. Of course that was a million years ago and I wasn't there so I told her I need to go to NY/NJ.

    Tiffy

    ReplyDelete
  13. thanks for the lovely tour! we love your toto-like basket, it looks very fun to ride in!!

    ♥ yuki and rocket

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Ping! Wow, what an amazing adventure and in a bike too, thats fab! I get to go on lots of adventures but never on a bike and never to such a wonderful place like New York City! Bow-Wow! I loved reading this today because the photos were amazing and the facts were fab! I loved to hear about the dog statue, you look so tiny by it! One amazing post!!! Thankk you!
    Love, Licks and tummy rubs from your friend Frank xxxxx

    ReplyDelete