The Great Outdoors

If you're like us, there's only so much time you can spend cooped up in a carrel in the library or pouring over books in a coffee shop before you start to slowly lose your mind. Thankfully, the New Haven area offers a several parks and green spaces to go get a breath of fresh air and do some hiking, biking, and other -ing things. Here are four popular locations in close proximity, but there are many others throughout southern Connecticut.


East Rock Park

East Rock is known for providing some rather
dramatic views on a regular basis

East Rock is the most immediate source of outdoor fun in New Haven. The "rock" itself is a traprock ridge that has been exposed by millenia of erosion. The park sits just four blocks from the Div School, and is even closer for students who live in the East Rock neighborhood. At the base are fields, playgrounds, tennis courts (at the Wilbur Cross HS), and pavilions for picnics. There is also a hidden gem in the Pardee Rose Garden, which has one of Connecticut's best rose displays. There is an paved road all the way to the summit, (the final portion of which is closed during the winter and early spring) which makes for easier biking for the hybrid or road bikes. There are also several trails at different intensities, including Giant Steps which hits a nearly vertical pitch at one point. Many of these trails are great for trail runners, even if you're not into running fierce inclines.

The East Rock neighborhood and Downtown
New Haven seen from East Rock

The views from the summit of East Rock are magnificent. You can see the entire city of New Haven, the steeple of Marquand, and look out over the New Haven Harbor into the Long Island Sound. Because he lives so close and is from the mountains, Patrick makes a regular point of going up to the summit as a retreat from the hecticness of the semester, and you'll see many people doing the same. The column at the very summit (visible from almost everywhere in the city, and into Hamden) is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, erected in memory of the residents of the city who died in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War.






The Farmington Canal Trail

We briefly discussed the Farmington Canal Trail as part of our post on biking, but it deserves more than that. The Canal Trail is part of the East Coast Greenway, an interstate system of bike paths aimed at establishing a continuous paved bike path from Maine to Florida. The Canal Trail is an 84-mile trail between New Haven, CT, and Northhampton, MA; about half of that distance is currently paved. The trail was originally an actual canal which began in the New Haven Harbor, built to compete with the Erie Canal, but was later turned into a railroad. The rails fell into disuse after flooding in the early 1980s, making it no longer usable. In 1987, most of the actual rails were pulled up and much of the land itself was sold, but in the 1990s what was remaining was turned into a trail. The East Coast Greenway also continues south of downtown along the Harbor and into West Haven, Orange, and Milford as it goes down the coast—with several beaches in West Haven and Milford along the way.

Tell us you don't want to go for a bike ride there. We dare you.

The paved section that begins in New Haven goes for approximately 15 miles into Cheshire, CT, and is mostly flat and straight (except for a couple of salient hills). The path begins at Hillhouse Ave. (but has a closer access point to the div school on Sachem. St past the Ingalls Rink, aka "the Whale") in New Haven, runs parallel to Dixwell Ave. through part of the Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhoods of New Haven. This part of the Canal Trail has many street crossings, which can be somewhat annoying. The Trail continues beside Dixwell Ave. into Hamden, which is a major shopping road, including two of the three Stop and Shop grocery stores in the area. The Trail eventually moves to parallel Whitney Ave. in Hamden for awhile (passing Sleeping Giant, see immediately below), before quite literally going into the middle of nowhere until it ends in southern Cheshire.

This is probably one of Patrick's favorite parts of New Haven because it provides a fun ride mostly without having to negotiate traffic. The Canal provides for rides (or walks, or skates) of various lengths and paces, depending upon what you're looking for.


Sleeping Giant State Park

That just yells, "climb me!"

If you like to escape to the great outdoors but don't have time to go far, you should definitely check out Sleeping Giant State Park. This gem of a state park is only about 7 miles from the Div School, located in Hamden, CT. In Esther's opinion, far too few students take advantage of what the park has to offer. There are many trails, of varying intensity and incline, some pretty great views—you can see the Div School on a clear day!—and the park is also family, fisherman, and dog friendly.

Be careful on the ridge!

The term "Sleeping Giant" comes from the ridge's resemblance to a person laying flat on their back when viewed from many points around the area. The ridge is officially called "Mt. Carmel" (see, Puritan roots of the New Haven Colony), but the individual crests are given names related to the body: "head", "chin", "chest", "hip", "knee" and "feet." The highest point is the Left Hip.

Sadly, this day was rather overcast.

Trails are clearly marked in a variety of shapes and colors, making it simple to devise your own route through and around the park. Maps are available, and they mark great views and landmarks as well as trails, roads, and waterways. There are picnic areas scattered throughout, but also plenty of lovely areas where you could pull out a sandwich with friends off the beaten path.If you can find parking outside of the official parking lots, or bike up the Farmington Canal Trail, you'll save yourself a surprising fee ($15 for out-of-state plates), but other than that it is a free adventure in beautiful woods!




Lighthouse Point Park

Five Mile Point Light

The New Haven Harbor used to be a major port along the Long Island Sound, back before the Erie Canal made the Port of New York and New Jersey the major port along the Sound. Part of what made the New Haven Harbor such a great port was that the Harbor was protected by a peninsula on the eastern side originally known as  "Little Necke" (yes, that makes us think of the Land Before Time, too). A lighthouse was constructed on the peninsula for navigation purposes, which lead to the peninsula being remained "Lighthouse Point." ("Point" is a common name for small peninsulas along the coast in New England). The original lighthouse constructed in 1805 was too short and was difficult to see, so the current 65ft lighthouse (the Five Mile Point Light) replaced it in 1845. This lighthouse was then replaced by the offshore Southwest Ledge Light in 1877. (Eventually another lighthouse was added in 1899, the Sperry Breakwater Lighthouse, a skeleton of which can be seen from the Point.)

Ultimately, the Lighthouse is really nothing to write home about, especially if you're used to the towering lighthouses of other parts of the East Coast—as Patrick is with the North Carolina lighthouses (the Cape Hatteras Light is 200ft as compared with Five Mile Point's 65ft) or Esther is with the many lighthouses of Maine. However, the beach at Lighthouse Point is the most easily accessible beach in New Haven at roughly 6mi from the div school. For this reason, the beach also tends to be very crowded even though it isn't the greatest. On the way, you pass through the Annex and Morris Cove/East Shore neighborhoods of New Haven, which provide a glimpse at what's left in New Haven of the New England coastal town style seen along the rest of the shoreline. Like Sleeping Giant, parking is surprisingly expensive for nonresidents (they check for residential parking passes), but there is a CT Transit bus that stops inside the park and bikes are free!

Another major attraction at Lighthouse Point is the Carousel, which dates from 1916. It is one of only 100 carousels in the country that dates from that period, is one of the largest carousels in the country, and is a rare example of American folk art from the period. Rides cost 50¢ apiece...you know you want to.

A Summer in New Haven

There are many incoming students who are already living in New Haven—good for y'all! Way to be ahead of the rush! If you are already in our lovely town, or if you will be soon, there are some great places and events you should consider checking out this summer. If you are not going to be in New Haven at any point throughout the summer, you should consider them and file them away for future summers when you may find yourself here!

First, if you want to be kept in the loop on what's happening in New Haven, whether it's during the summer or throughout the year, you should sign up to receive weekly updates and daily spotlights from The Daily Nutmeg. Actually, even if you don't want to be in the loop, you should subscribe. They include a wide range of events, as well as introductions to classic establishments and new openings all over town.

If you enjoy theater, there are shows running throughout the summer at Yale Cabaret, and this Thursday (July 5th) is actually Grad Student night! Tickets are $10 for students, and the shows are always something a little unexpected and often totally new. Several local theaters such as Long Wharf Theatre also have summer showcases for reasonable prices, and the productions are outstanding. The Elm Shakespeare Company presents Shakespeare in the Park, in nearby Edgerton Park only a few blocks away from the Div School. This year's production of Macbeth runs Aug. 16 - 19, 21 - 26, and 28 - Sept. 2. Tickets are free, and picnic blankets are encouraged. If your more of a film buff, head over to Mansfield (the town, not the street) for the Mansfield Drive-In Theater, showing movies every night of the week! It's about an hour away, but each showing is a double feature of films currently in theaters for less than you'd pay at the box office. Plus, who doesn't love a drive-in?

Elm City Market, everyone's favorite food co-op in downtown New Haven, hosts a plethora of events throughout the year, including wine and cheese tastings, discount burger days, and workshops on healthy vegetarianism and homeopathic remedies for summertime injuries. While you're there you can pick up some farm-fresh veggies, or even become a member of the co-op to enjoy discounts on some amazing food. Or go pick your own fruit at nearby Bishop's Orchards!

We recently posted all about biking in New Haven, so why not get involved with Elm City Cyclists and hop on a bike tour to get to know some fellow cyclists (and probably catch Patrick there)? Or maybe register for the annual scavenger hunt Cluefest to get to know more about your new city and your new neighbors!

If you like bars with live music, you should be sure to check out Cafe Nine, Toad's Place, or Stella Blues Bar, depending on which strikes your fancy. And of course, you cannot miss The Space, which offers all manner of events fun and musical. There is live music all over New Haven and the summer means there will also be a number of opportunities to enjoy it outside, so keep your eyes and ears open for information or upcoming lawn concerts. There are also several music events in nearby towns, such as the Hamden Summer Concert Series.

If you are here for the 4th of July, head on up to East Rock Park for the annual New Haven fireworks! The show starts at 9pm, but starting at 4pm there will be live music, great food, and summer fun on New Haven's beautiful local geological landmark.

Speaking of geology, if you are around this summer and want to enjoy the great outdoors, we suggest Sleeping Giant State Park or the Branford Land Trust for some hiking or Hammonasset Beach (or the not-as-amazing but certainly closer Lighthouse Point Park or Silver Sands State Park) for some sand-bound lounging. There will be a whole post on the local Great Outdoors coming soon, but if you're around, why wait? Check them out for yourself, and then share your stories with us and your fellow incoming classmates!

Getting around New Haven, part deux: Biking

We've received several questions recently about biking in New Haven and thought we would take some time to talk about New Haven's offerings for the cycling community a little more in depth than our first post about getting around the city. As you will see by the length of this post, if you are a cycling enthusiast or even cy-curious (bah dum ching!), there are lots of opportunities for you to get your bike on for transit and for fun.


Shops

There are four main bike shops in New Haven, scattered throughout the city. There are two downtown where most Yalies go to get their bikes and bike equipment. The lesser known of these two is College Street Cycles (252 College Street) In fact, Patrick had never heard about it before he started Googling. It's a very small shop that's easy to miss in an otherwise very busy block of downtown. Major perks of College Street is its new rental service and the black Labrador that will greet you at the door.

The Devil's Gear

The other bike shop downtown is The Devil's Gear (151 Orange Street), which is by far the most popular of any of the bike shops in town. The shop fills two major roles for bicyclists in New Haven: it is where they probably got their bikes, and it is the hub of the biking culture. On the shop front, they have a wide selection of new and refurbished bikes, lots of accessories and equipment, and a friendly and knowledgeable staff. Many divvies come looking for a used bike, and because the Devil's Gear is so popular, its rotating selection of refurbished bikes mean you can check back a few times a week and be able to find something you like and in your size in no time. On the other hand, the accessories at Devil's Gear are notoriously expensive (though you get 10% when you buy a bike), so you might be better off buying your helmet, lights, etc., somewhere cheaper.



Riding

Orange St. in East Rock

Many streets in the city, including all of Orange Street north of Edwards Street in East Rock and many of the major streets going through Yale's campus, have dedicated bike lanes. Most others have painted markers ("sharrows") on the street indicating a shared road. Because there are so many bikes in New Haven, cars in theory know to watch for bikers (though you'll soon learn how crazy Connecticut drivers are...).

There are bike racks in front of many buildings throughout the city, which is excellent. In addition, in New Haven, there is free parking for all bikes against any parking meter. Yep, that's right, the police allow and encourage it. Also, because the Div School is at the top of a very large hill, especially if you're coming from East Rock, many people will lock their bikes to the inside of the wrought iron fence that runs along St. Ronan Street behind the school. Others attempt the climb up Canner, Edwards, or Prospect Street, which is quite a workout.

Transit probably isn't the only time you'll use a bike while in New Haven. Biking is fun too, after all. Elm City Cycling (see below) has several of their favorite rides written up, but there are three large local parks that beg to be ridden: East Rock, West Rock, and Sleeping Giant. There is also the Farmington Canal Trail, a rail-to-trail project that covers 84mi of trail between New Haven and Northampton, MA. Over half of this distance has been paved. Prospect Place provides the easiest entry to the trail in New Haven.


Safety/Security

Patrick's new bike, acquired just this week!

ALWAYS LOCK YOUR BIKE. Let us repeat that. ALWAYS LOCK YOUR BIKE. Most crime in New Haven involving students is theft, largely bicycles. The most secure system of locking is a U-lock with a cable lock to secure the front tire. Relying on just a cable lock, of any size, is probably not the best idea in the world, but a cable lock is better than no lock at all.

Buy and wear a helmet. Though bike accidents are not incredibly common in New Haven because of all the measures they take to help cyclists, accidents do happen. A student who just graduated was saved from a concussion recently  because she had a helmet on when her brakes gave out coming down a hill, though she got very scraped up and broke a few bones. We know, helmets cramp your style and mess up your hair, but the reason you're coming to New Haven in the first place is your brain: you should probably protect it at all costs.

And finally, lights are extremely important if you plan on using your bike as a normal means of transportation. LEDs are extremely cheap and bright, and allow for flashing, strobing, and other kinds of alert-grabbing arrangements.


Community/Resources

A wonderful resource for cyclists is Elm City Cycling, New Haven's bike community and advocacy organization. In addition to organizing rides and events, ECC advocates for bike lanes, routes, racks, and so on to the New Haven city government. Recurring events offered include:

Fall colors at the Farmington Trail

• Tuesday Night Canal Ride (±30mi ride along the Farmington Canal Trail, leaves from Café Romeo at 5:30pm every Tuesday)
• Wednesday Night Mountain Bike Ride (rides to either the top of West Rock—challenging—or East Rock—moderate, ending with an ice cream social, leaves from Devil's Gear at 7:00pm every Wednesday during the summer, RSVP preferred to Devil's Gear)
• Sunday Lulu Ride (distance and pace varying with a break for breakfast, leaves from Café Lulu at 10:00am every Sunday)
• Little Lulu Ride (20-30mi ride with no-drop—stop at hilltops to make sure no one is left behind—leaves from Café Lulu at 10:00am every Sunday)
• Critical Mass (bike awareness ride, slow-paced through New Haven streets, usually ends at a house party or a New Haven spot, BYOB and snack for the party, leaves from New Haven Green flagpole at 5:30pm every last Friday of the month) 

The City of New Haven itself works to make biking easier in the city limits, and to provide support to the biking community. Its brand new Bike New Haven website has a lot of information on laws, maps, and request forms for lanes and racks throughout the city. It also offers an invaluable resource, the "Smart Cycling Handbook" (pdf).

Yale Transit also offers biking support and education for Yale affiliates. The Yale Bike website is a useful directory of many of the resources already listed above. Yale Environmental Health & Safety offers hour-long Bicycling Safety Training classes on a regular basis for new riders. The Transit Office itself offers a Smart City Cycling Skills course, designed to provide cyclists, of all experience levels, the opportunity to develop and improve their cycling skills, competence and confidence with a special emphasis on bicycle commuting and safely navigating urban traffic.

There you have it. All in all, New Haven is a great city for biking, and is getting even better.

What We're Up To: First Installment

While this blog is great for passing along useful information, we also want to be able to give you a glimpse into our lives in New Haven and the surrounding area. Don't get us wrong: you are our first priority this summer. But, when we're not answering emails, posting on Facebook, drafting schedules, and wrangling deans (let's be real), we plan on having fun this summer, too.

For these purposes, we're going to ditch the formal third person and speak in our own voices in our sections. While we do hang out a lot, we are not actually connected at the brain.


Patrick

This past weekend, I went into New York City to visit friends I haven't seen in awhile and to go to the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party in Madison Square Park. Yes, believe it or not, there is BBQ in the Northeast. I was surprised, too. And it was good. Even bigger surprise. I also went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the first time. I am a huge van Gogh enthusiast, so I got to see a bunch of stuff he painted while he was in Arles and Saint-Rémy, where I studied for a summer. I attended church at Christ Church Methodist, whose senior pastor is a YDS alumnus and a member of the Board of Advisors (essentially the Board of Trustees for YDS). I also finally figured out how the NYC subway system works, which is a great thing. How the city works south of 14th St. is still a complete mystery though...

I will be back in New York weekend after next for Pride. I don't do the Pride circuit like some of my friends (Boston, Providence, and New York are on consecutive weekends), but like the sense of community and support that Pride brings. Last year, I marched in Boston Pride with a thurible and three Episcopal bishops (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island) behind me.

I have a series of projects that I had been wanting to do, but hadn't gotten around to because of classes or something like that... The first of these was potting herbs on my windowsill in my apartment. I now have flourishing parsley, thyme, rosemary, and spearmint ready for use in cooking, including a pretty amazing gazpacho I made last week.

Upcoming over the next two weeks in New Haven is the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, which is a large festival of music, performances, talks, and seminars that take place mostly in open spaces in the city (including the New Haven Green). I am especially looking forward to the Carolina Chocolate Drops, a concert by Angélique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves, and Lizz Wright, and attending several of the more in-depth views of New Haven.

Esther


My biggest summer adventure will kick off this weekend when I fly away to Scotland for two weeks of family fun in the Highlands. I'll be traveling all over the country with my parents, two sisters, and my sister's husband, making stops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Isle of Skye, St. Andrew's, and many other beautiful and historic places. I'm sure the next installment of "What We're Up To" will have a bit more about this (fingers crossed) amazing vacation.

Fun in the sun with my roommate and Div
friends at the Div School Apartments!

I have been spending much of my free time preparing for PhD applications, so I have spent less time away from New Haven (or from my computer) than I would like. I do sometimes get out to the Divinity School Farm to pull weeds the size of toddlers and harvest hundreds of snap peas from my plot - if anyone knows of any creative uses for snap peas I would love to hear them. On the lovelier days I try to spend at least a few afternoon hours reading outside, or drinking rum and cokes with my roommate, but on the grey days I mostly sit curled up in my armchair with tea and convictions. Thankfully there is quite a cohort of YDS students around New Haven for the summer, so we've had some fun cookouts and dance parties which are a lovely break from PhD essays.

Sometimes we just hang out with Dale Peterson,
Dean of Students, and drink 5 gallon buckets
of Sweet Tea.

Recently I have started playing weekly trivia at Anna Liffey's Pub with a group of YDS students, alumni, and staff, and we're not too shabby. Well, sometimes we're really shabby, but one week we came in first place, so I like to think that's the only week that counts. This summer has provided me with the opportunity to explore downtown New Haven a bit more than I could during the year because I have more free time and there are far fewer people milling about. In the past two weeks alone I've stopped by six bars and restaurants I'd never been to before, all of which warrant a return visit. I've also had the pleasure of introducing some friends to my favorite place in New Haven (that I've mentioned before and will certainly mention again), Miya's Sushi.

I did have one rather memorable trip to Boston where I spent hours in a trampoline park called Sky Zone Sports which is everything you would imagine it to be: filled with children, smelling of sweat, and amazing. I've also taken a really great trip with friends and roommates out to Sleeping Giant, which will be featured in an upcoming post on The Great Outdoors, and have re-watched all of Firefly. All in all I can't complain, but hopefully by our second installment I will have some better stories to share.