On October 29, 2012, the Rockaway Boardwalk was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. Now, nearly 4 years and $140 million later, the iconic boardwalk has been rebuilt from Beach 126th St. to Beach 9th St. Most of the wooden boards have been replaced with concrete planks, raising the semantic question whether it can still be called a boardwalk, but its historic name will remain. There is also an aesthetic question whether the new construction is as attractive as the boardwalk it replaced, but there is no question that it is more resilient and it will also serve as a protective barrier against future storms and the inevitable sea level rise from climate change. It is also a lovely place to ride a bicycle.

5BBC celebrates the rebirth of the Rockaway Boardwalk with a ride on its nearly 6 mile length. We meet at our usual "Beach Bum" location at Grand Army Plaza on the fringe of Prospect Park. We will ride to the Rockaway Peninsula via Sheepshead Bay, the Shore Parkway Greenway, and Gil Hodges Bridge. Lunch and ocean beach swim at 116th St.; a changing area is available. Our ride ends in Far Rockaway at the subway and LIRR stations. Bring lunch or $ for it, swimsuit and towel, sunscreen, and MTA bike pass if you will be returning on the LIRR.

Cue sheet