Getting By, Dreaming Big

Oh, Tuesday Travels!  I have to say we haven’t been as good about getting out and about as we usually are but we’ve got some pretty fun stuff planned for the spring, just you wait and see.  A couple of weeks ago I blogged about our amazing tour of Rockefeller Center, well the weekend before we took that tour we had the opportunity to visit “Top of the Rock”.  We did the Empire State Building last Febuary and everyone had always told us we needed to visit Top of the Rock to see the view of the Empire State Building – go figure.  I don’t know why we choose to constantly go way up high in the air during frosty February days, it’s probably because the lines are shorter – ha!

My husband Jon, decided a couple of months back that he wanted to do the “Climb to the Top” to benefit the MS Society.  I trained with him once and my calves were shredded, as in seriously couldn’t walk right for a week, so I said “it’s all you buddy!”  He raised over $500 and trained really hard so that he would have an amazing experience.  The Climb to the Top is a race up 66 flights to the Top of the Rock.  His heat was scheduled to go off at 7:15AM.  Having never been to this type of event I didn’t know how on time they would be and how quickly he would climb 66 flights of stairs, so I got to the Top of the Rock super early (say 6:50AM!)  I wish I had spent more time enjoying the exhibit right when you walked in, since nobody was there, I had the whole place to myself.  However, I was so nervous that I would miss Jon finishing that I rushed through it and took the elevator straight to the top.

Jon finished in 15 minutes and 21 seconds.  I was super proud of him.  The finish line is pretty sparse.  Not many people getting up at 6AM to cheer on their friends and families as they climb to the top, but it was really awesome to be there and cheer people on.  It was also so tranquil looking over NYC as everyone slept or stayed cozy in their homes.  Jon was pretty excited and really enjoyed the experience.  It could become a yearly tradition…perhaps…one year I’ll do it too.

After Jon was finished we took some time enjoying the different views of NYC.  They were pretty spectacular (although they’d be a heck of a lot nicer on a beautiful spring/summer day).  The view of the Empire State Building is pretty sick though.  Next year, if he “Climbs to the Top” again, I’ll have to take my time enjoying the exhibit down below.  It’s pretty remarkable.  The building was built during the great depression.  Of note:  That famous photo you always see of the guys sitting on the beam, that’s from the building of this building!  I never knew that. 

I thought to the Top of the Rock was totally worth it!  I would highly recommend it for great views of NYC, especially a nice unobstructed view of Central Park. 

Upcoming NYC adventures:  a Gangster tour, a Gangster museum, the big red buses (FINALLY!), and maybe a Circle Line Tour, just to name a few.  So stay tuned!

Post in Comments:

Do you prefer Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building?  I have a lot of loyalty to the Empire State Building, I mean it’s in my hood and all, but I have to say the Top of the Rock was clean and modern and I really really liked it up there!

PS – Sorry that this post reminds you of the dreary winter NYC weather!  I promise spring photos will be forthcoming:)