After an eventful evening prior to departure, the morning of went smoothly. Except that I was rolling on a grand total of two hours sleep. With a burst of adrenaline, I exited Stuyvesant Town and rode along the East River to the Seastreak pier off East 35th Street where I boarded an 8:45am ferry going to Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

I felt extremely self-conscious boarding a Citi Bike with loaded trailer, but the (Jersey-based?) crew didn’t raise an eyebrow. I secured the bike with a bungee cord to the bow, and the ferry was off to Jersey after a brief stop at Pier 11 Wall Street.

I used to lead tours that included a Water Taxi ride on the East River, so the view was familiar. But passing under the Williamsburg, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges on my way out to sea, I felt totally different inside. What the hell was I doing? Why was I leaving this great city? In many ways, NYC is the pinnacle of America. I was beginning my trip at the top. Will it only be disappointment from here on out?