Groovin' At the 59th Street Bridge

I can't even imagine how many times I've driven across the 59th Street Bridge in my lifetime (aka the Queensboro Bridge), but this was the first time I've ever stood on it. This was where the NYC Urban Sketchers met on Saturday. My thanks to Joy for all her organizing and research. 

I drove from home in Holbrook to Kew Gardens and took the F train to Lexington and 63rd St. I was amazed to find myself there in 1 hour and 20 minutes. I think I set a record for getting in so fast. I did a few subway sketches of people while riding the subway.

We met at in the area where the bridge meets the water on the Manhattan side of the 59th Street Bridge.

There was a lot going on with the two bike lanes, bikes whizzing by, and pedestrians walking. It was not the safest location to be but we sketched anyway.There was also bridge traffic close by zipping along. It was noisy, crazy and fun. I sketched the view looking back towards the city.

It was windy on the bridge but we all made the best of it.

Here are a few sketches of some of the others at work.

I sketched some of the traffic that was crossing the bridge right next to us.

And part of the structure of the bridge.

Finally we headed down off the bridge to street level. It was fun to sketch the arches under the bridge and the view through them.

After lunch we headed over to the promenade along the river. It was sunny for a while but then started drizzling, so we took cover under an overhang for a bit. When it stopped drizzling around 3 everyone else decided to leave. I wanted to finish my sketch and sat back down, but it started drizzling again. I finished it from under the overhang, but then it started to pour.

I stayed dry watching the rain from under the overhang. When it finally stopped I headed back to the subway for my return home.