Helen Ho, member of Transportation Alternatives (TA) Western Queens Committee, recently scouted a ride through Queens. TA, a New York City-based group advocating for cycling and car-free transportation, organizes borough-wide rides.The ride takes advantage of Queens' green spaces, starting at carefully manicured Gantry Plaza State Park, just across the East River in Long Island City, and ends at historic Fort Totten, some 25 miles away. With a great deal to see, it is worthwhile to take frequent stops both along the waterfront and on inland forays.Picking up where the journey left off last week, on your way out of Flushing, you'll pass a large community garden, tended mostly by the Korean community, and flourishing with many kinds of vegetables central to Korean cooking.The further out east you wander into Queens, the quieter it becomes, and also the more hilly as you travel through Cunningham and Alley Pond Park. This is also where lunch catches up with you if you had a heavy meal. Great large trees are common in these parks, and on a warm day you might catch a glimpse of elderly men and women napping peacefully in their shade. The greenway in this area actually makes use of the Long Island Motor Parkway or Vanderbilt Parkway, which in the early 20th century was built as a fast track for the wealthy to get to Long Island more quickly. These days, it's cyclists and joggers who use the road.The final destination, historic Fort Totten Park, a former army base, is a fitting end to the day's trip, with views of the Throg's Neck Bridge, Long Island Sound, and Little Bay. There you can sit (or collapse) on the lawn, rest your hard-working legs, and feast your eyes on the sweeping vistas of the blue sound.Helen Ho described Fort Totten as "one of the jewels of Queens. Everyone after they see it is amazed that such a place is even here."If You GoPlan for a whole day. You could do this ride in a few hours, but then you'd miss the fun stops! Though some of the ride takes you on the Queens greenway, it also involves some street riding, so take all precautions while riding in traffic.Karen Overton, founder of Recycle-a-Bicycle, a youth job training and environmental education initiative, has some valuable advice. "Follow traffic laws as if you are driving a motor vehicle. Cyclists should avoid the temptation to ride on sidewalks, and they should ride with traffic, honor traffic signals, and dress for safety (i.e. helmets and visible clothing). While wearing a helmet is not a law in New York State for adults, statistics show that it does protect your head in case of an accident. It is the law for youths 14 years and under."On her list of things to watch out for are: "Doors that open as you cycle by, potholes, sharp objects in the street (mainly glass), cars pulling out of driveways or taxis pulling over to pick up a customer, and jaywalkers."She warns, "Be extra alert at intersections." On certain days, Overton is also extremely vigilant. On shopping days after Thanksgiving, just like on beautiful early spring days, drivers may be highly distracted.For More InformationA guide of the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway can be found at http://www.nycgovparks.org.Transportation Alternatives does not currently offer a regular borough ride in Queens. The next TA ride will be the Tour de Bronx on Oct. 21. The Sheridan Expressway will be closed for the event. See http://www.transalt.org for more info.Bike New York also offers rides and also teaches free bike and safety classes. ( http://www.bikenewyork.org .)Recycle-A-Bicycle has a ride club for kids ages 10-14. Its youth program allows kids to build and earn a free bike. Recycle-A-Bicycle also runs weekly events where you can learn basic bicycle mechanic and repair skills. Its retail shops also sell and rent refurbished bikes; revenues benefit the youth program ( http://www.recycleabicycle.org .)