Tri-State Area Residents, Tourists Try To Make The Best Of A Soggy Start To The Fourth Of July Weekend
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- At the start of this holiday weekend, lots of people had plans canceled because of this gloomy weather, but not all was lost.
When places get soggy, from ballfields to boardwalks, you don't get crowds.
There was a lot wrong with the sight of Coney Island on a summer holiday weekend.
"We are coming from Houston, Texas, for only two days and look," tourist Paula Hubert said.
She looked out over a beach with lifeguards in chairs but no one on towels.
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Instead of sunbathing, Gloriana Ramirez and Iva Alvarado, visiting from Costa Rica, were perched at a boardwalk game, the only customers all morning trying their luck.
But not feeling like winners were some merchants, including Haim Haddad, owner of the Coney Island Beach Shop.
"Coney Island, you need the sun, holiday [or] not holiday," he said.
The rain is bad for business, but Haddad says at least there is one item he can count on selling. Fifteen umbrellas were sold by late afternoon.
"When the rain comes, this is my business here. That's the money here," Haddad said.
Rain gear was a hot seller outside Yankee Stadium for the first game of the Subway Series. It was a busy place with two kinds of predictions were being made by life-long best friends from Farmingdale, Long Island, Michael Harding and Joe Pistone.
First, about the weather.
"The rain I think should stop shortly," Harding said.
"I think we'll be all right," Pistone said.
Second, predicting the outcome of the game, which stirred up a rivalry.
"Mets win 6-4," Harding said.
"Five-three Yankees," Pistone said.
The weather changed the plans of Ken Kappler, of Paramus, New Jersey.
A parade with a route he can spy from his front porch did not happen.
"They canceled it on us," he said. "The weather didn't cooperate."
Not only did it wash out the parade, it also postponed a planned bike ride for Kappler, but he says he'll do that Sunday.
