Hundreds of cyclists got a street view of Queens Sunday. They embarked on a 20-mile trip through the borough in the 8th annual Tour de Queens. Tara Lynn Wagner filed the following report.

"Anything's better on a bike. Anything," said cyclist Charles Buckman.

That seemed to be the motto Sunday as over 1,200 people hopped on their bikes for a royal tour of the city's most diverse borough.

"As we were riding, I was listening to rock music on my right and Latino music on my left, so it just shows the diversity here in NYC," said cyclist Natalie Munoz of Elmhurst.

This is the 8th year for the Tour de Queens. The massive group pedals at a leisurely pace, with NYPD escorts protecting them along the way. The casual setting makes it a perfect outing for families and cyclists of all ages.

"It was a Father's Day gift from my son. What a precious thing that my son still wants to be with me," said cyclist Len Pesce of Eastchester

And it's not just kids out on the course. The Chans brought their four-legged friend Cory in a backpack.

"Does he like riding in a backpack? Of course - the wind in his nose and his hair," said cyclist Roland Chan.

The annual ride, organized by Transportation Alternatives, starts and ends in Astoria Park. Along the way, riders are treated to great views and take in parts of the borough that are off the beaten path.

"It was really nice going through Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, Maspeth. I don't think I've been in Maspeth," said cyclist Eric Herman, who came out from New Jersey.

"It's like ‘Where am I?’ This is New York City?" asked Steve Ajl of Brooklyn.

The tour also gives Transportation Alternatives a chance to highlight some of their safety campaigns. One of the areas they're focused on right now is Queens Boulevard, also known as the Boulevard of Death.

"It’s very dangerous. Crashes, injuries and deaths happen there all the time. It's over a dozen lanes in some sections. We are really working to redesign it to make it safer for cyclists, for pedestrians," said organizer Jaime Moncayo of Transportation Alternatives.

Safety improvement proposals from the Department of Transportation include the creation of protected bike lanes, something cyclists would like to see more of borough-wide.

"We look for the roads that have bike lanes. That makes us feel better," said cyclist Robert Lewis of New Hyde Park.

"I think the more cycling routes we have, the better it's going to be for everyone," Munoz said.

The next Transportation Alternatives  event will be the NYC Century Bike Tour in September.