Tour the Erie Canal by Bike this Summer

Buffalo Rising 0

Registration is now open for a July 11th -18th 400-mile, cross-state bike tour along the Erie Canal. The eight-day tour will follow the canal from Buffalo to Albany.

The Erie Canal corridor is designated a National Heritage Corridor, one of only 49 across the nation. The bicycle tour passes through historic canal villages and rural countryside. Along the way, canal historians and local experts will introduce participants to the people, places and things that make the Erie Canal so unique and so important to the history of New York State and the country. About three-quarters of the ride are off-road, on the traffic-free Canalway Trail; the rest is on rural roads with good shoulders.

Last year, riders of all abilities came from 38 states, with over one-third from NYS. According to Executive Director of Parks and Trails New York Robin Dropkin, "New Yorkers were as amazed as out-of-staters at the beauty of the Erie Canal corridor as well as its cultural and historic richness." For most days, the route follows the canal along level ground. Several days in the Finger Lakes have a few rolling hills and there are two long gradual climbs in the Mohawk Valley.

Included in the $565 fee for Cycling the Erie Canal are: camping accommodations every evening with showers and toilet facilities, several with pools or lakes for swimming; eight hearty breakfasts and six delicious dinners; two refreshment stops daily stocked with fruit, snacks and beverages; entertainment and historical presentations each evening; guided tours of the Canal, historic sites, museums, and other attractions; T-shirt and water bottle; sag wagon and mobile mechanical support; baggage transport; daily maps and cue sheets; and marked routes.

Two weekend ride options are available, from Buffalo to Pittsford on July 10 to July 12 and from Canajoharie to Albany on July 16 to July 18. A shuttle will be available at the beginning of the ride to transport riders and their bicycles to Buffalo. Non-cycling friends and family of riders with their own transportation are welcome. Youths under 18 enjoy a special half-price rate.

Erie Canalway Executive Director Beth Sciumeca asks, "What better way for people to experience the rich history, natural beauty, and hometown hospitality along the Erie Canal? It's no wonder that Cycling the Erie has become upstate New York's premier cycling event. Hats off to Parks and Trails New York for organizing the ride and giving people from around the country the opportunity for such a great adventure."

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is the event's Heritage Sponsor. Supporting sponsors included CSEA, M&T Bank, Wegmans, and Brookfield Power. Ten Tourism Promotion Agencies along the route are sponsors: Orleans County Tourism, Wayne County Tourism, Greater Rochester Visitors Association, Seneca County Tourism, Cayuga County Office of Tourism, Oneida County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Schenectady County and Albany Convention & Visitors Bureau.

In addition, a second bicycle tour is being offered through Hudson Valley. The Great Hudson Valley Pedal is a six-day, 200-mile bicycle tour from Albany to New York City, is set for August 10 - 15.

For more information on Cycling the Erie Canal, e-mail eriecanaltour@ptny.org

or visit www.ptny.org/canaltour. For further information on the Great Hudson Valley Pedal, e-mail hudsontour@ptny.org or visit www.ptny.org/hudsontour. Call 518.434.1583 for information on either tour.

Image: Steve Sokoloski