Wow, Suzanne, what a great lineup! This event has grown tremendously over the last decade - 10 years ago I was on the first organizing committee with Mike Krasner (who has since passed away - way too young) of the Erie County planning office, and set up all of the events in Orleans County. The only paid staff help for the entire project was a summer intern in Albany, so we all put together much of it on a 'wheel and a prayer'. But when the trek got rolling, it was clearly unstoppable - village mayors made proclamations as we came through, chambers of commerce put on all-you-can-eat dinners, communities scrambled to finish canalside projects so they could cut the ribbon during the group's visit, the group was given a rare tour *inside* the dome of the Orleans County court house in Albion, etc. Many canal communities proudly showed off plans for canal-related projects which have since been built. One of my favorite trekkers was a 70+-year-old gentleman who not only went all the way across the state, but always seemed to be out ahead of the whippersnappers. Last I knew he's still going strong - I hope he does it again this year!
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