Addendum New York: July 8-17, Cycle the Erie Canal, 400 Miles, 8 days, 750 people, tent #61
Almost eight years into this challenge, and only one state left to capture: Idaho. But while I look at options there and decide what I really want to do in my final state, no sense ignoring states I have visited before. Especially when a challenge arises that combines my love of cycling with my brain’s encyclopedic compendium of song lyrics.
I got a mule, her name is Sal, fifteen miles on the Erie Canal! (I know the full song, but won’t torture you…Rest assured, I sang it many times over the week.)
Or, how about 400 ish miles? With three friends and 747 potential friends to share it with!
Each summer, New York Parks and Trails sponsors the Cycle the Erie Canal Ride. Over eight days and nights, they shepherd a friendly cadre of cyclists, ranging in age from single digits to octogenarians, along an almost entirely flat course, from Buffalo to Albany. The surface is mostly paved or quarry dust, and the majority of the ride is on protected bicycle and pedestrian paths, often right on the towpath of the original Erie Canal. There is so much history to absorb. There are also two terrific meals a day in camp, two rest stops every day, and live entertainment, suggestions of things to do outside camp, and beer gardens. What’s not to like?
This year’s edition saw perfect weather. Cool nights and mornings gave way to warm to hot afternoons. Swimming pools were on offer three or four days, and hot showers every night. A four-day option, from Buffalo to Syracuse, is also available.
Back in the day, mules were the overwhelming choice over horses for towing the barges up and down the canal. They needed half the food and water, were smaller, so as to fit on the canal boats in between their shifts, and unlike horses, would not work themselves to death. At the fifteen-mile mark, they just stopped. Nothing could persuade them to continue.
I got a mule- Her name is Trish. She is my first adult bike, a thirty-four-year-old steel trek 830. She had some issues early on in the trip, but she rose to the challenge and got me through the 400 miles. Rather than regale my readers with too many details, I will post the mileage, the start and end points, and one photo of a highlight from each of the eight wonderful days.
Albany, pre-trip
Saturday, a night in Buffalo:
Day 1, Buffalo to Medina, 47 miles
Day 2: Medina to Fairport, 62 Miles
Day 3: Fairport to Seneca Falls, 46 miles
Day 4: Seneca Falls to Syracuse, 41 miles
Day 5: Syracuse to Rome, 48 miles
Day 6: Rome to Canajoharie, 61 miles
Day 7: Canajoharie to Niskayuna, 46 miles
Day 8, Niskayuna to Albany, the Home Stretch, 28 miles
Kip and I rode the last 28 together. Each day, we would ride 20 or so, to the first rest stop, then split up and catch up with each other later. But it was important to both of us to finish together.
Like the mule she is, Trish did the job, exactly 28 miles on the final day, 400-ish miles altogether, and she let me know in no uncertain terms that she was DONE. Her rear wheel fell off just yards from the finish line.
She’s a good old worker and a good old pal. And we know every inch of the way, from Albany to Buffalo… and back again.
Kip tested positive for Covid the following day. He did the 400, sick much of the time. Another mule. Thank you, Bob and Jeff and Kip and Trish, for an excellent adventure.
