Come Bike the Erie Canal Towpath With Me!

Come Bike the Erie Canal Towpath With Me!

I (Joe Shunk) am planning to ride the Erie Canal Trail June 13-19 and willing to lead the ride. The ride will primarily be on the tow path, but there are a few sections that require riding on the road.  Also, we will be navigating to/from hotels, state parks, through towns, for lunch, dinner or some sightseeing. ...bring your lights and mirrors. 

Most of the towpath is a hard pack gravel surface.  However, there are some parts of the towpath which are very much like the C&O canal path....similar to a two-lane country road that can be soft and muddy...depending upon the weather.  I am running a 42 cm tire set on my touring bike. 

Some towns have more than one hotel, but in the interest of keeping this short I only listed one.

June can be cool in NY, so make sure to bring rain gear and warm clothes.  

I tried to keep the mileage fun,...errr...ummm..except the last day.... with time to stop for lunch or checking out the sights each day.  There are a lot of interesting exhibits along and nearby the canal path.

...goes without saying, but I'll say it.  Your bike needs to be in good condition. You will need the basic repair items and know how to use them.  There are some bike shops, but I have not checked their locations or hours of operations.  You should be familiar with setup of your tent and use of your sleep system.  

Note**

If there are more than two others interested in attending I can check with the shuttle service, but I need to know immediately...their calendar is filling up.  In this case, the reservation of their big van will require a non-refundable deposit.   

Below is the plan:

June 12- Drive to the Hampton Inn and Suites, Albany, NY Airport

45 British American Blvd

Latham, NY

518-782-7500

There is a $25 charge to leave your vehicle at the hotel.

June 13- Pick-up by APoint Shuttle Service at 8am.

Cost - $700 for two people, $50 additional for a third person.

I did look into renting a vehicle ...minivan at Albany Airport, but the logistics would be challenging...not to mention gas for a fully loaded minivan, Thruway toll, Uber picking up/dropping off rental, etc.

Arrive Buffalo 1pm...ish.

Ride 32 miles to Lockport, NY  (mm32)

Hotel - Lockport Inn & Suites

June 14- Ride 42 miles to Brockport, NY (mm75)

Hotel - Hampton Inn Brockport 

June 15- Ride 41 miles to Macedon, NY (mm114)

Tenting - Twilight on the Erie RV Resort

Showers, bathrooms and restaurant,...but plan to stop and pick up something before.

June 16- Ride 64 miles to Camillus, NY (mm178)

Tru by Hilton Syracuse - Camillus

June 17- Ride 42 miles to Sylvan Beach State Park, NY (mm220)

Tenting, showers, bathrooms,...restaurant, ...but plan to stop and pick up something beforehand.

June 18- Ride 52 miles to Little Falls Canal Harbor and Rotary Park, NY (mm 272)

Tenting...pick up food prior.

June 19- Ride 70 miles to Hampton Inn...stay, and drive home next day.

Parks & Trails New York :: Camping

Erie Canal Trail (Buffalo-Albany) · Ride with GPS

If interested please contact-

Ride Leader - Joe Shunk

joeshunk@msn.com