Erie Canal BnB ride - 1st time touring?

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I see that the NY Canal folks have posted a guide to a 3 day bike tour on the Erie canal and lodging at Bed & Breakfests' along the way. I'm wondering, has anyone done this sort of thing, or even followed the guide.

This struck me as a good 1st attempt at bike touring, since the guide has a day by day tour plan to go from Lockport to Palmyra, with reasonable distances (28-36 miles) each day. With 3 days riding (4-5 nights lodging) I think it would be a good starter tour to figure out what our limits are (distance, weather, equipment, etc.)

I see that the NY Canal folks have posted a guide to a 3 day bike tour on the Erie canal and lodging at Bed & Breakfests' along the way. I'm wondering, has anyone done this sort of thing, or even followed the guide.

This struck me as a good 1st attempt at bike touring, since the guide has a day by day tour plan to go from Lockport to Palmyra, with reasonable distances (28-36 miles) each day. With 3 days riding (4-5 nights lodging) I think it would be a good starter tour to figure out what our limits are (distance, weather, equipment, etc.)


More importantly... aren't there wineries along that path?

More importantly... aren't there wineries along that path?You know, I don't remember there being any mention of wineries, but it is wine county I think, or is it a little too far north of the finger lakes? I suspose that is one more reason to ride the canal. B&B are also new to us too, something we have never stayed in, so there would be many new experiances, multi-day rides, B&Bs, drunk cycling...:rolleyes:

This link (http://www.ptny.org/pdfs/canalway_trail/selfguided_tour.pdf) is to a PDF brochure that includes maps, itinery and B&B info.

I see that the Erie canal folks have added a second self-guided tour.

Lockport to Palmyra
http://www.ptny.org/pdfs/canalway_trail/intinerary/lockport-palmyra.pdf

Little Falls to Albany
http://www.ptny.org/pdfs/canalway_trail/intinerary/littlefalls_albany.pdf

We're still on the fence about doing this thing, we'd love to hear from other who have done these sections of the canal.

DCwom

I have done sever sections of the erie canal path around Brockport and Rochester.

This would be a very good starter tour. I recomend riding with wider tires as some of the path is crushed stone and can be quite loose in spots.

The canal is well north of the fingerlakes and wineries, as wine making requires very hilly land.

If you do it, I would be very intrested to hear how you made out.

Jeff