Erie Canal - Buffalo to Brockport

 Monday, 9 May 2022 - Buffalo to Niagara Falls (25.4 miles)

Our big bike trip of the year was to cycle the Erie Canalway Trail across upstate New York. The Canalway is part of the recently developed Empire State Trail - a network of trails that connects Buffalo to Albany, and Albany south to New York City or north to the Canadian border at Rouses Point. There are a number of side-trails as well, and we started with one - the Shoreline Trail that connects Buffalo to Niagara Falls.

Logistics: We spent Sunday night at the Marriott Courtyard Canalside in Buffalo. We dropped off our bikes and gear, then drove to the Buffalo International Airport to park our car in long-term parking for 12 days. We took public transit back to downtown Buffalo ($2 each - can't beat that fare!), so that we were ready for an early morning start.

"Cycling the Erie Canal" by Parks and Trails New York (www.ptny.org) was essential to this trip. It has detailed maps, and lots of information on hotels, B&Bs, bike shops, and points of interest. We picked up our copy on Amazon.

View of Lake Erie as we left Buffalo.

Windfarm along Lake Erie in Buffalo.

Peace Bridge connecting Buffalo to Canada.

Tuesday, 10 May 2022 - Niagara Falls to Lockport (30 miles)

We rode from Niagara Falls through the Tonawandas and Pendleton to Lockport.

Tonawandas Gateway Harbor - where the Erie Canal meets the Niagara River. For a brief period, Tonawanda and North Tonawanda were the "Lumber Capital of the World", thanks to the Erie Canal.

You can bike to a lot of places from the Harbor.

Paddlewheel on the Canal. It was still to early in the year for tour boats, but in several places the boats were being readied and checked out.

Lockport, looking east. The "Flight of Five" original locks are on the left. The modern set of two is on the right. Unlike locks along rivers, there is no need for a dam to level the river - just the locks.

Wednesday, 11 May 2022 - Lockport to Brockport (45.2 miles)

Today's ride was the longest of the trip. We rode from Lockport through Gasport, Middleport, Medina, Knowlesville, Eagle Harbor, Albion, Hulberton, and Holley to Brockport. Towns and villages are spaced roughly every 5 miles along the original canal.

Lockport - Locks that are part of the original "Flight of Five". While the entire Canal is considered an engineering marvel of the early 19th Century, the set of 5 locks at Lockport were the limiting factor. At Lockport the Canal rises 70 feet through the limestone of the Niagara Escarpment. Modern locks have replaced the five old ones with two modern ones. The group of volunteers who built a replica original canalboat were preparing to fill the old locks so that they could do maintenance after the winter.

"Lock Tenders Tribute" is a set of bronzes that re-create a classic photo of the lock tenders that worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, from April through November keeping boats and barges going through the Canal.

Western New York is a notable wine-producing region. I liked the contrast of the while grape flowers on the grapevines and dandelions blooming between the rows of grapes.

Typical canal scene on this part of the trail.

Medina (pronounced with a "long-I"). It was surprising to see a waterfall in the flat landscape. This creek runs through a culvert under the canal. 

The odd rash on my hand is sunburn through the crocheted backs of my old-fashioned bicycle gloves.