Today was a good ride. Miles 6 to 26 were on the tow path along the beautiful Erie Canal. The Erie Canal is a man-made waterway in New York that runs about 363 miles from Albany on the Hudson River to Buffalo at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. First proposed (by a prisoner) in 1808, it was under construction from 1817 to 1832 and officially opened on October 26, 1825.
It was the first transportation system between the eastern seaboard (New York City) and the western interior (Great Lakes) of the United States that did not require Portage, was faster than carts pulled by draft animals, and cut transport costs by about 95%. The canal fostered a population surge in western New York state, opened regions further west to settlement, and helped New York City become the chief U.S. port. It was expanded between 1834 and 1862. In 1918, the original canal was replaced by the larger New York State Barge Canal. Today, it is part of the New York State Canal System. Mainly used by recreational watercraft in the recent past, the canal saw an upsurge in commercial traffic in 2008.
Most of the tow path was not paved and the gravel slowed us down. No one seemed to mind, even though we had a long day ahead of us. Riders were stopping for pictures and to read signs – acting like tourists for once. -- After the tow path we got on NY31, undoubtedly the best road we’ve been on this trip. We’re on 31 for 53 miles; it has a wide shoulder which is very smooth and has almost no debris or broken glass – a cyclist’s dream. Oh yes, we also had a tailwind! -- We saw more swampland today. Bill Borland, who I rode with much of the day, said it looked like Louisiana; I agreed. And as we came into Liverpool, a suburb of Syracuse, we came across a one-lane bridge. When is the last time you saw one of those? I should have taken a picture but at mile 90 your only objective is to get to the motel.
As we get further and further east, we notice towns are closer and closer together. -- I commented on ABB’s excellent route sheets and how most of us never get lost, but I haven’t mentioned that they occasionally paint arrows on the road; only when the turn is difficult to find but when it’s needed, it’s usually there.
Day 45, 96 miles, 1,408 feet climbed, 6.5 hrs. 3,384 miles so far
5 days remaining, 389 miles remaining
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