werestillrolling

Cohoes Falls in May 2018 Cohoes falls in May 2018  Sunday, July 28, 2024 Schenectady to Cohoes This was an exceptionally beautiful part of the canal trail.  Freshly paved, very shady, lots of curves and hills.  We were able to see the Mohawk River at one part and the Cohoes Falls both of which are pretty impressive.  But the highlight of the ride was meeting Jimmy's sisters and families for lunch.  Dennis found the perfect place and time for us to meet.  We were able to ride our bikes from the falls to a neighborhood bar in Cohoes  and meet everyone at 11:30 giving us plenty of time to have lunch and return to Schenectady by 3:00. It took us an extra mile or two to find the car but we were on the road by 3:00 and home at 10:00.   Overall, a great trip!!! From left to right--Dennis, me, Sue, Brenden, Libby, Denis, Bridget and Nickolas Just the family Cohoes Falls (in July) Mohawk River  I tried to download the 2018 photos last but for some reason they came in first and I don't k

  Saturday July 28 2024 E Syracuse to Conastota Today's ride was hot and dusty.  We expected crowds because it's Saturday but didn't see that many people.  The trail was along the Old Canal which is not used for boating or travel and very few people have homes on it.  So a little boring.  We ended up in Conastota a very little town that was hit by a hurricane about two weeks ago and we saw a little damage from that. There was not one port-a-pot or restroom facility along the way, a 35 mile round trip!! I didn't take many pictures.  But here they are. This is a mural in Conastota and it's reflection. We couldn't believe the speed limit.  Usually it's 15.  I think it's more for the snow mobile riders in the winter.  A good shot of how boring the trail was. Another indication of how boring the trail was.  This is a "dog-bane" beetle according to my phone.   We are in Schenectady right now.  We may get to meet up with Libby and Susie (my sisters in

Tugboat pushing barge up the canal Barge Entrance to canal from Rochester Thursday July 26 2024  Erie Canal Rochester NY   We left Lockport and drove an hour to a park in Rochester, parked the car and rode West to Hulburton, a 42 mile round trip.  We were immediately impressed with the difference in canal use here.  There were boats at backyard docks, kayakers and pleasure boaters in addition to small ferry barges transporting bikers and walkers.  There were many more fishermen as well.  Still not sure what they're fishing for, I'll ask someone today.   We thought the best parts of this section were the towns.  We had lunch in at the Custom House in Brockport which was right on the canal.  It was so windy that we had to eat inside😥.  We met some other bikers at lunch who were from Gaithersburg, MD near Hancock. We had a fun chat with them about the Hancock trail and  Bubba Lou's, a crazy lunch spot  on the trail.  Finally we had maybe the best ice cream cone I have ever en

Geneses River in Rochester trail.  Lots of backyard docks. backyard sculpture barge boat taxi to transport bikers and walkers  Friday July 26 Rochester to Fairport  I am using my phone to post this because my computer will not recognize any WiFi for some strange reason. I had yesterday all written and then poof. So I’ll have to post that when I get home. Sorry  We had a very enjoyable ride today. Weather was perfect and we saw the canal at work. We stopped at one lock in the process of filling to watch several boats pass through. One of the waiting boats was a cabin cruiser and we talked to the captain. He and his wife had started their voyage in Savannah working their way up to the canal then working through the Great Lakes and back somehow to Savannah. The whole trip is taking them a year! We also saw one of the drawbridges raised to let bigger boats through and finally we saw a tugboat pushing a huge barge up the canal. Pretty neat.  I’m hoping I can get the photos to download. 

WEDNESDAY JULY 24 LOCKPORT TO MEDINA This was a very impressive section of the canal.  Lockport is named for its original 10 locks, 2 adjacent flights of 5 locks, each lock in the flight providing 12 feet of change for a huge water level change of 60 feet! Today, one of the flights has been replaced with two 30 foot locks which allow boats and watercraft transportation through the canal.  It's still being used today.  We visited the museum and watched a 20 minute video of the canal's history in Lockport which was very well done and took lots of pictures.  There are sections of the canal that cross streams and roads, "water over the bridge" and when you realize that it was completed in 1825 after 8 years of construction it's simply amazing.  The original funding of 7.2 million dollars was depleted and more money had to be found somewhere to complete the job.  It's wonderful that there are these visionaries like Dewitt Clinton governor of NY who made it happen.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024.   ERIE CANAL We arrived in Lockport NY about 1:45 after a 7 hour drive.  It felt so good to get out of the car and take a ride even if it was only 20 miles round trip.  Trail conditions were excellent.  The surface was paved and probably due to the threat of rain pretty empty of other bikers.  I expected it to be straight but it was pleasantly curvy and nicely cared for.   FINALLY!!! This mural was on the side of an ice creamery in Pendleton which gave us a wonderful place to hang out while the thunderstorm passed through town.  Thankfully there was a large porch.  We had to wait about 40 minutes and then rode back to Lockport in misty rain.     Screenshot of our location at the creamery.  We're the blue dot.  We had been riding for 1 hour 2 minutes and 58 seconds.  This shot was taken from the bike's app on my phone.  Pretty crazy.   The Canal.  Tomorrow I'll have better pictures.  We're visiting the locks museum and riding 46 miles round trip t