Day 45 (Weds, 3 Aug) - Riding the Erie Canal (Henrietta to Liverpool NY)

There are now 5 days of riding left.   We are in the final countdown.   Today we departed at 6:30 am from Henrietta, NY where we picked up the Erie Canal and followed it all the way to Liverpool, NY, on the edge of Lake Onandaga.   This was 95 mile ride, with a slight headwind into gentle, then pouring rain.   We rode in a pace line for most of the day to break the wind and speed our trip.   We arrived at 2:30 pm.   For the second day in a row, we were among the early group to arrive, wet but happy.

Here are a few pics of the day:

Damien Dempster (from Ireland) enroute to the Canal!

Our first view of the Erie Canal (see canal path on left),  The Erie Canal was the engineering marvel of the 19th Century.   It was started in 1817 and finished in 1825.  It runs some 400 miles in length connecting Albany (on the Hudson River) with Cleveland (on lake Erie).   We are following the Erie Canal thru most of our journey across New York.

The Canal is still in use today, mostly by pleasure craft.   Here is an old canal boat used for tours.

We took lots of photos.   Here is Columbus Dan, Barry and Mary

Walking our cycles thru a portion of the canal path (Travis, Blythe, Mary)

Plenty of tourist shops along the canal (I couldn't resist this photo)

Old Canal buildings from the 19th Century along the Canal Path

Mary Stockinger takes a quick pic (this old building reminded us of our motel last night)

Our riding group takes a break on the Canal Path

A lock along the canal (note the bike path is gravel here)

Locks like this one are still use today for small barges & pleasure craft

Front view of the lock doors

Our group stopping for pictures along the canal

Then it started to rain.....we made a beeline for our lodgings, averaging about 17 mph for some 50 miles.  Here are wet riders arriving at our hotel.  (Blythe, Bob, Mary, Travis, Barry, Russell (ME holding camera)

This weekend we have long and hilly rides across Vermont and New Hampshire as we arrive in Manchester NH on Sunday night.   On Monday we will make our final ride into Portsmouth, NH arriving at Rye Beach under police escort about noon on Monday.   There we will dip our wheels in the Atlantic Ocean, some 50 days after our departure from the Pacific.   We are preparing for the last few days of safe riding and anxious to return to our homes and families.

More later.   I've got to sign off and get ready for today's final ride in eastern New York as we complete the Erie and Mohawk Canals and enter Vermont.

BTW, we've had a few responses to the most photographed item in the blog.   If you know the answer, cast your vote.   Just so you know, the answer is not cornfields (although I did include a lot of those).   :-)

More Later,

Love to All,

ME