Read news article about the 2008 ride.
Mark your calendars for 2009 Cycling the Erie Canal July 12-19. Registration opens January, 2009
Join
people, of all ages and from all over the country on July 12-19, 2009 for the 11th Annual,
8-day, 400-mile, Cycling the Erie Canal bike tour across New York State along the scenic and historic Erie Canal, named a National Heritage Corridor, and enjoy great scenery, interesting history,
and unparalleled cycling. You'll experience the canal and enjoy canal historians'
stories about the people, places and things that made life along the Erie Canal
so unique in its day and so important to the history of New York State and the
country.
The Ride
You'll cover 40 to
60 miles per day, about half on asphalt or compact stone dust on completed portions
of the Canalway Trail, the rest along public roadways with good shoulders. This
is a great tour for riders of all abilities. Most days, the route follows the
canal along level ground. There are a few rolling hills and two long, gradual
climbs in the Mohawk Valley. Overnights will be at Buffalo, Medina, Pittsford,
Waterloo/Seneca Falls, Syracuse, Rome, Canajoharie, and Schenectady.
The
Erie Canal
In 1825 it was called
the "Eighth Wonder of the World," a man-made waterway that stretched into the
western wilderness to touch the Great Lakes. This tour will follow the towpath
along sections of the original Erie Canal and the "canalized" Seneca and Mohawk
Rivers through historic villages, rural pastures, old locks and abandoned aqueducts.
Today, the Erie Canal and the villages along it are being rediscovered as a unique
and easily accessible corridor with a rich role in the history of Colonial America,
the American Revolution, commerce, and women's rights.
Volunteer - Ride for Free!
By
volunteering to join the ride crew, you can get a partial to full fee waiver
and still be able to do some riding. If you are a non-riding partner, volunteering
might be a great way to spend the week. If you are interested in volunteering,
print Volunteer
Application (available January 2009), fill in and mail. For questions about volunteering, call 607-423-2769.
Cycling
the Erie Canal: A Guide to 400 miles of adventure and history along the Erie Canalway Trail is packed with detailed information about the outstanding
bicycling and sightseeing waiting for you along the Erie Canal. The convenient,
spiral-bound, 140-page guidebook features full-color maps and lots of detailed
information about what to see and do along the way. Order on your bike tour registration
form and receive a special discount
-- $16.00 plus $2.00 shipping (regularly
$19.95 plus $4.55 shipping).
29 Elk Street w Albany, NY 12207 w (ph) 518-434-1583 w (fax) 518-427-0067 w ptny@ptny.org