Erie Canal — Buffalo to Albany

Blue Skies for Now...

What a difference a day makes. We were greeted with sunny blue skies on our second day of the Erie Canal bike tour. We had breakfast in the hotel and headed back to the official path.

Lockport seemed like a great little town and the official route took us right through some residential areas before we were back to the locks we visited the night before. There was a small Erie Canal museum (free) that was well worth the visit.

Lift Bridges

We saw one of many lift bridges along the trail as we departed Lockport. These bridges sometimes featured a sidewalk to allow pedestrians to cross when the bridge is raised. I imagine this was more relevant back when the canal was quite busy and used for freight, but most of the lift bridge sidewalks we saw still seemed to be operational.

Exchange Street lift bridge in Lockport

Fence Jumping Our Way to Middleport

The section between Lockport and Middleport was nice — mostly farmland with occasional homes along the canal. There was only one town called Gasport along the way but we didn't stop there. The trail was well maintained and we enjoyed the green fields and sunny skies, with the occasional boat navigating the canal.

Things were going great until we came across a sign that said the trail was closed ahead. It was at a bridge crossing and the detour would have required us to go across the bridge and do a few miles on the road. As luck would have it, we ran into a local road biker who told us to ignore the sign and that the trail was rideable.

So we jumped the fence. Being Saturday, no workers were around but we did see where they were shoring up the walls of the canal. Overall it was all rideable — we had to dodge a few rough spots, mud puddles, and even a huge tree across the path, but made it through without too much trouble. We were happy to stay off the road and cover a few more miles of the official trail.

Middleport was a nice little town and we took a quick break. There were picnic tables, public restrooms, a place to get water, and a camping area along the canal.

Main Street in Middleport

Festival in Albion

The 16 mile ride from Middleport to Albion was uneventful and we just enjoyed the farmland, the occasional town, and varying sections of the canal.

Upon arriving in Albion, we hoped to grab a quick lunch, but the streets were crowded with a music festival and street vendors throughout the town. We found a popular diner about 1/2 mile up a hill and away from the canal for lunch.

Mike on the lift bridge in Albion

Albion, Podunk, and Spencerport

After lunch, we continued our ride towards Rochester. I had heard the term "I'm from some podunk little town" before, but I didn't realize it was an actual place. Now I know.

Now we can say we've been to Podunk

The 22 miles between Albion and Spencerport seemed to fly by but we noticed some threatening skies ahead. There were some pretty sections along this stretch with several towns, and the rains held off.

A Stop in Spencerport for Some "Pedal Lube"

We were still deciding where to stay for the night when we looked across the canal and were tempted by an outside bar along the canal. You'd think these types of canal-side bars would be more common, but sadly it was challenging to find on many sections. We weren't about to let this opportunity pass — we got off our bikes for a bit, grabbed a beer (pedal lube), listened to the band playing, and made plans on where we'd be staying.

Beating the Rain to Rochester

We decided to push on to Rochester and made a reservation at a hotel about a mile off trail. Just after arriving at our hotel a light rain started. We struck out on places to dine within walking distance so we took an Uber to a local sports bar and got to bed early. All in all a great day!

• Erie Canal museum at the Lockport locks — free and well worth it
• Lift bridges throughout — Exchange Street bridge in Lockport
• Jumped the fence on a closed trail section and rode through anyway
• Music festival in Albion — found a diner up the hill
• Discovered Podunk, NY is a real place
• Canal-side bar in Spencerport — pedal lube well earned

Leaving Rochester

We never officially made it to downtown Rochester since the Erie Canal skirts the city to the west and south. Our hotel was across the Genesee River from Rochester University and was less than a mile from the canal trail — a convenient and quiet location.

The path took us briefly along the river before crossing into a city park. While it wasn't necessarily crowded, this was the most cyclists and runners we had seen due to its proximity to a much larger population than the towns we rode through the last two days.

It was a bit noisier as we paralleled an interstate highway for a bit, but the riding was great. For future riders, there was even an REI adjacent to the trail. We also got to see our first lock in operation and hung out for about 20 minutes to witness the entire process.

We couldn't see the boat when it first entered the lock before the lock filled and raised the boat over 25 feet

With the lock filled, the gates opened and the boat was able to progress upstream. The opening and closing of the locks is not a quiet process.

More Pittsford and Fairport Please

The trail leaving Rochester through Pittsford and Fairport were some of our favorite sections. We enjoyed seeing more people, the quaint towns, and the development along the canal. It seemed like it would be a great community area to live.

It's All Greek to Us

After leaving Fairport, we were sort of heads down and just riding — lots of conversation about what we were seeing, who we were seeing, and every other topic that came to mind. Then the topic of food came up and we took a little detour to Palmyra for a Greek restaurant.

It seemed like a nice town as we rode down Main Street. Sitting at a traffic light waiting for a green, little did we realize there was a church on each corner of the intersection — apparently the only place in the US where this occurs.

Four churches at the intersection in Palmyra — found this photo online for reference

The Greek restaurant where we had lunch wasn't what we expected, but it was still a great stop with a good food selection. Our waitress was amazingly friendly and mommed us about being careful — just like my mom would have. It was nice to have a stranger be so kind and wish us a safe and enjoyable journey.

There's a Car Wash...

The rest of the day we knew this was going to be a particularly challenging section of the trip. There would be quite a bit of road riding — and with that comes hills. To add to the challenges, it was supposed to rain. The dark clouds confirmed the forecast.

When the rain finally came, we put our rain gear on, put our heads down, and just rode. It wasn't always fun, but from prior adventures I know it's best to just embrace the suck — these moments create memorable days. At least we weren't staying in a tent tonight.

All told we had about 20 miles of road riding with about half of it in heavy rain. When we arrived at a town called Port Byron it was coming down pretty hard, so we pulled off the road to seek shelter under some gas pump awnings. But with the breeze, it wasn't the best shelter.

Behind Doug I noticed something and said "Hey Doug, there's a car wash." I'm pretty sure Doug thought WTH do we need a car wash for — just another one of my random jokes. He looked at me with a blank stare, probably a little hypothermic from being cold and drenched. So I explained myself: "We can go in the car wash bay to get out of the rain." It now all made sense.

It was the best darn car wash ever and no risk of being booted by a customer. Sheltered from the rain, we regrouped and motivated ourselves to head back out. We looked at the map and realized we only had 4 more miles to our hotel in Weedsport. We got this — embrace the suck!

Weedsport Is...

For whatever reason, Weedsport was the one town we were warned about by many. It certainly wasn't the most scenic town we'd been in and it was a bit run down. But the Red Roof Inn where we stayed was much better than I imagined.

After a hot shower, we walked to Nino's NY Pizzeria for a much deserved dinner — about 10 minutes along what appeared to be the old main street. The town had seen better days, but it also felt like better days were ahead with some building renovations going on here and there.

Dinner at Nino's was great. The young guys working behind the counter were amazingly friendly and even though we stayed a bit after closing, they were incredibly cordial and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Pizza, a calzone, and a salad — just what we needed. After heading back to our hotel, we made use of the laundry facilities. It was great to have all of our clothes clean and dry after the rain. All in all a memorable and wonderful day!

• First lock in operation — watched a boat rise 25 feet in Pittsford
• Pittsford and Fairport — favorite trail sections of the trip
• Four churches at one intersection in Palmyra — only place in the US
• Greek restaurant with the world's kindest waitress in Palmyra
• Sought shelter in a car wash bay during a heavy rainstorm in Port Byron
• Nino's NY Pizzeria in Weedsport — best post-rain meal of the trip

Biking in Memphis

We had a good evening in Weedsport. It was a bit chilly and damp when we woke up, but we had dry clothes and it wasn't raining. The breakfast at the Red Roof Inn was meh, but we weren't too picky and made the best of it.

The trail early on was very rural with some green tunnel sections and a few little towns. We even hit the halfway point at Memphis NY.

Original Canal Route vs Existing Route

The Erie Canal had several iterations over the years. The official path we followed seemed to primarily cover the original canal alignment. Sometimes the canal was completely covered up by a road or development. Other times it was swampy with extensive growth along the edges, or just a dry ditch full of trees. Some areas a town or private citizen had adopted a section of trail and made a park out of it. But for much of the trail, we were along a functioning part of the canal.

No matter what the canal looked like, we enjoyed the journey and learning about its history.

Map of the original canal versus the canal today

NY State Fair & Dinosaur BBQ!

After passing the halfway point, we were fortunate to follow part of the old canal for a bit. But we also encountered areas where the canal was covered over as we approached Syracuse — even a section with short up and down hills as we made our way over what appeared to be an old and well-manicured landfill.

While I'm not sure if the original canal is under the New York State Fairgrounds, the official trail took us through the unlocked gates of the fairgrounds. The fair takes place in mid-August to early September, so not much was going on as we biked through. The section approaching downtown Syracuse had a mix of road, sidewalk, and pathways with many turns, but we didn't encounter any issues.

We were sitting at a stop light on a road section in Syracuse when we looked to the left and a restaurant called Dinosaur Bar-B-Que enticed us in.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse

We ate way more food than we should have and may have had a beer to wash it down. The place was packed, but we were lucky enough to get a table where we could "sort of" see our bikes safely parked outside.

After lunch, I told Doug I was going outside to unlock our bikes. Perhaps he was ignoring me or maybe he was in a food coma, but he didn't hear me. So I'm outside for a few minutes unlocking our bikes when suddenly Doug comes rushing out of the restaurant and yells "HEY, what are you doing?" — thinking I was a Syracuse bike thief. Lots of laughs ensued.

Erie Canal Museum

Also in Syracuse was the Erie Canal Museum — well worth the visit with lots of historical information and even an old boat you could explore. They work on the donation system with a minimum of $10 at the time of our visit. If you are riding the canal, it's a must-do.

Syracuse to Canastota

Leaving Syracuse, the trail mostly followed Erie Blvd. where roads and strip centers replaced the old canal. They did a good job of signage and the trail was easy to follow, but it was a bit louder with more street crossings than other sections. On the outskirts of Syracuse, we met up with the old canal again in its varying conditions — easy, quiet, and enjoyable riding.

Boxing, Mice, and Beers in Canastota

As we looked ahead for a place to stay, Canastota seemed like a good distance to end the day. We took things more leisurely today — BBQ and the canal museum — but still managed to bike around 49 miles. The skies were gray but I don't recall it ever raining.

We didn't know anything about Canastota except that it had a Days Inn about 3/4 of a mile from the canal trail. We walked back to Three Pines Restaurant, the only restaurant open other than McDonald's.

Three Pines Restaurant in Canastota

It was a small place and we were greeted by a friendly woman we think was the owner. We sat at the bar and decided on a few appetizers and beer since we'd had such a great BBQ feast in Syracuse.

Adjacent to our hotel we noticed the International Boxing Hall of Fame — WTH is that doing in this little town? As it turns out, the woman serving us told us the story of her uncle and another relative, both world champion boxers, who were instrumental in establishing the museum in 1989. She shared a few great stories and left us to our food. We even had a little mouse visit us from behind the bar. Another great and memorable day on the Erie Canal.

 

• Hit the halfway point at Memphis NY
• Biked through the New York State Fairgrounds
• Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse — and the bike thief incident
• Erie Canal Museum — a must-do for trail riders
• International Boxing Hall of Fame discovered in tiny Canastota
• Three Pines Restaurant — great stories, great beer, and a mouse

Gray Day — Great Day!

The Days Inn was a decent hotel for our stay in Canastota, but the breakfast was lacking. Luckily there was a McDonald's next door. It was gray and overcast outside, but thankfully it wasn't raining.

After breakfast we biked through Canastota and back to the Erie Canal path. There were some older historic homes from the 1800s throughout the town — one was for sale for under $200,000 with over 3,000 square feet of space. We briefly thought of buying a house and retiring like kings in Canastota, but decided against it. My wife wouldn't have approved of the cold NY winters anyway.

The first part of the ride was a mix of green tunnels, a little road riding, and varied views. At times the canal was not visible — either covered over or overgrown as we were still following the original Erie Canal that was no longer in use.

Lock 21 in Italy?

We came upon a town called Verona NY — very different from the Romeo and Juliet version found in Italy where we stayed on a bike tour in 2022. Looking ahead, we also noticed we would be biking through Rome NY shortly as well.

We had a less "in tents" experience in Verona NY compared to our bike tour through Verona Italy a few years ago. That's for another story.

We did a bit of low-stress road riding before joining up with an active part of the Erie Canal at Lock 21. By this point in our trip we'd seen a fair share of boats and active locks, but this one was the most memorable — we were able to chat with the Lock Chief who managed the lock.

This was one of the best maintained locks we encountered — a well manicured lawn, trees, and railing areas. The Lock Chief answered many of our questions about maintenance, history, and the seasonality of the canal. We probably spent 45 minutes hanging out, talking to the chief, and watching boats enter and depart. We also encountered a few other bikers riding the canal path.

Lock 21 in Action

While chatting with the Lock Chief, he received a call from another lock alerting him to two approaching boats. So we decided to hang around a bit to watch the lock festivities. While in the lock, there was some misunderstanding with one of the boat operators resulting in some interesting footage — the boat floating away from the wall — but all ended up OK in the end. Here is a shortened version of the lock process.

▶ Watch on YouTube — Lock 21 in Action

Nicky Doodles and Beyond...

Between the lock and the town of Rome NY, there was some great riding. But there was also a section of road that was the worst on the trip — lots of traffic and really rough road. Luckily it was only about a mile or so.

We decided to have lunch at Nicky Doodles — a great little spot with a good selection of burgers, sandwiches, and ice cream. There was a super nice outside seating area, but it was too cold to sit around. We also skipped the ice cream since we were a bit chilly. I tried Nicky's Steak with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and cheese and loved it.

We failed to take pics of our food, but here we are in front of the restaurant

Fort Stanwix

Shortly after lunch, we came across Fort Stanwix — well worth the stop and free to enter. Not only was the history interesting, it's a great place to grab water and the staff were incredibly friendly. For thousands of years the ancient trail connecting the Mohawk River and Wood Creek served as a vital link for people traveling between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Ontario — a route the Europeans called the Oneida Carrying Place.

Well-Placed Ace

As we approached Fort Stanwix, I heard an awful sound coming from my bike — I had lost a bolt holding my bike rack on. We figured out a way to rig it but thought maybe there would be a hardware store along the route. After a quick Google Maps search, I found an Ace Hardware less than 3 minutes by foot. What a fortunate turn of events.

The Ace Hardware folks were incredibly helpful and I found the bolt I needed — and also grabbed a few specialty chocolate bars they were selling. Wow, were they good. I shared "some" of my chocolate with Doug. I have a history of sharing my chocolate with Doug in Italy, Austria, Germany, the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and now Rome NY. While I have been generous with my chocolate, Doug has been labeled a chocolate thief — at least by me. This all stems from a train ride across Spain after a Camino we completed. We bought some chocolate to share and while I was napping, Doug scarfed down every bit we bought. Some people just aren't good at sharing chocolate.

Surprises in Utica

The 22-mile ride from Fort Stanwix to Utica went by quickly. For dinner we visited Tavolo, featuring Italian food and a few Utica NY staples. We were told Chicken Riggies and Utica Greens were specialties of the restaurant and the area.

Utica Greens — sautéed escarole flavored with prosciutto and hot cherry peppers, broiled under bread crumbs and romano cheese. Our review: holy crap, this dish was amazing. We both gave it 5 stars.

Chicken Riggies — rigatoni pasta, chicken, cherry peppers, and a spicy tomato-cream sauce. Our review: 3.75 stars — good, but the Utica Greens set the bar impossibly high, and my lasagna may have overshadowed it entirely.

• Green tunnel sections — best trail scenery of the trip
• Lock 21 and the Lock Chief — 45 minutes of canal history and laughs
• Nicky Doodles in Rome NY — great food, great stop
• Fort Stanwix — free, fascinating, and a perfectly placed Ace Hardware
• Utica Greens at Tavolo — 5 stars, no question
• The rhythm of the ride finally kicks in around Day 4 or 5 — stress fades and every day is a memorable day

Cigarettes, Lotto and Beer!

Our stay in Utica was at the Best Western Gateway Adirondack Inn — an older hotel but great for our needs, with easy bike access and one of the better hotel breakfasts of the trip.

Leaving Utica, we followed the Erie Canal for a few miles until the route switched to a road for approximately 7 miles. Parts of the road didn't have a large shoulder, but it wasn't too busy. The road took us right through a little town called Frankfort — a bit run down, seemingly having seen better days, but at least in town the road widened and we were through it quickly. We stopped at a convenience store for a butt break, but didn't buy anything they were highlighting on their sign: Cigarettes, Lotto & Beer. I did buy some chocolate and shared it with Doug.

Doug contemplating taking up smoking — or maybe wondering what chocolate I will buy to share

Mohawk and Rail Trails

Today and through the remainder of the trip, we loosely followed the Mohawk River to Albany. After our road ride, we joined the path that followed the river. Parts of this trail was an old rail line which made for great riding and we made good time of it.

We stopped off at Little Falls NY for lunch at the Ann Street Restaurant and Deli — a short road ride across the bridge to town. The food was OK and the place was busy. It may have been the worst service we experienced on the trip, and it was bad enough that it was comical. But all in all it was a nice local restaurant and I'd still recommend it.

We ran into a few guys at lunch we'd seen a few times earlier on the ride. Their group took turns driving a car while the others cycled since they couldn't get Amtrak bike reservations for the return trip. Lesson learned: if there's one thing to plan ahead for, it's booking those return train tickets with bike reservations. After days of riding in rain and gravel, our chains were in bad shape — thankfully the guys we met at lunch hooked us up with some bike lube. Our bikes were happy and much less squeaky.

Striking Up a Conversation

After lunch, a block or so away we found a single lane bridge with what appeared to be a park. The bridge gave us a nice view of the river, the canal, some historical buildings, and some little falls. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's why the town is called Little Falls. Brilliant!

I saw someone standing there looking at the falls and struck up a conversation. This gentleman grew up in the area but had moved away for most of his adult life — he still owned a family home in town and was checking on it during a brief visit. He shared some history of the town, floods, and what his childhood was like in the area. On these trips, everyone has a story, and having these random meetups can be very memorable and informative, as was this one.

Looking upstream to the falls on the Mohawk River

Lock 17 — Going Rogue

To get back to the trail, we were supposed to go back the way we came across the bridge. But instead we decided to follow the canal wondering "Why can't we just go this way?" I'm glad we went rogue.

The path started as a nice paved sidewalk but quickly dumped us on a quiet street that led to Lock 17 — the highest lock on the Erie Canal, lifting and lowering boats a whopping 40.5 feet. Better yet, we were able to watch a boat using the lock.

After watching Lock 17, we discovered why this wasn't an official part of the trail — the only way downstream was a slippery set of steps down to the path below. We made it work, lowering each bike one at a time. The original Lock 36 remains are just a bit downstream from the current lock, so be sure to look for it if you go this way.

Herkimer Home State Historic Site

The 42 miles from Little Falls to Amsterdam were kind of a blur — mostly smooth old rail trail. About 2 miles east of Little Falls we stopped at the Herkimer Home State Historic Site, well worth the visit. General Nicholas Herkimer played a pivotal role during the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Oriskany on August 6, 1777, described as one of the bloodiest battles of the war.

Ice Cream in Amish Country

The 29 miles between Little Falls and Ft. Plain were easy and uneventful. Upon reaching Ft. Plain we found a nice little convenience store with ice cream. I would have bought chocolate, but I knew Doug would just steal it while I wasn't looking, so ice cream it was.

While sitting outside the store we encountered a few Amish folk, including a friendly man who asked us about our bikes and our trip. Having grown up in Pennsylvania, I was used to seeing Amish near Lancaster. Turns out this NY county has one of the largest Amish populations in the country. The parking lot had some colorful murals — so of course we had to take a few photos.

Colorful murals in the Ft. Plain convenience store parking lot

Quaint little town of Canajoharie

The Hills of Amsterdam

Sometime before arriving in Amsterdam, we booked a hotel that looked like a short 3/4 of a mile ride from the trail. Little did we know, it was all uphill — and crazy steep. We found out later that in winter these hills are the scene of many car accidents since during snow it's nearly impossible to stop at the bottom.

For dinner we had to walk down this same hill and then back up to get back to the hotel — but it was worth it. We dined at Lorenzo's Southside and the food and beer selection were great. Highly recommend it if you're in Amsterdam NY. Honestly, Amsterdam overall was a cool little town with friendly people.

While the Microtel we stayed at was great, I'd try to find accommodations closer to the trail if possible. In hindsight, the castle in town may have been a better and more unique option. Yes — I said a castle. More on that tomorrow.

• Switching from canal to Mohawk River trail — smooth rail trail sailing
• Going rogue to find Lock 17 — the highest on the entire Erie Canal
• Herkimer Home State Historic Site — a great free stop with real Revolutionary War history
• Ice cream and Amish country in Ft. Plain
• Lorenzo's Southside in Amsterdam — great food, great beer, worth the hill
• 66 miles — the longest day of the trip

Castle

Today would be our last day of riding the Erie Canal path. But before leaving Amsterdam, we visited the Amsterdam Castle — more of a hotel and event center these days, but cool nonetheless. It was constructed by prolific architect Isaac Perry, born in 1827, though the site dates back to 1736 when a magnificent mansion stood in its place. Perry also designed the famous Capitol Building in Albany among many other notable structures in New York.

Amsterdam to Schenectady

This section was smooth — mostly paved and adjacent to the Mohawk River, built on an old rail trail like the day before. We passed several lock and dam combinations; the river was much wider here, requiring both structures to operate.

Lock 8 near Schenectady

An Italian Cruising Through Schenectady

Schenectady had a bit of everything — river and highway views, waterfront parks, and a really cool downtown street. Parts of the town were really nice; other sections were under renovation.

I'm part Italian (25% or thereabouts) and had memories of pasta, pizzelles, and other goodies — so when we came upon Perreca's Italian Kitchen, I had to stop. The same family has been running it for over 100 years. These types of places are a must-stop on a trip like this. I bought a little something sweet and shared it with Doug. Notice a theme here? If you're ever in Schenectady, don't skip Perreca's.

Perreca's Italian Kitchen — same family for over 100 years

Just a Few Pics of This Part of the Trail

It was so green and such a nice day.

Beautiful green trail between Schenectady and Albany

Sore Butts, Subs and Dom's

After Schenectady we cruised through varied terrain — paved rail trail through tunnels of trees, small fields, river views, and a corporate zone. We also hit the steepest part of the entire trail, a complete surprise. It wasn't long, but steep enough that we had to walk our bikes uphill for a few minutes. Turns out this section was built to bypass the GE Aerospace Research Center and the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. What goes up must come down, and we enjoyed the downhill immensely.

We passed many workers from the labs out on a lunchtime walk and also marvelled at the two-headed squirrels and giant talking chipmunks scurrying about. Not sure if this had anything to do with the atomic lab, or maybe we were just really hungry.

We arrived in Dunsbach Ferry and learned from another biker that restaurants were tough to come by in this section. A quick Google search turned up Dom's Pizza, Subs and Wings — only a 3/4 mile detour through a residential area, but of course uphill. By this point we were super hungry and sore after 7 days of riding. Dom's was a very welcome stop. We both enjoyed giant subs we probably should have shared.

Dom's Pizza, Subs and Wings

Albany Bound!

We ate way more than we should have at Dom's, but with rested butts and legs we were ready to power through the 30 miles to Albany. The route crosses some roads and industrial areas, but as you approach downtown it runs mostly adjacent to the Hudson River through various parks — a pleasant final stretch.

Approaching Albany along the Hudson River

We Made It!

After about 6½ days of riding, we made it to the end in Albany — over 350 official trail miles plus some extra for side trips. What a fun journey!

Hanging Out in Albany

We spent the night in Albany and had some time to walk around downtown — a great little city with lots of restaurants, bars, and sites to see.

After our huge lunch, a few beers and snacks at a downtown bar — the perfect ending

• Amsterdam Castle — a historic gem worth the morning detour
• Perreca's Italian Kitchen in Schenectady — 100+ years and still the real deal
• Surviving the atomic lab hill and the two-headed squirrels
• Dom's subs — the most satisfying lunch of the trip
• Finishing at the Hudson River in Albany — 364 miles, 7 days, 8th multi-day tour complete
• A great downtown Albany evening to cap off the whole journey