Double-D running blog: 400 miles across NY on the Erie Canal

I first signed up for the Cycle the Erie Canal trip in 2020 but COVID ended that. Since then untimely injuries have kept me away. This year is the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal and I’d do all in my power to make it. I stayed mostly injury free this year and once I got within 6 weeks of the ride I started adding in more time on the bike. I wasn’t worried about aerobic fitness with an average of 85 miles a week running but “time in the saddle” would be important to make this as enjoyable as possible.

I headed out to Albany on July 12 for the long bus ride out to Buffalo. I’d have company as most of the 600 riders were also using this option to get there bike, there luggage, and themselves out to the starting point. I snuck in an 8 mile run along the Hudson River before boarding and got to see the last few miles I’d be riding later in the week. We arrived in Buffalo by mid-afternoon and it already looked like the tent city at Mass & Cass. As long as an area wasn’t marked “No Camping” you could set up. I learned quickly that finding a shady spot would be key. After setting up I headed out for a short run, figuring (correctly) this would be the last time I’d be doing a 2-run day in a while. I took advantage of the indoor showers (every location would have the shower truck) as this would not be available at each stop.

They had a nice set-up and there were always events going on at every location. You could join in or just hang out and enjoy kicking back. This night featured a wine tasting which was very good (too good) and a good cover band on acoustic guitar. There would be music at every stop, but this was the only evening with free wine. I had been up since 3 a.m. so I called it a night fairly early. Sleeping would be tough as the heat and humidity made camping a sweaty event.

I started Day 1 with and 8 mile run on some of the course. The four hours of sleep had left me feeling beat. After my run I did a quick change, got some breakfast, packed up my gear, and was on the bike by 7:30 a.m. I’d follow a similar pattern each day as breakfast was from 6-8 and the trucks needed to be loaded by 8 as well. Timing the stops would be a bit tricky as they were timed for the slower riders. For the most part I figured I’d not rely on the aid stops, but there were also almost always a bunch of stops manned by locals and you could always just stop in a town and get whatever you might need. I started off riding gently for the few miles to the actual start on the Niagara river. I tagged along with a few faster riders as the tailwind picked up. The 7:30 start meant there were a lot of people to pass. I only spent a few minutes at the aid stop topping off my bottles. It was 85 degrees and sunny but the breeze made it not feel too hot. I wasn’t pushing it but there were only a few people going faster than I was (including e-bikes). I reached the school in Medina before noon with my first day complete (48.9 miles).

The band this night did a lot of reggae covers but also some Van Morrison and a few Jams. I didn’t watch but laid around in my tent after dinner and read a book while listening. Sleep was a little better as it had cooled off a little after midnight. I was up again at 5 a.m. and out running by 5:15. The running was slow with both of my ankles pretty sore. Same plan as yesterday with packing up and getting on the bike, this time by 7:35. I made a quick stop at the Culvert (the only road UNDER the Erie Canal) and got in the ‘zone’ cycling along the canal on crushed dirt. The hot and dry weather meant a lot of dust. Somehow I missed the morning aid station and rolled along passing literally hundreds of riders. Again, I didn’t push the pace just an honest effort. I was careful to drink as it was very humid and topped out around 90 degrees. At the second stop I got a pickle, a banana, and an Oreo with peanut butter and a slice of banana on it. That was the best treat along the way. This was the longest scheduled day at 61.7 miles. I arrived in Fairport before 12:30 and scored a nice shaded spot in the Community Park. It was a bit noisy as I was close to the charging station but they would power-down at 9 p.m. and it was dead quiet after that (unlike camping in state parks these were mostly people who wanted to get some sleep with the next days ride looming). The band was bit further away so I didn’t really listen much, I did spend a while watching a couple of riders who liked to juggle. They even used flaming torches!

It was 70’s and humid overnight and all of my gear (and I) was soggy. The run along the canal was nice and quiet and I was surprised to see some early bikers heading out at a little after 6 a.m. I did my regular thing and was on the bike by 7:30. This day would also feature a lot of dirt canal path and dust. Passing wasn’t the easiest despite calling out, maybe the older crowd was a bit hard of hearing? The average age for riders was at least 60. This shorter 51 mile day would also be the hottest (well into the 90s) and slowest for me (13 mph). I arrived in Seneca Falls by 11:30 and set up my tent and gathered up whatever gear I’d need for the night. This night I’d booked a hotel. I pedaled 1.5 miles into town and did my laundry, got some groceries (the pint of blueberries lasted 5 minutes), had a Dunkin’ frozen chocolate, and then checked into the hotel. The air conditioning was a welcome change.

Wednesday morning I was up at 4 and out of the hotel running at 4:30 a.m. I ended up doing my 8 miles on the quiet roads of Seneca Falls. After a LONG shower at the hotel I headed back to the campsite to pack up and grab some breakfast. This would be another hot day with 80 degrees to start and mid-90s by the end. I decided to add on the 8m loop along Lake Cayuga as it was highly recommended. It was a nice loop with some great Lake views. The only drawback was it was within the first mile of the ride so once I got back on the main course I was behind EVERYONE. I certainly wasn’t flying but I spent most of the morning calling out “on your left”. We had some busy highway sections to connect to the trail and I think many were not comfortable with that. After the second aid station I don’t think I saw any riders until I arrived in Syracuse. I was there by a few minutes after noon and spent a little time helping the volunteers unload the luggage trucks. I scored a very nice camping spot with pine tree coverage. My neighbors also enjoyed getting to use the ample clothesline I’d brought. There were some interesting sites along this ride including locks and an aqueduct. The camping location was at the Zoo! This also featured a swimming pool which was a major hit.

I hemmed and hawed about whether to put the fly up on my tent. Prior to this I had NOT as it was so hot. Rain chances were firmly stuck at 50% so I set up my fly but did not flip it over the tent. At 3 a.m. I heard the rain start and quickly covered up. It stopped about an hour later and I got up at 5 and was greeted with 75 degrees and a dew point in the 70s. My run was a bit of a slog but the Riverwalk near Lake Onondaga was nice enough. Back at the zoo I gobbled up some yogurt and fruit and was on the bike by 7:30. I probably should have started earlier as the first part of the ride was in the city and it was more difficult with so many riders to pass. I did ride for a while with a couple who were cranking along at just under 15 mph. Once we got out of the city and into some of the nice countryside they stopped for some Amish goodies and I continued on. At 19 miles I pulled into the aid station and couldn’t get out of my clips. I crashed into the picnic table in front of about 50 people. It looked a lot worse than it was (although my should was sore the remainder of the ride). Some parts of this ride I got moving at 17+ mph as I picked up a good tailwind. I made two quick stops, one to adjust my pannier which was loose and another at the aid station to top of my bottles and eat a yummy plum. As I rolled into Rome a kid at the town line handed me an ice cold bottle of water…so good! This was the shortest day thus far and I was at Fort Stanwix before noon. That meant I had the pick of where to set up. I got a nice spot along the trees and lined my tent up West to East as the wind was kicking up. We’d get steady winds at 15-20 and gusts in the 40-50 range. There were also a few pop-up showers later in the day which knocked down the 90s and high humidity. The town shut down an entire block for a party with food trucks and local vendors. The also had a couple of very good bands (one rocking out classic rock covers).

I got a decent sleep with the temps dipping into the 60s. I was up a little earlier (4am) as I wanted to head out slightly earlier with the longer ride, this would be my first time seeing what it was like without having to pass so many riders. After my very dark run, I packed up and then rode a bit more than a mile to the YMCA where breakfast would be held. They had some breakfast burritos which was an interesting change, although I got blank stares when asking for salt and pepper. I was on the bike by 6:55 and rolling along on my way to Canajoharie. There was a steady breeze out of the NW which was mostly a tailwind and the ride featured a fair amount of pavement. There was hardly anyone to catch, but I was also a bit early at the aid station which wasn’t quite open. I made a quick pit stop and was back riding, another guy joined me for maybe 5 miles which was nice then I was on my own. I didn’t feel like I was pressing but it was my fastest day. The final ½ mile to camp featured a tough 200’ climb. The locals had put out a bunch of funny inspirational signs which was a nice touch. Each town seemed to be very welcoming. I was an early arriver getting to the school by 11:30 and had the pick of a camping spot. I had time to sort gear and even take a short mid-day nap. Dinner was a festive barbeque and the band played a bit of rock and Celtic music. I also got in a 2 mile hike to a local waterfall viewing area but couldn’t find the Geocache there. Cool temps meant very comfortable sleeping weather which was nice.

I had decided that unless there was an issue with my bike I’d be combining the final two days into one ride. With days of 47 and 27 miles it just seemed like not much of a push to combine into one 74 mile ride. I got up at 4 a.m. and took in the amazing sky as I walked over to the road (I saw 4 satellites and a meteor in 5 minutes of walking). The start of the run was quite dark and very tentative. I safely made it through my 8 miles and had mostly packed up the night before so I quickly got my gear onto the truck and settled in for some coffee (and bacon, yogurt, and some fruit). Then it was time to get going! I was on the bike by 6:30 a.m. and zipped down the hill into Canjo and onto the trail. Today would be all paved and “generally downhill”. I don’t know about that, there were some tough little hills. I assumed I’d be too early for any of the stops and was prepared to ride without stopping. There were four or five riders at the first stop so I grabbed a drink and then got going. Two of the guys caught me soon after and were moving just slightly faster than I was. I hooked up but when they alternated the lead one of them really cranked and they moved away. I was surprised when a couple of miles later they had slowed drastically and I rolled by. I did not see another ride the rest of the day. For the first time on the trip I arrived at the camp location before the trucks. That was a big surprise. I wasn’t too worried as I’d only had maybe half of a bottle of water so far and only had a couple of hours to go. I took a couple of minutes to bring up the last day on my bike Garmin and then headed off. I was a little worried that if something went wrong I’d be on my own (since I wasn’t technically doing that days ride). There were a few hills and some connecting sections in Cohoes and Troy that were not the greatest. I was happy when I got on the Mohawk Hudson bike trail and end was literally in site. I manage my fastest ride of the trip (14.5 mph) over the longest stretch (73.9 miles) and rolled into Quakenbush Square a little before noon having completed the nearly 400 miles across NY on the Erie Canal. This was a fun adventure, out of my comfort zone (non-running). I wouldn’t do it again on my own, but would definitely go back out there with another rider…