This will be my fifth ride on the Erie Canal with Parks and Trails New York. I wrote a review of the ride a couple of years ago and I continue to recommend the experience. Last year was special for me because my son Eric joined me. The year Eric and granddaughter Sofia will be joining me.

Each year I support PTNY with a donation in addition to paying for the ride. I recently received correspondence from PTNY concerning funding for the major trails in New York state. Thanks to the advocacy efforts of PTNY, there is funding to close the Erie Canalway Trail gaps between Buffalo and Albany. The funding also provides for connecting the Erie Canalway Trail, the Lake Champlain Canalway, and the Hudson River Valley Greenway. When completed in 2020, the Empire State Trail will be the longest contiguous set of multi-use trails in the United States, a total of 750 miles.

New York State is a great place to ride. I look forward to the Erie ride again this year. It will be great to ride the entire Empire State Trail in just three years.