This was my ninth consecutive Cycle The Erie Canal with Parks and Trails New York. This year the ride had a special significance. This was my first tour after my accident last Fall.
Having the Accident that I Dreaded
One September 15, 2021, I was four miles into the trail on the fourth day of a fully supported tour from Washington DC to Pittsburgh. That day was our final day on the Chesapeake and Ohio towpath trail. I hit an exposed tree root at a bad angle and my bicycle and I were thrown to the ground violently, breaking my femur. The details are documented in my blog post last year.
For years I thought about the possibility of such an accident and I dreaded the prospect. At 75 years old, recovery could be difficult or impossible. Bicycle riding is low risk, but the risk is there as with many sports. Although I consider myself a cautious rider, the accident happened nonetheless and I found myself in rigorous physical therapy to regain my ability to ride and to tour.
Getting to CTEC 2022
For weeks I did daily physical therapy for an hour and a half or more each day, encouraged by incremental improvements. By early October I transitioned from my walker to a cane. In late October I began to take hikes outdoors, working my way from a quarter mile to two miles daily. I was able to drive my car by November, went back to my twice weekly part-time job, and began to work out on the machines at the senior center in town.
In late December, I successfully made my first attempt to mount my stationary bicycle at home. I transitioned from workouts a the senior center to workouts on my stationary in January. On a mild day in February, I took my bicycle out for a very short ride in the neighborhood. When the trails became clear in March, I began my training rides. Soon I was up to my typical 25 mile training ride. By the time I began Cycle The Erie Canal I had over 1000 training miles.
Arriving in Buffalo
After signing up for the ride, I had some anxiety concerning camping and riding over fifty miles per day. My family, my son Eric who was on the tour with me, and friends were very encouraging. I needed to experience the first day of riding to overcome the angst.
Eric and I arrived at Nichols School in Buffalo early on registration day. The Taste of Buffalo event downtown was a nice way to spend the day before registration in the afternoon. In the afternoon, the camp grew to accommodate 650 riders and nearly 100 volunteers. It was great to see the resurgence of large numbers of people on the tour.
The Taste of Buffalo event on Saturday was a great way to spend the day before registration in the afternoon.
At dinner in Buffalo at Nichols School, a man approached me and said, “Ed, I never expected to see you here!”
It was John from Western Massachusetts, one of the people on the tour last Fall. He was one of the two physicians who stopped on the trail to offer aid after my accident. I was happy to see him and to have the difficulty of my recovery acknowledged. We met in camp several times during the Erie ride.
There were other people that we knew from previous CTEC tours and were happy to spend time with them again. They are Mike from Cape Cod; John from New Jersey; Gordon from New York City; Bob from Rochester; Les from the Adirondacks. It was good to see the familiar faces of the volunteers as well. These were comforting interactions with people before the ride and the people are one reason that the ride is great experience year after year.
Riding as a Personal Achievement
The first day went fine and I arrived in Medina, our first camp, early in the afternoon. Eric and I celebrated with our annual lunch at The Country Club Diner on Main Street. I set up camp following the habits formed by many similar experiences over the past ten years. I slept very well after that first day.
Every year we have lunch in Medina at the Country Club.
Every successive day I felt improved recovery from the previous day. Arriving in camp each day, I had energy remaining to set up camp, shower, and enjoy dinner. Every morning I rose without an alarm clock before 5:30, ready to break camp, eat breakfast, and hit the trail.
Looking Forward to Future Rides
By the time we ended the ride in Albany, I felt that I overcame my anxieties and my severe injury. During the early days of my rehabilitation, I cannot say that I was hopeless, but I needed affirmation that I could still enjoy riding and touring on my bicycle. Cycle The Erie Canal 2022 helped me to achieve that affirmation and the conviction that I will be able to ride for a few more years to come.
It has been more than a week since my son and I completed the Cycle The Erie Canal bicycle ride produced by Parks and Trails New York and directed by April and Al. It was my eighth time on the ride and Eric’s fifth. Every ride has been different and each one full of great memories.
This year, there were several things that were especially memorable. In particular, the Storm at Seneca Falls and the Bike Corral at Fort Stanwix. We noticed one more very significant thing about the trail itself. During the time since our previous ride in 2019 and the hiatus of 2020, there have been significant additions to the trail.
There Are Many Trail Improvements
The ride through Syracuse, the ride into Little Falls, the ride out of Canajoharie, and the ride into Albany in particular featured new sections of trail that make the ride safer and more enjoyable. It takes years to negotiate rights of way and funding for these improvements. That is why I am a member and supporter of Parks and Trails New York, the advocacy organization that makes it happen.
The new riders have missed the transformation. The ride into Syracuse was all on-road as was the ride out of the city. The ride out of Syracuse also challenged riders with steep uphill grades. The same was true of the ride into Little Falls and the ride out of Canajoharie, featuring hills and roads. The trail additions make it much more feasible for less experienced riders to experience the trail and to succeed.
A section of trail east of Syracuse
The outfall from the pandemic required some changes in camping venues. At Fairport, Seneca Falls, and Rome, we camped at unfamiliar places, but they were all excellent. The logistics at Rome were complex and well planned.
We Used Some New Campgrounds
Our usual campground in Rome at Fort Stanwix was closed and we were bused to Oneida Lake and Verona Beach State Park. Our bikes were kept safely within the gates of Fort Stanwix. There were shuttles from the camp site to Sylvan Beach where we enjoyed restaurants, ice cream, a car show, and the start of the annual Sylvan Beach Pirate Weekend, all enjoyable.
There was much more going on at the Rome stop. Box breakfasts were provided at Verona Beach so that we could eat during the bus ride back to Rome to fetch our bicycles. Our bicycles were organized into pods with catchy names so that it was easy to find them.
It Was A Memorable Ride
The ride itself was excellent. We were fortunate that we only rode in the rain in the morning on one day. The forecasts were for rain most of the week. Instead we had clouds and cooler weather that was perfect for riding. The sun made several appearances that were too brief, but that did not detract from the personal achievements of most of the riders in completing the nearly 400 mile ride.
Each year I find new ways to enjoy the annual Cycle the Erie Canal event provided by Parks and Trails New York. This was my seventh year on the ride with PTNY. In past years I have enjoyed the history, sights, and towns on the route. This year my emphasis was personal performance. I wanted to decrease my elapsed time each day on the route and improve my average moving speed for the week.
This was the fourth year that my son, Eric, joined me for the ride. We have a lot of fun together and we have several ride traditions that we try to maintain. He rides much faster than I do, but we have a lot of time in camp in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
As usual, we arrived in Buffalo on Friday, 5 July, before the Saturday registration. We planned to park our car in Albany on Friday and drive a one-way rental to Buffalo. The approach supported by PTNY is to park in Albany and take the PTNY shuttle to Buffalo on Saturday morning. There is nothing wrong with that approach, but it led to an interesting series of events for us.
The parking situation in Albany changed and PTNY didn’t anticipate Friday arrivals. The PTNY email gave an address for parking and directions to follow signs to the “Dutch Quad”. When we arrived at the address we could not find the Dutch Quad and nobody knew where it was. Eric happened to find a phone number as he searched the Internet for answers. The number was for the campus parking office that luckily was open on the day after the holiday.
The woman in the office gave us a new address that was at least three miles farther out from downtown Albany. The new address was a general address for what happens to be a large SUNY Albany campus. Once we arrived we called again to get directions to the parking office..
Once we found the parking office we explained to the woman at the desk that we were told that there would be a $35 fee to park for the week. She didn’t have any knowledge of that arrangement, but shared that parking enforcement and tickets were suspended for the week. The only fee that she could collect was a $5 for the current day. We left the car parked on the Dutch Quad parking lot with our one-day sticker, thinking that when we returned the car might be impounded.
In Buffalo on Saturday we arrived at the camp ground at Nichols School and I returned the rental, hopping an Uber back to the camp ground. We set up our tents just before the skies opened up and poured rain until mid afternoon. In previous years Eric and I have taken the Buffalo tour to pass the time and enjoy the sights of Buffalo. Each year the tour has taken a slightly different route, always ending up at the water front to relax and eat. This year the tour departed on time at 10 AM in driving rain. There were about a dozen riders who didn’t mind getting soaked, but we reasoned that if we got that wet, we would not be able to dry our clothes until we arrived in Rome. We sheltered under the large dining tent that was set up at the site.
Under the tent we met Volunteer John. John talked about his folding bike, purchased for $200, that he would ride as a bike SAG person. Conversation turned to food and he vowed that he would try roast beef on weck while in Buffalo. According to him, roast beef on weck is as Buffalo as wings.
Roast Beef on Weck
The skies cleared slightly and John went to a meeting. Eric found a deli a few blocks away. We decided to try it since it had good reviews and we were hungry. To our delight the menu included roast beef on weck and we both ordered the same. The first bite revealed the unpleasant fact that it was extremely salty. The weck was like a hamburger bun, but a little more firm, and caked on the top with rye seed and salt. Neither of us will endorse roast beef on weck.
On Sunday we rode to Albion for the first leg of the route. On the way through Medina Eric and I stopped at one of our favorite diners, The Country Club Diner on Main Street. It has always been one of our favorite stops and we had a breakfast meal at about noon. After eating we rode the last four or five miles to the fairground in Albion, home of the world’s largest apple pie, where we would camp with the group.
Country Club Family Restaurant in Medina NY
On Monday we rode to Fairport with a mandatory stop in Pittsford at Artisan Gelato. On Tuesday the route took us through Clyde before turning south toward Seneca Falls. This was the first day with significant miles on the roads. I dreaded the first hill out of Lyons until I got there and zoomed up at a good speed. Eric and I remember riding up this and other hills, passing other riders struggling to pedal up. There were only a few other riders around as I made my way up and down the hills to Seneca Falls. My guess is that since I was riding a little more aggressively, I was near the front of the group and traveling among better riders.
After turning south I stopped at a lemonade stand run by two young Amish women. As one poured my lemonade the other held up a small black notebook and asked if I knew anybody who might have lost it. I said, “No” and asked “So, somebody left this earlier today?” She replied, “No, last year. The woman who left it mentioned that she was on the ride before and that she was taking notes so that she could talk about things that happened.” I volunteered to take the notebook and to try to find the owner at camp.
The first official ride person that I saw in Seneca Falls was Suzanne, a car SAG volunteer. I told her the story about the notebook and she took my name. She said that I could talk about this at the meeting on the final evening of the ride. I wasn’t sure what this meant and found out days later.
Rider luggage in Seneca Falls, NY
At dinner time we hopped the shuttle to downtown Seneca Falls with our friend of past rides, Cape Cod Mike. Our destination was Parker’s, a favorite among Erie riders. There we met Marty, a semi-retired child psychiatrist in his eighties, and his companion, John, a retired trauma neurology surgeon, also in his eighties. There was entertaining conversation, especially since Marty had a number of colorful athletic accomplishments from his early years, including playing Italian professional baseball.
Sadly, the following day after arriving in Syracuse we learned that Marty and John dropped out, finding the ride too demanding. I couldn’t help but think that an electric assist bicycle is perfect for people like them who want to remain active and experience a ride like this. That’s my plan, although at present I am very able and don’t feel the need for an assist.
Mike, Eric, and Me in Syracuse
Leaving Syracuse always tests your abilities as a cyclist. The route to rejoin the trail features several relatively steep hills. Since I have experience this before on other trips, I rode conservatively on the first few hills, being passed by at least two overly enthusiastic riders. It delighted me to pass them riding up some of the later hills.
We arrived at Fort Stanwix in Rome in early afternoon. As usual, Eric arrived about an hour before me and I could always count on him to carry my bags to our camp site. We both used the coin laundry near the park to refresh our riding clothes. Eric bought a pizza and we decided to save half of it for breakfast the next morning.
At about 5 PM Eric, Mike, and I strolled to the Savoy for dinner. We were all stoked to try chicken “riggies”, a Rome specialty. All three of us enjoyed a plate of chicken riggies and each of us took a box of riggies left overs back to camp.
Chicken Riggies in Rome NY
Breakfast in Rome is usually served in a YMCA that is not far from camp. We looked forward to our alternative before we left the camp site. Eric and I had a slice of pizza and our left over chicken riggies before leaving camp. The pizza was a little dry, but the riggies were excellent! We were well fueled to hit the trail to Canajoharie.
Once in Canajoharie everybody must face the ascent to the high school that is at the highest point in town. The hill up to the school has grades of over 6% for a distance of half a mile. I chose a “sneak” path that stretches the distance by about a quarter mile,. moderating the grade somewhat.
At the school a local group was offering ice cream sundaes and root beer floats. I enjoyed a root beer float while cooling off before my shower. Eric and I sat under the pop-up tent near the welcome tent until it was time to hop the shuttle to the Arkell Museum for dinner. The barbecue chicken dinner at the museum by Brooks BBQ was excellent.
It was under the pop-up in Canajoharie that I learned that I was an act in the talent show that is always a part of the final evening activities. I laughed because I didn’t have an act: I had a lost black notebook and I promised to try to find the owner. The show announcement poster called my act “Lost and Found”. Suzanne, the person that I told about the black book in Seneca Falls, happens to be one of the principle organizers of the talent show.
On Saturday morning we had breakfast at the high school. This was probably one of the better breakfasts. What I like best was the server by the bacon with the tongs who asked, “Load up?” Of course! He grabbed about eight slices of freshly cooked bacon and dropped them on my plate. We watered at the water horse and departed for our last camp in Niskayuna. The trail from Canajoharie to Niskayuna has been improved a lot during recent years. Still, there is some significant maintenance that needs to be done. We encountered rough pavement and about five miles of rough horse hoof prints on part of the stone dust trail.
The high point of this Saturday ride is the cookout at the Pattersonville Volunteer Fire Department. Eric passed the site so early that they were not yet set up. I arrived in mid-morning when they were just getting started. I enjoyed a hot dog and a drink before topping off my water bottles and getting back to the route.
Lock 8 Near Schenectady NY
Eric and I both arrived at our camp, the Jewish Community Center in Niskayuna, very early in the day. As usual Eric arrived an hour before me averaging about 15 miles per hour! The family that runs the food concession at the JCC set up a table and sold pulled pork, pulled pork cole slaw and corn chip salad, and chicken wings. Eric and I ate our fill. We enjoyed their food so much that we ate little of the catered dinner that evening.
After dinner there were a few announcements and credits to staff and volunteers. When those were completed the talent show started. I was finally called to “perform” late in the show amd I began by telling the story of the lemonade stand. I read one of the notes in the book about someone forgetting to put film in a camera and shooting filmless frames for a day. The notebook also had a story about the author making a bad turn and ending up in a bank drive-through teller lane. The writer went on to say that the lane had a notice that the maximum vehicle height was 10′-5″ and the windshield of the truck she was driving warned it’s height was 10′-6″. I realized that the author must have been a ride volunteer driving one of the rest stop box trucks. They have a height of 10′-6″. She wrote, “I wonder of Al bought damage insurance.” Al is the ride director. One of the show principles rose and said, “That’s mine!” She snatched the notebook from my hand and I quickly got the hook.
Later, Eric, Mike, and I discussed our plan for Sunday, the final day of the trip. All of the end-of-ride arrangements in Albany were new. The parking situation and the end point were unknowns. It seemed there was the possibility of a lot of congestion and confusion. We talked about alternatives. Mike had the idea of riding his bicycle to the parking area, 13 miles away, instead of the finish point, 26 miles away. We retired to our tents after discussing alternatives.
In the morning Eric and I decided I would hop an Uber to the parking lot and he would wait for me at the JCC. We found Mike and he joined me for the ride to the parking lot. He figured that the bicycle ride to the parking lot might be risky since it was a route that was new and unknown.
We arrived at the Dutch Quad and my car was still there. I managed to park for the week for $5 and not get impounded. It was a short ride back to the JCC where we packed and headed home, saying goodbye to Mike until next year.
My average elapsed time on the route this year was five hours each day and my average moving speed was 12.3 miles per hour for the entire ride. Total miles this year on the ride was 357. My mileage usually exceeds 400 because of the Buffalo tour and the ride into Albany on the final day. The mileage on my Surly Long Haul trucker advanced to 16,190 miles and still going strong.
