After months of anxiously planning this trip, today I finally had my first glance of the Erie Canal!
After a great night’s sleep and a wonderful breakfast (thanks to cousins Marty& Elyse), I set out a little after 9am with a fully loaded bike and not knowing what to expect!
I stated just south of Albany, and I had to go north a few miles to Schenectady where the bike route began. I tried to take a scenic route instead of the busy boulevard, which turned out to be a mistake because I ended up getting completely turned around and went miles out of my way! At one point I accidentally went around the University of Albany!
But I finally made it to Schenectady and found the start of the Erie bike trail. By the time I got here, I was already tired! I quickly discovered that the heat, humidity, and my very heavy bike made riding a much bigger challenge that I have been used to.
I pressed on, and finally got my first glimpse of the canal! It was a beautiful milestone for me. But I still had 30 or so miles left to ride so. I didn’t linger too long.
For the most part today, the trail was paved and really nicely maintained. There were a few sections where the trail was part of the highway, and these were tough sections. There was zero shade and the roads were hilly – the long, gradual hills that wear down on you.
I rode through some beautiful scenery. There is so much greenery here and a lot of the trail goes through dense, lush forest. Really nice. A there is so much wildlife on these sections. Rabbits, colorful birds, chipmunks, and more kinds of critters were darting around through the brush.
I stopped for a lunch at a cute little cafe that catered to cyclists. Then I sat by the river and ate.
Some parts of the trail were not paved, and these were slow going. My heavy bike did not perform well on the loose gravel, and at one point near a railroad track the trail was very rough.
By mile 40 I was started to hit my wall. It was approaching 4:30 and my legs were done! My planning on this leg of the trip wasn’t great. There was no campsite anywhere nearby. So finally around 6pm I just got a room from the night in an inexpensive motel. Kind of a sketchy place, but that’s all part of the adventure!
I walked over and got some dinner at a local place, and now I’m back in the tiny room which smells like cigarettes. My legs are sore. I’m hoping they are ok for tomorrow.
Unfortunately I wasted so much mileage getting to Schenectady that I am a bit behind where I should be. I went 53 miles today, but I’m still short of where I should be tonight
Overall it was a gruelling day full of highs and lows, which is exactly what I wanted from this trip! I’ll always remember my lunch by the river, and biking through such beautiful country. But I’ll also remember my sore legs, wanting to just stop riding, but forcing myself onwards. A great day!