pictures from a day on the Old Erie Canal Trail...

Sterling and I had a great day riding a piece of the Old Erie Canal Trail that we had never been on before.  We often ride on the Erie Canal, but start in Dewitt, NY.  We have completed many short and longer rides from that starting point.  Before this day our longest ride was about 22 miles, 11 miles out and back, starting from the Dewitt Town Hall.  The trail covers about 33 miles (it says 36 on the web page, but the last mile marker gives us an estimate closer to 33)  from Dewitt to Rome, NY.  When I was first diagnosed with cancer in October 2007, we made a goal of riding the entire distance on the trail.  Since we had never ridden more than the first 11 miles of one end of the trail, we decided to drive to Rome, NY and ride as far as we could from that end and then turn back.  We were able to ride about 14 miles from Rome back towards Dewitt and Syracuse before we needed to turn back.  This way we wouldn't run out of daylight before we made it back to the car.  This was to be a test ride to see if we could go the entire distance.  It was also so we wouldn't get lost on this end of the trail as there are a few sections where the trail ends and becomes roadway.  We clearly were able to ride the distance as we had enough energy to ride further, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate, so our trip from one to the other will have to wait until Spring 2009.  We plan to be dropped off in Rome and ride back to our car in Dewitt, NY.

The picture on the left is just before we started driving on the highway to Rome.  This is very close to my house.  On the right you see the sign for the location where we parked and got ready to hit the trail.

An elderly couple walking the trail was kind enough to take our picture.  This is a short distance from the Erie Canal Village.

On the right you can see the couple that took our picture.  this is what the trail generally looks like.  There are several stretches where is much more of a thin dirt trail, as well as sections on main roads.

We parked for dinner about 11 miles away from the Erie Canal Village.  We had just finished a section on the main road and wanted to complete the next section that was also on the main road.  After that the trail will be off road all the way to Dewitt.  So we stopped for dinner to energize for the next 3 miles and for the 14 mile return trip.

Eating dinner overlooking the Old Erie Canal.

More of the same.

We are almost back here.  Before you hit the first section that is on the road you are actually riding along the Erie Canal.  You have to walk your bicycle over the working lock to continue along the road that will take you to the Old Erie Canal Trail.