Tour Journal: Erie Canal, Allegheny Highlands, etc.

I've just completed a two-week ride from Albany, NY to Baltimore, MD via
Niagara Falls, Buffalo,
Erie, Pittsburgh, and Cumberland, MD.

My journal can be found he

http://www.officebears.com/cycling/t...ieCanal06.html.

Enjoy,
-bob

thanks Bob
we're from Balto and done a few CAM's so recognized a few of your routes.
Nice journal - thanks for sharing.
E

"Bob Clemons" wrote in message
news:rIidneABsp6PIDLZnZ2dnUVZ_oydnZ2d@cablespeedmd .com...

I've just completed a two-week ride from Albany, NY to Baltimore, MD via
Niagara Falls, Buffalo,
Erie, Pittsburgh, and Cumberland, MD.

My journal can be found he

http://www.officebears.com/cycling/t...ieCanal06.html.

Enjoy,
-bob

"Bob Clemons" wrote in message
news:rIidneABsp6PIDLZnZ2dnUVZ_oydnZ2d@cablespeedmd .com...

I've just completed a two-week ride from Albany, NY to Baltimore, MD via
Niagara Falls, Buffalo,
Erie, Pittsburgh, and Cumberland, MD.

My journal can be found he

http://www.officebears.com/cycling/t...ieCanal06.html.

Thanks. I was planning on taking part of this route along the Yock two
years ago, but got talked into rafting at Ohiopyle and ended up busting some
ribs, which ended the biking. You provided a nice vicarious experience.

A very nice account. The first part brought back memories, as I've biked
twice from Albany to Niagara Falls or Buffalo as part of longer trips.
I experienced the Lake Erie headwinds you reported southwest of Buffalo.
One of my trips (in 1994) was on Highways 5/31 and close to where you rode,
except my riding companion and I stayed on the highway. The earlier trip
(in 1968, whatever that says about my age) was further south, on US 20 and
very hilly.

If you had it to do over again, would you use the off-road trails as much as
you did.

You have my particular admiration for crossing PA and W. MD. west to east.
That's a lot of climbing!


"Bob Clemons" wrote in message
news:rIidneABsp6PIDLZnZ2dnUVZ_oydnZ2d@cablespeedmd .com...

I've just completed a two-week ride from Albany, NY to Baltimore, MD via
Niagara Falls, Buffalo,
Erie, Pittsburgh, and Cumberland, MD.

My journal can be found he

http://www.officebears.com/cycling/t...ieCanal06.html.

Enjoy,
-bob

Ron Wallenfang wrote:

If you had it to do over again, would you use the off-road trails as much as
you did.



If I had to do it again I would make a couple of changes, but I would
probably
use the trails about as much as I did. Given perfect weather I would have
probably spent more time on the Erie Canal trails, just because the
roads aren't
particularly scenic. Given worse weather I would have spent more time
on the
roads (just because it's cleaner and you can go faster).

I would also have allowed for an extra day to get to Niagara Falls.
Five days wasn't enough
time to stop and smell the roses, which is really the whole point of
traveling by bicycle.

Certainly, I would take the Allegheny Highlands Trail from Pittsburgh to
Cumberland
no matter what the weather--to avoid the hills, and because it's a
pretty nice trail. I chose the
roads and hills in W.Md over the C&O Canal because of the mud and
because that
towpath is too boring to ride more than once every five years (except,
of course, for the
always thrilling Paw Paw Tunnel). Besides, after two days in the woods
I was ready
for some open roads.

-bob