Along the Erie Canal

We have been sampling bits of the nearly 400 miles of Erie Canal towpath over the last couple weeks.  It's been good exercise on surfaces that are quite adequate and safely off road, but if there is any spectacular scenery, we have missed it.  We'll get back  here again after some serious research.  In the meantime, here is some of what we saw.

Near the western end, the modern canal is still navigable and each town provides a "harbor" for pleasure boaters.  It is even possible to rent "packets" and captain your own replica canal boat.  

We had so much fun with the ladies at the Albion harbor that we nearly didn't get on the trail.

There are lift bridges, tall bridges and little towns which now depend very little on canal traffic.

 









 

Except for providing cheap pizza and ice cream to a few cyclists.



Near Syracuse in the East, the Old Erie Canal has been abandoned and is protected by a long linear State Park.  It is more pastoral here, often single track along the tree shaded canal edge.

Yeah, Really!

And, of course, there are signs 

...And our favorite, near a particularly beautiful B&B...