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February - March 2018 46 Find Us On Facebook at Boating On The Hudson
CYCLE THE ERIE CANAL
2018: Register Now
20th Anniversary
Tour Celebrates Erie
Canal Bicentennial
Experience one of
the most scenic
and historic trails
in America
this summer.
Registration is now open for Parks
& Trails New York’s 20th anniversary
Cycle the Erie Canal tour, an
unforgettable opportunity to bike
across New York State and take in the
rich history of the legendary canal that
transformed America. The eight-day,
400-mile recreational bicycle tour from
Buffalo to Albany is scheduled for July
8-15, 2018.
Cycle the Erie Canal participants
will experience one of the best trails
in America as they cycle through
historic canal villages and discover
the small-town charm of Upstate New
York. Along the way, canal historians
and local experts will introduce riders
to the people, places, and things that
make the Erie Canal so important to
the history of New York and the nation.
Cyclists will get to experience some of New York’s most iconic attractions,
such as the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, and
camp at Fort Stanwix in Rome, a full-scale fort recreation from the French
and Indian War.
With more than three-quarters of the route off-road on the mostly-flat and
traffic-free Erie Canalway Trail, the tour offers unparalleled cycling for all
ages and abilities.
In 2017, the tour drew 750 cyclists, from 37 states and Canada,
Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Covering between 40 and 60 miles per day, cyclists travel along the Erie
Canalway Trail, which is now 80 percent complete and will, by 2020, be
completed as part of the statewide 750-mile Empire State Trail. A recent
study shows that the Erie Canalway Trail annually receives close to 1.6
million visits and generates an economic impact of $253 million
Registration for Cycle the Erie Canal includes camping accommodations
each evening with restrooms and showers; eight hearty breakfasts and
six delicious dinners; two refreshment stops daily stocked with fruit,
snacks and beverages; SAG support and baggage transport; daily cue
sheets and marked routes; entertainment and historical presentations
every evening; and guided tours of the Canal, historic sites, museums,
and other attractions. Shuttles will be available at the beginning and the
end of the ride to transport riders
and their bicycles for an additional
fee. Two- and four-day options are
available.
Erie Canal Trailblazers, who
commit to fundraise to help
Parks & Trails New York’s trail
development efforts along the Erie
Canalway Trail, pay only $100 and
receive special recognition on the
tour.
Parks & Trails New York is
the leading statewide advocate
working to create a network of
parks, trails, and greenways so
that New Yorkers can enjoy the
outdoors close to home. Cycle
the Erie Canal supports Parks
& Trails New York’s work on
the Erie Canalway Trail and in
communities across New York State.
The New York State Canal Corporation, the agency charged with
operating, maintaining and promoting New York’s Canal System
and the Canalway Trail, is the Premier State Sponsor of the Cycle
the Erie Canal. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is
the event’s Heritage Sponsor. Nalgene will provide premium BPA-
free water bottles for all participants.
For more information on Cycle the Erie Canal, visit
org/canaltour, email or call 518-434-1583.
The registration fee
for the full tour is $795
for adults and $435 for
youths ages 6-17 and
non-cycling participants.