June 14, 2021
To Medina
I started my journey eastward along the Erie Canal fortified with coffee, yogurt and egg bites from Tim Horton’s. The weather prediction called for morning showers, and I could have delayed my start. But I was just too excited! Maybe next time I’ll calm down and stay dry.
The route headed out from the harbor north along the Niagara River, crossing under the Peace Bridge, which connects the US and Canada, before dipping down to Unity Island. The first drops of rain hit me at the Peace Bridge and I donned my rain jacket as soon as I hit the island. Despite the inclement weather, cycling along the river was rather nice.
For the first fifteen miles until Tonawanda, the route was a mix-mash of paved greenways and bike lanes. Tonawanda is the site where the Erie Canal empties into the Niagara River and I was expecting a big Erie Canal Trail welcome center – if for nothing more than a photo-op. But there was none. Road construction blocked my RWGPS route on the south side of the canal and the Gateway Center that I found on the north side seemed to be some type of city visitor center with no apparent bike access to a canal trail. I finally found the canal trail thanks in part to spotting two soggy blokes on bikes with panniers. Dan and Craig were just starting out, heading to New York City – no doubt we will meet again on the trail.
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From Tonawanda, the Erie Canal Trail heads northeast for 20 miles to Lockport, generally following the Erie Canal. However, there are a number “street sections” on lightly traveled roads. The rain had been coming down pretty steadily for a couple of hours, and I stopped to don some extra layers and booties to keep the chill at bay. I was heartened when the sky ahead brightened, and I started dreaming of a warm lunch in Lockport. Tom’s Diner sounded like just the place for the grilled cheese and soup I was craving. And soon enough “I was sitting at the counter” in Tom’s Diner, humming the words to the classic Suzanne Vega song while downing two cups of hot chocolate, a grilled cheese on rye, and a cup of chili. By the time I left, I was toasty inside and the sun was shining outside.
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Lockport is the start of the Erie Canal Trail towpath and the next 15 miles to Medina were canal-side along a mostly packed crushed stone surface. I had blue skies, sun shine, and a nice tailwind – the only thing that impeded my progress was frequent stops for pictures. Cornfields and big sky reminded me of Iowa, and of how much I love a long vista and skies that stretch from horizon to horizon. I was grinning all the way to Medina.
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I arrived at my hotel in Medina a little past three – it was a self check-in hotel and they had texted me my room number and key codes for the outer and room doors. It was a great place, save for the fact that I had to carry my bike up to the third floor. The stairs were a bit long and narrow, but I managed not to fall over backward crushed by Vivien George. For dinner, I opted for a popular family restaurant - it was step up from a diner, but not a big one. I was craving pasta and went for the eggplant parm – a giant plate of food appeared that I didn’t half finish. That didn’t stop me from blueberry pie and ice cream for desert. I waddled back to the hotel, very satisfied with my first day of the Erie Canal Trail.
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2 years ago
Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 264 miles (425 km)
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Your tour is lovely, Susan. I’m enjoying your writing and photos so much.
2 years ago
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Thanks so much for your kind comments, they are very encouraging. Glad you're enjoying the journal!
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The 15 miles of canal trail from Lockport to Medina is packed stonedust - it's pretty smooth and easy rolling. There was a thin layer of dust covering the hard pack. Even though it had rained in the morning, the trail wasn't muddy. There are some pictures in my entry about Medina that might give you a better idea of the surface.
Farther east, unpaved sections of the trail can narrow and sometimes the stone dust is a little looser or heavier, but there aren't really rocks and ruts. I did hear that thick layered stone dust may get like peanut butter in heavy rain, but I did not experience that -even though it did rain during my trip.
Overall, there is very little of what I would call a "rough road" - certainly not like a gravel road with loose stones - just not as smooth as the tarmac. I'm not sure what your tire size is, but I saw some folks riding pretty skinny road bike tires.
Hope this helps - happy to give more info.
2 years ago