We made it a short day today, only 35 miles, partly because we would be lingering in Niagara Falls a bit in the morning, but also to allow for the wait through border control to return to the U.S. We also wanted to budget time for starting the ride down the Erie Canal since there would likely be places to stop and explore along the way.
The hotel offered what looked to be a bad breakfast, so we opted for Denny's (again), which was just down the street. There was also an IHOP here, but it looked to be on the second floor of a building, and we prefer to eat where we can keep an eye on the bikes, even if it's on the other side of a glass window. That breakfast was more than enough fuel . . . and I also used it as an opportunity to ditch the last of my Canadian dollars. All gone now. Time to head for the border.
After passing through border control, we quickly found the Riverfront Trail that leads out of Niagara Falls State Park and follows the river and the Niagara Scenic Parkway nearly halfway to Tonawanda, NY. But not all the way, so the other six or so miles were on Buffalo Avenue and (of course) River Road. Both were reasonably easy to bike.
Looking back on the skyline of Niagara Falls, ON. Lots of water flowing through here.
Tonawanda, NY seems like a nice town. If we hadn't stayed in Niagara Falls, we would have stayed here. But our plans changed, and we are now just passing through. But it was a nice pass through, and we were soon on the Erie Canal . . . headed for Albany, NY, only 346 miles away.
The canal in Tonawanda with an old swing span locked in the open position.
A jackknife bascule span over the canal. The plaque says it was only opened during inspections after construction and never since. That was in 1919 or so. 100 years and never opened again? Wow!
There are no pictures of adverse trail conditions because there were none! OK, it wasn't all that perfect. There are stretches where the trail gives way to the road. But it usually reconnects very quickly, and I would say that over the 20 miles we covered today along the Erie Canal, only three or four miles were along roadway . . . and mostly quiet roadway.
But where are the canal locks? Well, the first ones you will encounter are in Lockport . . . Locks 34 and 35. Also known as the "Deep Cut," the excavation was required to get through the Niagara Escarpment, which rose 60 feet. Some of the original excavated surface can still be seen . . . but not much!
Another interesting feature is the Pendleton Guard Gate, which is used to block the inflow of water from Lake Erie so that the canal can be drained for the winter.
