Start:  Fredonia, NY

Finish: Lockport, NY

Weather:  70 degrees, overcast

Miles:  75

Distance to date: 2,537

Last night I had one of these sixth sense experiences that there was something wrong
with my plans for the next few days. I checked my maps and the Internet and
sure enough, NY 5 and NY bicycle 5 do not run parallel.  The route I planned, through Darien and Canandaigua, did not go along the Erie Canal.  To follow the canal, I had to go much further north. After some deliberation, I figured, hey, I am not about taking the shortest route and so I changed my direction and came north today to Lockport, the start of the Eire Canal bike trail.

I woke early, had a terrific Days Inn breakfast and hit the road by 6:30 am.  The riding was fine – smooth roads and cool distractions.  I stopped at Greycliffe, the summer estate that Frank Lloyd Wright designed for the Martin family (one of his biggest clients), I followed the scenic shore road outside of Buffalo, and the very nice bike trail along Buffalo Harbor.

Oops!  The trail dead ended and I had to retrace a few miles and take the incredibly high Highway 5 overpass over the Buffalo Canal – surely the most treacherous stretch of my ride.  The highway dumped me right into Buffalo’s famous central square and I pedaled
up Delaware Avenue where the robber barons built their mansions, through portions of the beautiful Olmstead boulevards, and then out of the city.  I picked up the Erie Canal in Towanda and followed a great bike trail to Lockport, where I plan to stay tonight.

About five miles outside of Lockport I passed another cyclist with saddle bags, so we stopped and talked, Jodie is heading from Williamstown, MA to Shore Haven, MI.  She is the first touring cyclist I have seen since Lamar, CO.  She was kind enough to take a picture of me so you all can see that I am doing fine and have not been making this up.

Buffalo area is full of Catholic Churches and I passed signs for fish fry Fridays all along my route here.  I am hoping for some all you can eat fried fish once I get settled in Lockport.

Me and my Surly along the Erie Canal outside Lockport, NY