Omaha to NYC Day 31

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/414666592?privacy_code=Keec1mWeINi9SXguJUgi50YqaMj7guK9

Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vMq5zjXQr8v

Restarting after a rest day is always exciting. I felt great after two good nights of sleep. But first things first, baked goods. I graded over to Five Points Bakery for the cinnamon roll bread pudding and a latte. Breakfast of champions! 

I was on the road by 8:30. I had to retrace my route into Buffalo for a couple of miles, but soon I was back at the eastern end of the I-190 bridge to Grand Island, but this time I headed north to Tonawanda. In what would be a theme for the day, the wind blew in my face. It would be headwinds the whole day. New York doesn't want me to leave! Nor did eastern Ontario.

(Abandoned section of canal)

The way wound around the eastern shore of the Niagara River. It was 11 miles, but felt longer with the wind. I found a historic marker for the historic Erie Canal. The current one joins the Niagara River at Tonawanda. The old version extended to Buffalo. It seems weird to have a canal next to a river until, d’uh, I read that they needed to move barges in the direction against the river’s current. No wonder this section also had a plaque explaining that this was the site of the first railroad in Western New York in 1836!

(Goodbye Niagara Region)

At Tonawanda, I geeked out over all the Erie Canal stuff. I learned that Tonawanda was a huge lumber port. It collected lumber from around the Great Lakes, processed it and then sent it on to Boston and New York City. I said goodbye to the Niagara River and by extension, Lake Erie. The next geographic leg of the trip had begun!

(Old swing bridge at the start of the canal)

As the case a couple of days ago the wind always seemed to be at 10 or 2 clock. It wasn’t stormy but it pushed back. The route out of Tonawanda was through a lovely park. On the way out of town I stopped at a Tops grocery for dinner supplies and a lighter which I need now that the striker on my stove stopped working. Navigating even a brief bit of suburbia was a drag after roaming a dedicated trail.

(Following the canal)

I followed the trail inland, loving the canal views. I wanted to stop and take pictures around every bend, but I realized they would be the same picture. Have you ever loved some scenery so much that it never gets old. This was today. 

(Next level watch repair)

I found some unique things to take pictures of like the guard lock. I think they are to control the water level in the canal. I also spotted some beautiful, old restored houses. For someone from the west, old houses never get, uh, old for me. Still, I wouldn’t want to live in one unless I had a heap of money to fix all the quirks. That house is the first picture above.

(There are many canal boats)

I was running late when I got to Lockport. It was noon and I needed lunch. I sat down at Tom’s Diner for the all day breakfast. It was packed with local folks. Lockport had a unique feature for canal nerds, a history set of five locks that climbs the Niagara Enscarpment, a cliff band formed by an ancient shoreline. It runs from Western New York all the way to Wisconsin. It’s the cliff that Niagara Falls falls over. Getting a canal over such a big cliff was quite the engineering feat back in the 1820’s. The canal had been widened since then and it has modern locks, but they kept the originals. My friend Mike loaned me a book on the building of the canal, but of course not the details escape me. 

(Old lock with old boat)

From Lockport on the trail surface turns to fine gravel. The whole afternoon I listened to the crunch under my wheels. Normally, the wind would sap my energy and I'd retreat to an audiobook to distract myself, but the bucolic canal scenery lifted my spirits so the only sounds I heard was wind and wheel crunch. 

(I disturbed a lot of geese,)

I quickly rolled through the close together towns of Gasport, MIddleport, and Medina. I wanted to make time. I still had 45 miles on the day when I left Lockport at 1pm. I didn’t stop at the first two towns, but something at Medina demanded a short look see. The canal passes over a river and that river passes over a cliff. So you are on a ribbon of water over another ribbon of water that is tumbling over a cliff. I got a video, because a photo can’t capture it, but the blog software can’t handle video :-(

(Albion where I met Charlie and Audrey)

Shortly after Medina, I decided to follow the advice of the canal camping site I was consulting and call the Brockport Welcome Center where I planned to camp. It is one of many small canalside camping spots. The they have a restrooms, shower, and laundry for boaters and bikers. I learned that they close at 5pm. Holy smokes! I’d need to hurry to get there before 5pm because you can only access the restrooms after 9pm with a key fob! For this frequent midnight bathroom user, that is critical! 

The race to get the key became an challenge. I pushed hard against the wind, which thankfully was lessening a bit and didn’t stop for breaks with one exception. In Albion, I ran into two groups of cyclists. One pair was two friends staying in hotels. The other was a couple with heavy camping gear. They were all going to stay in Brockport like me. The couple was travelling more leisurely and wouldn’t make 5pm. I volunteered to get a fob for them. Suddenly, my mission became even more important.

(Relieved knowing I had the key to relief)

I zoomed along, buoyed by the canal. Legs were feeling gassed, but I kept up the pace even when I knew I’d make it. I rolled into the Welcome Center at 4:46. Charlie, one half of the couple, had called ahead to give them their info, which I had naturally forgotten to do. The woman working their was sweet and said she would have waited around for Charlie and Audrey, but I was still proud to have made it. Normally, I don’t like rushing, but having a mission gave me a reason to push into the wind.

Charlie and Audrey pedalled in not long behind me. We got our tents pitched the decided to grab some Afgan food near the Wecome Center instead of cooking at camp because it is getting cool now in New York. We had a fine time comparing notes. They started in Seattle in May! We even stayed with the same Warm showers host in Port Ryerse, Ontario just a day apart. I have not met many bike tourers on this trip. It's still a niche thing so finding people who know drill is a thrill. 

(Night at the Canalside camp)

And that ended the day