Erie Canal Forum

Is long term parking allowed at the park. or near the Amtrak station?

Interesting question, but let me frame the situation for you.

First, LaSalle Park is going to be going through a major re-shape, re-imagine and re-work that has received some major funding. The Olmsted Park might be in a significant construction phase and not be a viable option. Even without the construction, it would not be a likely candidate for long-term or even overnight parking.

Secondly, I'm assuming you are traveling to Albany (or places east) with plans on boarding a train and biking back to Buffalo. To the best of my knowledge (search Amtrak on the forum), bike loading is only available at the Depew (suburban Bflo) station.

I'm pretty sure leaving a vehicle at Depew is an option. The station is quite isolated from the surrounding area and there is ample parking available. To be safe, however, I would make a call to be sure your plans are in place. If there was an issue there... option for leaving a car would be asking permission at a nearby hotel (there are many, and I've never been turned down before). There is also a Park & Ride at the NYS Thruway exit 49 (Rt 78, Transit Road) not too far north of the Amtrak Depew station.

Agree that the Depew train station has plenty of parking and your car is unlikely to be disturbed if you leave it there for a few days. It is a short ride from the Depew Station to the Buffalo Airport which has ample and relatively inexpensive garage parking, but the roads are busy with lots of traffic.

Thankyou, John and Bubba. I have done a lot of research since I posed the Question. Your answers concur with my findings. Riding to Albany. returning to Depew, where my car will be parked.

@lenny
Hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip. If you need any local assistance feel free to reach out. Search this forum because there is another thread about the best bike route from Depew to the trail (even though you will be doing it in reverse). -bubba

Looking on doing part of this trail this summer and wanted to know if there was a leg of this trail that had better scenery, sites, etc
Buffalo to Syracuse?
Syracuse to Albany?
Rode the GAP two years ago and that was amazing.
Thanks in advance

Andre,

To start off with, know that the Erie Canalway and the GAP are much different. The GAP is more rural (once outside of PGH) whereas the Erie travels through small towns and a few cities across the state. The GAP also offers designated on-trail camping. Camping on the Erie is rather unofficial; however, many bikers (like myself) are able to camp with/without permission in places along the trail, at locks or public and private campgrounds.

For me, the answer to your question depends much on what kind of outing you enjoy. Bflo to SYR is mostly alongside the current Erie Barge Canal. Once out of Bflo you travel along a mixed surface bike path that is paved in and around towns and villages and hard packed cinder surface in-between. These smaller towns all have their own special charm and attraction, existing as true ports along the canal (both historically and today). You will travel through the city of Rochester on paved surfaces for many miles with easy access to the city's culture and amenities. Heading further east, you again travel along a mixed surface path, close to the canal and through more interesting villages. However, as you get closer to SYR you are distanced from the current canal and will start following the "historic" section of the canal, traveling through some quite interesting sections of re-built canal aqueducts and skirting outlaying townships heading into SYR. The Canalway becomes more paved as you come into SYR.

The next section used to travel directly through the heart of SYR on city streets, but has recently been re-routed a bit north on a more biker-friendly route (although I believe this to be an designated urban bike lane).

Heading east from SYR the Canalway takes on a much different feel. Again, you are following the historic section of the canal out of SYR and up to Rome. In this section many miles are cinder path through wooded areas with the remnants of the unmaintained old canal alongside. Several of the smaller towns are located a little distance away, but a few smaller towns such as Canastota are right on the pathway. The Canalway heads up north and re-connects with the current Canalway at Lock 21 (west of the City of Rome) and continues directly into Rome where you follow the trail through city streets.

So now let's just talk about the trail from here to ALB... from Rome to Utica the trail changes surface from gravel to paved with occasional routing onto streets. Once you get to Ilion, for the most part the Canalway is following the Mohawk River. To me, the feel of the trail changes because you are now traveling through villages and townships that existed much before the building of the canal because of the river. Not better or worse, just different and maybe not as quaint as the western end. The pathway from here into ALB is paved nearly all the way - some sections better than others depending on the age and maintenance of the trail surface. There are some lovely sections along the trail and many different opportunities in the towns along the way. Often times the trail does set you apart from the canal or river so access to Locks might be a short distance away. Meanwhile, the scenery changes and ultimately becomes more urban as you approach the cities of Schenectady and Rotterdam and into Albany itself. Even with the change to a more urban environment, the trail is delightful and ever changing as you travel from community to community.

Hope this helps you understand the adventure ahead. I think it’s important to understand how different the Erie Canalway is from the GAP. I love them both… but in different ways.

I might suggest you get the new Canal Guide to give a good idea of what you can expect. FYI Syracuse to Albany is a little over 30 miles and you can do this in a day. Buffalo to Syracuse will take a few days depending on your ride style ad what you might like to see along the way

@Bktourer1
You are not giving the right information here! Syracuse to Albany is a 150+ miles. Possibly you were mixed up thinking Schenectady to Albany -- that's closer to 30!

I made a big BOO BOO yesterday when I commented on distance, Sorry for the mistake, though getting the guide would be a help to you

@Bktourer1
I tried to be as kind as I could in my post. I knew you were not intentionally giving out bad info, but wanted to make sure the error was recognized. I will agree with you that the PTNY Guide is of some use in planning. However, as I have previously mentioned on this forum, depending on the type of travel one is attempting (camping, B&B, motels, etc.) there is plenty of information available on the internet including Google Maps that are quite valuable in planning.

Can you take a boxed bike from Buffalo to Schenectady on Amtrak?

John,

Although there has been a fair amount of discussion on this forum about train service between NYS cities and towns, it appears that visiting the Amtrak website gives straightforward answers to your question. It is my understanding that Schenectady and Depew (Buffalo suburb) are "roll-on" stations (reservations for available racks required). Therefore, it would be my assumption based on the following information that you should be able to load/unload a boxed bike at either station. Here is the Amtrak website info: (You're welcome!)

FROM AMTRAK SITE (www.amtrak.com/bikes)
Bicycles may be checked on Amtrak between all cities where checked baggage is offered. Not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage. Find your station(s) to see if this service is available.

Bicycles/bicycle trailers may be checked in a bicycle container for $10, in lieu of a piece of baggage. Bicycle boxes are sold at most staffed locations for $15 per box. Customers may supply their own bicycle container.

Recumbent, tandem, and special bicycles over the standard bicycle dimensions and will not fit in a standard bicycle box are prohibited. Gas-powered motorized bicycles are prohibited

The fee for checking a bike as baggage is $10.00. This is subject to change without notice.

Check your bicycle at the station at least an hour before departure.
Bicycles/bicycle trailers may be checked in a bicycle container for $10.00, in lieu of a piece of baggage. Bicycle boxes are sold at most staffed locations for $15.00 per box.

Bicycles must be partially disassembled in order to fit in an Amtrak bicycle box. Loosen and turn the handlebars sideways, and remove the pedals. Amtrak does not supply tools for disassembling.
It may be helpful to disassemble and reassemble your bike before your trip to avoid any surprises. Some parts, especially pedals, may be especially difficult to remove.

Attach your name and address to the box.

After much research. and discussion wit Amtrak agents: roll up service is offered at Albany/Rensselaer. No box necessary, bike goes into baggage car. $20.00 baggage fee to be paid when purchasing ticket. Detraining can only take place at stations that handle baggage. In my case Buffalo Depew.

@lenny... The question was with regard to Boxed bikes, not roll-up service. Not that your research was incorrect, just not relative to the posed question.

Sorry for that comment. Thought you were just looking for transport west. I,ve done this many times in many places. some Amtrak service requires boxing and others do not.

A group of us are riding from Buffalo to Albany early June. Wondering where to fill up water bottles? Do the parks where "Restrooms" are designated on the Interactive Map usually have drinking fountains? Also, are they operating during Covid? Thanks for any help!

I'm on so I might as well answer!

There are not any designated drinking fountains or refilling stations on the Canalway. And, as you pointed out, don't expect parks with facilities to be open when COVID is still an active part of our existence.

Rather, you are always close-by to towns and villages. Replenishing your water supply should not be a concern. Fill up at convenience stores, restaurants or anything close that works!

Last year as I headed out in early June with COVID's early onset, I was more concerned about where I might find "comfort stations" -- I can assure you that even with everything in an upset... I never had an issue finding a place available (and I was bike-packing).

Is there long term parking near the amtrak station.

Hi, a group of us are riding Buffalo to Amsterdam in June and plan to spend 2 days in the Finger Lakes Rea. Any recommendation of where to stay? Seneca or Cayuga lake-maybe Geneva, Seneca Falls or Skaneatles? We realize we will have to cycle off the canal trail for a bit so a bike friendly area and sightseeing , vineyard options would be great to take in. Thanks for this terrific site!

If you manage to get near Watkins Glen, check out the Gorge
The Finger Lakes areas can be hilly in places

We enjoyed the Gould Hotel in Seneca Falls. It's a boutique hotel in a renovated historic building downtown. It was perfect for walking to the museums in town, along the canal and exploring the town.

We also enjoyed our stay in a yurt at the Yale Manor B&B on Seneca Lake. The next day was a beautiful ride along the lake to the Wagner Estate tasting chateau.

We enjoyed the Gould Hotel in Seneca Falls. It's a boutique hotel in a renovated historic building downtown. It was perfect for walking to the museums in town, along the canal and exploring the town.

We also enjoyed our stay in a yurt at the Yale Manor B&B on Seneca Lake. The next day was a beautiful ride along the lake to the Wagner Estate tasting chateau.

Of the places that you mentioned, I'd have to say Geneva would offer you the best variety of options. Accommodations range from 3-star hotels, B&B's to campgrounds. Seneca Lake is well known for it's Wine Trail that continues from Geneva all the way around the lake. However, you can get your fill and a experience nice selection close to the City of Geneva. Belhurst Castle is a historic landmark and great place to sip wine. Just outside Geneva is Three Brothers Wineries and Estates -- a very fun place to tour and sample. Others can be found from obtaining an area Guide or online at https://senecalakewine.com Know that experiencing the wineries as well as the tasting is what makes the Seneca Wine Trail fun. Small to large and everywhere in-between, each has it's own unique charm.

On the eastern shore of Seneca Lake is Sampson State Park, considered by many to be one of the nicest NYS campgrounds. Plenty of sites or cabins on what was once a large Army Airforce Base, there is an interesting museum on the grounds documenting of the unique history of the base. Nearby is Deer Haven Park, home of the Seneca White Deer that roam the fenced in area that was once the US Army's main East Coast munitions storage facility until it was decommissioned in 2000. Tours are available but just biking past the grounds often provides a glimpse of the unique wildlife that lives within.

There is a nice day-use park at the northern tip of Seneca Lake.Take in the wonderful views of the large and deep lake... BUT, best to stay out of the lake's cold waters. I sweat that this lake *never* gets warm and especially not in June!

Geneva itself is very much a small city, so with it are places to eat and be entertained. The Colleges of Hobart and William Smith are located on a very picturesque campus setting within, and situated along a local street (S. Main St) lined by historic homes. S. Main Street is also NY Route 14 which is a designated bike route that ties into the Erie Canalway further north. Following it from Geneva south for approximately 38 miles will find you in Watkins Glen. Not a suggested tour necessarily, but worth the mention here.

There are simply a lot of options in this area and it is not too far from the Canalway. Depending on your feeling about staying on the Canalway for the entire journey, surely staying off trail and heading over through Seneca Falls and picking up the Canalway Trail further east is a viable option (several miles of road travel) but taking you past interesting local features and terrain.

Hope this helps in your planning. Enjoy the trail.

Looking to ride approximately 150 Mi of trail.
For myself, my girlfriend, ??(maybe) and others ??(very maybe)
Advise on what could be considered the most scenic & historical points of interest.
Want to camp (improved sites),airbnbs or hotel,known good grub but staying true to the trail route as possible and away from big cities.

Big on list is natural beauty &wildlife viewing.
Avoiding worst time of year for black fly, no seeums and mosquitos.

Thank you in advance for any replies.
Brian

Brian, Please do yourself and others on the forum a favor and provide some more information about your proposed logistics. Are you looking for a one-way tour or do you need advise on an out-and-back type of situation. Responses will be more targeted to your needs.

Erie Canal Guide, YouTube, Google. Ya gotta check these out first

The eastern sections have more lodging available and are more sheltered from winds and sun. A pleasant ~150 mile ride is from Spencerport to Utica. If you want to use Amtrak to return on a one way ride Syracuse or Rome to Albany has Amtrak stations and is about 150 miles. The Castle in Amsterdam is a fun place to stay with excellent Italian restaurants a few blocks away.

We are planning to ride the Erie canal trail end to end this summer. I have a couple questions:
1. One of the riders is a young teenager. We are comfortable with him completing the distance, but would like to know more about how much and the conditions for biking on roadway (non trail).
2. We have one rider that would ride a class 1 E bike. I understand they are permitted on the trail, but NY has some unusual Ebike laws that a class 1 ebike can not ride on a road with a speed limit greater than 30 mph. Is the above correct? Will we have an issue?
3. Generally what are the trail conditions. Good for a hybrid bike? are there unimproved rough sections (pot holes, stumps and ?)

Roborider - Your ebike will be fine anywhere on the trail or local streets. No worries there.

The streets you have to ride are for the most part low traffic and somewhat well marked. There was one state highway I recall but it was like 1 mile and had a huge shoulder.

Pretty much any kind of bike or bike tire will do maybe except those super skinny racing ones. The trail is a mix of paved asphalt, hard packed dirt (mule path), and crushed stone dust. If it rains the stone dust can get soupy so proceed with caution but otherwise you’ll see all sorts and styles of bikes along the trail. Hybrid is a perfect bike for the Erie Canal! I rode my Trek Hybrid on my trip and had zero issues handling the bike.

There are some random potholes, tree roots, or the odd rock. Nowhere in particular, you just have to keep your eyes open.

Enjoy your ride!

The only thing I would add to John W's comment is about your concern for road travel. One stretch from Clyde to Weedsport travels along Rt 31 east Savannah where the shoulder is quite narrow on a two-way state highway on it's way into Montezuma. WAIT! I just pulled up the Interactive map and see that the Canalway is re-routed coming out of Clyde -- and I was going to suggest that you search out a more rural route! Looks like a done deal! This is a wonderful change. Look at the map and you will see where it now utilizes Rt 372 coming out (east) of Clyde. However, I believe that the section that re-joins Rt 31 is where the not-too-wide shoulder with guardrails exists. As I have suggested many other times -- from this site's Interactive map you can utilize the Google "Street View" mode and look for yourself. I just took a short tour on the new route and then continued on Rt. 31 to make sure I was remembering correctly. It isn't the widest of shoulders for a rather busy state route. That said, I did feel that cars and trucks gave me as much room as they could. The re-route along the rural road looks great, however, there is no shoulder on the roadway. Your hybrid is great and, as for the E-bike... beg for forgiveness if any issue surfaces. Enjoy your tour.

Thank you both for your input.
Looking forward to the trip

I wonder how much better this edition is. I felt that the last Guide wasn't worth much. However, the PTNY website announces the 2021 Edition with this text in the description:

The 5th edition of Cycling the Erie Canal includes miles of new trail added as part of the Empire State Trail, plus the most recent information on lodging, attractions, and bike shops. 38 full-color maps provide the perfect tool to plan your bicycle trip along the trail.

With interactive maps (here and there), GPS, Google Maps and much other technology, not sure this is going to worth the investment.

When planning from home this could be good for reference before your tour. If I don't get to Ireland this year, I'm gonna get one for initial planning

I’ve just ordered the 2021 edition yesterday to plan for my ride later this year. I think of this guide as an useful tool for planning purposes.

Ho Nguyen,
Planning purposes it is probably a decent reference. The interactive maps on this site and PTNY are ideal. The "Guide" does segregate the trail into areas and lists certain resources and points of interest. However, on the trail, IMHO, it is not worth the weight to carry. A good instance to reference would be when I was in Syracuse and needed a bike shop... Googling "Bicycle Shops close by" gave me all the [good] information that I needed. Again in need of different things on the trail, there are always friendly people on the trail near small towns and larger cities who gave me stellar information.

Greetings! Here is a recap of my recent Fundraising Tour that crossed NYS on the Erie Canalway Trail. It was a fun and easy ride that about anyone could do at their own pace. (Mileage recap at the end. Total miles = 371)

I'm not going to go into too much detail here but welcome any questions about any aspects of the tour. Just post away here and I'll be glad to respond.

I traveled from Buffalo -] Albany and pretty much lived out of my bike packs. I utilized close-by facilities for eating and restrooms and never really had any issues in that regard. I did have provisions with me, so I could stop and camp at any place that I liked - although I really only did that once on the first night. I had decent weather the entire trip (sunny and warm) and had rain one night and my tent provided fine shelter. It was my intent to utilize the "Better to ask for Forgiveness than ask for Permission" principle, however I never really wasn't comfortable with where I stayed and most of the time had some level of permission.

The trail is fairly easy to follow - especially in the well used "Erie Canalway Trail" sections. Note the this trail is being used as the basis for the new Empire State Trail (EST), but my experience was that the signage for the EST was not directional and mostly just there to announce the existence of the route. (You'll love that in the middle of a 10-mile section in the middle of secluded woods that there was an EST sign - really... Who knew?) I did find that when I was in trouble route finding that I could easily depend on using Google Maps (bike routes) and obtain good direction. I especially followed with map open through Syracuse and Rome and when I needed to get to a destination such as a specific Lock that I was planning to use for nightly camping.

Pavement surfaces vary, but it does make the ride more interesting. The western sections are primarily hard packed surface with a gravel/cinder topping that is easy enough to travel over. However, paved surfaces are nearly always present around both larger cities (Bflo, Roc) and then a mile out from smaller towns like Lockport, Medina, Macedon, etc. Most roadway travel is decent - some secondary roads and then some state routes, but most of them are following State Bike Routes with decent shoulders. I'm very comfortable on roadways, so my impression here might be different than others, but I never felt threatened and traffic moved over for the most part. I will mention that the section crossing over Montezuma was a very narrow shoulder on a state route heading into Fort Byron.

As you get into the middle section (SYR - Utica) of the Canalway Trail you are following the historic canal. It is much different than the new Barge Canal and takes you through much remote wooded trails more times under a tree canopy and missing smaller towns. I can't say much for the historic canal as it is not maintained at all and is becoming a real swamp in most places. I rejoiced when I came upon Lock 21 and the beautiful openness of the large Barge Canal.

Then from outside Utica and certainly once in Mohawk you pretty much are on paced surface through the rest of the trail. Much of the trail has been upgraded due to the Governor's Empire State Trail initiative and funding, however there are sections of trail that are a bit older that need attention because of tree roots that have undermined the trail and cause bumpety-bump and are hard on the bike and rider.

The trail does have good directional signage and warnings for curves, hills and traffic crossings. I also has an abundance of interpretive informational kiosks that talk about the trail and townships it passes through.

Trail conditions tend to change based on work being done (I did hit a few detours, but nicely marked). Certainly in this day of cell-phones and map apps, it is a different ride then it might have been not too many years ago. I will mention that the NYS Canal Corp is very good about being available for help. Canal workers are fairly helpful for the most part, but they could be better trained to understand what biking the trail is all about. Mostly those people I met along the trail were helpful when I asked for information about stores or what was ahead of me on the ride.

Not sure what else I might pass onto you. Maybe a bit about me and my gear: I'm a 71 year old male who is in decent physical health - I'm active, take care of myself and eat fairly smart. [I'm an active hiker/climber and found there was a transfer of knowledge/experience for endurance type activity.] I was riding a Cannondale F5 bike -- a nicely outfitted (mid entry-level MTB) when it was released for sale. Mine is some 12 years old. I had a rear rack that I used for panniers (37L RosWheel/China but great bags, less than $40), one each side and an integrated top bag. I needed more space so I added a dry bag that hung on the front handlebars with my handlebar bag. I also utilized a NekTeck 21W Foldable Dual-Port Solar Charger that charged a battery pack (Anker) during the ride and I used to charge my phone at night. It worked great. Also, a friend owns Kanberra Sport who makes "Chafe Paint" and I can't imagine riding without it. This stuff is awesome and keeps everything "down there" smooth and comfortable. Google Chafe Paint anti-friction cream.

I did have two incidents for need for repair. My bike was showing it's age and I had broken spokes. I got excellent help from Syracuse Bicycle and again near Schenectady at Freeman's Bridge Sports. I also learned from a friend following me on Facebook that as a member of AAA, I could utilize their service for breakdowns -- I'm covered during travel, not my vehicle. Great to know.

I have a diary/journal on facebook. Not sure that a link works here on the Forum but you can try to search fb for "Dick's Fundraiser for Feeding America" or find me: Dick Hubbard (bubba) My email is my last name followed by .rdh @ gmail

Lastly, I'll add that doing this as a fundraiser certainly added a special perspective. I was motivated by the extremely generous support of my friends. Incredibly, I raised over $3,000 for Feeding America. I'd say timing was perfect.

[I suppose I could add highlights - let me know and I can do that.]

Bring on any questions. Thanks for your interest and advise.

RECAP:

DATE
MILES NOTES

06/06/2020
49.11 mi NT - Brown St, Albion

06/07/2020
56.22 mi Albion - S. Macedon (Lock 30)

06/08/2020
50.11 mi Lock 30 - Weedsport

06/09/2020
53.37 mi Weedsport - Canastota

06/10/2020
52.5 mi Canastota - Illion

06/11/2020
51.65 mi Illion - Lock 12

06/12/2020
44.77 mi Lock 12 - Waterford (Lock E2)

06/13/2020
13.00 mi Lock E2 - Albany Capital

WNYBubba, what a great recap and thank you for sharing it with us.

I hope with the rebranding of the trail into the EST they can lay down some accurate mile markers from Buffalo to Albany. There’s a few between Buffalo and Rochester (blue and yellow ones) but then they just vanished. I don’t believe they are canalway related (possibly just counting from Tonawanda where the canal begins off of the Niagara River?).

Also, there’s still no true start or finish post or medallion where the trail begins and ends. For example, the trail is supposed to begin at Canalside in downtown Buffalo but there is nothing there that celebrates this amazing trail. No mile markers either, it’s just the Shoreline Trail in Buffalo. Just a some minor enhancements I’d like to see one day! :)

John

Thank you for this detailed summary. Just now beginning to plan for a late spring tour. Have a lot of research to do, and this helped. Joe and I have biked the Katy trail, the GAP 3X (my folks had a home in Harpers Ferry), and cycled guided tours in several countries in Europe and SE Asia.
The Katy Trail was easy to organize......
Now why doesn't this forum has a search option ? :)

ThoseDaltons

I've spend some time today getting up-to-date on this site and just saw you note. If you need any further help, feel free to shoot me an email. I'm local so can possibly help with logistics.
wnybubba@gmail.com

The Erie Canalway is quite unique because it travels through towns and villages (some cities as well). Much different from the GAP, but I really loved that experience. My plans are the C&O this coming season for sure (prbly the GAP as well), but I'm throwing around doing the Erie again and adding the leg into NYC.

My plan is to stay at the Hampton Inn in Williamsvile and to see Niagara Fall on one day and then ride to Buffalo Harbor SP to start riding East to Albany the next day. Please provide directions when time allows pref by email.

Thanks

ED

Bktourer1

Send me an email and I'll help you with directions and logistics. I'm local. wnybubba@gmail.com

Besides the Locks that allow camping, what towns have parks you can legally camp at? Do you need to call ahead? Can you just camp along the canal when you need to?

So... what knowledge I gained b4 my ride in June was: there really are not specific camping spots that are supported by the Canal Corp (or PTNY). "Better to ask for Forgiveness than Permission" seems to be ideal strategy. Officially, I do not know that there is a rule about camping along the trail (not sure I've seen signage that prohibits it), but there are certainly many, many, options available for such. I always felt that I had that as a back-up option on my tour on any given evening if things didn't work out or if I was just exhausted. Also, as I've ridden many sections since, I've often noted-- why that would be a really decent place to bivouac! So, yes I'd consider on or just off trail in more rural sections to be a viable option.

Second item is that Locks generally are a good option, but again, no policy or prescribed places. Most advise to ask a Lock Operator if it's okay (or in my situation) thank them in the AM with much gratitude! They understand. Also, the Canalway doesn't follow the canal the entire way. You are often a mile or so away from a given lock. But... quick mapping will show you and direct you there -- I did a lot of planninf/calculating in the late afternoon when I knew how my day was going, the weather and my mental and physical being.

What really worked for me in pre-tour planning was to use the Canal maps online (here and PTNY) and coordinate specifuc locations with Google maps. Find a spot or mileage that looks decent or within where you intend to travel and then scope it out in "Street Mide" on the map app. You can also do this for any Lock. Google Maps knows, for instance, where Lock 32 is and you can scope out the area and surroundings in Street view mode. Gauk around all you want -- 360° and move from one side of a crossing to the other. It's pretty cool.

I did ask (and receive) permission a few times to stay on private property next to or just off the trail. I merely approached someone (owner) and explained/asked.

Here's one last thought on planning... your best made plans may not be those that you end up following. Take my tour for example -- Day 3 I had spokes break and was delayed 3-4 hours. Well, you never make that up. Every plan for overnight destination was off by almost 1/2 a day thecrest of the tour. So... you re-group, get out a map and see how things can work.

Here's what I know or remember... Lock 30 (Macedon) there is a town park next to the Lock intended for Canalway users (didn't know that when I rode), but I asked at the Fire station right next door and got permission to stay over on their grounds.

Lock 21 just west of Rome is a really nice setting. Large expanse of mowed grass and a potty (I believe).

Lock E-12 worked out well for me. I forgave myself the next morning & was even allowed to charge my phone while I broke camp.

There's another Lock along this section that has a park along side if it. There may have been a discussion here that I was a part of. Again... I found out a lot by zeroing in on Maps Street mode.

The final lock (E-2) in Waterford is also a park-like setting. The telephone/light pole in the far corner has an electrical outlet and the Lock house has one on the outside wall!

Nearly everywhere I stayed I was within a really easy walk/ride of a convenient store or restaurant and easy access to comfort facilities. Never had an issue. Always had a picnic table close by. And, one last item -- I read before leaving that if you are going to be a renegade camper, make a sign to hang out on your tent or bike that explains what you are doing and why you are there. I added my name and cell phone number figuring I'd rather get a call on my phone than someone rattling my tent.

Have the best time! It will all come together.

I plan to ride Buf-Alb sometimes late spring to late fall this year, when the pandemic is stabilized. I will have my camping gear with me so your suggestions about places to camp are much appreciated.

Ho Nguyen,
No issue at all. Happy you thought comments were useful.

Regarding the COVID virus... I rode in the early days of the pandemic last year. I never felt that I was at risk because I was pretty much by myself. The only exposure is having to go into stores or restaurants for supplies and facilities. Masking up and distancing seemed easy enough with which I was comfortable.

Late spring seemed like an ideal time to travel -- weather was great, little chance of rain and you are ahead of any crowds because the Canal will not be "officially" opened yet. Feel free to email me for any additional info. wnybubba@gmail.com