John from Pittsburgh on 4/18/2020 9:53:32 AM:
Sounds like a great trip, Rick! Erie Canal is a fantastic ride. Love the GAP/C&O...I’m hoping my trip there this year goes through as planned but we’ll see. I do recognize your name/town from that trails forums.
One more thing you can check out that might affect your trip: the US-Canada bridge wait times. You’ll want to see if there are any major delays. There’s a few sites online. 99% of the time it’s no big deal but sometimes big holiday weekends and global political events effect border crossings. But it’s usually no big deal. Pre 9/11, you could go on the pedestrian sidewalks but now they want you on the roads as if you’re car traffic which is still strange to me. Passport requirements seemed to have reduced traffic a bit though (it must be wide open now I’m guessing).
Since were talking Niagara Falls, one of my favorite rides ever is the Greater Niagara Circle Route. 87 miles, all in Ontario. Start at Niagara Falls, and go north to Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL), west to Port Weller, then turn south towards Welland along the Welland Canal and continue south to Port Colborne, then east to Fort Erie, then north to Niagara Falls. I did it over two days to soak it all in. The falls, the gorge, forts, monuments, the Welland Canal, the town of NOTL, lakes Erie and Ontario, wineries (beautiful!), farms, and old estate houses along the Niagara River. Stunning. All of it is paved and all of it is on trail except the part between NOTL and Port Weller and a small section coming out of Niagara Falls. Obviously that’s one for another day! :)
Oh....Lake Effect Ice Cream in Lockport, NY right at the locks is a must stop.