Erie Canal Bike Tour 

That's good news! Thanks again.

I saw that. Cool bike! Great adventure. Thanks again! I really appreciate it. Hope to see you down the trail. Ride on!

Thanks for watching. The Erie canal is a great ride. Stay safe out there and ride on!

Thanks for watching. I agree. I've never been to NYC. But Upstate NY and the Finger Lakes are very nice. Niagara Falls was amazing. Thanks again!

Dude, thank you. I take that as a blessing and I needed that. Bless you too!

It's a classic ride. I didn't find any girls, though. Thanks and Ride on!

You are too kind. You Rock!

@@paulsuchecki3985 I'm married with four kids now, but my name used to be Molly Turner. Don't know if you remember me, but yeah. I always wondered if you were still biking. Always thought it was really cool you'd biked to Cali and back. Can't imagine the kind of adventure that must bring to your life. So awesome!

@@mollyhernandez2385 Yes, I remember Molly Turner. Awesome! Raising 4 kids must be an adventure as well!

How cool is that Paul? One of your students finds your video and is thrilled that you are still out there on your bike chasing another adventure! Moz 4213 - it was really thoughtful of you to acknowledge the impact that Paul had on you as a teacher regarding your love for science and nature. We teachers (I taught science too) are always heartened to hear from former students, especially when they tell us that we have helped them appreciate those things that we had a passion for. You do Rock!!

Yes, very cool!

The Erie canal is a classic. Thanks for watching!

The C&O is a great trail too. I rode it this past summer. Video coming soon. Thanks again for watching! Have a great ride!!

Thanks for watching! Spring is here. Time to get out and ride. I love my Arkels. Hope to see you down the road.

Thanks. Cycling across the country does make it seem a little smaller. Keep on pedaling! 😎

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Please, stay safe out there. I am currently recovering from a crash. But I hope to be riding again soon. Ride on!!

@@paulsuchecki3985 PAUL! I hope you are okay man! Any crash is bad, but i hope yours was not serious. Praying you are back on the bike and feeling well soon. As a daily commuter to work on my bike, I know it is only a matter of time until I have some sort of crash or mishap. Hope you get well soon Paul, stay positive and like some guy told me....."Now go ride your Bike"...when you can if course!

Thanks for watching. Between the bigger cities, the trail was pretty quiet. The closer you get to populated areas, the busier things get. The Erie Canal is a great trail. Ride on!

Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate it!

Glad to hear it! That means a lot. Thanks for watching.

Great idea!! I'm working on it. Thanks for watching. Stay safe out there!

You are so welcome!

Thanks for watching. Inspiration, eh? Then it's working! I'm only 57. I told my students that I wanted to be able to ride my bike across the country when I'm 70. One of them replied, "so you want to be one of those really fit old dudes." I'd never thought of it that way, but yeah. I guess I want to be one of those really fit old dudes. Thanks! You inspire me!

Yeah Man, its great riding. Thanks for watching!

The Erie canal is an epic ride. So much history. Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching! I feel the same way, I can't wait to get out and bike tour again. I've got big plans! Hope to see you on the road.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. The Erie Canal is a great ride. Have fun. Stay safe and ride on!

Thanks Bud. We need to go riding sometime. Maybe this summer on the C&O.

Thanks for watching! Enjoy the ride.

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. The Erie Canal is an epic route. Lots of history. Hope to see you down the trail. Stay safe and ride on!

Thanks for watching. The Erie canal is awesome!. Enjoy the ride.

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks again! 😎

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching.

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!

The Erie Canal is a great bike trip! Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it. Stay safe out there! Ride on!

I'm glad the video inspired you to ride, that was my purpose for making it. Thanks for watching!!! Enjoy the ride!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching. Have fun. Ride on!

Thank you!

I love the outdoors, too. Follow your dreams! Thanks again!

Glad you enjoyed it! The Erie Canal is a short tour with lots of American history. Thanks again for watching.

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I hope you do ride the Erie Canal, it's a great tour. Enjoy!

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Stay safe and ride on!!

Have a great trip!!😎

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it! Ride on!!

Thanks for watching. I appreciate it!!

Thanks man. I've been to your channel. You've been to a lot of cool places and have a lot of cool videos. Next summer I hope to do the Pacific Coast Highway. But my big goal is to ride to Alaska. I retire in 3 years, but I'd like to do it before then. Keep pedalin' .

Thanks!!

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. I'm glad to be an inspiration, but please be safe out there. I'm currently recovering from a crash. I was riding south along the Mississippi River not far from Rock Island. Stay safe and ride on!!

@@paulsuchecki3985 Thanks so much, and I will be :) I hope you feel better soon, I am just terrified of ever getting into a crash

Thanks for watching! Have a great trip.

Thanks!!

Sorry about the late response. Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. Sounds like a great plan. I also like the canal tarils and rail trals as well. One day I hope to ride in Ireland and England. Hope to see you down the trail. Stay safe and ride on!!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching, to both of you.

Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it.

Thanks for watching.It's a great trail!

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.

Thanks again for watching. I do hope to ride in Europe some day. Thanks for the tip. I had not heard of the Midi Canal but it sounds like something I would like. Thanks again.

Thanks for watching, I appreciate it!

Thanks for watching! A to-do list is just that, go do it! Enjoy.

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it! Hope to see you down the trail. Stay safe and ride on!

Thanks for watching. Glad it was helpful. Ride on!

Awesome! Thanks for watching. Have a great ride!

Thanks for watching.

Thanks again 👍

Thanks!!

Thanks

Thank you very much!

Thanks for watching!. I also was grounded for 2020, other than short local rides. I've already been vaccinated and have big plans for 2021. I just have to get back in shape. I hope to see you down the road. Thanks again!!

That's the way I would go. Your chances for tailwind are better but not certain.

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. The Erie Canal is a great ride. Lots of history. Stay safe and ride on!

Thanks for watching. I like the Erie Canal too. Enjpy!!

I've rode the GAP and C&O in 2012. Awesome trail. I'm planning on hitting again, maybe this summer. Safe travels.

Thanks.😎

Thanks! It's a great trail.

It's a great ride. Take the train home from Albany. Have fun and stay safe!

Thanks for watching. The trail surface is varied over the entire route, be prepared. It's an awesome ride. Have a great trip.

I'm glad that you're getting out and riding. The Erie Canal is a great ride. I'm glad you used the word inspire because that was the whole purpose of the video, so I'm glad it worked! I'm not from the NY area, so I'm not a great source of info on bike trails in NY. I rode the Ohio to Erie trail in Ohio and made a video, another great ride, I recommend it. Almost all paved bike path from Cincinnati to Cleveland. There is the GAP and C&O trail from Pittsburg to Wash. DC. I rode it, but before my video making days. Awesome, get out and enjoy the trails. I think traveling through the landscape on bicycle is the best way to see experience it. Keep on biking, hope to see you on the road!

Thanks Again!

Paul Suchecki where you from Paul?

@@billysbikesbrews7183 I live in Illinois.

So little time and so many roads. I'm thinking Pacific Coast Highway.

Thanks!!!! My bike is a Miyata 1000. It's a 1987 touring bike. Back in the day it was one of the finest touring bikes on the road. They don't make 'em anymore. It's an old bike but almost every thing has been upgraded. Wheels, gears, seat, bars, shifters, levers. I like to stay in motels, but I still carry my tent and sleeping bag, just in case camping is the only option. I usually carry enough clothes for 5 or 6 days and do laundry when needed. I'm working on a video that describes all of my touring gear. I'll be posting it shortly after the new year. More details then. Thanks again for watching, liking and subscribing!! More videos to come shortly.

Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it. I parked at a hotel in Lockport, they were kind enough to let me. I rode to Albany, took the train back to Depew and rode back to Lockport, it was only a few miles. If I were to do it again, I would park at the Amtrak station an Albany. They have long term parking for a fee. Take the train to Buffalo on the front end. Ride from Buffalo to Albany, pick up my car and drive home. Hope that helps. Thanks again. Stay safe and ride on!!

Thanks for watching! Yes I did convert from 27" to 700C. The Miyata 1000 has cantilever brakes and it was no problem. I just had to adjust the position of the pads. If you have caliper brakes it might be different. Where the brake pad attaches to the caliper, it should be slotted. This allows moving the pads up or down to adjust for different size wheels. It's a small range, but 27" anf 700C are pretty close. The advantage to 700C is you usually have a better selection of tires. Thanks again. Ride on!

The Erie canal is a great ride. Have fun!!

Thanks for watching. I have some shoulder and neck issues that make an upright position much more comfortable. It's probably less efficient and puts more weight on the buttocks, but I'm in no hurry and at least I can still ride. Old? Yeah, I guess 51 is pretty old (just kidding LOL!!!) I'm 57. But like they say, it's not the years that matter, it's the miles. Like you, I plan on riding until it's just not physically possible. Makes me appreciate each ride that much more. Thanks again, hope to see you on the road!

@@paulsuchecki3985 Thanks again Paul! Once this Covid19 is over with, I hope to at least try a Buffalo to Rochester run. I'm still teaching, so hopefully by the summer, things are under control.

@@uhu69 Me too. Just got my 1st dose of Covid vaccine today. 2nd dose in 4 weeks. I am so ready!

@@paulsuchecki3985 I'm 75 and did an inn to inn New England Tour with Adventure Cycling. I was afraid I was too old (almost 74 at the time), but I had no problems. We did 40 to 55 miles with about 3000' elevation climb each day. Of course we also coasted down. I just got my 1st COVID shot and will get the booster in 24 days and the pandemic seems to be winding down - so I'm hopeful I can soon sing that Erie Canal song as I pedal along there - inspired by Paul.

@@RichR711 I'm 57. I was telling my students that I want to be able to ride my bike across the country when I'm 70. In order to do that I will have to ride every summer between now and then. One of students replied, "so you want to be one of those really fit old guys". I thought to myself, "Exactly!!" Keep on rolling, I hope to see you down the road. Thanks again!

Thanks for watching. When you say the go pro moves, do mean there is vibration in the shot? or the camera "walks" and changes position? I've tried a couple different ways of attaching the go pro to the handle bars of the bike. I just used an old broom stick (probably an inch or less in diameter) and cut it to about 12" long or so. Using 2 hose clamps, I attached it to the top of my stem so that the end of the stick extends beyond my handlebar bag, unless you want the top of the handlebar bag in the shot. I have a go pro attachment that clamps the camera to the end of the stick. I think that as long as the camera is firmly attached to something that is firmly attached to the stem (center of bike) rather than on the handlebars themselves, away from center, there should be less vibration.

Thanks for watching. I really appreciate it. That train route allows "roll on" service, so I didn't have to box up my bike. Stay safe out there and ride on!!

I drove my car to Lockport (just east of Buffalo) and parked it for 6 days at the motel I stayed at, the Lockport Inn and Suites. They said it was ok. I rode my bike to Albany and took the Amtrak back to Lockport (DePew). The Amtrak from Albany to Buffalo allows "roll-on" service for bicycles, but only on the late train. Leaves at like 6 or 7 pm and arrives after midnight. A bit inconvenient. During the day they do not allow roll-on service due to the high volume of commuters. If I were to do it again, I would drive to Albany, park at the Amtrak station (they allow long term parking in a protected lot). I would then take the train with my bike to Buffalo. Ride to Albany, retrieve my car and drive home from there. Hey, Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching! I stayed at hotels along the way. The best suggestion I could give would be check out these websites. www.cycletheeriecanal.com www.ptny.org/canal tour Also find this guidebook. Cycling the Erie Canal By the Parks and Trails New York. I'm not from the NY area so I don't have detailed knowledge of the area. And post-Covid, some services might change. It's a great trail, have a great trip.

Thanks for watching. I'm riding a 1987 Miyata1000 and I'm running 32's. It's an older frame and about the widest tire it'll take is a 35 and with almost no room to spare. There are some soft spots along the Erie Canalway Trail where a 35 or wider would have been nice. I heard the entire trail was "finished", but I'm not sure what that means. I think there are still some sections in cities where there is not trail, but a well marked bike lane. Anyways, enjoy the trail and stay safe. Thanks again!

@@paulsuchecki3985 Thank you!

Sounds like a great ride! Have fun and stay safe. Thanks for watching. Hope to see you down the trail.

It's an excellent trail, I highly recommend it. However in our current climate I would say "let the traveler beware". Personally, I have suspended all travel plans until further notice. Really sucks because I had big plans. But if you decide to go, enjoy and be safe! I parked my car in Lockport, so I took the train from Albany to Depew. With Amtrak things can change, but they allowed Roll On service only on the last train of the day. It got in late, like after 12. I didn't like that. There are earlier trains, but they don't allow Roll On. I think you can still take your bike but you have to box it and check it as baggage. The best thing to do is check with the Amtrak station in Albany. If I was to do it again, I would probably start in Albany. Park at the train station. They allow parking in a secure lot for 7 days. I would then ride to Buffalo and take the train back to Albany. Just an idea. Anyways, Have Fun!!

I actually have old injuries in my lower neck and shoulder. II went through many handlebar changes, but being more upright takes most of the weight off of my hands, which reduces shock to my shoulders and spine. The upside is that I can ride almost pain free in my neck and shoulders, but it does transfer more weight to the saddle. I'm sure it's less efficient than a more crouched position, but I'm not really built for speed anyways. I see more things riding upright. For years i rode mostly looking at the pavement 3 feet in front of my front wheel. Now I can see the scenery. It does look weird, I don't like the look, but it's very comfortable. I was thinking about a "nuts and bolts" video, and that might happen. My touring style and gear selection has evolved over the years. i used to camp out almost always with a rare motel stay if the weather was bad. Now that I'm older, I look for the motel first, even if cheaper camping options are available. But I carry a lightweight tent just in case camping is the only option. Same with food. In my younger days it was grocery stores and cooking with an occasional restaurant, now it's the other way around. But again I do carry a lightweight stove, just in case. When I rode the Erie Canal, I stayed at motels every night and ate at restaurants mostly. If at a grocery store I buy food that doesn't need to be cooked. I'm sure it's more expensive, but now that I'm older my tastes have changed and my budget has expanded a little. The bottom line is, everybody's touring style is different. If I made a touring video about my rig and how I pack and how I ride, I think about 80% of bike tourers would say I was doing it all wrong. Not because I am, but because their way is different. I guess that's why I prefer to tour solo. I get to make all of my own decisions, and I am never wrong! If you're just starting off bike touring and are looking for good information, I suggest that you check out Adventure Cycling Association. I don't know of a better source of good solid information in one spot. Unfortunately I was not able to go bike touring in the summer of 2020, so I don't have any new touring videos coming out. I may have to do one of them nuts and bolts videos, just to keep my hand in it. I'm thinking about re-building one of my old touring bikes and making a video about that, and then maybe selling the bike. I dunno!

I'm not familiar with E-bikes. Although I'm starting to see them everywhere. My guess is that in 2 or 3 years everyone will have one. Riding a regular bike is obviously harder. The E-bike is probably more comfortable. I guess it comes down to how much excercise you want/need versus how comfortable do you want/need to be. The Erie Canal is a great place to test it out. Have fun!

I run 32's on my road bike, even on well paved roads. I've never run 25's, they sound awefully thin. I wouldn't recommend it, but don't rely solely on my word. I suppose for about 80% of the path, 25's would probably work fine, especially if you are travelling light. Some of the path is crushed stone and is mostly hard packed, but there were some soft spots. There are also some areas that they call "natural surface" , it's basically mud. But that's probably less than 1% of the entire trail. It seemed like there was always a paved road alternative anywhere along the towpath in case the path looked questionable. Enjoy the ride, it's a great route. And thanks for watching my video!

I'm not from the area, locals would know the trail much better than me. But, yes it seems the western portion is less populated and more scenic. The canal is older and smaller. You're closer to Niagara Falls and the Finger Lakes region. The closer to Albany, more people. Although, the Schenectady area had some "old" charm to it. Enjoy the ride !!

In 2019 when I rode the Erie Canal Towpath, very little was paved. Most of the trail was crushed stone. Some places are what they call "natural surface". Basically mud. I'm not from the area and I've only ridden the trail once. But judging from a quick look at the map, it looks like the trail follows the Mohawk River from about Rome to Troy, 80-100 miles. Get the book, "Cycling the Erie Canal". A wealth of information.

Thanks for watching! If there is standing water, there are mosquitoes. So, Yes.

Thanks for watching. Have a great trip! Yeah, stay outta that budget inn. ,😆 LOL