Arriving in Spencerport, Richard Harpham with Mike Schaffer, a professor at The College at Brockport and spare seat rider, in the front kayak, with Glenn Charles with Rosie Fuller in the second kayak. Richard Harpham and Glenn Charles, two adventurers from the United Kingdom, are making a 500 mile trek across New York State from Niagara Falls to the Statue of Liberty. Traveling in two two-seat kayaks starting in Buffalo along the Erie Canal to Albany, they recently stopped in Holley, Brockport and Spencerport. The Spare Seat Kayak Expedition is so named because they have a spare seat in one of their kayaks for others along the way to share in the adventure. The trip will take about three weeks from Buffalo to Albany as they kayak along and explore the historic Erie Canal.
Traveling along with Richard and Glenn are Simon Bevan, who is documenting the adventure on video and British adventure writer Rosie Fuller. They kicked-off The Spare Seat Kayak Expedition on May 1 in Buffalo and spent the first night in Lockport. On day two, they kayaked through Medina to Holley where they spent their second night.
Day three of their adventure started early in Holley with Wayne Hale, Orleans Tourism Director, in the spare seat and arrived at the Brockport Welcome Center about 9 a.m. The adventurers were greeted by Bill Andrews, who currently manages the Welcome Center. Andrews then took Richard, Glenn and Rosie on a tour of the village providing them with historical facts about the area.
Departing from the boat dock in Spencerport, with Claire Wysokowski, Manager of Communications and Public Relations VisitRochester, in Richard Harpham’s spare seat white kayak and with Rosie Fuller and Glenn Charles in their kayak on their way to Pittsford and Fairport. 
The Spare Seat Kayak Expedition arrives in Brockport near the Welcome Center dock and is greeted by Bill Andrews, who manages the Welcome Center and is former Brockport Historian.
The next stage along the Erie Canal was to kayak to the Village of Spencerport for lunch and tour the Spencerport Depot & Canal Museum with Mike Schaffer, a teacher at The College at Brockport, another spare seat rider. Along the way they were invited to stop and tour the Adams Basin Inn with owner David Haines. In the Spencerport village, they were greeted by Jacqueline Sullivan, Village of Spencerport Clerk, Tom West, Superintendent Village of Spencerport Public Works Department, and by David Haines who is also President of the Spencerport Area Chamber of Commerce, who then took them on a tour of the Spencerport Depot & Canal Museum.
Follow their travels on Spare Seat Blog www.thespareseat.com.
