Bicyclists to ride from Buffalo to Albany

More than 300 bicyclists from all over the United States will roll out of Buffalo, Sunday, July 7, for the fourth annual "Cycling the Erie Canal" bike event, July 7 through July 14. The event is organized by the New York Parks and Conservation Association (NYPCA), a statewide nonprofit organization. The 400-mile trek follows the Erie Canal along the Canalway Trail and scenic rural roads.

The eight-day ride will end Sunday, July 14 in Albany. During the course of the trip, bicyclists will experience the history and culture of the region by making stops at Lockport's historic "Five Flights" working locks, the National Women's Hall of Fame and Women's Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, Syracuse's Erie Canal Museum, the Oneida Indian Nation's Shako:wi Cultural Center on Nation Lands in Oneida, the Erie Canal Village in Rome, Fort Stanwix, the Oriskany Battlefield and the Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site, just to name a few.

The goal of New York Parks and Conservation Association's annual bike tour is to promote the Canalway Trail and bicycle tourism. The Cycling the Erie Canal bike event was created to draw attention to the many scenic and historic areas surrounding the Erie Canal.