Cycle the Erie Canal – Day 1: Buffalo to Medina

Today’s Highlights:
I woke up at 4:00 and tried to rest until 5. I had plenty of time to get organize, but I kept finding things to get ready or adjust, so the extra time was helpful. I loaded my luggage on the truck at 6:00 and went to breakfast. The food selection was excellent. Because I was working today, I started riding with my route marker partner at 6:45. The rest of the riders had an official send-off and police escorted gang start at 7:45. It was easy to stay ahead of everyone all day and make sure the route was marked. Besides, many participants take advantage of the sightseeing along the way and are not in a rush. My stops today were limited. The route was already very well marked and I only had to mark one section of road that was newly paved.
We rode 48 miles from Buffalo to Medina. There was a strong headwind and cloudy skies for the first couple hours, and then it cleared up into a beautiful day. About half the ride was on roads or paved canal path, and the rest was on crushed stone paths right along the canal. Lockport, Middleport and Medina were a few of the interesting towns we passed through today. There were activities or points of interest in each town for the riders to explore.
I finished the 48 mile ride around 11:30 and was the first person in the shower truck. Dinner was plentiful. The night ended with a lecture on the history of the Erie Canal and live music outside in the tent city under a colorful sunset.

Pictures Of The Day:

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Statistics:

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