It was shaping up to be a perfect day. Until a piece of metal broke.
It was shaping up to be a perfect day: sunny, warm enough for a sleeveless bike jersey, chocolate cake for breakfast… because why not?
Continue reading “Erie Canal bike ride: A crisis on our first day along the way from Buffalo to Medina”So much to see in Buffalo! Spend a day here before heading out on the Erie Canal trail.
We took a day at the start of this week-long bike ride along the Erie Canal to get a feel for Buffalo: the wealth from a century ago when industrialists were building their mansions along Delaware Avenue with the profits from their grain silos, from when the Pan-American Exhibition that showed off the promises of the new century was marred by a presidential assassination, and when Art Deco became the fashion.
Actually, there wasn’t enough time to see everything.
Continue reading “Erie Canal bike ride: Exploring Buffalo”Here’s the state of the D&R Canal towpath from Washington Road to the Lawrence Hopewell Trail.
At the beginning of May, we checked out the state of the D&R Canal towpath from New Brunwick to Princeton. For Memorial Day, we pushed further south.
Continue reading “The D&R Canal towpath from Princeton to partway to Trenton”Four people, four bikes but no mules, going the other way instead of from Albany to Buffalo.
Four people, four bikes but no mules — it’s going to be an adventure going the other way instead of Albany to Buffalo. But west to east is considered the better option. Downhill? Plus we don’t have to time the train at the end.
We’re heading out in early June. This is the plan.
Continue reading “I’m planning a bike ride on the Erie Canal — your must-sees?”Eight months after the one-two punch from Henri and Ida in late August and early September of 2021, it was time to check out how much repair work had been done.
The D&R Canal towpath was a mess after the one-two punch from Henri and Ida in late August and early September of 2021. Eight months later, it was time to check out how much repair work had been done and how rideable the route is.
So we hopped New Jersey Transit to New Brunswick to find out.
Continue reading “New Brunswick to Princeton on the D&R Canal + East Coast Greenway”The bike-ped path on the new Scudders Falls Bridge is finally open.
There’s now one more way for bicyclists (and walkers and runners) to cross between New Jersey and Pennsylvania — using the new 0.7-mile bike-ped path along the new $534 million (or is it $570 million? After once being projected to cost “just” $310 million?) Scudders Falls Bridge project on I-295.
It opened about a week ago so of course we had to check it out. And it’s great, with long ramps on both ends up to bridge height about 23 feet above the river from the D&R Canal towpath on the Jersey side and the Delaware Canal towpath (part of the D&L Trail) on the PA side as well as a few bump-outs so you can pull over and stare northward (or downward).
Continue reading “A new bike crossing over the Delaware River”There’s a fantastic newish trail that takes you into Washington, D.C.
Back when I biked from Annapolis to Alexandria, Virginia, along the East Coast Greenway in 2014, the route to Washington, D.C., relied on the Northwest Branch Trail. Today there’s another option, and I think it’s even better.
This is the Anacostia River Trail, which runs along the eastern side of the Anacostia River, which feeds into the Potomac River, and crosses back into D.C. nearish to the Capitol. There’s more on the western side (some still under construction) that goes past the old (soon to be demolished?) RFK Stadium and near the pro baseball and soccer stadiums.
Continue reading “I’ve found another 5-star trail on the East Coast Greenway — this time in D.C.”I dreaded seeing the damage from Henri and Ida. What a mess.
The remnants of Hurricanes Henri and Ida walloped New Jersey in August and September, and the D&R Canal towpath was smack in the path of both. The Millstone River flooded, Canal Road flooded, all kinds of major roads flooded … it was not pretty.
I dreaded seeing the damage to the canal towpath (also part of the East Coast Greenway).
We finally biked the section from Trenton to Princeton after Sunday’s big rally for the Essex-Hudson Greenway. Here’s what we found:
Continue reading “Hurricanes Henri and Ida ripped up the D&R Canal towpath”I’ve been waiting for this lovely section of the Delaware River Heritage Trail to formally open. It finally has.
I’ve raved about the new trail from Crystal Lake Park to Roebling before — while it was under construction, while the railroad crossing was being finished … it even made my list of 5 great Central Jersey trails before it was formally finished.
So what more can I add? Beyond go. And offer up more photos to help tempt you.
Continue reading “This fabulous new bike trail in Burlington County is finally officially open”I did it! I’ve biked the entire 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway!
I’ve done it! I’ve biked the entire 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway!
My final day began with drizzle in Stamford, Connecticut, and ended on the steps of the old Post Office across from Penn Station. Those last 40-plus miles encapsulated all that the Greenway is: wonderful trails (the Hudson River Greenway), comfortable residential roads .. and some crazy stuff.
Continue reading “My final section of the East Coast Greenway: Stamford to New York City”
Exploring by bicycle 