109.92 km 360621.97 feet 68.30 mi 35256.00 seconds 587.60 minutes 9.79 hours 6.97 mi/hr
Day Five of the Cycling the Erie Canalway Tour. A metric century day. Found the Elmira and Cortland Branch bridge abutments over the Erie Canal on the east side of Canastota. Went east off-trail to Hubbard Place to find a place where three railroad bridges crossed Cowelson Creek within 120 meters of each other. Two of the bridges remain, as do the abutments of the third. They were, from north to south, the New York Central, the West Shore Railroad, and some trolley line whose name I do not know.
On the way out of Oneida, I rode a little bit on the New York Central, just to the bridge over the New York, Ontario & Western. Climb down onto the latter and rode it north. They've had substantial erosion on that trail. Seems to be unmaintained, sadly. Would make a nice trail, if a bit short.
Followed the O&W north until it diverged away. Found the 1877 Oneida Lake Canal on the north side of the Erie Canal, then went back on the trailway route. There's an O&W bridge a bit south of Foster Corners Road, but it's too brushy to get back to it wearing bicycle shorts. Have to come back in the early spring before the brush gets growing, wearing pants.
Went off-route again to find the 1835 Oneida Lake Canal. It lasted for almost 30 years until it finally fell into disrepair, prompting the creation of the later Oneida Lake Canal, which was an abject failure, being built on quicksand, so it constantly sprung leaks. Almost no boats transited this canal for the single year it was in operation.
Yet Again, I got into Rome too late to see any part of the Erie Canal Museum. Barely had time to watch a bit of their introductary video. Rode into town, made camp, stopped into Fort Stanwyx, had dinner, and hit the sack.
posted at: 20:15 | path: /bicycling | permanent link to this entry
