Adventure Cycling Association

We’ll meet in the afternoon at our trailhead along the Erie Canal Towpath outside of Syracuse, NY. Before our orientation meeting you can explore the nearby downtown area and the historic Erie Canal museum, which describes how this area was at the leading edge of transportation technology in the 1800s. Back at our start point, we’ll share our first meal together, discuss the trip details, and divvy up the group gear.

Departing Syracuse, we’ll cycle westward toward the quaint town of Skaneateles. There’s a great lunch spot on the shore of Skaneateles Lake, a bona fide Finger Lake. For many years, Skaneateles Lake was the water supply for the city of Syracuse, known as one of the purest water sources in the world. After lunch, we’ll head along the west shore of the lake, climbing gradually and then enjoying a steep descent into the town of Moravia, where we’ll spend the night at Fillmore Glen State Park, named for U.S. President Millard Fillmore.

Today we head up the east shore of Owasco Lake, gradually climbing to earn views of the lake and valley and then descending into the small city of Auburn. From there, we’ll head west to Cayuga, the largest of the Finger Lakes. Taking the sleepy little River Road near the north end of Cayuga Lake, we’ll pass the Cayuga-Seneca lock, which connects to the Erie Canal waterway system. The town of Seneca Falls is a great lunch spot with its small shops and park located directly along the canal. There is much to explore in the town, including the Women’s Rights National Historic Park, the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and the homes of several prominent 1800s women’s rights activists.

Today’s riding starts out quite flat as we hug the northwest shore of Cayuga Lake, but the terrain gradually turns to rolling hills. A short side trip will take us down to lake level along a very quiet stretch of road that features a well-known winery. We’ll then head west and surmount the ridge separating Cayuga Lake from Seneca Lake, our next destination. There’s an Air Force and Navy Veterans Museum on the Sampson State Park grounds that may be of interest to war-history buffs.

We’ll start the day by enjoying several miles of car-free travel along roadways once used by a World War II naval training station. Today weeds sprout from cracks in the pavement of the abandoned roads. Working our way along the shore of Seneca Lake, we’ll pass a large winery and tasting room and head toward the city of Geneva. Stately homes and mansions line our path as we trace the western shore of Seneca Lake, making our way to the hamlet of Dresden. There we’ll ride on portions of the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail toward Penn Yan, which lies at the northernmost point of Keuka Lake. We’ll gradually climb the center of the “Y”, where we will enjoy a spectacular view of the southern portion of Keuka Lake located hundreds of feet below before descending to lake level.

Today we will pass through the picturesque village of Hammondsport, located at the southern end of Keuka Lake. Sometimes referred to as “the cradle of aviation,” Hammondsport was the hometown of early aircraft engine designer Glenn Curtiss, who teamed up with the Wright brothers to build some of the earliest aircraft engines. We might take time to tour the aviation museum in the village, where we’ll learn that Curtiss was also a motorcycle and bicycle enthusiast. Also nearby are several wineries offering tours and tastings. Soon we’ll head out of town on quiet roads and loop around two of the least known and smallest Finger Lakes: Waneta and Lamoka. We will have a challenging climb up and over the ridge before enjoying a spectacular downhill into the town of Watkins Glen at the southern end of Seneca Lake. Watkins Glen became world famous as the site where Grand Prix auto racing took place through the streets of the village until a new hillside road race course was built in 1952. We will spend the night at one of the campgrounds in Watkins Glen.

Spend the day resting and enjoying the Corning Museum of Glass, Watkins Glen Internationa Speedway, Rockwell Museum, many apple orchards, local wineries or take a cruise on Senaca Lake or take a fishing charter.

Today we’ll enjoy a section of the new Catherine Valley Rail Trail before heading up into the beautiful hillsides. Heading east, we’ll ride through the tiny town of Odessa and past compact Cayuta Lake before gradually climbing the ridge toward the much larger Cayuga Lake. Spectacular views of the longest Finger Lake and the city of Ithaca are ours to enjoy before we make the exhilarating 900-foot descent into the city. We’ll climb partway back uphill on a gracefully designed street lined with gingerbread-cottage houses, gardens, and a set of switchbacks rivaling San Francisco’s famous Lombard Street.

We’ll start the day with a short, steep climb out of the college town of Ithaca, past Cornell University. Our route parallels Fall Creek, containing the notable features of Beebe Lake, Triphammer Falls and Ithaca Falls, for more than 20 miles as we make our way northward toward the community of Cortland, a town on a plain formed by the convergence of seven valleys. After a hearty lunch in Cortland, we will make our way to the last of the Finger Lakes that we will see on our journey, Otisco Lake, just south of Marietta, NY. We will pitch our tents for the last time on this journey and enjoy our companionship as we settle in for the last evening.

After packing our gear onto our bikes for the last time this trip, we’ll enjoy a day of riding along the shore of Lake before we head directly north toward the star point location. Leaving the town of Marcellus, we’ll notice a distinctly downhill lean as we approach the Erie Canal towpath trail again. After that, we’ll ride a section of the old Erie Canal towpath trail before returning to Syracuse and the end of our terrific 10-day tour. More than a week of challenging riding in beauty New York, under our belts with more adventures to come.