August 13 Day 74 Rochester NY 66 miles 6:43 riding
Our first day on the canal. We are riding the towpath where the draft animals used to walk to pull the barges along the canal. The riding conditions are delightful. The path is almost perfectly level. The surroundings are fields or forest on both sides with the green and placid canal between.

A pleasure boat motors by now and then. There are small towns at frequent intervals. For the most part, they have preserved their 1900's-style architecture.
The towpath surface is packed gravel. The pedaling is a little slower than we are accustomed to.
Now that we are off the roads and on a bicycle path, you would think we would be safer. In fact, we had our first unscheduled bicycle/rider separation. There are posts in the path at the intersections with roads so that cars can't drive down the towpath. Just as I passed a barrier, I called attention to a tugboat working on the canal. Michele directed her attention to the tugboat instead of to the barrier. She hit the barrier absolutely square. The bicycle stopped; Michele continued her previous trajectory, unencumbered by the bicycle, landing on one thigh and one elbow. She has a very colorful bruise on the thigh and some scuff marks on the elbow. Otherwise, she is unhurt. She got right back on and pedaled away. She's tough!