Day 2: Pawling to Livingston State Forest, 80 miles
Day 3: Livingston State Forest to Albany, 44 miles
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This section of the Empire Trail is pretty nice, mostly on paved separated trails and empty country roads. Unlike the Erie Canal it skirts around most of the small towns rather than pass through them, which is both good and bad. It also obviously has a lot more elevation change than the canal- I did as much climbing in one day as I did over the entire Buffalo to Albany canal. Still not bad though and only a few real hills to speak of.
I went with a friend who had only ridden his bike once before this tour! He’s in good shape, but learned that cycling is very different from running. To his credit he endured it without much complaint and still managed to have fun.
DriedMuffinRemnant on
ooh i did this in reverse one year. nice ride! Surprisingly hilly after the erie canal like you say, but fortunately i had done the adirondack loop after the canal and before the empire trail, so I was ready!
2 Comments
Day 1: Manhattan to Pawling, 80 miles
Day 2: Pawling to Livingston State Forest, 80 miles
Day 3: Livingston State Forest to Albany, 44 miles
—————————————
This section of the Empire Trail is pretty nice, mostly on paved separated trails and empty country roads. Unlike the Erie Canal it skirts around most of the small towns rather than pass through them, which is both good and bad. It also obviously has a lot more elevation change than the canal- I did as much climbing in one day as I did over the entire Buffalo to Albany canal. Still not bad though and only a few real hills to speak of.
I went with a friend who had only ridden his bike once before this tour! He’s in good shape, but learned that cycling is very different from running. To his credit he endured it without much complaint and still managed to have fun.
ooh i did this in reverse one year. nice ride! Surprisingly hilly after the erie canal like you say, but fortunately i had done the adirondack loop after the canal and before the empire trail, so I was ready!