cycling the Erie Canal

Has anyone done this ride?

http://www.ptny.org/canaltour/

If so, how was the camping accomodations? Is it that bad to ride a road bike since that is what we are accustomed to riding? I have a Specialized Ruby and my husband has the Robouaix.

Thanks for any info you can offer with this outfit or if you know of another. We would rather ride this supported & really would have preferred hotels/motels since we have never camped before.

~ JoAnn

I have not done the tour, but I have cycled a portion(25 miles) of the Erie Canal near Green Lakes SP. Unless you are running 35 or 40mm tires you probably would not be happy riding your road bike. A cross bike would be great, or a touring bike that can take fatter tires, but 23mm is a little narrow for the sections of the canal we rode. A lot of the trail is gravel, but parts are just packed dirt. Be sure to bring bug repellent, all that standing water gives a lot of mosquitos, and the deer flies were worse. But we loved the area.

I would agree, I do not ride my road bike on the gravel portions of the trail here in Rochester. They can be pretty rough.

I've never done that ride, I have cycled different sections of the canal. If you have a road bike, go with a little wider tires..there is lots of places that have little chip stones and a packed powdery gravel. SOme sections are paved, which is really nice, and then there are the tree roots that mixed into the trail too. The scenery is nice, but depending on weather conditions, be prepared for gnats. People are friendly along the trail..

Thanks for you input and advise :)

This was just a thought and we are not sure if we will plan it for this year.

~ JoAnn