Our first (long) weekend tour!

[JaneE]

DH and I will be going on our first unsupported bike tour this weekend. I'm very excited...in fact, I can't wait!

We live near Niagara Falls, NY, and will be riding to Rochester to visit our son (student at RIT) via the Erie Canal Trailway. We'll probably come home via the Seaway Trail (runs alongside the Lake Ontario shore and is very scenic). We plan to break each leg of the trip into two days, camping the first night at a hike/bike/boat camp area near the canal and on the way home staying a night at one of the state parks up along the lake. It's actually a little less than 100 miles, one way, but we figured this will be a great way to get our feet wet, as it were. No! Strike that last statement! NO RAIN!

We purchased Surly LHTs early this summer but haven't been able to get out for more than some spins around the local countryside. Life has a funny (and not so funny) way of changing even the most well-thought-out plans, unfortunately. This is first chance we've had to venture out.

We still need to mount our frame pumps and slap some reflector tape on various points around the bikes. We're having fun getting ready.

Here's my new baby (DH's new bike is the lovely pea-green ):

[Smilie]

Great bike! How exciting for you, have a great ride!

[Tri Girl]

Your bike is soooo pretty. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy every mile. Please take lots of pics and tell us all about it when you get home. Have fun!

[sfa]

Sounds like a great trip! I love your bike (and I actually like the green version too)--have fun riding it!

Sarah

[JaneE]

Thanks for the well-wishes.

We will be taking our camera, of course, and hopefully taking lots of pictures.

The southern shore of Lake Ontario is (for the most part) very rural farm country with growing Amish and Mennonite communities east of Rochester. It's beautiful. However, as an (almost) life-long upstate New Yorker I guess I'm not completely unbiased.

This afternoon was spent getting our food organized. We're going to try to be completely self-sufficient and have had fun experimenting with some of the recipes on the "Freezer Bag Cooking" website:

http://freezerbagcooking.com/

I think we're about as ready as we're ever going to be.

[JaneE]

Those Amish and Mennonite communities near Lake Ontario (at least the one's I was talking about) are actually in the *other* easterly direction...meaning west of Rochester.

[wnyrider]

How did the trip go? I have been waiting to read about it. I found this website several weeks ago and had been planning to register. Seeing your thread prompted me... I am in your neck of the woods and have a niece in college at St. John. I am in no shape now for a trip that long, but would enjoy hearing how it went for you...

[JaneE]

How did the trip go? I have been waiting to read about it. I found this website several weeks ago and had been planning to register. Seeing your thread prompted me... I am in your neck of the woods and have a niece in college at St. John. I am in no shape now for a trip that long, but would enjoy hearing how it went for you...

It was good. Great learning experience, for sure.

I'm in the process of getting our pictures down-loaded, re-sized, etc. I'll be posting my little report (it was, after all, only a *little* tour ) hopefully later on today.