297: Empire State Trail Preview

Previewing the epic 9-day, 520-plus mile bicycle touring journey from Buffalo to New York City, including all the pre-ride statistics, how this tour tracks my early years, details on how I’m traveling from the beginning and end of the tour , gear I’m bringing, my camping options and much, much more. Empire State Trail Preview Pre-Statistics 527.4 miles 9 days riding 1 zero day 1 low mileage day Average 58.6 mi/day Roofed lodging – 3 nights (4 with the zero) Paid camping – 1 Free camping – 2 Wild camping – 2   Tracks my first 25 years of life (ish) Buffalo – what could have been (plus sports) Rochester – Hometown Syracuse – Go Orange! Albany – Where Friends Went Hudson Valley – Law School NYC – Internship/End of my days in NY (for now)   To and From Originally was going to fly in and train back Flying has been such a horror show I reconsidered One way car rental and gas is more expensive but more predictable Downside is a mediocre sleep going into day 1 (not sure where that sleep will be just yet) Drop off is Buffalo Niagara Airport Ride will not commence at the end of the trail, but I’ll join the canal due north, east of Lockport so I get some new to me canal towpath riding pretty much all the way to the western outksirts of Rochester on Day 2.   Gear The Safari rides again! Fully loaded Stealth tent and hammock (just in case) Original stock rack is back on Will keep riding clothing to two sets One set “camp clothes”   Weather Low 70s as highs, Upper 50s as lows Tracking rain, but can handle it if it comes   Foot Riding shoes Camp sandles Inserts in both Ibuprofin and Electrolytes A lot of stretching Icing and elevating foot each night   Roofed lodging? Yes, family visit plus other reasons that shall be revealed (#priorities) Also, balances the ride out a bit   Wild camping? Trail has limited established camping south of Albany So we need to make some! Did some Google Maps scouting   Presumed Highlights Riding new Erie Canal towpath portions Riding from where my parents live now to my old hometown Integrating a Syracuse University portion to the ride If I’m up for it, a casino night in CNY Revisiting my favorite campsite on the canal (Fort Plain Lock 15) New to me riding along the Mohawk River around Albany New to me route all the way south to NYC   Pedalshift Society As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer's upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there's one-shot and annual options if you're not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society. Kimberly Wilson Caleb Jenkinson Cameron Lien Andrew MacGregor Michael Hart Keith Nagel Brock Dittus Thomas Skadow Marco Lo Terrance Manson Harry Telgadas Chris Barron Mark Van Raam Brad Hipwell Mr. T Nathan Poulton Stephen Dickerson Vince LoGreco Cody Floerchinger Tom Benenati Greg Braithwaite Sandy Pizzio Jeff Muster Seth Pollack Joseph Quinn Drue Porter Byron Paterson Joachim Raber Ray Jackson Jeff Frey Kenny Mikey Lisa Hart John Denkler Steve Hankel Miguel Quinones Alejandro Avilés-Reyes Keith Spangler Greg Towner Dan Gebhart, RIP Jody Dzuranin Lucas Barwick Michael Baker Brian Bechtol Reinhart Bigl Greg Middlemis Connie Moore William Gothmann Brian Benton Joan Churchill Mike Bender Rick Weinberg Billy Crafton Gary Matushak Greg L’Etoile-Lopes James Sloan Jonathan Dillard John Funk Tom Bilcze Ronald Piroli Dave Roll Brian Hafner Misha LeBlanc Ari Messinger David Gratke Todd Groesbeck Wally Estrella Sue Reinert John Leko Stephen Granata Phillip Mueller Robert Lackey Dominic Carol Jacqi McCulloch John Hickman Carl Presseault David Neves Patty Louise Terry Fitzgerald Peter Steinmetz Timothy Fitzpatrick Michael Liszewski Hank O’Donnell David Zanoni David Weil Matthew Sponseller Chad Reno Spartan Dale Carolyn Ferguson Peggy Littlefield Lauren Allansmith Eric Burns Thomas Pearl Darrin McKibben Richard Stewart Dave Fletcher Jack Smith Luke Parkinson Ryan Patterson Cyrus Farivar Music You've been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Jason has a new track available NOW, and a new album available NOW AND Jason's first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen!