POI's on the Erie Canal

Doing Marrowback the day before, I was feeling kinda tired and achy in the morning. But it looked to be a pretty day and Karen offers up a small adventure that we had on her to-do-and-see list that involved only about 20 miles or so, and all flat. Sounds good! We loaded the bikes on the car and headed west to Albion.

Albion is one of the countless little port towns that grew up around and because of the Erie Canal. So it's an OLD town, and like a number of others, it's a time capsule. The main street downtown is stunning, with old stone buildings from the 1800's. 

We started from downtown and followed the route of RBC's Orleans County Tour on State Street out of town. I'm no fan of prisons, but I admit to appreciating the glimmer of razor wire in the sun at Albion's Correctional Facility on the way out of town. Past Eagle Harbor, past Knowlesville, we get to Culvert Road, our first Point of Interest (POI) on the ride.

Yes, it leads to a tiny underpass. But it's more than that …

It's a culvert UNDER the Erie Canal. The only one on the entire length of the canal. Cool! The sign on the right says it's in Ripley's Believe It Or Not. It's also mentioned in Roadside America.

Our turn-around point for the day's ride is Medina, another old canal town, but this one is famous for the red Medina Sandstone quarried here and used in the construction of many famous buildings and even the towers of the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as many buildings in Medina's downtown. We wander town for a bit. Karen hasn't been here, but I've served many lunches here to bike tour groups while checking out the railroad museum. I wanted to show Karen the house I've wondered about.

It's been run down, but looks like someone is going to fix it up, and we think it would make a fantastic B&B … or a biker hostel, even better!

After lunch we head to the Erie Canalway Trail and we just have to pause at the Big Apple (this is apple country) …

… before getting to the second POI of the day. A huge concrete aqueduct …

… passes OVER a stream running through the village, and the stream boasts a cool waterfall underneath that I'm certain local kids spend plenty of hot summer days hanging out at.

We follow the canal trail back toward Albion and we stop once more for a POI that, like Culvert Road, should also be in Ripley's "Believe It Or Not".

On a canal that runs east to west across the state? Yes, it's real.

After arriving home, we decide on just one more adventure. We headed out to Hamlin Beach State Park at sundown, away from city lights, and got to see the Neowise Comet! Don't miss it! Next chance is another 6800 years!

​Cheers!