Rolled out of Scotia Arrowhead marina and campground at 10:06. Easy enough along a paved trail until it ended in Schenectady where I was back on the road using my wits as I wove through town looking for the continuation of the trail. The compass, gps and paper map finally brought me to the trail. Trying to meet up with Betsy was an act of futility. For lack of signs we kept missing each other. Finally I gave an intersection on a side roads where I parked until she could find me. After lunch outside of a business that did NASA missile work, I road the final six miles on a street leading into Albany. Even the ending point was impossible to find. This included short stretch of path that dead ended onto grass located on a large apartment complex; insult to injury. With a little finesse Betsy and I rendezvoused at a riverside park in downtown.? I disassembled part of my bike and reorganized the packing of her car to accommodate two bikes, all my gear plus her stuff. We made it work. We drove south to Schodack State Park where we set up camp before heading back to Albany to have a celebratory dinner at a nice English style pub.
All in all, the Erie Canal ride was a wonderful ride when on the trail but poor directions and an incomplete route made for many frustrating moments. Someday this canal ride will be a breeze for the average bicyclist as well as a money maker for this economically depressed area.
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