Bikepacking #2

Dubbed "Epic Shit Bikepacking", this adventure was a test of grit: 570 miles of mixed paved and unpaved trails in just five days, stretching from Buffalo, NY, to Fort Lee, NJ. The route followed the historic Erie Canalway Trail and the Empire State Trail. It was beautiful for it traversed the entire 360 miles of the Erie Canalway to Albany, followed by another 210 miles southbound on the Empire State Trail. Yet, it was undeniably challenging, with the last three days demanding 125, 125, and 120 miles respectively, coming after an initial 200 miles in the first two. "Epic Shit" indeed, for it promised either an epic failure or an epic accomplishment. Who would dare take on such a feat? Three friends jumped in, embracing the challenge: soon to be known as Mr. Mosquito-Net, Mr. Portugal, and Mr. Nobody.

Day 0.  Erie Canal Trail Mile Post Zero.

With their gravel bikes securely loaded onto a rented pickup truck, the three friends drove from New Jersey to Buffalo for an overnight stay at an Airbnb, eager to start their ride the next morning.

Niagara Falls, just a 30-minute drive from Buffalo, beckoned for a quick side trip. They might've set a record for the shortest Niagara Falls visit – less than 30 minutes! A quick photo op from one vantage point, then it was back to Buffalo to return the rental car. They assembled their bikes in the parking lot, pedaled to the Buffalo waterfront for another photo at the Erie Canal Trail Mile Post Zero, then continued to their Airbnb for the night.

Day 1.  Buffalo to Fairport.  112 miles.  Elapsed time: 10:38.  Riding time: 8:18

With spirits brimming with enthusiasm and excitement, they set off from the Airbnb towards the official trail. Blessed with pleasant weather, the pace was fast, with Mr. Mosquito-Net and Mr. Portugal doing most of the pulling. Mr. Nobody, on his single-speed, drafted mere inches behind, bouncing and spinning furiously whenever his friends accelerated. Their energy was boundless on this first day; they frequently stopped for photos of interesting sights and made comments on every "port" town they passed.

Highlights of today's ride.

• The Lock Tenders Tribute Monument at the Flight of Five Locks in Lockport — a striking statue of 12 men and a small girl, recreating an 1897 photo. These 12 men worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, to manage the canal locks for safe passage.
• A sign in the yard of a house they passed where Mr. Nobody stopped and took a picture.  This would become his purpose and goal to complete the 5 day adventure.
• Holley Canal Falls - a beautiful waterfall just a short detour from the main trail.
• A much-deserved gelato/ice cream break in Pittsford.

Today's ride concluded in Fairport, NY, where they stayed at the Budget Inn. Similar motels—Budget Inn, Econo Lodge, Super 8—would be their lodgings throughout the adventure. Dinner was takeout from a nearby Thai restaurant. Their post-ride routine remained consistent: quick shower, washing cycling gear, and preparing hydration and food for the next day. Departure was always around 7 AM.

Day 2.  Fairport to Dewitt.  88 miles.  Elapsed time: 9:07.  Riding time: 6.33

The weather held pleasant for today's ride. A heatwave advisory was in effect, but not yet severe, and no rain in the forecast - a welcome blessing. Like yesterday, the trail offered a good mix of paved and unpaved sections, interspersed with road segments. One long stretch on open Route 31 left them exposed to the scorching sun. Yet, as if guided, they stumbled upon an Amish farm stand along the route. They stopped, devoured a loaf of unbelievably delicious sticky buns with almonds and fresh strawberries, and bought more baked goods for tomorrow's breakfast and on-the-go snacks. Despite numerous stops, it was a shorter, faster ride, reaching Dewitt just past 4 PM. Dinner was a short walk from the motel, at a nearby KFC.

Highlights of today's ride.

• The Amish farm stand on Route 31, a serendipitous discovery with unbelievably delicious food.
• A very late lunch at Subway, just two miles from their motel, followed by a stop at Aldi for some ice cream cravings.
• Mr. Nobody's attempt to order grilled chicken from KFC, met with astonished staff explaining it had been discontinued years ago.

Day 3.  Dewitt to Amsterdam.  125 miles.  Elapsed time: 11:33.  Riding time: 9:00

The ride started with heavy rain. A severe thunderstorm had been in effect overnight and was just ending. With rain jackets on, they rode slower than yesterday with fewer photo stops. They quickly encountered sections of trail strewn with debris and downed trees. Initially, they managed to clear paths, but the obstacles grew in number and size. Some trees had completely uprooted, totally blocking the trail. Eventually, large, unmovable branches rendered the trail impassable, with no way around. To make matters worse, they were swarmed by aggressive mosquitoes, forcing them to put their rain jackets back on for full coverage! They backtracked to a clearing, mapped road detours, and followed routes staying as close and parallel to the trail as possible until reaching the next undamaged town. They passed through Rome, where a power outage had left live electrical wires down; the town bore the scars of more than just a thunderstorm. 

Later that day, they learned an EF1 tornado had touched down in Oneida County around 3:58 AM, tragically killing three people. Prayers to those affected.

They took a lunch break in Utica—Wendy's turned into Subway when staff said the wait was long. They crossed the street to Subway instead. Three Subway lunches in three days of riding.

The ride ended in Amsterdam. They were tired, wet, dirty, and undeniably stinky. They decided to have dinner before checking into their motel for the night—Super 8. The nearest restaurant they found was Lorenzo's Southside, an upscale dining place less than a mile from the motel. They decided to eat there, filthy as they were. All other diners were well-dressed. No problem. They were welcomed and treated kindly. The owner(?) came out from the kitchen after their meal to wish them good luck on their adventure.

Highlights of today's ride:

• Swarming aggressive mosquitoes. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Mr. Mosquito-Net pulled a mosquito net from his gear bag and put it on. The moment sparked laughter and became a running joke throughout the adventure, thus earning him his indelible name. Who brings a mosquito net on a bike ride?!?!?

Day 4.  Amsterdam to Kingston. 125 miles.  Elapsed time: 12:53.  Riding time: 9:50

A severe heatwave warning had taken effect today, engulfing basically the entire northeastern part of the country. They faced heavy miles on tired legs—125 miles with over 4,000 feet of elevation gain. The hills would come in the north-south section of the Empire State Trail from Albany to Kingston, after completing the flat Erie Canalway Trail. They took it slow, with occasional bursts from Mr. Portugal. Why "Mr. Portugal"? Because he was using this as training for Ironman Portugal. Mr. Mosquito-Net and Mr. Nobody knew that when Mr. Portugal shifted to a high-gear, low-cadence setup, he was in serious training mode.

They reached Albany and completed the entire 360 miles of the Erie Canalway Trail before noon. In the scorching heat, they desperately needed relief. Water from their bottles tasted like hot tea. But like previous days, they were guided and blessed. Serendipity #1: a children's park in Hudson City with shower fountain where kids splashed about, oblivious to the heatwave. Joining the kids, the three jumped in, fully clothed - minus only helmets and sunglasses - and enjoyed the fun. Serendipity #2: a Stewart's just off the trail, where they enjoyed scoops of ice cream.

They reached Kingston just before 8pm and decided to get food before checking into the motel - Super 8. Mr. Mosquito-Net and Mr. Portugal wanted pasta/sandwiches. Mr. Nobody opted for Chinese food. They all met at the motel after getting their meals. Another quick shower/laundry session and preparation for tomorrow's ride before bed.

Highlights of today's ride:

• Completing the entire 360 miles of the Erie Canalway Trail before noon.
• A children's park in Hudson City with shower fountain—a truly vital and refreshing reprieve from the intense heatwave.
• Cool, sweet scoops of ice cream from Stewart's just off the trail.
• Crossing the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge, with a terrifyingly narrow gap between speeding cars and the bike lane. Was that really the bike lane???

Day 5.  Kingston to Fort Lee.  120 miles.  Elapsed time: 12:35.  Riding time: 9:38

The final ride of this 5-day adventure. They had survived yesterday's 125-mile heatwave ride. Today brought identical weather with the same severe heatwave warning and another 120-mile journey. One major difference: the entire 120 miles was off-road and paved - a beautifully created dedicated hiker/biker trail section of the Empire State Trail from Kingston to Manhattan. There was one catch - a long, relentless false flat section near Poughkeepsie, stretching for a good 20+ miles of 1-2 percent grade. This meant non-stop pedaling with already-sore asses from four days of riding. No more drafting for Mr. Nobody. Mr. Mosquito-Net and Mr. Portugal had gears to make the ride easier. Mr. Nobody fell far behind, but they would stop and wait for him. They were all in this together. 

Despite the continuing heatwave, the blessings from above continued.  Around noon, they found an empty public beach at Lake Tonetta in Brewster, NY. No signs, no guards, no one at all - just an empty inviting beach.  They wasted no time, leaping into the refreshing, cool water - a blissful reprieve for their tired legs and bodies.

Lunch followed their impromptu beach stop. They found a good restaurant along the trail - Country Kitchen Restaurant - where they filled their bellies with burgers, salads, and fries.

As they reached the New York City section of the trail, their fatigue momentarily vanished, replaced by mixed emotions of jubilation and sadness. Jubilation that the epic accomplishment was within reach, and a tinge of sadness that the adventure was ending. Some fire hydrants were open in the city streets, with residents taking advantage of the cool spray during this heatwave.

They reached Fort Lee and ended the ride at the public library parking lot. The wives of Mr. Mosquito-Net and Mr. Portugal were waiting for them. As for Mr. Nobody? Well, that's how precisely he earned his name!

Highlights of today's ride:

• The impressive Rosendale Trestle and the breathtaking Walkway Over the Hudson.
• The refreshing, cool water of the beach by Lake Tonetta in Brewster, NY.
• The wonderfully shaded and cool section of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.

• Adding it here before it's forgotten - on a cool and shaded section of the trail, a stray(?) dog just came out of nowhere and gave them a chase, but they couldn't remember which day!!!

The Aftermath: More Than Just Miles.

The adventure concluded. They were deeply thankful. No physical issues. No bike problems. They felt truly blessed, having navigated impassable trails, faced unexpected detours, and endured two brutal days of severe heatwave conditions. This was, without a doubt, an Epic Shit Bikepacking adventure.

And a particular bragging right earned by Mr. Nobody: He completed the entire adventure on his Salsa Stormchaser 38x17. Single speed all the way!

Reflection.

Tackling 570 miles in just 5 days is a daunting prospect. Picture five days of self-supported Tour de France-style riding, but on heavy, fully loaded gravel bikes. What truly carried these three adventurers to the finish wasn't extensive training, which they largely lacked, or even experience, for they had not ridden together before. Instead, it was their sheer spirit and a profound love for the ride, pushing and pulling each other through every mile. They truly were "all in it together", with a fourth, and even a fifth, "guiding wheel" providing unseen support from above, a reminder of the blessings and serendipitous moments that saw them through. This wasn't just a bikepacking trip; it was a journey of resilience, camaraderie, and discovering unexpected strengths.