Posted by I bike to work most days. I can sit here and tell you all the benefits of cycling to work (mental health, physical health, appreciation of my surroundings, etc.) but you’ve likely heard them all. Instead, I will let the photos of yesterday’s “long way home” ride I took from Henrietta to Pittsford to Brighton.
I hopped on the Erie Canal Trailway at Winton Road and headed East.
My shadow followed closely.
Structures, canal locks and beautiful landscapes abound.
Doesn’t this just invite a bottle of wine, a spread of cheese and a bluetooth stereo with some smooth jazz?
What kid can resist a jungle gym shaped like a tug boat?
The only interruptions on the lightly rippled water was the occasional kayak.
Lock 32 was a perfect place to stop for a quick break.
Looking back into the sun.
Doesn’t it just call to you?
Approaching Pittsford means ducking under some nifty bridges. I’m kidding, there’s plenty of clearance. 😉
Finally, I arrived in Schoen Place in Pittsford, one of the most beautiful areas along the Erie Canal. Shops, restaurants and even Lock 32 Brewing Company line the canal, a terrific place to stop and explore.
The obligatory shot of my “Grocery Getter.” This classic-styled Linus ride is one of 5 bikes I own.
Lock 32 Brewing Company for a glass of cider.
And a walk along the Canal.
Finally, it was time to try out a new trail, part of the Pittsford Trail System, heading home. I picked this one up behind the Delmonte Lodge and Spa and headed north toward Brighton.
The beginning of this trail was decent, a single, relatively smooth lane of hard dirt and cinders.
What doesn’t show up in the photos is a portion of this trail was lined with beautiful Forget-Me-Nots!
Peeks into some very nice back yards were in no short supply.
As the trail moved along, it paralleled Monroe Ave. While a stone’s throw away from the busy four lane road, this trail quietly divided Oak Hill Country Club (on the right) and the shops and businesses along Monroe (on the left).
After crossing Clover, the trail didn’t quite know what to do with itself. Loosely defined, featuring all different surface types, it still continued north toward Allen Creek Road.
While the trail to this point was a little rough on bike, it was viciously rough after crossing Allen Creek Road. Bumpy, grassy and rocky (remains from the old railroad bed), speed over 5-7mph was rarely attainable, and never comfortable.
Despite the difficult ride (especially on a cruiser bike!) it was very pretty. Streams, homes, and backyards all flanked the path.
Crossed Elmwood!
Finally, I reached Highland Ave., near where I live.
On a beautiful day, I took a beautiful ride around the east side of our great city. I wrote this to show how easy it is (even with some rough riding) to connect three suburbs via cycling paths, not simply to take a leisurely ride in the late day sun, but to provide cyclists with a dedicated, car-free transportation experience.
The pictures take you on the journey and remove the unknown, and remind us all of the beauty we see around us when we ride. These were all taken with my phone, most while I was still pedaling. They are taken not as art, but to put you in the saddle of a two wheeled, human powered machine on a beautiful night. Hope on a bike and join me, it’s gorgeous out there!