Bicycling in Buffalo and Upstate, NY

Additional information on bicycling in Ontario, Canada.

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Books

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• Backroad Bicycling in the Finger Lakes Region: 30 Tours for Road and Mountain Bikes, Fourth Edition.  by Mark Roth, Sally Walters, TNMC Bike Club.  "An updated edition of the classic guidebook to a cyclist's paradise.
  
  New York State's Finger Lakes region is indeed a paradise for recreational cyclists. In addition to the lakes themselves—closely grouped, deep, cool "fingers" among the hills—cyclists will find waterfalls and gorges, wineries and museums, cities and farms all connected by an extensive network of well-maintained roads.
  
  Mark Roth and Sally Walters' collection of tours has long been a trusted companion of cyclists in the Finger Lakes region. Now the members of the Thursday Night Men's Club (TNMC)—a club devoted to biking and outdoor recreation in the Finger Lakes—have revisited and revised each scenic tour.
  
  Backroad Bicycling in the Finger Lakes Region includes clear mile-by-mile directions, detailed maps (with cues), and notes on the history and culture of this unique region. 30 black & white photos, 25 maps."
• Cycling the Erie Canal: A guide to 400 miles of adventure and history along the Erie Canalway Trail.  "An indispensable resource for dedicated cyclists planning to bike across the state or the casual rider looking to take the family out for a couple of hours. Great for walkers, hikers, in-line skaters, boaters and auto travelers, too." Published by Parks & Trails New York.   
• Rich and Sue Freeman Guidebooks.  Comment:  If you don't own copies of Rich and Sue Freeman's guidebooks, you are missing out on the best places to hike, bike, canoe, or tour in the Finger Lakes of Upstate New York and the Bruce Trail in Canada.  Their books are well written and their directions easy to follow.  Highly recommended. 
• Regional Bicycle Guides by Harvey Botzman available through Amazon.com.

Multimedia

• DVDs about bicycling available through Amazon.com.
• Video tapes about bicycling available through Amazon.com.

Organizations

• Buffalo Bicycling Club.  "Welcome to the on-line home of the Buffalo Bicycling Club, Inc. (BBC). The BBC hosts weekly bicycle races throughout New York’s Buffalo - Niagara region  from April to October. Our racing calendar includes road races, time trials, Tuesday night Track racing at the Holland Speedway and challenging fitness rides. Enthusiastic men, women and juniors (who can now join for free) are encouraged to join and take part in our events." 
• Chautauqua Rails-to-Trails.  "Chautauqua Rails-to-Trails is preserving these abandoned rail corridors for conversion into safe off-road trails for recreational use: walking, running, hiking, bicycling, cross country skiing, bird watching (over 170 species identified) and horseback riding.
  
  These trails provide public access through scenic woodlands, wetlands and flowering meadows, offering trail users opportunities to observe the plants, animals and birds found in areas otherwise remote from highways and roads.
  
  The trails are available for outdoor recreational activities and environmental study for the public at large and for group outings sponsored by schools, scouts, churches and service organizations."

  Parks & Trails New York.  "Parks & Trails New York is the only organization working statewide to protect New York's parks and help communities create new parks. Founded in 1985, PTNY has grown from a small group of park advocates to over 2600 members from every region of the state.
  
  Our mission is to protect and advocate for existing parks and the state's natural and historic resources, and to promote the creation of new kinds of parks such as greenways, rail trails and heritage corridors...
  
  ...New kinds of parks, such as greenways, rail and canal trails, and other linear parks, provide green corridors connecting cities, villages, countryside, and natural areas. Heritage corridors protect and promote regional and state history. All of these parks-both traditional and new-play a role in the quality of life for all New Yorkers."

• Finger Lakes Cycling Club, Ithaca, NY.  "The FLCC is active with sponsored riding from April through October. In addition there are many rides initiated through our excellent bike shops and weekly informal gatherings that regularly top sixty riders.
  
  The Finger Lakes area is characterized by "rolling" hills and steep climbs that test your low gears and quads. It is pretty hard to find long flat sections of road in our area, which may be the training secret that enables local riders to usually do well in road and mountain bike racing. That same rolling countryside gives us spectacular scenery for all our riding with views of mixed hardwood forests, deep gorges, and long deep valleys and lakes. The Finger Lakes area is prime touring and mountain biking territory. Our climate is that of the Great Lakes region. There are long, pleasant summers having typical afternoon temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s---perfect for cycling. Fall colors, which peak in mid to late October, rival those of northern New England." 
• Genesee Valley Cycling Club.  "The Genesee Valley Cycling Club is dedicated to the promotion and development of road racing in Monroe and the surrounding counties. Affiliated with the United States Cycling Federation and USA Cycling, the club holds weekly Tuesday night training races throughout the racing season (April through late September), complimented by Thursday criteriums and time trials. The season culminates with a stage race and a picnic in early September."
• Niagara Frontier Bicycle Club.  "Established in 1969, the Niagara Frontier Bicycle Club is Western New York's largest bicycle club, with over 425 members. The club emphasizes safe and courteous riding in an extremely social environment, and we welcome new riders!
  
  The NFBC ride schedule runs March through October and offers over 400 rides throughout the cycling season, with daily rides spanning Erie, Niagara, Wyoming and Genesee Counties. Each ride varies in length from 15-100 miles with varying degrees of difficulty to challenge cyclists of all abilities and skill levels. While primarily a touring club, fast group riding is available.
  
  Once cycling season has ended, the club activities continue with fall hikes and cross-country skiing. Whether you bike, hike or ski, the club offers something for everyone!"
• Onondaga Cycling Club.  "The Onondaga Cycling Club is a Central New York non-profit which organizes cycling events. The club schedules and conducts bicycle rides, tours, races, and time trials from March through December throughout the Central New York area. We also conduct meetings and social events throughout the year. In 2004, 311 people participated in club rides and they rode 104,489 combined miles. We welcome riders of all abilities." 
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).  "We promote policy at the national and state levels to create the conditions that make trail building possible. RTC is a leader in the fight to protect the federal Transportation Enhancements program, which is the largest source of funding for trail development. We steadfastly defend the federal railbanking statute in the Congress and the courts as an essential tool to preserve unused rail corridors.
  
  We catalyze action at the local level by providing the information, technical assistance and training that local trail builders need to succeed.
  
  We provide leadership to the trails and greenways movement. We are developing an innovative Regional Trails and Greenways Initiative designed to make trails an essential component of the emerging smart growth and livable communities movement."
• Recumbenteers.  "Western New York's Recumbent Riders Group." 
• Western New York Mountain Biking Association (WNYMBA).  "WNYMBA is an acronym for the Western New York Mountain Biking Association. This organization was formed in 1992 in reverse the trend of trail closings throughout Western New York. Our primary mission is to stop trail closures, work toward improving access to existing trails and the construction of new trails. We do this through mountain bike advocacy, trail maintenance work, and rider education. With your help, we have been successful in these efforts, and have some great riding opportunities in Western New York today."

Trails in the Buffalo and Upstate, New York Region

• Clarence Pathways, Multi-use Trails in the Town of Clarence, Erie County.
• New York State Canalway Trail System.  "The Canalway Trail System is comprised of four major segments: the 100-mile Erie Canal Heritage Trail in Western New York; the 36-mile Old Erie Canal State Park Trail in Central New York; the 60-mile Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway in the eastern Capital Region, and the eight-mile Glens Falls Feeder Canal Trail in the foothills of the Adirondacks near Lake George. In addition, there are smaller segments of Canalway Trail."
• Seaway Trail.  "The New York State Seaway Trail is a 454 mile scenic route paralleling Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. A well-marked alternative to super highways and modern toll roads, the Seaway Trail leads to eye-opening treasures you might otherwise overlook. Traveling the Trail takes you to sophisticated cities, quaint villages, your favorite fishing port, and dozens of family attractions, restaurants, accommodations and shops. Come visit us soon. We'll help make your next vacation one you'll remember for a lifetime. Happy trails!"

Trails in Southern Ontario region of Canada

• Bicycling the Niagara Region.  From Canada Trails.  Read the comments of other bicyclists who have cycled the Niagara Region.
• Canada Trails, Bicycling in Canada.  "Canada has some terrific destinations for bicycle touring whether for one day or a week or more. It's wide open spaces are crisscrossed by a variety of roads and bike trails. However, roads in some areas may have too much traffic and lack paved shoulders to make for pleasant cycling." 
• Cycleniagara.com.  "When it comes to cycling, Niagara has it all! Whether you are looking for flat, country roads or something more challenging (hey, climbed the escarpment lately?), the Niagara region offers something for everybody.
  
  This section profiles some of the more popular places to ride in Niagara. While efforts have been made to provide accurate descriptions and directions, we can not be responsible for actual road or trail conditions that may be encountered."   
• Elora - Cataract Trailway, Ontario, Canada.  "A forty-seven kilometre trailway linking parks, watersheds and communities in south-central Ontario." 
• Georgian Trail.  "The Georgian Trail runs between Collingwood and Meaford in Ontario's principal ski country. It is very pleasant and well worth visiting."
• Georgian Triangle Trails.  "The Georgian Triangle’s beautiful mountain views, broad valleys and forests, pretty streams and endless Georgian Bay shoreline are a magnet for hiking enthusiasts. There is something for everyone, from a leisurely stroll along the Georgian Trail, to more challenging terrain. Don’t miss the wonderful Ganaraska and Bruce Trails, where the scenic vistas and native flora and fauna are a naturalist’s dream. Introduce your family to the joy of a day’s hiking excursion or a longer hike from community to community along some of the advanced, but well-marked trails. Many trails are connected and marked which adds to the enjoyment of exploring the area on foot. Local conservation areas also have marked trails which allow you to find your way to hidden beauty spots."  
• Hanover Community Trail System.  "The trail system originates in the Town of Hanover via the CNR & CPR rail line that once ran along the majestic Saugeen River. This scenic trail has numerous bridges crossing rivers and streams and is linked to many parks in town. There are 10 access points to the trail. The completion of a 91 metre pedestrian bridge over the Saugeen River (access via 16th Ave. North) offers fantastic views."
• Hike Ontario.  Directory of Ontario Rail Trails.
• Jaggedpath.com.  "...the largest and most detailed collection of mountain biking trails covering all of Ontario."
• The Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee (RNBC). 
• Niagara River Recreational Trail.  "From Fort Erie to Fort George the Niagara River Recreational Trail passes some spectacular scenery. It is very popular with walkers, cyclists and inline skaters."
• Niagara River Recreational Trail.  "This greenway parallels the Niagara River on the Canadian Side. It extends from Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake, through Chippawa, to Historic Fort Erie."
• Ontario Rail Trails.  "A wonderful new type of recreational amenity is appearing on the Ontario landscape. Railroads have been abandoning unprofitable lines and wise communities and citizens groups are turning them into linear parks for bicycling, hiking, and other recreational uses. This web site reports on the best ones in the Province of Ontario." 
• Peterborough County Trails. From Canada Trails.  
• Peterborough Rotary Greenway.  From Ontario Trails. 
• Sarawak Rail Trail, Owen Sound, Ontario.  "The Sarawak Rail Trail runs west from the city limits of Owen Sound, through flat farm land. It gradually winds up the escarpment giving magnificent views of the land below and of Georgian Bay. Once on top of the escarpment the trail connects to the Keppel Rail Trail section and continues to Park Head." 
• Trout Hollow Trail, Meaford, Ontario.  "The Trout Hollow Trail starts across from Beautiful Joe Park in Meaford. The 14km trail consists of mainly easy to moderate hiking, with some difficult steep ridges. Access points at either ends allow you to hike half the trail if you have a ride arranged. The trail runs along the Bighead river. The trail along the river is very scenic & historic..."
• Victoria Recreation Corridor. Lindsay, Ontario, Canada.  "The Victoria Recreation Corridor is a rail trail that stretches from Lindsay, Ontario to Kinmount Ontario. It is 55 km in length and is managed by the County of Victoria."