Niagara Falls 4-5 Days Starting June 29th

[BHazz]

My riding buddy Bob, Ithacabound and I have been thinking that few days in the saddle on a trip to Niagara Falls, Canada could work for us.

We want to experience a neat jet boat ride that starts in New York State some miles from the falls and then blasts up to the falls at rather high speed. http://www.whirlpooljet.com.

The plan starting Friday,June 29 is as follow:
Day 1 - leave CT and reach the Finger Lakes, Rochester Area that evening.

Day 2 - Ride into Canada and explore the falls, tour the town, dinner etc.

Day 3 - Probably onto the jet boats. Head to Route 104, along Lake Ontario and reach the Adirondacks

Day 4 - Ride the Adirondacks and Home

Day 3 and 4 could possible be split into 3 days.

Anyone else interested?

[IthakaBound]

Let's see...

There's Mother's and Fat Bob's in Buffalo.
Connie's in Waterloo.
Belhurst in Geneva.

Maybe I should bring a riding jacket the next size up...

[BHazz]

Let's see...

There's Mother's and Fat Bob's in Buffalo.
Connie's in Waterloo.
Belhurst in Geneva.

Maybe I should bring a riding jacket the next size up...

Fantastic riding, good food, spectacular sights and scenery, it sounds like fun. No rain, no rain, please no rain.

Let's start with a meeting place in the Northern Fingerlakes/Rochester area. Next, we can look for lodging (on the cheaper side $75 per niight) and if any campers sign on, campsites also. Or, other riders can meet us along the way, coming or going.

I would like to get there Friaday afternoon, June 29th and do some riding around the lakes. Next day, head to Canada.

[joyous7]

Hey......I can do this ride. Are girls allowed?

Joy

[IthakaBound]

... You bet!

[joyous7]

Well then......count me in!!


joy

[IthakaBound]

Just a bit of play to kick-start this.
This is a tentative route from Winsted, CT to Geneva, NY.

I chose Winsted as starting point as it is sorta close to MA and NY, easy to get to, Canton Cycles is difficult to miss (should you forget something and need to buy something quickly [I've NEVER done that before ;-]), and there's a gas station right there.
It's ~ 300 miles as mapped, 7 hours of riding.
Ithaka, NY would be ~ 250 miles, 6 hours of riding.

No Interstates, mostly scenic, no dirt or gravel, a bit of fun through the Catskills before we get too road weary, plenty of opportunity to stop.

I have no real preference regarding route as long as it's not miles and miles of industrial corridor, and I don't have to be back anywhere at any particular time so my schedule may be the most flexible here. As such, I'd be inclined to ride less and gawk en route more.

Two observations that may or may not be relevant:

There's something about waiting in line at the border <going either way> for 6 hours on a holiday weekend that I find unappealing. This is pretty unpredictable. My preference would be to continue into Canada but perhaps we should have a pleasant return route in NY state as a back-up? Upstate NY is not a bad place to wander.

There's also something about July and weddings and Niagara Falls that makes me want to be sure I have reservations soon.

The file enclosure in a Garmin V3 .gdb. I can make it a .gpx for those inclined. I'll post an image/map shortly.

Your thoughts?

Alan

[joyous7]

I would love to go anywhere......and happy to assist with whatever you may need.

Joyous

[BHazz]

Just a bit of play to kick-start this.
This is a tentative route from Winsted, CT to Geneva, NY...
Hi Alan,

I think the Ithaca would be a good ending point for day1. From there, we can enjoy the ride up Seneca Lake in the morning. Also, from Ithaca, we only have about 3 1/2 - 4hrs. saddle time into Canada.

Can we all agree on Ithaca as the stopping point for day 1 and start looking for lodging?

[IthakaBound]

Perhaps we should define how long we'll be going for and start a general list (I want to see this, you want to see this, they want to see this) so we can work on lodging, trip planning, etc.

I can leave anytime, the 29th is fine.
I have no "must be home by" date or time.
I'm not planning on packing camping gear at this point.
I can sit out rain or ride in it, albeit more slowly. I'm destination-oriented when I'm riding in the wet.
I have no specific dietary requirements (as my ever expanding waistline since I moved back to CT will tell). I do like eating at unique places that are representative of where I am if I can, but I do choke and pukes, roadhouses or supermarket/picnics just as easily and just as often.
I like dead cows, so I'll always default to steak given a choice if nothing 'different' is around.

If we do Ithaca the first night, wander around the Finger Lakes area a bit, the second night we would be in Niagara Falls, NY.
Most of the third day would be spent in Niagara Falls "doing stuff" then leaving for... ?

Toronto?
A ride along the lake on the Canadian side to the St Lawrence until we turn south through NY? VT?
A ride along the Ontario Seaway on the New York side to the St Lawrence and then a ride through the Adirondacks?
A ride along the PA border, the Pocono's and the Delaware Water Gap?

Two cents anyone?

I'd be happy to do a general trip plan and post it, but less happy to start adding details and then do a major change because of conflict. I'm just not that found of MapSource.

Alan

[JohnS.]

Sounds like an interesting trip, I can't swing the whole trip, so I'll just follow along for maybe the first day, and part of the second, depends how far you're going. I'll let you all shake out the details on waht suits you, and if I can make some of it, I will.

Look forward to meeting a few new folks...

JohnS.

[BHazz]

I don't think that we should have any problem hitting Canada on day 2. It is only about 175 mi. from Ithaca going on rte 20. That still gives us plenty of exploring time.

[BHazz]

Sounds like an interesting trip, I can't swing the whole trip, so I'll just follow along for maybe the first day, and part of the second, depends how far you're going. I'll let you all shake out the details on waht suits you, and if I can make some of it, I will.

Look forward to meeting a few new folks...

JohnS.

Hey John,
Glad you might make a day or two!

[BHazz]

Here is how the trip works out so far. This first 2 days are permanent. The other days can change a bit during the ride, depending on what the riders want to do.

Day 1 - Starting Friday, June 29 9:00 am in Winsted at Canton Cycles. Ride through the Catskills and stopping at Ithaca NY.

Day 2 - Head North up Cayuga Lake, then West to the Canadian border. We WILL NOT cross the border into Canada. We will stop somewhere around Lewiston, NY. We can ride the Jet Boats from the US side and see the same sights as the Canadian boats.

Day 3 - Head East along lake Ontario and stop somewhere close to the Adirondacks.

Day 4 - Ride the Adironacks.

Day 5 - Head home.

[BHazz]

So far here is where we are lodging:

Comfort Inn - June 29, Friday Night
356 Elmira Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: (607) 272-0100 Fax: (607) 272-2405
http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-us/html/HotelInfo?hotel=NY199&amp;promo=gglocal

and

Super 8 Motel - June, 30, Saturday Night
7680 Niagara Falls Blvd
Niagara Falls, NY 14304
Phone: (716) 283-3151 Fax: (716) 215-0296
http://www.super8.com/Super8/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=13377&brandInfo=SE

If anyone else is planning on joining the trip, you should be able to get lodging in the same general areas. But, I wouldn't wait too long.

[BHazz]

We're ready to roll. Following is the complete 4 days lodging:

Day 1
Comfort Inn - June 29, Friday Night
356 Elmira Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: (607) 272-0100 Fax: (607) 272-2405
http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-us/html/HotelInfo?hotel=NY199&amp;promo=gglocal

Day 2
Super 8 Motel - June, 30, Saturday Night
7680 Niagara Falls Blvd
Niagara Falls, NY 14304
Phone: (716) 283-3151 Fax: (716) 215-0296
http://www.super8.com/Super8/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=13377&brandInfo=SE


Day 3
Days Inn - July 1, Sunday Night
110 Commerce Park Dr
Watertown, NY 13601
Phone: (315) 782-2700
Fax: (315) 782-7691


Day 4 - July 2, Monday Night
Super 8 Motel
Lake George/Downtown
2159 Canada Street
Lake George, NY 12845 US
Phone: 518-668-2470
Fax:518-668-5355


IS ANYONE ELSE JOINING THE RIDE??


Also, If anyone wishes to hook up during our journey, you can try my cell phone.
Name: Bruce
Phone No.: 860-989-5534.

If I don't answer, just leave a message.

[IthakaBound]

Day 1 - Friday, June 29th
Kickstands up (So the damn things will start): 0930
Winsted, CT - Ithaca, NY
227 Miles

Day 2 - Saturday, June 30th
Ithaka, NY - Niagara Falls, NY
169 miles

Day 3 - Sunday, July 1st
Youngstown, NY - Watertown, NY
221 miles

Day 4 - Monday, July 2nd
H.A.F.C.

Day 5 - Tuesday, July 3rd
Lake George, NY --> Run for home

---------------------------------

Guilty parties to date:
BHazz +1
IthakaBound
Joyous7 (First couple of days)
JohnS (Along for the ride somewhere)

---------------------------------

Garmin routes for the first 3 days attached.

[BHazz]

Here is the directions for Day 1. The map shows only show up until the meeting place at MOBIL

http://haslam.smugmug.com/photos/167021202-O.jpg
Leave Canton Cycles @ 9:30 am
1. CantonCycles 0 ft 0:00:00 N41 55.031 W73 03.388
2. Get on S Main St and drive north 11 ft 11 ft 0:00:00 0:00:00 70° true N41 55.031 W73 03.386
3. Turn left onto Danbury Quarter Rd 3.9 mi 3.9 mi 0:06:55 0:06:55 303° true N41 56.673 W73 06.766
4. Turn right onto Winchester Rd 7.7 mi 3.8 mi 0:06:41 0:13:36 273° true N41 57.121 W73 10.948
5. Turn right onto Litchfield Rd 9.0 mi 1.3 mi 0:02:27 0:16:03 315° true N41 57.891 W73 11.980
6. Turn left onto Church St 18.3 mi 9.4 mi 0:14:00 0:30:03 307° true N42 01.664 W73 19.857
7. Turn left onto S Elm Ave 30.5 mi 12.2 mi 0:22:37 0:52:40 268° true N41 57.163 W73 30.752
8. US44&Hwy199 32.0 mi 1.6 mi 0:02:40 0:55:20 0° true N41 56.416 W73 31.892
9. Turn right onto Hwy 199 32.1 mi 152 ft 0:00:03 0:55:23 270° true N41 56.416 W73 31.926
10. Bear left onto Stissing Mountain Rd 41.4 mi 9.3 mi 0:14:36 1:09:59 298° true N41 59.215 W73 40.446
11. Turn left onto Hwy 199 43.2 mi 1.8 mi 0:04:22 1:14:21 265° true N41 59.094 W73 42.341
12. Keep left onto Hwy 308 50.6 mi 7.4 mi 0:09:05 1:23:26 289° true N41 58.216 W73 49.193
13. Take the Rt-9g ramp to the left 54.8 mi 4.2 mi 0:07:13 1:30:39 236° true N41 56.333 W73 52.945
14. Turn left onto Hwy 199 57.9 mi 3.1 mi 0:03:41 1:34:20 333° true N41 58.419 W73 54.469
15. Take the Cr-31/Sawkill Rd ramp to the right 63.5 mi 5.6 mi 0:07:18 1:41:38 275° true N41 58.569 W74 00.706
16. Turn left onto Sawkill Rd 63.6 mi 0.1 mi 0:00:14 1:41:52 273° true N41 58.574 W74 00.858
17. Turn left onto Washington Ave 66.3 mi 2.7 mi 0:05:00 1:46:52 195° true N41 56.449 W74 01.640
MEET JOHNS Around 11:00AM
18. Mobil - 640 Washington Ave 66.3 mi 183 ft 0:00:16 1:47:08 75° true N41 56.424 W74 01.627
19. Get on Washington Ave and drive north 66.3 mi 17 ft 0:00:00 1:47:08 255° true N41 56.423 W74 01.631
20. Enter roundabout Roundabout 66.5 mi 0.2 mi 0:00:22 1:47:30 11° true N41 56.601 W74 01.702
21. Turn right onto Rt-28 W towards US-209 66.6 mi 287 ft 0:00:05 1:47:35 270° true N41 56.632 W74 01.702
22. Keep right onto Old Rt-28 74.0 mi 7.4 mi 0:09:48 1:57:23 280° true N42 00.131 W74 07.869
23. Turn right onto Ohayo Mountain Rd 74.5 mi 0.6 mi 0:00:57 1:58:20 261° true N42 00.067 W74 08.405
24. Turn left onto Glenford Wittenberg Rd 74.7 mi 0.1 mi 0:00:15 1:58:35 0° true N42 00.188 W74 08.405
25. Turn left onto Hwy 212 83.4 mi 8.7 mi 0:15:23 2:13:58 289° true N42 02.750 W74 16.562
26. Turn right onto Hwy 28 83.9 mi 0.5 mi 0:01:20 2:15:18 217° true N42 02.356 W74 16.727
27. Keep right onto Hwy 28 95.9 mi 12.0 mi 0:16:21 2:31:39 246° true N42 06.165 W74 26.594
28. Hwy30&Hwy28 108 mi 12.4 mi 0:16:11 2:47:50 0° true N42 08.848 W74 38.799
29. Turn left onto Bws 10 Rd 111 mi 2.3 mi 0:02:58 2:50:48 219° true N42 07.328 W74 40.457
30. Turn right onto Bws 9 Rd 119 mi 8.3 mi 0:14:31 3:05:19 234° true N42 05.008 W74 47.131
31. Turn left onto Hwy 30 121 mi 1.9 mi 0:03:27 3:08:46 276° true N42 05.178 W74 49.248
32. Hwy30&Hwy206 136 mi 14.7 mi 0:19:45 3:28:31 0° true N42 04.856 W74 59.733
33. Turn right onto Hwy 206 145 mi 9.9 mi 0:12:56 3:41:27 323° true N42 09.963 W75 07.790
34. Turn left onto Deleware St 146 mi 0.1 mi 0:00:29 3:41:56 3° true N42 10.086 W75 07.782
35. Turn left onto Corbin Rd 166 mi 20.0 mi 0:26:50 4:08:46 288° true N42 15.437 W75 26.850
36. Turn left onto Cr-39 167 mi 1.3 mi 0:03:27 4:12:13 269° true N42 15.421 W75 28.387
37. Turn right onto Road 176 mi 8.6 mi 0:15:06 4:27:19 222° true N42 11.587 W75 35.972
38. Turn left onto Hwy 7 176 mi 0.1 mi 0:00:33 4:27:52 295° true N42 11.641 W75 36.132
39. Turn right onto Hwy 79 179 mi 3.3 mi 0:05:52 4:33:44 302° true N42 11.865 W75 39.395
40. Turn right onto Hwy 79 188 mi 9.4 mi 0:16:17 4:50:01 294° true N42 14.554 W75 47.683
41. Turn left onto Hwy 79 191 mi 2.3 mi 0:04:12 4:54:13 273° true N42 14.644 W75 50.271
42. Turn left onto Hwy 12 191 mi 0.2 mi 0:00:25 4:54:38 227° true N42 14.502 W75 50.477
43. Turn right onto Hwy 79 191 mi 0.3 mi 0:00:21 4:54:59 232° true N42 14.361 W75 50.722
44. Turn left onto Hwy 26 200 mi 9.0 mi 0:15:31 5:10:30 304° true N42 19.765 W75 57.846
45. Turn left onto Main St 203 mi 2.6 mi 0:04:41 5:15:11 333° true N42 21.012 W76 00.092
46. Turn right onto Ellis Hollow Rd 224 mi 20.7 mi 0:28:08 5:43:19 272° true N42 23.620 W76 22.033
47. Keep right onto Road 231 mi 7.9 mi 0:14:07 5:57:26 269° true N42 26.246 W76 29.139
48. Keep right onto Seneca Way 232 mi 0.4 mi 0:01:05 5:58:31 290° true N42 26.365 W76 29.613
49. Turn left onto N Fulton St 233 mi 0.9 mi 0:02:11 6:00:42 268° true N42 26.403 W76 30.635
50. ComfortInn-Itha 234 mi 1.4 mi 0:03:40 6:04:22 312° true N42 25.381 W76 30.957

[sbdep]

Sounds like you are not planning on crossing in to Canada. If you do, just a heads up that it is a long weekend here as July 1 is Canada Day. Since that is a Sunday, the Monday is the holiday off work so more places than normal will be closed, touristy places will be open, but excessively busy etc. Much like a long weekend down your way :)

These are the weekends I like to head away from the touristy places, rather than to them. Besides, the Canadian side of the Niagra falls is much nicer than the American side :)

have a good trip!

[BHazz]

Sounds like you are not planning on crossing in to Canada. If you do, just a heads up that it is a long weekend here as July 1 is Canada Day. Since that is a Sunday, the Monday is the holiday off work so more places than normal will be closed, touristy places will be open, but excessively busy etc. Much like a long weekend down your way :)

These are the weekends I like to head away from the touristy places, rather than to them. Besides, the Canadian side of the Niagra falls is much nicer than the American side :)

have a good trip!

Thanks for the info.

[IthakaBound]

See you there

[tmcgee]

Have a good ride guys. We'll hold down northern VT for you.

[VtSTROM-K5]

Bon Voyage,. please ride safe as it's a Holiday week starting today in Canada!!
Please post pics' and an exceptional ride report! ( as Allways) :cool:

[IthakaBound]

Great ride y'all. Thank you. Hope to do it again soon.

Alan

[IthakaBound]

A few visuals. I'll leave the trip report and real photos to the "Shutter Master" BHazz.

http://picasaweb.google.com/alan.kuttner/2007_06_30/photo#5083375545152501554

http://picasaweb.google.com/alan.kuttner/2007_07_01/photo#5083375961764329298

http://picasaweb.google.com/alan.kuttner/2007_07_02/photo#5083376137857988466

http://picasaweb.google.com/alan.kuttner/2007_07_02/photo#5083376258117072770

IB

[JohnS.]

So the really important question is: What sort of bungee cords do you trust the precious cargo in the last shot to?

Great to meet you all, and to ride with some new folks.

JohnS.

[IthakaBound]

Kevlar. They are the only ones that come with a "satisfaction or double your beer back" guarantee.

Nice meeting and riding with you as well John.

IB