Hi from Upstate NY

[Anton4]

My wife and I just ordered two Lectric XP 2.0 bikes. We live in the Albany area where there are many bike trails, but we will hopefully do most of our riding on wooded trails in the Adirondacks. She hasn’t ridden a bike (solo) in about 35 years and didn’t ride much as a child. We’ve had a tandem bike for many years that we both love riding, but I think these new bikes will open up a whole new world of riding for us. Looking forward to it!

 

[Saratoga Dave]

I’ll be looking for you out along the Mohawk!

 

[Anton4]

I’ll be looking for you out along the Mohawk!

That’s one we definitely want to ride. We’ve never hit that one on the tandem. We plan on going further on the Albany Rail Trail as well.

 

[Bill G]

Some really nice trails north of Albany. The Warren County Bikeway (amazing view of Lake George at its northern terminus), the Feeder Canal Trail (which connects via a few blocks in Glens Falls) to the Warren County Bikeway, and the section of the Champlain Canal trail between Fort Ann and Fort Edward (this trail also intersects with the Feeder Canal. There's the ADK EZ riders (adkezriders.org), which goes for a wide variety of rides on Tuesdays. Quite a few e-bikes, mostly fairly moderate rides of 20-28 miles. If your wife hasn't ridden in a while, this group is very congenial and supportive .

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Hey Bill, thanks for the heads up on the ADK guys. Haven’t heard of them.

Nice feature on that Champlain Connector is the ice cream shop it intersects in Hudson Falls. I occasionally park the car in the Market 32 (or is it Hannaford) lot and then go up the Connector to the Warren County Bikeway, and on up to Lake George. By the time I get back to Hudson Falls again on a summer day, that place is a welcome sight.

Didn’t know about the Fort Ann to Fort Edward trail either.

A few friends and I did 53 miles out around and east of Fort Edward yesterday, along those gorgeous ridges, by those two blue silos, if you know where that is. Marvelous views! It was a Tour de Cure ride, we had a great time.

 

[Anton4]

Some really nice trails north of Albany. The Warren County Bikeway (amazing view of Lake George at its northern terminus), the Feeder Canal Trail (which connects via a few blocks in Glens Falls) to the Warren County Bikeway, and the section of the Champlain Canal trail between Fort Ann and Fort Edward (this trail also intersects with the Feeder Canal. There's the ADK EZ riders (adkezriders.org), which goes for a wide variety of rides on Tuesdays. Quite a few e-bikes, mostly fairly moderate rides of 20-28 miles. If your wife hasn't ridden in a while, this group is very congenial and supportive .

Thanks for the tips. We were just doing some walking on the Warren County bikeway over the weekend while at Americade. That’s the first we were aware of it. Looks like a nice trail.

 

[Bill G]

Don't forget Cooper's Cave Ale Company (they also have ice cream), where the bikeway crosses Dix Avenue, and Sprinkles, where the bikeway crosses Glenwood Avenue. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[Anton4]

Don't forget Cooper's Cave Ale Company (they also have ice cream), where the bikeway crosses Dix Avenue, and Sprinkles, where the bikeway crosses Glenwood Avenue. Don't ask me how I know this.

I don’t have to ask. We belong to a MC club and nary a ride goes by that doesn’t end up at an ice cream stand at some point.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

The big dogs: either Battenkill or The Ice Cream Man in Greenwich. My father would go fifty miles out of his way to stop at the Ice Cream Man.

 

[FrankR]

Hi from a little less upstate. Mid Hudson Valley.

 

[6string]

I'm in the Saratoga area and I know that there was a big discussion recently about whether or not to allow e-bikes on the Warren County (i.e. Lake George) bike path. Does anyone know how that resolved and what the current policy is?

And yes, that Champlain path out of Ft. Edward is really nice. I rode to Ft. Ann and back on it a few weeks ago on my human-powered bike

 

[Bill G]

The Post Star reported that Class 1 e-bikes would be permitted, although I've never seen any type of enforcement on the bikeway. By the way, the Warren County Bikeway connects (via a few Glens Falls side streets) to the Feeder Canal Towpath, which in turn connects to the Champagne Canal Trail which can be taken either to Ft Edward or Ft Ann. I have a route from my home, near SUNY Adirondack, that takes in parts of the WC Bikeway, the Feeder Canal, and the Champlain Canal, with a return home via (mostly) rural Washington roads through farmland.

 

[6string]

The Post Star reported that Class 1 e-bikes would be permitted, although I've never seen any type of enforcement on the bikeway. By the way, the Warren County Bikeway connects (via a few Glens Falls side streets) to the Feeder Canal Towpath, which in turn connects to the Champagne Canal Trail which can be taken either to Ft Edward or Ft Ann. I have a route from my home, near SUNY Adirondack, that takes in parts of the WC Bikeway, the Feeder Canal, and the Champlain Canal, with a return home via (mostly) rural Washington roads through farmland.

Thanks Bill! Yeah, I'm actually a native of that area and I know that whole path (including ice cream stops) pretty well including the connectors. What a great resource. I ran into a guy last weekend who told me there's a connector from Saratoga down to Ballston Spa too, and from there I believe you can connect to the Zim Smith which takes you to Mechanicville - also a great trail that you're probably aware of. I need to find out more about that connector.

BTW, I just came across this - looks like Warren Co is allowing both class I and II bikes to ride anywhere that unpowered bikes are allowed. You're right though, I don't know how they'd possibly be able to enforce this unless they get a complaint that someone is riding like a jerk. https://poststar.com/queensbury-local-law-on-e-bikes/pdf_a09886e2-edcc-11ec-bdec-eb3426b22877.html

 

[Bill G]

I'm told by the former Saratoga Springs city planner that the Saratoga to Zim Smith is being stymied because they can't get a right-of-way from one land owner. Still, things are improving continuously.