A Short Ride and a Long Tree

Serge and I loaded up the 3 bikes and picked up Lisa, and we drove to Geneva to ride the Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail. The plan was to ride to Waterloo, have lunch, and ride back. It would have been about eighteen miles round trip.

Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail

The morning was warm, and the trail was quiet. The Cayuga-Seneca Canal Trail follows the historic canal that connects Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake. The trail is mostly flat and runs between Geneva and Waterloo through wetlands, farmland, and wooded areas. It is part of New York's larger Canalway Trail system and is popular with cyclists, walkers, and runners.

The canal ran beside us for much of the ride. We passed marshes, farm fields, and a few boats moving through the canal.

About seven miles from Geneva, we came to an abrupt stop.

Serge forgot the Chainsaw

A large tree had fallen across the trail. Not a branch. Not a small tree. The entire trunk lay from one side of the trail to the other. There was no way around it and no practical way over it with the bikes.

Waterloo would have to wait. We turned around and headed back to Geneva.

We ended up at the Geneva Visitor Center overlooking Seneca Lake. We sat outside and sipped wine while watching the boats on the water.

It wasn’t the ride we planned, but it was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.