Imagine vistas of sapphire blue lakes between verdant, vineyard-covered hills, quiet roads with smooth, wide shoulders, and village stores selling homemade grape pies. This is New York’s Finger Lakes region. Glacial advances in the Ice Age carved the 11 parallel lakes out of sedimentary rock. Folklore says a giant bear walked among the forests to create the fresh-water fjords. Today the area serves as a backdrop for some wonderful cycling. We consider it the backyard of our office, and we’re proud to show you what we think is one of the best-kept cycling secrets in the country.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: We meet at the Inn-on-the-Lake in Canandaigua, NY. We’ll conduct a rental bike fitting at 3:30pm, an orientation at 5:30pm and then have dinner together at 6:30 pm. If you arrive early, take a dip in the lake, explore the shops along Main Street, or visit the New York Wine and Culinary Center. 0 miles.
Day 2: We’ll start by cycling south along Canandaigua Lake past vineyards and fields of corn to Naples, home to grape pies and the largest winery in the world. Then we cross over to the northern end of Keuka Lake, curiously but naturally shaped like a "Y". We’ll bike on some quiet, back roads that wind through fertile farmland until we arrive at our mansion on a hill, with a stunning view of the lake before it. 43 or 51 miles.
Day 3: You’re sure to see a horse-drawn buggy or two, as we bike toward Penn Yan and then cross over the ridge to our third lake: Seneca. Named after the Indian tribe that still inhabits the area, Seneca Lake is the deepest of all the Finger Lakes. At more than 600’ deep, it’s used for testing submarines, and the locals joke that whales live in it. After a picnic lunch, we’ll stop at Watkins Glen State Park for a hike along the deep narrow gorge created by a stream left hanging when glaciers came through the valley. The path will take you over and under many waterfalls and be a cool respite from the day’s ride. We’ll overnight in a B&B that overlooks the beautiful lake. 42 or 56 miles.
Day 4: We bike through serious wine country today as we make our way to Ithaca and its famous Moosewood Restaurant for lunch. You may be familiar with the restaurant’s vegetarian cook books published in the 70s. Today, this college town is home to Cornell University and is brimming with fascinating outdoor, music and organic food shops. We’ll finish our day by biking to the elegant Taughannock Farms Inn for our overnight stay. If you have the energy, take the short walk to view the Taughannock Falls dramatically plunge 200’ past its rocky cliffs into the lake, or just settle into your private balcony overlooking our fourth lake: Cayuga. 42 or 51 miles.
Day 5: Today’s easier ride heads north alongside the lake past many wineries to Seneca Falls, home of the Women’s Rights Historical Park where Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton began the crusade for women’s suffrage. You’ll have plenty of time to learn about this fascinating bit of American history at the museum. Then you can visit the Women’s National Hall of Fame and check out the town’s bridge. The community of Seneca Falls is sure that it is the inspiration for Bedford Falls in Frank Capra’s movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. 33 miles.
Day 6: We’ll finish our tour by biking along the northern ends of the lakes back to Canandaigua. You’ll bike through the town of Geneva and past cabbage fields and more vineyards as we make our way to our picnic lunch. After saying our farewells, we’ll shuttle you back to the Rochester airport by 2:00pm. 30 miles.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- 5 nights lodging,
- Breakfasts, 1 restaurant lunch, 3 picnic and sack lunches, 5 dinners, snacks,
- Park entrance fees,
- Detailed cue sheets,
- Van support and trained guides.
Also see tour packages in:
USA
New York
Bicycle Touring
Women Tours
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