Canal Corporatioin, Parks & Trails Remind Cyclists To Register For Annual "Cycling The Eric Canal"

ALBANY, NY (05/29/2009)(readMedia)-- The New York State Canal Corporation and Parks & Trails NY today reminded cyclists to register for the eleventh annual Cycling the Erie Canal, a 400-mile bicycling tour from Buffalo to Albany scheduled for July 12-19th, 2009.

The eight-day recreational bicycling tour will help highlight the beauty, history, culture and recreational appeal of the Canal System and the Canalway Trail, a prime tourism destination in New York State. Riders of all abilities and ages are encouraged to sign up for this exciting and scenic tour.

Over 500 cyclists from around the nation participated in last year's event. Roughly one-third of the participants were from New York State.

Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the Canal Corporation, said, "As we gear up for the Cycling the Erie Canal bike tour, I encourage everyone to participate in this year's ride to enjoy all that the Canal System has to offer. The Canalway Trail is a premier recreational, tourism and economic resource to the hundreds of communities along the way in upstate New York. The Canal Corporation is pleased to once again partner with Parks & Trails NY to sponsor the annual Cycling the Erie Canal bike tour."

Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York, organizer of the event, said, "Cycling the Erie Canal is a great way to see New York and to experience the fascinating history of the Erie Canal. Plus it's fun - you meet interesting people from all over the country."

The registration fee is $525 and includes the following: camping accommodations every evening with showers and toilet facilities; eight breakfasts and six dinners; two refreshment stops daily stocked with fruit, snacks and beverages; entertainment and historical presentations each evening; guided tours of the Canal, historic sites, museums, and other attractions; T-shirt and water bottle; sag wagon and mobile mechanical support; baggage transport; daily maps and cue sheets; and marked routes.

Two weekend ride options are also available, from Buffalo to Rochester/Pittsford on July 11-13, 2009, and from Canajoharie to Albany on July 17-19, 2009.

When complete, the New York State Canalway Trail System will span more than 500 miles and connect numerous cities, towns, and villages along the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain Canals, making it one of the longest multi-use recreational trails in the country.

The New York State Canal System is comprised of four historic waterways, the Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history and culture.

For more information on Cycling the Erie Canal, email eriecanaltour@ptny.org or visit www.ptny.org/canaltour, or call Parks & Trails New York at 518-434-1583.

The Canal Corporation is a proud supporter of the 2009 Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial, a year long celebration designed to commemorate 400 years of progress in the Empire State. For more information on the Quadricentennial, please visit www.exploreny400.com.

For more information regarding events, recreation and vacation opportunities along the Canal System, please visit www.nyscanals.gov or call 1-800-4CANAL4.

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The New York State Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation offers a free email service called TRANSalert to its customers via email or text messaging to inform them of major incidents and emergencies that may affect travel on the Thruway or navigation on the Canal System. To sign up for the Canal TRANSalert service, customers can visit the Corporation's website at www.nyscanals.gov/tas/. To sign-up for Thruway TRANSalerts please visit the Authority's website at www.nysthruway.gov/tas/.