[Yak] Biking around Seneca Lake, NY

[Al Davis]

On Monday 08 August 2005 05:01 pm, Greg Anderson wrote:
>      My wife and I will be in Geneva, NY in September, and
> we're   planning taking a two-ish day trip around Lake
> Seneca. We'll be starting in Geneva (the northern side of the
> lake) and biking down to Watkins Glen (at the southern end).
> Then we'll stay in Watkins Glen that night, and bike back to
> Geneva the next day.

I used to live in Rochester, and got out to Seneca Lake a few 
times per summer.  I have done the loop in one day.  I recall a 
distance of 80-90 miles.  It looks like you will be doing 40-50 
per day.

Most roads are good, but be careful in Geneva.  Typical city 
stuff.  The flattest route is probably the one closest to the 
lake shore.  If you go away from the lake, you climb.  Terrain 
is more rolling along the ridge, with some serious climbs to 
get up.  It is sort of bi-level.  There is the ridge level and 
lake level.  If you stay on one level, you avoid what hills you 
can.

But even the road closest to the shore climbs away in spots, 
particularly on the east side.  All ways out of Watkins Glen 
are up.

The best maps are the county maps.  They used to be published by 
"Map Works" in Rochester, but that may have changed.  I don't 
trust any bicycling specific maps of this area.  The ones I 
remember are published by the state or a regional planning 
board.  They looked like their maker had never ridden a bicycle 
more than a mile or two.

>      I was wondering if any YAKers had done this or a similar
> trip,   and if anyone had any tidbits of helpful information.
> Things like which side of the lake to go down first,

Assuming you try to stay close to the lake, ...  The road on the 
west side is NY 14, a state highway all the way.  The road 
along the east side follow several county roads, with a bit of 
NY 414.  I think the east side is more hilly, but you get a 
real climb out of Watkins Glen either way.  I have no 
preference on which way to go.  


> points 
> to make sure to see on the way, 

Wineries, Amish farms if you go away from the lake.

> gigantic hills to avoid, 

You can't avoid them.  Sorry.  Some people think the climb out 
of Watkins Glen is gigantic.  Obey speed limits going down.

> sections of road to avoid,

There is a section of 5&20 in Geneva that isn't fun.  Look for 
alternate routes through the city, and along the little north 
shore of the lake.