Week-long Bicycle Tours In or Near New York State?

December 24, 2007 2:46 PM

I need to submit my 2008 vacation requests soon and I need some help finding a week-long bicycle tour to go on this summer that is within a reasonable driving distance from western NY State (Rochester).

I did my first bicycle tour, the Bon Ton Roulet in NY, a couple of years ago and I'm looking for something similar. I'd really like to do the Erie Canal Ride but I can't get that week off from work.

I'm an intermediate rider and I would like to average about 50-55 miles a day, maybe a little less if it's really hilly route. My budget for the registration fee is somewhere around $600. A ride that starts and finishes at the same location is preferable, because I don't want to worry about finding a way to get back to my car. And finally, the more participants the better (the Bon Ton had 400 riders).

Any suggestions?

Thank you.

posted by 14580 to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (3 answers total)

Could you try Bon Ton Roulet again? They're starting from Auburn this year (July 20-26).

And have you checked with (joined?) the Rochester Bicycling Club?
posted by pracowity at 3:41 PM on December 24, 2007

Try Butterfield & Robinson. I don't know what they cost retail, but worth talking to.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:22 PM on December 24, 2007

I'm not sure how you define a reasonable drive, but my parents really enjoy GOBA. It's huge, participants vary from beginner to advanced, and it sounds neat because every night the tour stops in a different small town for which the bike race is probably the highlight of the month because of the massive influx of people.
posted by btkuhn at 5:20 PM on December 26, 2007 [1 favorite]