DT Active Life 050617 for web-REVISED
4 Take the Scenic Route: By Eric J. Hamilton Photo provided Biking Along the Erie Canal The Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway in the Capital District region of New York is a nationally recognized, historic driving route between Waterford and Cohoes to Schenectady that follows the historic Erie Canal and the waterway west. I’ve biked this byway many times and can say from experience, when you travel this route you gain an appreciation of the role our local communities played in the western expansion of the country and in the Industrial Revolution. I believe that the best way to experience the Mohawk Towpath Byway is on a bicycle. You’re moving at a casual pace and you will see much more than you would in a car that is going 30 to 40 mph. On a bike you’re free to stop by a historic site, watch a blue heron or large raptor fishing for dinner, or keep pace with a cabin cruiser plying the canal. You can also photograph endangered plant species in full bloom in ancient geology, enjoy your favorite ice cream from the local convenience shop, have a fresh apple from a neighboring orchard, or just enjoy any of several appealing attractions that can be seen along the way. Canal Road in Halfmoon and Riverview Road in Clifton Park join as one of the most heavily used on-road bike routes in Saratoga County. Even though the travel lanes are narrow and without shoulders, they are rural roads along the Mohawk River and traffic is light. Further west (past the intersection with Grooms Road), Riverview Road becomes a county highway and traffic picks up noticeably. There are shoulders from Grooms Road to Route 146 in Rexford for bicyclists to ride on. The Mohawk Hudson Bikeway on the south side of the Mohawk River is an alternate route between Route 9 west of Cohoes to Aqueduct. This makes for an inviting segment of a loop with river crossings that are about 12 miles apart. It’s a ride that is especially popular on hot summer days since the bikeway passes through shaded woodlands along the south shore of the river. This spring the newly reconstructed Towpath Trail will connect from Canal Road through the Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve to the Lock 7 Dam Overlook (just west of the hamlet of Vischer Ferry). This towpath of 14 | DACKS & TOGA activelife the 1842 Enlarged Erie Canal has a hard trail surface that is fine for any road bicycle. On June 4, my hometown of Clifton Park will host a casual afternoon group ride that will visit historic sites along the Byway and the Towpath Trail in celebration of National Trails Day. Our town’s local historian will attend the ride and share some humorous stories, and other stories that should provide great insight into life on the canal over the last two centuries. Light, homemade refreshments are planned for those who may get hungry. For more information contact the Town of Clifton Park’s Parks and Recreation Office at (518) 371-6667. Volunteers along the Byway corridor have hosted “Bike the Byway” events that are casual rides from Rexford east through Clifton Park, Halfmoon, and Waterford and down to Waterford Harbor. There is also a self-guided tour of historic features that cyclists can access by stopping along the Byway and keying in (518) 649-9990 on their cell phone or scanning a QR code. In addition to the fun rides I’ve mentioned above, I strongly recommend you take a bike ride or a hike up the flight of locks in Waterford. Five locks lift watercraft from the Hudson River to the Mohawk River in less than two miles. This is the highest lift in the shortest On a bike you’re free to stop by a historic site, watch a blue heron or large raptor fishing for dinner... distance any where in the world! I also recommend you visit the Cohoes Falls which is the navigational barrier the Erie Canal was constructed around and, don’t miss the historic Stockade area in Schenectady. Biking its treelined narrow streets through architecturally significant historic homes (several of which date back to early Dutch settlers) is always a pleasure. The only downside to cycling on the Mohawk Towpath Byway is that none of the local bike shops want to rent bicycles due to the high cost of liability insurance and the cost of maintaining the rental bicycle fleet. There is a growing movement, however, to change this as more and more communities are making use of bike-share operations and more out-oftown visitors discover our area and discover our recreational assets. Here’s a tip: even though a growing number of cyclists commute to work on these routes, for a more pleasant experience, visiting bicyclists should try to avoid traveling the crossings of the Mohawk River during weekday commuter rush hours. So, bike the Mohawk Towpath Byway and discover the eastern gateway to the only water level route through the Appalachian Mountains. Bike it at a leisurely pace, in manageable segments, and discover something new right here in our own backyard. Even though this section of Riverview Road in Rexford is a heavily traveled segment of the Byway, there are better shoulders to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians. The iconic views make this a great stop.
Glens Falls YMCA personal trainer Bob Olden gives me a run-through on the basics. Right: A better view of my spin cycle. 5 Expand Your Routine: Push Your Fitness Limits with Spinning By Gabrielle Katz If you’re looking to change up your current workout routine, or supplement your bike training when the weather doesn’t cooperate, then a spin class may be for you. I jog somewhat regularly, but sometimes find it a little tedious. When Spring arrives, I like to hop on my bike to break up my routine. However, I’m never sure that I’m giving myself a great workout. The memory of two bike accidents many years ago has made me over-cautious and keeps me from pushing my limits when I’m out on the road. I was interested in learning what a proper bike workout might feel like. I had heard through the grapevine that the 12:15 class at the Glens Falls YMCA was popular and motivational, so I chose it as my first foray into spinning. The Glens Falls YMCA spin studio has 34 indoor cycles, all maintained in excellent condition. I was warned to arrive early as the class is often close to full, even at lunchtime. The class is appropriate for people at all levels. I did have some concerns heading in: would I be able to keep up, and would it seem as boring to me as running on a treadmill does? Luckily, I learned that the Friday class I chose would be a virtual class, and we would be working out to a video as well as music. We passed a roadside food stand and an ice cream truck, but our pursuit of the rider ahead of us never wavered. When I arrived at class I met the trainer, Bob Olden, who was super friendly and helpful. Bob introduced me to my cycle, a beautiful Keiser M3, and helped me adjust the seat and handlebars to my height. Next came the pedals which have two options: You can lock in with your bike shoe, or you can wear sneakers and strap into the basket. He showed me the computerized console and the separate indicators for RPMs, watts, heart rate, elapsed time, gear and mileage. The stem of the cycle has a red lever at a convenient spot where you can easily adjust gears with your thumb. Of course, we are not actually shifting gears, but increasing tension up and down to replicate gear shifts. I learned that I would need to find a “base” gear that I was comfortable with, and that I would be shifting up and down at his direction throughout the workout. Once we were “in the zone”, we would burn 10-12 calories a minute, and 400-500 calories per session. In an actual bike ride, the movements your body makes as you pedal up and down hills naturally work all the parts of your body. On a stationary bike, you are coached to shift positions forward and back, up and down, to give everything, glutes, hamstrings, calves, etc., a good workout. Bob does the workout along with the class, guiding and motivating us. Bob informed me that we would be travelling to the Canary Islands for our ride. He finds destination videos of virtual bike rides on YouTube and plays them for the class. The video also shows a graphic of the ascents and descents of the ride, as well as the route and our progress. Our trip that day would entail a short incline, a short downhill, and then a long steady incline. The lights dimmed, the music played, the video started and off we went. Following the bike rider on the screen felt very real. At various times, Bob urged us to get out of the saddle and try to pass him. We pedaled past an overlook, but didn’t stop to catch the view. We passed a roadside food stand and an ice cream truck, but our pursuit of the rider ahead of us never wavered. This was a tough workout and I pushed myself hard. There were a few times when I felt I was struggling, but Bob’s motivation got me through. “Put more water in the back of the bucket”, or, “Put more water in the front of the bucket”, he would shout, to get us to shift our hip positions and work a different part of our legs. On steep inclines he would urge, “Dig! Dig! Dig!” and dig is what I did. Best of all, I found myself leaning over the handlebars and pedaling really hard down the hill, something I would be too afraid to do out on the road. I learned not only what a phenomenal workout spinning is, but, as an exercise loner, I learned how great it is to work with a trainer in a class setting. Soon, the ride was over. I got off the spin cycle feeling like my entire body had been well-worked. Better yet, I had one of those after-workout highs and felt great all day. My first spin class was a terrific experience, truly one of the best workouts I have ever done. I highly recommend adding spinning to your routine! n DACKS & TOGA activelife | 15
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4<br />
Take the Scenic Route:<br />
By Eric J. Hamilton<br />
Photo provided<br />
Biking Along the Erie Canal<br />
The Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway<br />
in the Capital District region<br />
of New York is a nationally recognized,<br />
historic driving route between<br />
Water<strong>for</strong>d and Cohoes to Schenectady<br />
that follows the historic Erie Canal<br />
and the waterway west. I’ve biked this<br />
byway many times and can say from<br />
experience, when you travel this route<br />
you gain an appreciation of the role<br />
our local communities played in the<br />
western expansion of the country and<br />
in the Industrial Revolution.<br />
I believe that the best way to experience<br />
the Mohawk Towpath Byway is<br />
on a bicycle. You’re moving at a casual<br />
pace and you will see much more than<br />
you would in a car that is going 30 to<br />
40 mph. On a bike you’re free to stop<br />
by a historic site, watch a blue heron<br />
or large raptor fishing <strong>for</strong> dinner, or<br />
keep pace with a cabin cruiser plying<br />
the canal. You can also photograph<br />
endangered plant species in full bloom<br />
in ancient geology, enjoy your favorite<br />
ice cream from the local convenience<br />
shop, have a fresh apple from a neighboring<br />
orchard, or just enjoy any of<br />
several appealing attractions that can<br />
be seen along the way.<br />
Canal Road in Halfmoon and Riverview<br />
Road in Clifton Park join as<br />
one of the most heavily used on-road<br />
bike routes in Saratoga County. Even<br />
though the travel lanes are narrow<br />
and without shoulders, they are rural<br />
roads along the Mohawk River and<br />
traffic is light. Further west (past the<br />
intersection with Grooms Road), Riverview<br />
Road becomes a county highway<br />
and traffic picks up noticeably. There<br />
are shoulders from Grooms Road to<br />
Route 146 in Rex<strong>for</strong>d <strong>for</strong> bicyclists to<br />
ride on.<br />
The Mohawk Hudson Bikeway on<br />
the south side of the Mohawk River<br />
is an alternate route between Route<br />
9 west of Cohoes to Aqueduct. This<br />
makes <strong>for</strong> an inviting segment of a loop<br />
with river crossings that are about 12<br />
miles apart. It’s a ride that is especially<br />
popular on hot summer days since<br />
the bikeway passes through shaded<br />
woodlands along the south shore of<br />
the river.<br />
This spring the newly reconstructed<br />
Towpath Trail will connect from Canal<br />
Road through the Vischer Ferry Nature<br />
and Historic Preserve to the Lock<br />
7 Dam Overlook (just west of the hamlet<br />
of Vischer Ferry). This towpath of<br />
14 | DACKS & TOGA activelife<br />
the 1842 Enlarged Erie Canal has a<br />
hard trail surface that is fine <strong>for</strong> any<br />
road bicycle.<br />
On June 4, my hometown of Clifton<br />
Park will host a casual afternoon<br />
group ride that will visit historic sites<br />
along the Byway and the Towpath<br />
Trail in celebration of National Trails<br />
Day. Our town’s local historian will<br />
attend the ride and share some humorous<br />
stories, and other stories that<br />
should provide great insight into life<br />
on the canal over the<br />
last two centuries. Light,<br />
homemade refreshments<br />
are planned <strong>for</strong> those<br />
who may get hungry. For<br />
more in<strong>for</strong>mation contact<br />
the Town of Clifton Park’s<br />
Parks and Recreation Office<br />
at (518) 371-6667.<br />
Volunteers along the<br />
Byway corridor have<br />
hosted “Bike the Byway”<br />
events that are casual<br />
rides from Rex<strong>for</strong>d east<br />
through Clifton Park, Halfmoon, and<br />
Water<strong>for</strong>d and down to Water<strong>for</strong>d Harbor.<br />
There is also a self-guided tour of<br />
historic features that cyclists can access<br />
by stopping along the Byway and<br />
keying in (518) 649-9990 on their cell<br />
phone or scanning a QR code.<br />
In addition to the fun rides I’ve mentioned<br />
above, I strongly recommend you<br />
take a bike ride or a hike up the flight<br />
of locks in Water<strong>for</strong>d. Five locks lift watercraft<br />
from the Hudson River to the<br />
Mohawk River in less than two miles.<br />
This is the highest lift in the shortest<br />
On a bike<br />
you’re free<br />
to stop by a<br />
historic site,<br />
watch a blue<br />
heron or large<br />
raptor fishing<br />
<strong>for</strong> dinner...<br />
distance any where in the world! I also<br />
recommend you visit the Cohoes Falls<br />
which is the navigational barrier the<br />
Erie Canal was constructed around<br />
and, don’t miss the historic Stockade<br />
area in Schenectady. Biking its treelined<br />
narrow streets through architecturally<br />
significant historic homes (several<br />
of which date back to early Dutch<br />
settlers) is always a pleasure.<br />
The only downside to cycling on the<br />
Mohawk Towpath Byway is that none<br />
of the local bike shops<br />
want to rent bicycles<br />
due to the high cost of<br />
liability insurance and<br />
the cost of maintaining<br />
the rental bicycle fleet.<br />
There is a growing movement,<br />
however, to change<br />
this as more and more<br />
communities are making<br />
use of bike-share operations<br />
and more out-oftown<br />
visitors discover<br />
our area and discover our<br />
recreational assets. Here’s a tip: even<br />
though a growing number of cyclists<br />
commute to work on these routes, <strong>for</strong><br />
a more pleasant experience, visiting<br />
bicyclists should try to avoid traveling<br />
the crossings of the Mohawk River during<br />
weekday commuter rush hours.<br />
So, bike the Mohawk Towpath Byway<br />
and discover the eastern gateway<br />
to the only water level route through<br />
the Appalachian Mountains. Bike it<br />
at a leisurely pace, in manageable segments,<br />
and discover something new<br />
right here in our own backyard.<br />
Even though this section of Riverview Road in<br />
Rex<strong>for</strong>d is a heavily traveled segment of the Byway,<br />
there are better shoulders to accommodate cyclists and<br />
pedestrians. The iconic views make this a great stop.
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