The last time I bought a bike—an orange Trek 1000—I was 14 weeks pregnant. Twenty-three years and hundreds of miles later, it was time to retire it.
I picked up my new-and-improved two-wheeler last July. I couldn’t contain my excitement, not unlike my 6th birthday when I unveiled my sparkly banana seat Schwinn in the driveway of my Queens home. That bike took me places. And so would this Cannondale.
Nearly every weekend from August to October, my husband and I traversed the rail trails and paths within about an hour’s drive of the Capital Region. Some were flat. Some were so hilly I ate my pride and walked a bit. We found a “meh” trail with a remarkable finish, an overwhelmingly stunning trail with a “meh” finale, and everything in between. I imagine we’ll return to some this summer (definitely the Harlem Valley Rail Trail) and discover many more new ones. But if you’re looking to get out on two wheels this season, these are my recommendations, organized by increasing distance from Albany. Read the list on CRL IRL.
