Fort Erie - Friendship Trail west.

Two of Christine's friends are honeymooning at the cottage for a few days so we are visiting Mum and Dad in Fort Erie. After a trip to Buffalo, to a fabulous cheese shop and a lunch of fabulous cheese, we decided to work it off with a bike ride. Mum and Dad live very close to the Friendship Trail which is a great bike trail along Lake Erie and the Niagara River.
A block from Mum and Dad's apartment finds us at the Trail on the Lake, looking across at the Buffalo skyline.

Peace Bridge from the Friendship Trail

The Lake narrows down into the Niagara River at this point and with all the rain it is pretty full and has a visibly fast current. Biking west we came next to Old Fort Erie, the real Fort Erie.

There were people in period costume but I didn't get off my bike in time to get their picture.

The trail then winds along the shore in front of houses and cottages that look out over the Lake and Buffalo. Some are obviously new builds but many are still either little cottages or renos of little cottages. Its odd to have this cottage community looking over to the urban cityscape. Next the trail dips down into a shaded, park like area with ruins and old foundations along the shore. This was the site of the Erie Beach amusement park and there are information displays with old pictures, beside the trail. Its was a hugely popular draw in its day, had a ferris wheel, dance hall, ferry to Buffalo and looking at the photos you can almost smell the popcorn and cotton candy.

Next is Waverly Beach with a little park area.  There were kids walking along the cement pier remains and people seated on the sand.

The trail goes through residential areas, on extra wide sidewalks, and wooded areas.

We saw a couple of young rabbits, a snake and lots of squirrels as well as walkers, bikers
roller bladers.

At every street there are stop signs and a sign with the rules of the Trail. On the road there are
signs cautioning about the presence of pedestrians and bikers.

It was very hot and humid and we were glad to go back to a cool shower and Mum and Dad's air conditioned apartment. We biked for 65 minutes and went 18km. For the Tri Tri in Toronto I will need to do at least 20km an hour - got some more training to do!