Northeast - Visiting Upstate NY (Alexandria Bay) Route Suggestions?

I'll be heading up to Alexandria Bay this upcomming weekend (8/14 - 8/16) for Pirates Weekend... I'm not too sure what "Pirates Weekend" is all about but my buddy invited me and it sounds like fun so I'll be in the area for a couple days.

I'm thinking about hauling the road bike with me. Are there any good routes or should I leave the steed at home?

I apreciate any and all suggestions!

No Alexandria Bayers huh?

I'm just wondering what to expect as far as terrain and congestion. I'm really hoping for some scenic/rural roads. I'll keep my figers crossed.

Check out these bike trails: http://www.seawaytrail.com/bicycling.asp

The terrain along the river is pretty flat. You might also want to cross over on the ferry from Cape Vincent to Wolfe Island in Ontario (need passport to get back into US), it's got lots of roads with not lots of traffic and scenic, pretty flat. Depending on how far you want to go, Sackett's
Harbor is also a nice place to visit, you can take 12E to 180 to 3, I've biked them all and they're not bad. But there is currently road construction on 12E in Three Mile Bay, the road is all torn up and not bikeable, so avoid that.

Have a great time, that's a beautiful area.

Thanks for the link with the route maps!

I took a look and it seems like the Cape Vincent route is the closest to where I'll be staying. I'd like to check it out but you also said to stay away from 12E around 3 Mile Bay...

Take a look at the outlined road below; Will I run into the road construction you speak of?

Thanks for the link with the route maps!

I took a look and it seems like the Cape Vincent route is the closest to where I'll be staying. I'd like to check it out but you also said to stay away from 12E around 3 Mile Bay...

Take a look at the outlined road below; Will I run into the road construction you speak of?

Yes unfortunately, here's the notice from NYS: "NYSDOT: construction work on NY 12E from CR 8 to CR 57 due to construction work for the next six months. Starting on 04/27/09 12:39:03 PM until 10/24/09 12:39:00 PM. Comment: construction through the village of Three Mile Bay until 10/1/2009"

One possibility is to take alternate roads; traffic is still going along Rt 12E through the construction so there wouldn't be more traffic on other roads. You could do, from Cape Vincent: Rt 6 to 57, then turning left onto 12E (instead of right), then Burnt Rock Rd, for example. It would be worth it to buy a map of Jefferson County. I don't know what the alternative roads would be like since I haven't ridden or driven them, but I'm pretty sure it would be flat and decent.

You might also think about crossing over to the Canadian side, as I mentioned, the ferry from Cape Vincent is only about 10 minutes to Wolfe Island, here's the schedule: http://hornesferry.com/location/schedule/

Thanks again for the heads up... I'd love to cross into Canada but I don't have a passport. I remember only a few years back all you needed was a DL and birth certificate...

ah, too bad. BTW you can get into Canada without a passport. It's the US that has changed its rules, so you can't get back into the US without a passport or an "enhanced" driver's license issued by some of the border states.