Originally Posted by
RollCNY
OP
The reason I would not go north first to then drop south is that crossing the Catskills on a bike will dwarf any hill you see on the entire length of 17. There is no good way to go from Utica to Poughkeepsie or south with out facing some honkers.
Taking the canal route, you will not have to cross the Catskills. You are essentially staying in the Mohawk and then the Hudson Valley. No need to enter into the Catskills