Presents:
The 2004 Finger Lakes Tandem Tour (west)
Day 4 Wednesday
Either ride around Beautiful (and Hilly) Canandaigua Lake 45 or 49 miles;
or do a relatively easy ride to Geneva on the northern end of Seneca Lake 42 miles (shortcuts available)
and/or visit Sonnenburg Gardens or rest.
Canandaigua is a beautiful lake, with a great overlook on the east coast. All three rides give you the chance to see this wonderful view, with a bit more climb than the other days. The East Coast Ride, 32.7 miles, runs along some of the less frequented parts of the lake. Or ride around the whole lake, 47.6 miles, which gives you a chance to visit Naples as a mid-way point. Or take a gentle ride over to Geneva, on Seneca Lake, 42 miles. These are wonderful rides, past fields of sunflowers and grapes, and the many lake cottages. We will ride through Vine Valley. The high banks of the area are wild, steep, and tremendous.
Or take a rest day. Canandaigua has a community spirit and focus on arts and crafts.
Sonnenberg Gardens is a famous Victorian mansion and flower garden that is well worth visiting.
Other museums and shops provide a chance to walk and enjoy.
Boating, Kayaking and wind surfing are also available.
Dinner is on your own. Lake Shore Drive has a number of nice restaurants overlooking the shore side.
The ride around Canandaigua Lake goes clock wise, with the lake on your right. As we cruise along the east shore of Canadaigua Lake, the number of cottages becomes impressive. In 1900 there were only 160 cottages on the entire lake. By 1945 there were 1163 along the lake shore. Today there are 1400 properties with lake access. A 1907 publication reported that rental costs for a cottage ranged from $15 - $75 a month. Rentals today can easily exceed several thousand dollars a month.
Cottage City and Crystal Point have long histories, with the site of an Indian camp in previous centuries. The first cottage was built here in 1878, with a great many folks from Rochester building summer houses here.
We will bear right towards Vine Valley. The high banks of this area are wild, high, and steep. After a climb, you'll gain a spectacular panoramic view of the south end of the lake. Vine Valley is named for the wild grape vines found there by the first settlers in 1790. This pleasant sheltered valley has a fascinating pre-Columbian history, with archaeologists finding evidence of a distinct period of Native American cultural development from that time period.
The high hill to your left is Bare Hill, called Genundoaw by the Seneca people. The real name of the Senecas is 'Great Hill' people, with Bare Hill their legendary origin. According to legend, a young Seneca boy brought a small and seemingly harmless snake home to a village on the hill. The snake grew to enormous size and began devouring the village. The boy killed the snake, with the dying snake thrashing its way down the hill to the lake, laying waste to a large swath of land. Thus Bare Hill.
Woodville is located at the south end of Canandaigua, originally a steamboat port for Naples. Naples makes a great stopping place for lunch and a rest break. Settled by Italian grape growers, Naples has a range of stores and restaurants to entice us.
The west coast of Canandaigua has a long history as a site for beauty and outdoor recreation. Seneca Point was the site of a large Indian orchard. Cottages and hotels sprang up to take their place. The first science camp in America was founded here. The Rochester Free Academy, the YMCA, and YWCA all had camps for children along these shores.