Camping for bikers at Harvester Park via the Welcome Center

I am a frequent patron of Coleen's Cafe on Main Street in Brockport and at this time of year it is common to see two, three, four or more bikes tethered to lamp posts in front of the restaurant. (We need more bike racks on Main Street to accomodate the bikers.) It is fun to talk with them and for the second time in two weeks I have met older folks in their late 60s and 70s who state that they have ridden all summer starting in Washington State.

The group yesterday, a gentleman and two women asked for directions to the "Erie Canal Rd" that starts as State Street. I heard someone direct them to the intersection at the Strand and told them to take a left. I intercepted them and told them a "more scenic route" would be down Water Street past the Welcome Center, then to Market, then to Park Avenue where they could take a right and it would bring them to State where they would take a left to ride Canal Rd. to Sweden Walker. I bragged about our Welcome Center and its showers, laundromat and boat hook-ups with electricity and water and the gentleman asked if there was anywhere that a biker could camp in Brockport, NY.

I mistakenly told him, "Not that I know of" and "I don't know why that is because I have been asked that several times by other people biking through." So, I emailed the mayor, Margay Blackman, and asked her about why there is no camping for bikers on the canal and she informed me that there is. Who knew?

Mayor Blackman told me that with police permission and permission of Welcome Center staff, bikers are allowed to pitch a tent in Harvester Park and sometimes even given an overnight key for the rest room. Well that's great! I am so pleased and only wonder why I, one of Brockport's biggest boosters, was kept in the dark about this until I had to ask and after I misled other people passing through.

I am very interested in helping Brockport become a destination. Mayor Blackman's High Water, Low Bridge festival this past spring did just that with people coming from Cincinatti, Ohio and Hamilton, Ontario to participate in the rowing competition of the canal from Spencerport to Brockport. The Arts Festival also provides visibility for Brockport as a tourist destination.

I asked Coleen how many bikers she gets in her Cafe on average in the summer per week and she said "12", and the stop mostly in the early morning for breakfast before they leave, and sometimes for lunch if they are passing through Brockport at mid day.

This is wonderful and I wonder if the Brockport Merchants Association is purposefully working on ways to promote Brockport businesses so that they can postion themselves more visibly as tourist destinations?

If you have any information on this topic, please leave or comment or email me at davidgmarkham@gmail.com or sent me an article or a flyer of your event or business.