Take Your Bike!: Family Rides in the Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley Region (Trail Guidebooks) [Paperback]

Rich Freeman (Author), Sue Freeman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0965697444 | ISBN-13: 978-0965697446 | Publication Date: July 1, 1999

The rides in this book are designed for people who delight in exploring unique or little-known places. The paths and backcountry roads allow you to safely enjoy the natural world and learn about our community and its history.

With this guide, youÂ’ll be able to explore the Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley Region with ease and confidence. Each of the 40 rides is rated for difficulty and type of terrain, and described by length and estimated time required. In addition, youÂ’ll know how to find the trails and parking.

Whether young or young at heart, you can enjoy the adventures this guide brings to life. All you need is a sturdy bike (no need to have a mountain bike) to begin your adventures. Enjoy the trails in all seasons. TheyÂ’re equally well suited to hiking and cross-country skiing.

HereÂ’s Your Chance To: -Ride through an abandoned Naval Training Base. -Ride tree-shaded trails where steam locomotives once hauled coal from Pennsylvania mines to ports on Lake Ontario.

-Explore the remains of mills and factories from the 1800s. -Experience life from a bygone era while riding the towpath of the abandoned enlarged Erie Canal.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Grab the kids and hit the trails. "Take A Hike" and "Take Your Bike" have taken the guesswork out of planning, so you can pick a destination and head out on (almost) a moment's notice. The only things you'll need to remember are the snacks and these guidebooks. -- Beth Pessin, Genesee Valley Parent

If you enjoy getting out and learning more about the area, "Take A Hike" and "Take Your Bike" will be nice additions to your bookshelf. -- Gary Fallesen, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Many guidebooks try to give an accurate account of the trails and regions they cover, but few do so as well as these. The trails are listed by region and length, so finding just the right trail for any occasion is a snap. Every trail has clear directions on how to find it, along with a wealth of useful information such as whether or not pets are allowed, a very down-to-earth difficulty rating, and even where to find a scoop of ice cream along the way. -- Gus Schick, Ithaca Times

The books ("Take A Hike" and "Take Your Bike"), which are essentially guidebooks, fill a badly needed niche. While our little section of New York has an abundance of trails and places to hike and bike, there really have not been any comprehensive guidebooks to turn to for ideas and direction. The authors noticed this need and decided to fill it themselves. "Gus Schick, Ithaca Times" -- (Gus Schick, Ithaca Times)

The softcover companion books ("Take A Hike" and "Take Your Bike") are an enormous resource for hiking and biking trails in the region, allowing readers to pick and choose from a short but picturesque 20-minute hike at Moss Lake to a five-hour walk along the Erie Canal trail from Port Byron to Jordan in Cayuga County. The books also list helpful hints, like the type of terrain, degree of difficulty and clothing and food advice, as well as a map of each area. -- Marcia Morphy, Canandaigua Daily Messenger

Two beautifully prepared, thorough and easy-to-read guidebooks ("Take A Hike" and "Take Your Bike") landed on our desk this month. Both books encourage families to enjoy area trails for safe, inexpensive and educational outings. The trails can be used for hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, cross-country skiing, and dog walking. --Michelle Miller, Western NY Family

About the Author

Rich and Sue Freeman once masqueraded as corporate executives. In 1996 they turned their backs on the long hours, high pay, and empty feeling to spend six months walking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. This trek changed their lives forever. Since returning to civilized life, they've sold their house, written and published 5 books on hiking and biking trails around western and central New York State and Ontario, Canada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Footprint Press (NY) (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965697444
• ISBN-13: 978-0965697446
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,268,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview of hiking and biking trails, December 29, 2010

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B-rich - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Take Your Bike!: Family Rides in the Finger Lakes and Genesee Valley Region (Trail Guidebooks) (Paperback)

I gave the book as a gift to my parents and they really enjoyed the book. The book provides some great hiking and biking trail overviews. I would try to buy the book used. The book I bought was less than $5 and when it arrived I could NOT tell it was used.