Trip Summary Trip Dates: Jul 27 - Aug 03 Start - End Locations: Buffalo, NY - Owen Sound, ON Canada/Shuttle back to Buffalo, NY Route Notes: CANCELLED Days: 8   Rest Days: 0   Level of Support: Event Surface: Road Riders: 80 Type: Supported   Meals: Catered (except for 1 dinner) Accommodations: Camping Physical Difficulty: Intermediate   Cost: $999 Booking Status: Closed

Pedal the route to freedom from Buffalo, New York, to Georgian Bay on Lake Huron, crossing the international boundary and passing through farmland and villages as you go. On this tour, history and landscapes blend into a swirl of experiences—community parades, museums, historical reenactments, great cycling, and wonderful people. Though the weather may be hot, the campsites we’ve chosen include swimming pools or lakes, perfect for cooling off at day’s end. And on most evenings, speakers or performers will discuss or dramatize Underground Railroad history.

Freedom seekers often called Canada “Canaan”—a biblical reference to a promised land. However, getting to this new land demanded inconceivable risks. Imagine the many perils runaways faced—traveling at night, sorting out whom to trust, and evading bounty hunters and their dogs, who often lurked around the shores of the Niagara. For cyclist Rodney McCoy, from Racine, Wisconsin, who participated in last year’s tour, climbing a long, steep hill became a metaphor for this historic struggle to find freedom. Consider these words he wrote after the tour:

“All of a sudden it became more of a cause than a challenge. I began to think about how mothers and fathers pushed themselves and their children into that river, determined to get across. Their determination overcame their fears. I began to picture them getting across that river, and I thought of those who didn’t make it. I could have stopped. I could have walked, but I dedicated that climb to the people, my people, who did not make it over.”

The tour begins with a visit to Buffalo’s Michigan Street Baptist Church, a key stopover for many on the Underground Railroad. It’s located not far from the shores of the Niagara River, where, as ride participant McCoy alluded to, thousands jumped into boats or leapt into fast-churning waters to swim to freedom in Canada. This country emancipated blacks in 1833, long before the United States did. (Your own crossing into Canada requires a passport, so don’t forget to apply if you don’t already hold one.)

Following the western shore of the Niagara River, you’ll ride past thundering Niagara Falls and continue downstream via the Niagara Recreation Trail to Lake Ontario and the classy town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where ice-cream shops abound. Sites you’ll want to explore include Bertie Hall in Fort Erie, with its secret basement room that sheltered freedom seekers, and the BME Church, which was built by newly freed blacks in St. Catharines. Another must-see is the Sheffield Black History Park and Museum, sitting on the bank of Georgian Bay. Dedicated to Africans’ contributions to Great Lakes maritime lore, the museum also highlights Underground Railroad history.

On the final day of riding you’ll reach the summit of the Niagara Escarpment and its abundance of photo opps. From there, it’s a fast descent into Owen Sound, where you’ll celebrate with thousands of locals and visitors at the 146th Annual Emancipation Day Celebration. “Freedom Riders” such as yourself are a celebrated feature of the parade, so get your waving hand and big smile ready!

Ride the final leg of our newest major route by joining this rolling celebration honoring the brave Americans who journeyed north to find freedom, and those who helped them in their search.

For more detailed information, see Event logistics.

READY TO GO?
You can sign up for the Underground Railroad Celebration now. Go to our online sign-up.

EXTRAS
For more information about the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route project, visit our UGRR web pages.