This past weekend I was in my old hometown area in southwestern NY state. (I currently live in New Mexico) I noticed that since the Southern Tier Expressway has been built there are bike route signs up on old Route 17 in the Chautauqua County area. Old 17 went almost all the way to NY City across the southern border right? Got me thinking that it could make a cool fall tour. I am very familiar with the roads through Chautauqua County, and have been to Olean several times (driving), but beyond that I am kind of clueless.

I am looking for input on the area around Binghamton (sp?), the southern NY/PA border area and into the Catskills. Places to avoid? great scenic routes, etc. Too late this year to get it organized, but am seriously thinking about next September. I would probabaly be credit card touring, not looking to camp much.

This past weekend I was in my old hometown area in southwestern NY state. (I currently live in New Mexico) I noticed that since the Southern Tier Expressway has been built there are bike route signs up on old Route 17 in the Chautauqua County area. Old 17 went almost all the way to NY City across the southern border right? Got me thinking that it could make a cool fall tour. I am very familiar with the roads through Chautauqua County, and have been to Olean several times (driving), but beyond that I am kind of clueless.

I am looking for input on the area around Binghamton (sp?), the southern NY/PA border area and into the Catskills. Places to avoid? great scenic routes, etc. Too late this year to get it organized, but am seriously thinking about next September. I would probabaly be credit card touring, not looking to camp much.

I have cycled between Hornell and Binghamton, and driven from Olean to Binghamton on your route. It is a rolling ride through small towns and farm land - very pleasant with light traffic most of the time. Should be a fine tour.

Some things to be aware of:
-Old 17 from Olean to Corning is named route NY417 (bet you already knew that...)
-Check the NYDOT website for RT 17/I88 (new name for RT17) construction. This summer a 10 mile stretch was detoured onto 417 for Rt 17 repairs. Traffic was 50 mph with plenty of semis - would be no fun to cycle.
-417 ends in Corning. I like 2 ways through/around Corning:
1. Through the city; good if you want a flat ride or to stop for city of Corning tourist stuff and hunger for semi urban cycling after so much country riding. Take 417 to Beartown Rd in Gang Mills. Travel north (left turn) on Beartown Rd to local 2 lane bridge connecting to NY415 (avoid the NY15 to NY 17 interchange-bridge - very narrow, rough and heavy traffic). Go through Corning to NY352 (old 17 once again...) to Elmira. Through Elmira to NY427, to Wellsburg. Cross Chemung river and connect to NY17C. 17C goes directly to Binghamton's Oakdale Mall - as far as I have ridden east.
2. Around Corning via Caton; good if you want some hill riding or prefer to avoid the city route. Take 417 to Beartown Rd. Travel south (right turn) on Beartown Rd. Cross Tioga river and take NY 225 through Caton to NY 352 in Elmira. From there, same route as option 1.
-As you likely know, traffic will become progressively heavier as you approach Binghamton. I have done the ride east to west to Horseheads twice, on Saturday afternoons with no trouble but plenty of cars and traffic lights from Binghamton to Endicott.
-My NY highway map shows no small roads beside Rt 17 east of Binghamton. Have you considered NY 7 from Binghamton towards Albany instead? I have driven I88 on that route - very scenic quiet country with Rt 7 visible much of the time with light traffic.

Let me know if you want more detail around Corning - needs a map or many lines to cover all the turns.

The parts of NY17 that became I-86 are not legal for bicycles.

The parts of NY17 that became I-86 are not legal for bicycles.
4 lane Southern Tier Expressway Rt 17, now called I88, was not much fun to ride when it was legal... lots of semis with heavy stone and glass on the shoulders. I foolishly tried a couple times since it shortens my commute from Horseheads to Corning.

The older 2 lane Rt 17 , now renamed 417, 17C, etc, is a good biking route.

As for the roads east of Binghamton and into the Catskills: Once you get to Hancock (preferably by some other road than Rt. 17) Rt. 97 winds south along the Delaware and would make a great ride.