Buffalo sits at the east end of Lake Erie, where the lake narrows into the Niagara River, and its position has shaped everything about it. The Erie Canal ended here when it opened in 1825, linking the Great Lakes to the Hudson and New York, and the city became a great grain port, its waterfront crowded with huge concrete elevators, many of which still stand. At one point in the early twentieth century it was among the richest cities in America, and the legacy is still visible in its architecture, from the art deco city hall to the Frank Lloyd Wright houses.
Today Buffalo has about a quarter of a million people, a revived waterfront, and a deserved reputation for friendliness and good food. It claims the chicken wing, which was supposedly invented at a bar here in the 1960s, and beef on weck, a roast-beef sandwich on a salted roll, is a local speciality. Fuel and food are plentiful, and the city's old neighbourhoods have good bakeries and diners. The Peace Bridge, across the Niagara River to Canada, is a short ride away, and Niagara Falls lies about thirty minutes north.
For a rider, the Seaway Trail, which follows the lake and river shorelines for hundreds of miles, begins or ends here, passing vineyards, orchards, small harbours and lighthouses. The roads are flat and gentle, with occasional lake views, and there is a pleasant ride along the lakeshore through the old resort towns. Traffic in the city is typical, with rush-hour jams on the expressways, but the back roads are quiet.
Weather is the character. Lake Erie's influence is huge: winters bring lake-effect snow in great storms, summers are mild, and the lake keeps the autumn warm. The best months for riding are June to September. Sunsets over the lake can be spectacular, and a walk along the waterfront at dusk, with ships moving slowly across the horizon, is a fine way to finish a day. Give yourself time to see the grain elevators and the old canal terminus.