10/19/2026
What a ride!
Last month, accessibility advocate Ian Mackay of Ian’s Ride powered his way more than 360 miles along the Erie Canalway Trail, from Albany all the way to Buffalo, in his mouth-controlled power wheelchair.
Ian, a Guinness World Record holder who is paralyzed from the neck down, set out on Sept. 20 and rolled across the finish line on Sept. 28. Along the way, our NYS Canal Corporation team, including Director Ben Walsh, joined him for stretches of the trail, and community members came out to ride along, cheer him on, and swap stories at daily meet-ups.
Ian's journey was a powerful reminder of something we believe in: trails and outdoor spaces should be for EVERYONE. The canal has been connecting New York communities for 200 years, and seeing it bring people together like this was the perfect way to cap off a summer full of inclusion and celebration.
Congrats, Ian, and thanks for letting us be part of the adventure! Keep an eye out for Good Moment, the new documentary about his world-record ride.