Cycling the Lake Champlain Bikeway Story and photos by Cindy

he setting sun suffuses Lake at the door, we parents know we have Along the wooded shoreline in town, Champlain in a tangerine glow. little quality time left with our children. A a sculptured fairyland was created using A few islands trace the hori- cycling adventure is one of the few things driftwood, lake stones, and pieces of metal. zon like a dark brush stroke on they will agree to. We’ll follow the princi- This outdoor art museum decorates the canvas.T Across the sparkling water, the pal route and cover about 230 miles, aver- pebble beach and extends into the water. high peaks of the Adirondacks rear on aging 40 miles a day. We’ll take our time to Passersby can leave their bikes and explore the west coast. On our right are the Green explore museums, beaches, and parks. We or spend hours designing their own pieces Mountains. The Abenecki Indian name for also plan to sample bakeries and roadside of art. Farther down the trail in Battery Lake Champlain is Bitawbagok, meaning fruit stands. And we’ll tote our camping Park, artists took white chunks of marble “the lake between.” We’re cycling up an gear and will stay at the campgrounds and created detailed carvings of Neptune, extremely narrow causeway that juts into located on the bikeway. mermaids, and other water-related beings. the lake like a pointed finger. Spread your We kick off our circumnavigation The intriguing artwork makes arms and you can nearly touch the ends of around this “sixth Great Lake,” bet- it hard to leave town. the causeway. We have the strange sensa- ter known as the “Jewel of New North of Burlington, tion that we are not just pedaling in the England,” from Burlington, the route sits on an lake, but in a painting of the lake. Vermont. Burlington is one of elevated, abandoned The Colchester Causeway is part of those towns I have filed away railroad bed. This was the 363-mile Lake Champlain Bikeway, a in my mind as a place to move the start of the Island cycling route that circumnavigates Lake to should I ever need a new Line, a rail line built Champlain in Vermont and New York with home. It sits on the shore of in 1900 that connected a few side trips. The route is a combina- Lake Champlain in north- Burlington to the tion of gravel and asphalt bike trails, quiet ern Vermont, and with chain of islands dirt roads, rural roads, and a few highway many miles of bike on the north- stretches. trails to indulge in, ern half of the 400 years ago, French explorer Samuel de it is a cyclist’s dream lake. When Champlain and a fleet of 24 canoes entered town. It also is home it oper- the lake from the north and “discovered” to ECHO, the world- ated, the it, profoundly impacting the entire world. class Lake Aquarium 40-mile This has something to do with the reason and Science Center, Island we are here. But the underlying history les- which showcases the Line son is mainly an excuse for my family from incredible diversity was one Pennsylvania and the Pennel family from of natural ecosystems, of the Michigan to go for a long ride together. and the flora and fauna world’s With one child in college and two poised that live around the lake. most Sierra Gladfelter spectacular railroad routes. It is just as Restaurants offer free soft-drink refills stunning on a bicycle today. and allow us to stuff our water bottles full After exploring the Colchester Causeway, of ice cubes to go. I fold ice into my rolled we continue north on our ride up the Island neck bandana, allowing the icy water to Line. The Rutland Railroad Company drip and soak my chest. When a frozen- undertook this extraordinary project in food truck pulls up to the grocery store order to connect the New England coast to make a delivery, the kids beg to climb to the Great Lakes and provide access for inside. “I charge by the minute,” the driver Rutland’s marble industry. Along with 41 teases. miles of track, construction included six You can’t travel into Canada on the miles of marble causeways and trestles and bikeway for even a mile to photograph four drawbridges. It was accomplished in the French welcome sign without your one year’s time. The route along the chain passport, so plan accordingly. The route of islands is often higher than the sur- continues north along the Richelieu River rounding land, providing a grand view to Champly, Quebec, for another 38 miles. of the lake on both sides. The islands of Here the water becomes nearly a sliver of Grand Isle, South Hero, and North Hero liquid, a strong contrast to its widest part boast enjoyable cycling routes and scenic near Burlington at 12 miles. state parks. At the border, I shoot photos of the Michelangelo wasn’t here. Sierra checks out a sculpture in Burlington’s lakeside park. On these islands, men sew canvas boat kids presenting their passports. An irate covers for a living, build handcrafted Canadian border police officer marches out our neighboring country for a bit, we turn is such a brilliant white that we can barely Adirondack chairs, and grow hay. The and orders me to delete every single frame south and follow the west shore of the lake look at it. We wonder if we’d prefer to live cut grass cooks in the sunshine, filling the while he watches. I explain what I am through New York. on the lake for easy access or above it for a air with sweetness that we drink in as we doing (the kids give me the look … “Mom, The Adirondack Mountains practically magnificent view. cycle by. When the hay is raked, disturbed don’t give him any lip!”), but he’s clearly fall into Lake Champlain. The west shore There are rewards on this roller-coaster insects attract hundreds of circling, div- not interested in my reasons. He moves his ride is hilly and strains our leg muscles, stretch that make up for the struggle. We ing seagulls. We watch them as we cycle hand to the pistol on his hip and leaves but the hills allow us wider views of the cycle past giant cottonwood and locust past the verdant green farms, so lush they it there until I finish. After experiencing lake. The sunlight radiating on the water trees and watch white sails drift on the remind us of Ireland. Sweet corn is in sea- son, and roadside tables dot our route: $4 a dozen, paid on the honor system. We take a break at a coffee shop on North Hero and notice an interesting craft parked at the dock. It appears to be a wanderer’s water home. When we see a half dozen young men with their pant legs rolled up, straw hats, and garbage bags full of wild apples that they obviously scavenged, we think we’ve found the free spirits who belong to the craft. A handful of graduates from Williams College cre- ated the wooden raft. A small outboard motor assists them on their voyage from Canada, across Lake Champlain, and down the Hudson River to New York City. When we ask how far that is, they reply, “Between 2 and 400 miles, not sure.” Last night was their first on board. Cannonball! Johnny and Bryce take a dip along the Colchester Causeway near Burlington. “We take on a lot of water, even in calm seas,” they admit. However, their spirits are is the Chazy Fossil Reef, the earliest known cool water. Frequent mini-marts provide not dampened. Meeting fellow adventurers biologically diverse reef on earth. The reef cold drinks, salty snacks, and ice cream,

while long-distance cycling is half the fun is still teeming with fossils. Several island making even the sweatiest cyclist happy. SINGULAR FOCUS FOR A SUPERIOR PRODUCT of these trips. We can see our children’s quarries also are located here, providing Our children cruise the food store aisles, faces light up. They seem to be filing the the famous black marble found in major turning over packages to read labels and Customize with text or logos idea away for another adventure in life. national projects such as the Brooklyn find the food product with the most salt. Great selection of wool, cotton and We take a detour out to Isle La Motte Bridge and the National Gallery of Art. Canned ham is a winner, followed by other unique fabrics for a 12-mile circle, resulting in some of the Even though the mid-day August tem- SpaghettiO’s. They jam the cans into their Club and volume discounts available prettiest scenery on our trip. This is the site peratures are sweltering hot, we can toler- water-bottle holders “to warm them up” where Champlain landed his canoe when ate it by taking every opportunity to flip in the air so they can eat pasta right out of www.walzcaps.com he entered the lake on July 9, 1609. Nearby down the kickstand and dive into the lake’s the can.

28 adventure cyclist october/november 2010 adventurecycling.org adventure cyclist october/november 2010 adventurecycling.org 29 lake. We’re treated to a ride through a beau- ration up the Hudson River and into Lake tiful stretch of dirt road lined with fragrant For More Information George, a short portage from this penin- the honor system. It’s not as good a memory evergreens, then get to dunk our heads sula. Fighting began over the water, and a as a Champ sighting, but it’s worthwhile into a frigid mountain stream. We stop to The Lake Champlain Region Road massive fort was constructed on the bluff. nonetheless. indulge in wood-fired pizza. While our pie Map and Guide features the 363-mile Cannons rest in front of stone structures, Our last days up the east shore are a bakes, the hippie pizza maker entertains Champlain Bikeway and its network of and the costumed guides form a vivid story pleasant meandering ride through apple us with piano songs on the wooden front connecting theme loops as of 2004. It about U.S. history, making Fort Ticonderoga orchards on shady dirt roads. Many of the porch. We screech on our brakes when we is available from Local Motion Trailside an excellent break from cycling. The kids hills are so accommodating that the down- pass a lemonade stand. The children sprint Center, (802) 652-2453, and the take time out to dress up in period costumes hills power us right up the next incline. from the house, yelling to their siblings, Vermont Department of Tourism, (800) and pretend to shoot one another with mus- Along the bushy roadsides, brilliant yellow “We’ve got customers!” Our purchase of VERMONT. kets for photos. finches hide in the foliage. As we speed cold drinks and popsicles will add to their For more information, email info@ From here, the Bikeway continues south by on our bikes, they surface and fly right vacation fund, they tell us. Every section champlainbikeways.org. For specifics on to Whitehall for another 26 miles, where alongside us. These flashes of sunshine of the bikeway has unique beauty and cycling in Vermont, contact Lou Bresee the lake once again becomes a thin sliver of keep up for many yards and add a bit more surprises. at [email protected]. For New water, similar to its northernmost reaches. joy to our bike ride. Our favorite private campground is York information, contact Doug Yu at Our group, however, will cross the lake Our route dips into secluded bays and Monty Bay near the town of West Chazy. [email protected]. on the Ticonderoga Ferry and return to through covered bridges with majestic Popular with the French Canadians, the the Vermont side. We want to experience views of the sparkling lake. This ride has owners go all out on weekends to entertain One half-day stop we’ve been antici- the ferry crossing, and a five-day ride will All aboard! Boarding the Ticonderoga Ferry on the New York side of Lake Champlain. always been about the lake. We viewed their guests. Tonight is a potluck dinner pating is a visit to the star-shaped Fort be enough of an adventure for the kids. it from all angles as we circled it and saw banquet for everyone. There is a swim- Ticonderoga. Back in the 1700s, the nation Compromise is important when soliciting Border, who’s been operating the ferry creature is said to be between 20 to 50 feet its many personalities in the little towns ming pool for entertainment — the lake, of that controlled the water also controlled the company of teenagers. for 43 years, makes about 50 round trips long. It seeks refuge in the deepest part of and communities we visited. We met the course — but our favorite attraction is the the land. This ribbon of water stretch- Four ferry routes that cross the lake have a day from late April to late October. The the lake (400 feet under water). This sup- folks who call this lake their home and felt live, five-piece ’70s rock ’n’ roll band that ing almost unbroken from the Gulf of St. been in place for more than 200 continu- ferry fits only a handful of cars but a lot posed remnant of an aquatic dinosaur or privileged to ride beside it as week-long plays all evening long. The uninhibited Lawrence to the mouth of the Hudson River ous years, making them the oldest existing of bicycles. a primitive whale has been spotted more companions. French Canadians dance wildly on the grass was crucial in three wars. ferries in the U.S. Ticonderoga’s ferry runs While crossing, the kids search the than 200 times since its 19th-century dis- under the tent as they laugh and converse About the same time Champlain was on a cable that is pulled by a tugboat. The waters for a sighting of the shy but friendly covery. As we roll our bikes off the ferry, Cindy Ross is a freelance writer and the author of in their lyrical foreign tongue. We easily cruising his namesake lake, Great Britain’s cable guides us across the half-mile cross- lake monster, Champ, a local legend akin we purchase a Vermont homegrown apple Scraping Heaven: A Family’s Journey Along the Continental Divide. For more about Cindy, visit www. forget we are on American soil. Henry Hudson was making his own explo- ing in about seven minutes. Ferryman John to the Loch Ness Monster. This serpentlike from a cardboard box — 50 cents apiece on redmountainarts.net. ©2010

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