The tour started in Burlington, which offered all the charm of a college town, with the picturesque backdrop of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. On Day 1, we set off from the more suburban side of Burlington and arrived, 40 miles and 1800 feet of climbing later, in Middlebury. The Middlebury Inn greeted us with a delightful afternoon tea. I took my coconut tea with jam and crumpets in a fancy winged arm chair and admired the grandeur of the lobby.
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| Tea time at Middlebury Inn |
That night, we ate in a fantastic restaurant in Vergennes, VT, which had a modest menu but a fantastic chef. We shared a bottle of wine, I had haddock topped with coconut curry and toasted almonds, there was escargot and gourmet french fries, and, for dessert, passion fruit creme brulee.
The next day started with the threat of rain but turned into the hardest and hottest ride. From Middlebury, we climbed a long stretch of hills to a ferry which took us - and our bikes - across Champlain and over to Fort Ticonderoga in New York.
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| Relaxing on the ferry to Fort Ticonderoga |
Starving, we stopped at this adorable luncheonette decorated with relics of the 50s and 60s, and shared grilled cheeses, burgers and enormous chocolate malts. After 48 miles, 3600 feet of climbing, and the growing fear that we may not beat the rain after all, we arrived suddenly at the inn in Westport. We took refreshing showers and toasted over cold beers on tap. That inn was literary-themed, and offered an extensive library of classics. We stayed in the James Fenimore Cooper room, next door to Edgar Allen Poe.
Day 3 arrived, and the weather took a turn for the worse. Overnight, the temperature had crept down and moisture hung in the air. We started out in jackets and tights, but chilled quickly against the strong headwind. We stopped 15 miles in at the Turtle Island Cafe for hot chocolate and a light lunch. I warmed up with french onion soup. Continuing on after lunch with still more layers, it finally started to rain. The highlight of the afternoon was stopping over the Ausable Chasm.
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We arrived in Plattsburgh drenched and chilled, 45 miles and 2500 feet of climbing later. We were quickly revived by delicious falafel, hummus, a bottle of pinot noir split among us, and a sampling of baklava on the house.
The following day promised by far the shortest ride, but the most treacherous conditions. We prepared ourselves for 22 miles in a nor'easter that had swept over Lake Champlain. We wore all the layers we brought, rain jackets, tights, rainpants, and, for lack of high-tech neoprene shoe covers, I wrapped my feet in plastic bags before stuffing them in my shoes.
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| Bundled for the nor'easter |
A few miles in, we boarded a second ferry along with the traffic crossing the lake into Grand Isle. The men running the ferry invited us into the upper level and kindly cranked the heat up. They told us that the ferry runs year round, and could break easily through ice. It was a rough ride, but we were definitely in good hands. Back on land, we fought the wind and rain, wheel-to-wheel behind the burlier men of the group to dull the effect of the headwind, into North Hero. After only 15 miles, we arrived at the Shore Acres Inn. Such relief.
We waited out the storm that night and through the following day. The inn looked out over the lake with a gorgeous view of the snow-capped peaks. We spent the day lounging, reading, admiring the variety of birds, and playing on the pier.
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The floating dock at North Hero
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We ate the first night at the inn restaurant, and had such a fantastic meal that we came back again the following night. The most memorable dishes for me were wild mushroom ravioli with carmelized onions and goat cheese, seared tuna with cracked pepper and mandarin oranges, and a monkfish in a delicious cajun style sauce with crayfish. Oh, and dessert! There was a fantastic salted caramel ice cream, and flourless chocolate cake.
The sun came out for the final ride from North Hero back into Burlington and it was just magnificent. It was another 45 mile day with 1000 feet of climbing, but we were so happy to be dry and warm that kept a brisk pace.
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| Single file on a bridge |
The bridge from Grand Isle back to the Vermont mainland gave a breathtaking panoramic view of the lake and the mountains, speckled with windmills. For the remainder of the ride, we got on a winding bike path and weaved through what appeared to be the greater population of Burlington, walking their dogs, pushing their children on swings, and basking in the first taste of summer.
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So, we arrived back where we started, with 200 miles and a few hills under our belts. We celebrated with fresh-squeezed lemonade, steamers, fish tacos, laughter and reminiscing.
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| The post-trip crew |
Photo credit: Paul Oppenheimer
