Tour de Champlain 2007

Pictures

2007-08-10T06:39:00.000-04:00

Well, I took a few. For this trip, I took my Aiptek Pencam, both because of its small size and the fact that it uses standard AAA batteries. I picked this up for about $10.00, and it does pretty well. My Canon digital is bigger and uses an expensive ($12.00) lithium battery that might be hard to find on the road. So the pencam seemed like a good idea.

Unfortunately, I neglected to confirm that the small focus ring on the front of the pencam was in the "distant" position for my walking tour of Crown Point Historic Site, and these pictures came out blurred. Too bad, because this was a very scenic place. I discovered my error on Day One, so that's where the pictures begin, aside from the loaded bike picture in the "Ready to Go" post. There are pictures in the posts for Days 1-3, but they're few and scattered.

Overall, this camera produced satisfactory results, and I would use it again for this purpose. There's no preview/review screen, so it's better to be careful, as with a film camera, to be sure about the shot beforehand, or take extras. Lesson learned.

Afterthoughts...

2007-08-05T13:21:00.000-04:00

All is unpacked, cleaned up, and put away. Lots of miscellaneous trip-related paper to wade through, and lots of "what would I do differently?" to think about. I'm going to start by going through the entire packing list and checking off stuff that I never used, and that may not need to be carried next time. In general, I think I came pretty close in that respect, but I'm sure there must be room for improvement.

At this point, I can only say I'm pretty sure I want to do more of this bike touring thing, in similar small bites for now to gain more experience. On this trip, I camped 4 nights and moteled one, and that only because of the heat. On the camping nights, I cooked twice and ate out locally twice. There was plenty of heat, but no rain. I feel like maybe I didn't eat enough or often enough, since I started to drag a little as time went on. Though I had no problems with heat cramps as I did last year, and had no problems slogging up most of the long hills, the overall energy level seemed to drop over time, both daily and for the week as a whole. I probably just didn't take in enough calories, and that's supported by the 2-3 pound weight loss in 5 days. So, nutrition continues to be an issue I need to work on.

Stopped in Adirondack Bicycle yesterday and told Bill about my front-end noise problem. He didn't seem to think it was hub-related, but told me to just pull the wheel and turn the axle by hand. Any rough spots would be immediately obvious. Duh - should have thought of that myself. But his next suggestion was a new one on me. Spokes try to flex under load, and at the points where they cross, they sometimes stick and then release, causing the ping sound I'd been hearing. He suggested some ProLink or WD-40 on the crossing points to see if that cleared it up. That made sense, since it was only happening while riding, and not while spinning the unloaded wheel. Did that today, and in the process, discovered a very loose spoke, which I tightened. I'd be willing to bet that one was flexing more than the others, and was causing the problem. I'll try to get out for a short ride later today and make sure. He really needs to start charging me for advice - I always learn something new when I go in there!

More to come as hindsight provides perspective.

Day 5 - Shelburne, VT, to Crown Point Bridge

2007-08-03T12:52:00.001-04:00

SCHENECTADY, NY - So much for a late start! Woke up way too early and had trouble getting back to sleep. Finally gave up, and wound up hitting the road at 6:45 am. Leaving VT7 was a pleasure when that time came, and the rest of the ride was mostly on back roads. There was a stiff and steady south headwind of about 15-20 mph, so I wound up spinning a lot in much lower gears than I would have otherwise. North of Charlotte, I decided not to take 3 sides of a rectangle as shown on the Champlain Bikeways route, but instead took the direct route, saving myself a couple of miles, but climbing an extra hill in the process. Good riding and good roads, aside from the wind, and the fact that my legs somehow felt like they didn't want to play today. On to Vergennes, where I grabbed an OJ and a breakfast sandwich, visited a park below a waterfall in town, as much for the rest rooms as the view, and then climbed up out of town. East of Vergennes, there's another inexplicable large rectangle that the route wants to do 3 sides of, while the direct route to Panton would save about 6-7 miles. Kind of a no-brainer there, since I wasn't interested in visiting the state park or museum on that longer loop anyway. Finally reached Lake St/Rd, and continued south to West Addison and VT17. I was only about 2 miles from the Crown Point Bridge at that point, but had stopped for a drink and a short standup break. A touring couple from Montreal came along, and we had a nice chat, comparing notes about many of the places we'd both been. They offered to pull me along and break the wind until the bridge, which was most welcome. They accidentally started climbing the bridge, until I brought to their attention that they wanted to stay in Vermont, turning before the bridge, if they were continuing to the Ticonderoga ferry to NY. We said our good-byes, and I finished climbing the bridge, fighting a crosswind but no traffic, and reached the car at the Visitors Center around 10am.

The Numbers:

Distance: 32.89 miles
Rolling time: 2:36:50
Elapsed time: 3:15
Avg speed: 12.5 mph
Max speed: 28.0 mph

TOTAL DISTANCE: 237.95 miles

Day 4 - Grande Isle, VT, to Shelburne, VT

2007-08-02T14:08:00.000-04:00

SHELBURNE, VT - Up at 6:30 as usual, and on the road by 7:30. It was already warm and very humid, with a strong headwind from the south. At first I had some doubts about making this a long day.

I also noticed a metallic clink coming from the front end with every revolution of the wheel. It's as if the speedometer sensor is misaligned, but that's not it. I'm concerned that it may be inside the hub and bearings. Interestingly, if I lift the front end and spin the wheel, there's no sound at all, only when I'm actually riding it. Will need to have that looked at after I get home. I almost had it checked in Burlington, but I'm getting ahead of myself...

The ride down South Hero Island was into that strong wind. The ride across the causeway on US2 was with that strong wind blowing across, and it was hard to keep a straight line. Early morning rush hour traffic was heading to Burlington, and that was its route. Finally got off US2/NY7 and wound back through residential streets and occasional bike path segments through the Colchester area. These were not always clearly marked, and they definitely did not agree with the Champlain Bikeways cue sheets. I wasn't always sure where I was or if I was headed in the right direction. Finally reached downtown Burlington and the waterfront, after about 30 miles. Stopped in Local Motion and asked some questions about motel accomodations in the Shelburne area, and used their rest room. Got recommendations on bike shops close by, but when I couldn't spin the front wheel and cause the noise, I was less worried than before, so let it go. Also had lunch at a nearby hot dog stand. Called Karl and told him thanks very much for the offer of a place to stay, but that I really wanted to crank out some more miles before stopping. I would stop early at a motel with A/C and pool to beat today's heat, and that would also shorten tomorow's ride and let me possibly beat any late-day storms. He agreed that was a sensible plan, and we left it at that.

Wound my way through South Burlington on bike path and residential streets, and reached a detour that forced me to ride on the busiest section of Shelburne Road, near the I-89 exit. Very little shoulder and a LOT of noontime traffic. Not fun. Eventually a bike lane appeared and then all was well. Tried to push the mileage toward 40, while also watching for possible motels. An Econo-Lodge had a room for the night, but not ready for a couple of hours. Called T-Bird Motor Inn, from Champlain Bikeways list of bike-friendly accomodations, and grabbed a room there, with both A/C and pool. Restaurants nearby. This should leave me about 40 miles tomorrow to finish at Crown Point, and I expect to be there by noon or so, barring any problems. Now, back to that A/C, after a stiff climb back to the motel!

(LATER) Cleaned up and organized for tomorrow, and generally relaxed. Walked about a mile to La Villa Mediterranean and had a good Italian dinner and a couple of beers, but should have skipped the canoli... It was a longer walk than I remembered, having passed it earlier, but it was well worth it. I saw the group of 5 from Hartford pull into the Shelburne Camping Area, which is immediately adjacent to this motel. May see them again tomorrow as we all head back to Crown Point. I probably won't get going until 8:30 or so, since the free continental breakfast doesn't start until 7:30. Or I may skip it and hit the road earlier - not much of a freebie anyway. Hot again tomorrow (92), with 60% chance of mainly afternoon storms, so will want to be done well before that possibility.

The Numbers

Distance 38.62 miles
Rolling time 3:13:30
Elapsed time 5:15
Max speed 26.0 mph
Avg speed 11.9 mph

Stopping for night in Shelburne, VT ...

2007-08-02T13:04:00.001-04:00

HOT!! Motel, A/C, pool. More later...

Day 3, cont'd

2007-08-01T16:59:00.000-04:00

GRANDE ISLE, VT - Arrived Grande Isle State Park around 1:40pm, and got a shaded site near the entrance. Bugs are around but very minimal, a much better site and situation than last night. Eating in tonight, but at least I can do it on my own site!

Set everything up and headed for the showers, bringing some laundry to do along with myself. Shirts cleaned up fine and don't even smell anymore! Not sure about me... Cooked dinner, a Knorr rice/pasta thing, 2.5 servings worth, and wolfed it down. Walked around the entire park, read for a while on the beach, listened to music.

Called Karl, but his plans have unexpectedly changed and he will not be around on Thursday. Generously offered me the use of the house and a place to sleep, but I'm still thinking I may want to crank out a few more miles on Thursday to shorten the day on Friday, with t-storms expected late. Will see how the day goes.

The Numbers

Distance 46.51 miles
Rolling time 3:28:42
Elapsed time 6:20
Avg speed 13.3 mph
Max speed 29.0 mph

Day 3 - North Hero SP to Grande Isle SP

2007-08-01T12:21:00.000-04:00

Last night, after a noisy start, things quieted down at 10pm sharp, and I went out pretty quickly. Up at 6:30, after the best sleep so far. Packed up everything inside the tent, so I could make a hasty exit later and avoid the bugs as much as possible. Headed out toward Isle La Motte around 7:30. Stopped for an apple pie at a corner store, then off to the Isle. Nice cycling around the island, nice waterfront views, but nothing in particular of interest. Stopped at St Ann Shrine, where nothing was open yet (travel info, restrooms, cafeteria, etc).

Saw Champlain Memorial, where Sam first landed in 1609, then back to North Hero SP.

Cooling down sitting at the beach and getting organized in my head for what's going to happen next. 28 miles so far today, then another 17 or so to Grande Isle. Hope to find a laundromat somewhere today. Will also call Karl and see what the chances are of getting together on Thursday in Burlington. Back to Crown Point and home now on Friday.

(LATER) Stopped here in North Hero for a big sandwich and a break. Met a group of 16 AYH bikers heading north from NYC to Montreal - 13th day on the road, with 3 more to go. No laundromats on the islands in the direction I'm headed, unless I go further to South Hero and a private campground. Will let it go for today, and see what Thursday brings. Will try to update again from South Hero tomorrow.

Day 2 - Ausable Chasm, NY, to North Hero SP, VT

2007-07-31T17:04:00.000-04:00

NORTH HERO, VT - Had dinner last night at McLean's Family Restaurant in Keeseville, a typical local diner sort of place. Stopped on the NY9 bridge over Ausable Chasm on the way back and got a picture, the usual postcard shot of the upper falls into the beginning of the chasm.

Back to the tent, listened to music, read for a while, to bed by 10pm.

Slept reasonably well and got up around 6:30, packed up, and on the road by 7:30. Flat easy ride, much of it in the large chainring, a big change from yesterday. Many lakeside views, but otherwise not much to see. Had breakfast sandwich at Stewart's south of Plattsburg, then picked up a bike path that paralleled NY9 for a ways. The Champlain Bikeways map was wrong about this one, showing it adjacent to the lake and well away from NY9, so that was a bit confusing. Plattsburgh traffic mildly annoying, but then out of town and continued north.

Hard to find a piece of public shoreline to take a break anywhere. Finally stopped around 30 miles at a boat launch, had a snack, and rested in the shade. Then, on to Rouse's Point and a slice of pizza for lunch. The long bridge crossing was uneventful, since the shoulder was as wide as the driving lane. Arrived in Alburg, the only library option for the day, to find all but Google OK, but Google inaccessible. No email, no Blogger. So, on to North Hero State Park.

Campsites are very nice, with excellent separation. But this place is built on a swamp, and the mosquitoes are unbelievable, the worst I've ever seen, no exaggeration. So bad, in fact, that I'm reconsidering my plans. At the moment, I'm sitting at the "beach", which has several tables and a rocky shore. No bugs here. I think I'm going to have to cook and eat here tonight, since there's really no other establishment within easy reach. That means dragging everything to the beach, because the campsite itself would be an unbearable place to try and do that. Then either swim or shower, and hide in the tent for the rest of the night.

(LATER) Showered, put on long pants and long-sleeved t-shirt. Stuffed everything in the tent except the pannier that had the food and cooking stuff, and headed for the beach. Cooked a batch of Ramen noodles, real haute cuisine. Looks like big storms just north of here, hopefully moving west to east. Back in the tent by 5:30, and will probably be in for the night - not much else to do, and nowhere to go. Early to bed - tired from yesterday.

Re: that change of plans I hinted at: I'm thinking I might go out and ride Isle La Motte tomorrow, not loaded, and then pack up and head for Grande Isle SP, only about 17 miles away.

The Numbers

Distance 57.75 miles
Rolling time 4:11:46
Elapssed time 6:45
Max speed 32.5 mph
Avg speed 14.0 mph

Stopping for night at North Hero SP

2007-07-31T14:55:00.001-04:00

Bugs miserable. May leave tomorrow... More when I find a library...

Day One, (cont'd)

2007-07-30T14:34:00.001-04:00

KEESEVILLE, NY - After I left the Willsboro library, it was close enough to lunchtime (11am), so I went to the Sportsman's Diner, a local institution, and had a nice salty cheeseburger, chips, and lemonade. Then I went to the local IGA and picked up another quart of Gatorade, thinking I might need it with all the climbing ahead and temps already over 80. Sat in the shade of a nearby tree for a short while, then decided it was time to just do it. The climb out of Willsboro to Highlands Road was nowhere near as bad as I'd been fearing, and the unpaved part of Highlands Road was a delight, a very good gravel road. Thanks, TourPro! But the later hills on Highlands Road did me in. These were either steep or long, and one that was both which actually saw me walking for a ways. I just didn't have the legs left, and couldn't stop halfway because I wouldn't be able to get back on the bike and get started again. Continued on and reached the Ausable Chasm Campground around 2pm. This one is not so nice, and really beat up, but I'm here and it will do. It has a pool, if being used by more than one person, and it has showers. One way or the other I need a good rinse!

(LATER) Got cleaned up, had a giant Pepsi, and lay down for a while, just to relax and do nothing. Now I've biked about 3-4 miles into Keeseville for dinner, and to update this at the library. Not sure I'll do any Ausable Chasm tours today/tonight - I'm just beat. The day was everything I expected it to be, and more. Much easier day tomorrow into North Hero.

The Numbers:
Distance: 50.56 miles
Elevation: 3550 feet
Rolling time: 4:28:09
Elapsed time: About 8 hours
Average speed: 11.3 mph
Max speed: 35.0 mph

Day One - Crown Point to Ausable Chasm

2007-07-30T10:29:00.000-04:00

WILLSBORO, NY - Slept off and on last night, but probably got 5-6 hours of pretty good sleep. Up with the light and the birds at 5am, figuring it would take me an hour to pack up and be on the road by 6. It really would have been too dark to start any earlier than that, but I really NEEDED to get up anyway. Dropped the car at the Visitors Center, packed up and got going. At first I was surprised at how "rolling" the road was - there never seemed to be a flat stretch. And it's been that way pretty much all morning to this point. I'll never whine about hills at home again.

After about 18 miles, I stopped in Westport, at the cafe of the "Inn on the Library Lawn", and had pancakes and sausage, both for fuel and for salt. Then came the second long climb of the day. The first, out of Port Henry, hadn't been that bad, but I'm expecting a cumulative effect before the day is out. The second climb also went by without a hitch, and provided some good westward views of the High Peaks as I cruised across the top of the hill I had just climbed.

In Essex, I stopped at a small park just off the main street, and just relaxed for 15 minutes or so, reviewed the map, watched the boats, etc.

And at 10:15, I reached Willsboro, 33 miles into a 49-mile day. So here I am, at the library. I've decided to try and kill some time in Willsboro, eat lunch and relax, before starting the biggest climb of the day. It isn't really much bigger than the climb out of Westport, but I'm waaaaay early, and a break seems like a good idea.

I'll try to update this later when I actually arrive in Keeseville. I no longer have much doubt of that.

Crown Point

2007-07-29T20:19:00.001-04:00

CROWN POINT, NY - Arrived at Crown Point DEC Campground and set up on a very nice isolated site. This place is only about 1/4 full, so it should be a quiet night. Temps have dropped, as has humidity, and it should be comfortable sleeping. Did walking tour of Crown Point Historic Site across the road, and it was well worth it - pretty spectacular views from the fort, with the lake, the bridge, and the mountains in the background, all under a British flag. Checked in at Visitors Center re: parking. Suzanne not in on weekends, but "if she OKd it, then no problem." I'll leave her a note in the morning anyway, with an explanation and contact info for the week. Dinner at Frenchman's in Crown Point - very good. Meat loaf, fries, corn on the cob, soup, applesauce, and Boston cream pie for dessert. that should get me off to a good start.

There's another group of at least 5 guys, and maybe others, staying here and starting up the west side of the lake tomorrow. They're from the Hartford, CT, area, and are out for 5 days. Their plan is to cross into and stay in Canada the second night, so our schedules and ambitions are similar. We'll probably play leapfrog for the next couple of days.

Ready to go

2007-07-28T11:02:00.001-04:00

Finished packing (mostly) yesterday, and the only concern right now is the expected weather for the beginning of the week. It's not enough to make me reconsider, but I will need to think seriously about keeping everything dry for the first couple of days.

I plan to drive to Crown Point tomorrow afternoon, set up camp when not raining, and then visit the Lake Champlain Visitors Center and the Crown Point Historic Site before heading out for dinner somewhere. Monday morning, I'll be off up the west side of the Lake. Hopefully, I'll be able to add updates here occasionally from libraries along the way.

Thanks to TourPro for the route comments on my previous post. I was planning to decide between NY22 and Highlands Road once I got there and saw what the "unpaved" actually looked like. But now, knowing that NY22 "sucks" will play a big part in that decision. Weather permitting, I really do hope to make Keeseville on Day 1.

Stay tuned as the adventure begins!

A Few More Late Changes

2007-07-18T17:48:00.000-04:00

I was pulling together the cue sheets from Lake Champlain Bikeways, and I noticed that the right turn onto Highlands Road from NY22 north of Willsboro, at the top of the big climb (Day 1), resulted in the next 1.3 miles of riding being on unpaved road. I don't much care for that idea, with 110-lb tires and a full load. So there's an alternate route, which is to continue on NY22 to NY9, and thence on into Keeseville.

This route is actually a little shorter, and avoids the two final climbs to Ausable Chasm at the end of the other main route segment. The disadvantage is that NY22 continues to climb from that intersection for another 400-500 feet, making the total climb from Willsboro about 6.6 miles and 1000 feet. That's only an average 2.6% grade, comparable to but a couple of miles shorter and a couple hundred feet less elevation than the local climb up to Mariaville from the river. But it comes after doing about 30 miles and 2300 feet of climbing earlier in the day. Have to see how that goes, but this alternate looks like the better choice, with less climbing for the day overall, and a long finishing descent into Keeseville. The weather forecast is for HOT both Sunday and Monday next week, so that's another consideration. Still, I just can't imagine stopping for the day after only 30 miles, well before noon I imagine, so would rather try to manage the elevation and the heat and make it to Keeseville. Worst case, I turn around and head downhill back to Willsboro and a motel for the night.

I'm now leaning toward staying Sunday night at the DEC Crown Point Campground, rather than the private Laku Campground nearby. I still just don't have a good feeling about that place, sight unseen. Concerns about intruding on permanent residents, water and restroom availability, and the "we can probably make it work" nature of the guy's offer just aren't sitting right. And if Sunday is going to be hot, a place for a shower would also be a big plus. The Lake Champlain Visitors Center is right nearby for last-minute information gathering, Crown Point Historic Site is just across the road, and the parking for the week is free. Think I'm just going to go with my gut and choose the obvious and predictable public solution and not take a chance on the other unknown quantity. Only concern would be car vandalism, but will check into that, and also minimize the risk by a smart parking location and notes on the dash regarding "no valuables".

Given the expected heat, I'm suspending the low-sodium diet beginning this weekend and resuming a "normal" level of intake. Will also supplement the Gatorade with other stuff while riding those hot days. I SHOULD be able to do this, and if not, something needs to change in the meds and diet departments.

Climbing - yikes!

2007-07-04T13:28:00.000-04:00

A couple of nights ago, I happened to take a look at another dimension of my planned route, and it was an eye-opener:
The 3550 feet of climbing on Day One concerned me more than a little. It seemed like I could be setting myself up for failure right out of the gate. The biggest ride I've done so far this year was maybe 1500 feet of climbing, and I have yet to do any ride over 50 miles. This had all the earmarks of biting off more than I can chew, just as I did last year. So, I took yet another look at how I could make this more do-able.

As it turns out, if I were to stop in t he Essex/Willsboro area, I'd have done about 2000-2200 feet of elevation and 28-30 miles. Immediately north of Willsboro comes the biggest climb of the entire trip, followed by another smaller but significant one to Port Kent. Day Two would then need to be extended, so I'm thinking the Plattsburgh area, about 33 miles and 1880 feet of climb. From there, I'd be in good position to hit North Hero SP on Day Three, after 43 miles and only 656 feet of climbing.

Next came "Where would I stay?" There is at least one motel in Willsboro, as well as a couple of somewhat pricey B&Bs in or near Essex, but no nearby campground. At least on the New York side. If I were to buy a round-trip ferry ticket and cross over to Charlotte, VT, there's a campground within 3 miles of the ferry dock. I would also get in my ferry ride (twice!), and eliminate the "need" for the 3300-foot ferry alternative on Day Six, going straight down the east side to the Crown Point Bridge and the car. Plattsburgh has camping in Cumberland Bay State Park, as well as every motel chain in creation, so no problem there. I could also push on to Rouse's Point on Day 2 to shorten Day 3, and there are motels there as well. So I have many options.

I think that for at least the first 2-3 days to North Hero, I need to avoid making any reservations, and see how the days go. Take phone numbers along, and call ahead as things clarify to the point of knowing the day's destination. For comparison, I looked back at the 2005 Bon Ton Roulet daily ride profiles, and 5 of 6 days were over 2500', and two were well over 3000', one of those also being 69 miles. It's entirely possible that the original plan could work, but that will depend on my energy, the weather, and possibly other unknown factors. At least now I know I have options, and that's always a good thing.

New Itinerary and Profiles

2007-06-28T10:32:00.000-04:00

Parking, cont'd

2007-06-14T21:43:00.000-04:00

I had a not so good feeling about the Laku Campground, the more I thought about it, and decided it would be wise to have a backup or other choice. It's more of a seasonal-site campground, is currently "full", backs up on a major rail line, and I'm to be squeezed in somewhere for the night. And we never discussed how much I would pay to camp and park for a week. It may all turn out just fine, but if it doesn't, and I haven't planned for that, I'll be up shit creek at the last minute. So.... I called the 10 Acres Campground across the bridge - parking not an option. Called the Lake Champlain Visitors Center - YES, I can park there. The lot is lit at night and sees lots of daytime visitor traffic. My only concern is whether this might be the same "park and ride" lot that the DEC personnel had warned me about (breakins, vandalism, etc). So now, I could camp at the adjacent DEC campground for $14.00, and park free at the Visitor Center. I'll need to scope this out sometime in advance, I think, and make reservations accordingly.

Updates

2007-06-11T19:02:00.001-04:00

I haven't updated this blog in quite awhile, but there are definitely some things going on, and I now am planning to do this tour in 2007 if all goes well. Here are some of the things I've been working on and/or trying to resolve:

Dates

Given all the other stuff beginning to clog the summer calendar, I'm thinking of either the week of July 29 - Aug 4 or the week of Aug 5-11 for this trip. I'd prefer to push it as late as possible, for conditioning's sake, but also want a fallback if the first choice doesn't work out. At the rate things are going, I don't really think conditioning is going to be an issue anyway, so those are the choices, in that order. Third choice would be sometime in mid-September, depending on other potential commitments in that timeframe.

Parking

Back in mid-May, I sent an email to the Village of Port Henry, asking their opinion about places to leave a car for the week, somewhere in the Village. No response after a month. Sent a second email to Doug Yu, of (Adirondack Regional Tourism Council? - linked from Lake Champlain Bikeways web page), asking for his thoughts. He recommended either the Lake Champlain Visitors Center (518-585-6619) or the Crown Point DEC Campground (518-597-3603), both at the south end of the Crown Point Bridge. He said he had once parked at the campground for a short tour, after having first spent the night there. I called the campground, and parking there for a week is simply not an option. They recommended I try the Laku Campground, a private facility nearby (518-597-3495), which might allow me to park for the week. I just called that campground, and the gentleman I spoke to was very accommodating. Even though the campground is "full", he has a few tent sites that he could rent me for the night. We didn't get into the dollar amounts, but I'm running out of options, so will probably take it. The distance from there to Port Henry is only 3-4 miles, and relatively flat ones, so that would bump the first day's distance up to about 45 miles or so, still reasonable. I would drive up late on Sunday, camp Sunday night, and leave early Monday morning, avoiding both weekends. And that seems like a fine idea to me, allowing an early start on the first day, rather than having to drive up there first.

I was also exploring non-car options. Drop-off and pickup could work, but inconveniences somebody else. Amtrak does not allow bicycles on the Adirondack route, so even though there is train service to Port Henry, it does me no good in this case.

Route

I still think that pushing on beyond Rouse's Point to North Hero would be a good idea, and will redo the profiles with that in mind, possibly depending on resolution of the parking issue. The more time spent relaxing on the Islands, the better, since that's really the main attraction of this trip. And a trip on the Charlotte-Essex ferry is probably also almost cast in stone as a necessary feature of any Champlain adventure.

Hills/Preparation

I set a goal for this summer of climbing all of the major hills in Schenectady County that begin at the Mohawk River and lead up into the adjoining hills. So far, I've climbed Rector Rd (1.5 miles) and Rynex Corners Rd (3 miles, 900 ft). The two major climbs on Day One of this trip are 400 feet in 3 miles, and 500 feet in 4 miles. Aside from the fact that I'll be fully loaded, I'm pretty well satisfied that I'll be ready for those hills in terms of conditioning. I'm also now over 500 miles for the season, and it's only mid-June, so again, I think I'm probably ready even now, and things will only improve from here.

Daily Route Profiles

2007-03-11T11:46:00.000-04:00

I recently ran daily route profiles based on the tentative itinerary in that last post, and it's given me reason to reconsider things yet again:

The first day has lots of hills, so that distance seems about right for a start. But the second day is almost dead flat, and is only 41 miles, to a motel, for no good reason other than the original distance considerations. The whole ride down through the islands is also relatively flat (note the vertical scales on the above, not just the shapes), and I have short distances scheduled for some of those days (3 and 5) as well.

I'm thinking now that on Day 2, I may push on to North Hero State Park from Port Kent, for a total of maybe 55 fairly easy miles. I may spend 1 or 2 nights there, or continue on to Grande Isle SP, depending on locations of attractions, etc. I know now that Vermont state parks do NOT have a 2-night minimum for bicyclists, so this could work. Day 3 (and maybe 4) would include Isle La Motte and anything else in the north end of the islands. Leaving there, I would take a leisurely trip down to Grande Isle State Park, fully loaded. If I get there early, I can unload, set up, and wander some more down in that area. Day 4 or 5 would take me to Burlington, or possibly find me staying another night at Grande Isle and doing local rides, depending on what happened at North Hero, weather, sights to see, etc. The last day, either 5 or 6 now, would take me to Charlotte and the ferry back to Essex, NY. The more I think about this trip, the more I really want to include a ferry trip by bike, and that also cuts the last day's mileage to a reasonable number, 48 vs 60, with some significant hills again.

I can't really nail this down until I spend some time looking at what's where in the islands. Or I can not even try to nail it down, and take it as it comes, if I'm even capable of doing that. Given the fickle weather in this part of the world, that may just be a better idea anyway.

Changes, continued...

2007-02-08T19:37:00.000-05:00

In looking at shorter daily mileages, I started wondering if I was really ready for an 8-day trip. I hadn't been thrilled with the first and last days to/from Whitehall anyway, since they don't appear to be as interesting and/or close to the lake. So I started looking at a 6-day trip instead, beginning and ending in Port Henry. That looks something like this:

This seems a little more manageable at this point, especially given that I didn't really get in a good shakedown trip last year. Depending on the weather and how I feel in Burlington, I could push on and make for a shorter finishing day. Vermont state park campgrounds seem to have a 2-night minimum, so I might need to explore other options (CORRECTION: Bicyclists only require a one-night stay, so not a problem). Or maybe stay in Burlington somehow anyway, and take the ferry from Charlotte to Essex, and back down the NY side to Port Henry. A ferry ride would make the Lake experience complete in some ways, and would also cut that final day's mileage to about 48 miles.

Lessons learned, and changes

2007-01-08T19:57:00.000-05:00

First, there was last year's pre-trip trip. You can read about it here. Not a good experience, but one loaded with valuable lessons.

Looking back over my planned route for this trip, it looks like I should cover those first 160 miles as 4 40-mile days, instead of as 3 days of 50+. That would eliminate the awkward off day in Burlington, make Day 5 the day off in the islands, and split my riding into 4 days ahead and 3 days at the end. I needed to get this down in writing while I'm thinking about it, but can't devote the detailed planning time to it just yet. Need to see where those distances would put me, camping availability, lodging, etc. Makes a lot more sense that way in terms of shorter days, especially as a first attempt.

Will I do it this year? That depends. Can I get into good enough shape to do it? Long rides and lots of hill work will be needed. I think I have the packing list and loading pretty well set, based on going through last year's planning drill. I'm going to start planning AS IF I'll be doing the trip late this summer, and let the conditioning be the deciding factor as the year progresses. Stay tuned as I continue to work this out.

That pre-trip trip...

2006-06-18T21:43:00.000-04:00

See My B(ike)LOG for an ongoing soliloquy about this summer's touring dry run.

Pre-trip Trip?

2006-01-17T06:22:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking now that this tour should be pushed back to 2007, and that in 2006, I should do an overnight or weekend tour to a park or campsite a reasonable distance from home. That will give me this year to get my shit together and actually try it on a shorter trip. It's been a very long time, and I have all new stuff since last time. There's the packing list issue, and then making it all fit and work together. At the moment, Cooperstown (Glimmerglass, Giibert Lake?) and Cherry Plain SP are coming to mind as possibilities. Will need to spend some more time on this idea, but it seems like a reasonable way to transition into a longer trip.

Maps & Guidebooks

2006-01-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

I'm in the earliest planning stages of this tour. I've ordered the maps and guidebooks located at:

http://www.champlainbikeways.org/maps.htm

and have started breaking the route down into days. Here's my current thinking:

Whitehall, NY, to Westport, NY (54.1)
Westport to Ingraham (55)
Ingraham to Grande Isle State Park, VT, on island (51)
Day off - explore islands
Grande Isle State Park to Burlington/Shelburne (34)
(day off?)
Burlington to Chimney Point (49)
Chimney Point to Whitehall (47)

I decided against crossing into Canada and going all the way to St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, because it just messed up the daily mileages I want to cover, and adds another day, basically up and back, for no good reason. I don't know yet about the rest day in Burlington, and that may depend on the weather and how much I want to get going. I'll probably have to adjust this whole thing after I figure out camping spots, etc.

Following a dream...

2006-01-12T17:11:00.000-05:00

After two supported tours in the last 3 years, I want to try one on my own. I did a fully loaded trip once before for 2 weeks when I was just out of college, and now want to get in a dry run of sorts before I dream much more about the post-retirement adventure of riding coast to coast. That dream has followed me since 1976 and BikeCentennial, which I didn't pursue at the time. But I need to be sure I still enjoy it to the extent that the dream is really still on the table. Thus, this trip.