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Tag: Quebec (Page 3 of 3)

Sojourners by Bike ~ Day 1

August 30, 2010 /
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~The daily account of a 6 day Bike Tour from Burlington, Vermont to Quebec City, Canada~
 
Burlington, VT to North Hero, Lake Champlain Islands – 33 miles

So far, so good.  Today was a good start.  A relatively short day, a little hectic getting out of Burlington, but beautiful views of Lake Champlain throughout the day’s ride.

 
Met our fellow sojourners at 10am, got a quick fit on bikes (they had previously obtained measurements and did a good job of guesstimating fit with that info). There are 16 of us, a nice and fun group of people. The tour leaders, Mark and Joshua, plus Susan, president of Sojourn Bike Tours all seem committed to making sure we all have what we need and that we have a good experience.

Following the bike path (another rails to trails conversion) we rode north through and out of  Burlington.  We took a bike ferry to cross Lake Champlain.  The bike ferry is operated by a great local bicycling/pedestrian organization, Local Motion.

While we waited for our turn on the ferry we saw lots of boats using "the cut" too.
 
Joni and Barbara with their steeds, ready to go.
 
Mark thinking, "this is pretty easy so far".
 

You always notice things on a bike you would never pay attention to in a car.  Part of what I love most about riding.

Stopped at Snow Farm Vineyard and Winery for lunch and a wine tour.  Snow Farm was Vermont’s first vineyard and winery which sprung out of a desire to keep the land agricultural.   They have a very interesting story you can read about on their website.

 
 

Tonight we are at the North Hero House after an easy and enjoyable day on the bike.  For the day, I rode 33 miles, average speed of 12.3.

We had a great dinner here as a group, will meet for breakfast at 8am then head out for 52 miles (or less if we choose).

Onward.

Read On~ Sojourners by Bike – Day 2

New Hampshire to Vermont

August 29, 2010 /
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Today we drove the back roads from Concord, NH to Burlington, VT. We had beautiful weather and drove much of the way with the windows down.

Burlington was busy and hectic with hoards of college kids settling in to the local university here.

We are staying at the One of a Kind B & B, the name aptly describes it because of its one of a kind view.

I can’t do it justice, so you’ll have to look at the pictures to get an idea of the one of a kind view – not today though.  *I’m not able to upload any more pictures tonight.  Bummer.  I’ll have to wait until I get a wifi connection.  Hopefully tomorrow night.

We had a pizza delivered (some habits are hard to shake) and enjoyed it in the back garden as we watched the sun set. We decided no restaurant could offer us a better view or ambience than what we had in the garden.

The pizza wasn’t bad either.

Tomorrow is the big day!  We meet our fellow bike travelers and guides at 10am then ride 32 miles to the North Hero House Inn.

The Adventure Begins

August 27, 2010 /
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We’re in the air, complements of Southwest (love those reward tickets), somewhere over the eastern part of the country.

We’ll be in Baltimore soon, then on to Manchester, NH. I’ve never been to this part of the country before.

To say I’m excited is an understatement.

We’ll spend the night in Concord (the capitol of NH), and then drive (150 miles) to Burlington, VT Saturday. We have all day to get there - so plenty of time to stop along the way. Not much time in Burlington, but that could be for a future trip, if we want. Our B & B there is near the water, looks pretty and peaceful.

The serious excitement starts Sunday, when we meet our fellow tour participants and two Sojourn guides in downtown Burlington. We’ll get our bikes, get fitted and hopefully be on the road before too long.

Sunday’s mileage is easy – 32 miles for the day.

Sunday’s Tour Itinerary:

Lake Champlain & Valley Farmland – Meet your tour leaders at the airport in Burlington at 10:00 or in downtown Burlington where the first ride will begin. Cycle north out of Burlington on the splendid Island Line. This rail trail parallels the shores of Lake Champlain and leads to a bike ferry used to cross “the cut” to the Champlain Islands. The cut was left so that boats could pass in and out of a large protected bay after the old railroad ceased to operate. Visit Vermont’s first vineyard and winery for a tour and tasting, followed by a picnic lunch. Cycle through patchwork farmland. Much of the region retains its agricultural heritage firmly rooted in apples and dairy. After settling into your room at the North Hero House, take a dip in the lake, soak in the hot tub or visit the local general store for a taste of Americana. Grab a local microbrew in the inn’s tavern before dinner in the inn’s dining room.

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