Champlain’s encampment in 1609 (there’s a statue of course). Isle La Motte, which can only be accessed from the Alburg peninsula, is also famous for the world’s oldest coral reef – not that I saw it – and for the “black marble” limestone once quar- ried here, and for St. Anne’s Shrine, the site of the old French fort built in 1666, which is thought to be the old- est European settlement in Vermont. Enough history. Cyclists are allowed to swim at St. Anne’s sandy beach. I returned to West Shore Road and headed north again to Alburg, then east on Highway 2 to the final bridge to Rouses Point, N.Y. As I pedalled over the bridge to the New York side, I noticed “Fort Blunder” (aka Fort Montgomery) just to the north, built by the Americans on the Canadian side of the border. Later, the border was graciously readjusted by the Ca- nadian government, encompassing the fort on newly declared U.S. soil. Rouses Point, once a thriving bor- der community, is showing wear and tear despite glorious mansions facing the lake. There’s a massive breakwa- ter to prevent damage from spring breakup ice. I kept cycling south on New York Highway 9B until Coopers- ville where I turned east onto Lake
Shore Road where I could see across the water to Isle La Motte, where I’d been hours before.
A slight headwind as I went south
to Point au Roche Road, then turned onto Highway 9 and was soon back to my starting point at Cumberland Head. Depending on your personal meanderings, it’s about a 100-ki- lometre loop. The routes along 9 and 9B have a designated paved shoulder for bikes most of the way, and although there can be traffic, it’s nothing like Ottawa’s.
SOUTH ISLAND LOOP Even though I did not ride it, I’ve
driven a car around the 100-kilome- tre south loop. From the Grand Isle ferry, you take West Shore Road south (turn onto Lakeview Road so you don’t miss the castles built by a Swiss gardener) before connecting to High- way 2 and the bridge over to “main- land” Vermont at Sand Bar State Park and then head south to Burlington. It can be dicey on this road in summer, and there is not always a shoulder. Another ferry links Burlington to Port Kent, N.Y., a 1½-hour ride for $5.95 U.S. one-way. On the New York side, it is only about 25 kilometres north on Highway 9 to Plattsburgh. A safer, more relaxing route from South Hero Island is the “island line” – see sidebar. It’s your choice whether to do
just the south loop or combine it with the north route into a figure eight. Although there are no more islands, cyclists can even add a third loop further south to the Charlotte, Vt. ferry to Essex, N.Y. and then ride back north, again along Highway 9. It simply depends on how much time and energy you have, and what the weather is like. Officially, the whole Champlain Islands Bikeways includes a major loop through New York and Ver- mont around all of Lake Champlain and up the Richelieu River north to Chambly, Que. /OO
www.ottawaoutdoors.ca
The Island Line Trail Part of the emerging network
of bike trails, this 21-kilometre trail runs from South Hero Island via the Colchester Causeway to the Burlington Bike Path, which takes you into the city of Burlington and the ferry to Port Kent, N.Y. A small six- passenger ferry transports bikes across a 60-metre water gap in the route, where a dismantled turnstile of the Rutland Railroad once stood. Until regular service can be launched across “the cut,” as it is known locally, it’s available on July and August weekends plus Labour Day weekend. Cost is a “donation” of $6 for a round trip. Call 802- 6652-2453 to pay for a private crossing on other days. You can ride a pleasant 40 kilometres out and back on the causeway to “ the cut” at any time.
Contacts •
www.champlainbikeways.org Lake Champlain Bikeways, c/o Local Motion Trailside Center, 1 Steele Street, # 103, Burlington, VT, 05401, or (802) 652-2453. Provides maps and routes on request or can download from web.
•
www.champlainislands.com Details about where to stay,
•
www.vtstateparks.com/pdfs/ inlandseaweb.pdf Shows the state parks in the Champlain Islands
•
www.stateparks.com/ cumberland_bay.html Cumberland Bay State Park camping
•
www.heroswelcome.com/ islands.htm Tells a bit of history of the Hero Island name
•
www.vtliving.com Info on lodging, dining, events, etc.
•
www.tripadvisor.com/ Tourism-g48411-Plattsburgh_
New_York-Vacations.html Plattsburgh travel advice, lodging, dining, etc.
•
www.lakechamplainbyway. com/
travelthebyway.html Lake Champlain Byway
ottawaoutdoors 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77