A fellow VT randonneur prerode the Champlain 300k (and most of the 200k route) last week. His ride report follows.
This past Saturday morning, Mike and his daughter, Ava, met me at the Old Spokes Home to see me off on the volunteer ride of the 300K. The weather at the start was overcast & a bit humid, but much nicer than the downpours I had experienced on the drive over from Montpelier. The Burlington Bike Path was rather quiet this morning, I guess the earlier rain had kept most people away. As I turned onto the gravel causeway I was glad to find that it was well packed & I had no trouble with my 700 x 25C tires. There were a few soft spots in places that required some attention but nothing too bad. Riding across the causeway views across the lake appear & so do the hills you will encounter in about 70 miles. Looking ahead & to the right, the next few miles of the route are visible as the causeway stretches away from you as it connects with South Hero. The conversation with the volunteers at the bike ferry was a welcome break & the ride across the “cut” went smoothly. The most challenging road surface of the ride is encountered in the first 1/2 mile or so after the bike ferry. The gravel here is rather soft & requires a good deal of attention. However, it is a rather short section & once the right turn is made onto the town roads the conditions improve greatly.
Passing the Snow Farm Vineyard I saw many cyclists who were part of the Heart of the Islands Bike Tour. As I am thinking about taking part in PBP next year, I jokingly thought that a stop for some wine might be a good part of my training. However, the early hour of my passing & the thought of the many miles to come quickly dispelled these thoughts. The quiet, country roads of South Hero were very nice with great views of the lake. The route then follows Route 2 where there was a bit of traffic but the shoulder is generous in most spots. Turning onto West Shore Road in Alburgh, one finds long stretches of fresh pavement which are a welcome sight & in stark contrast to the packed dirt found on West Shore Road in South Hero. Back on Route 2 signs for Quebec begin to appear & this is a sure sign that the bridge to New York isn’t too far away. After passing the border station & making the turn onto Lake Street I passed the Rouses Point Civic Center. The sight of the civic center brought back memories of a ride from several years ago, as this served as a very welcoming control.
I soon came to the first control of our ride at Lakeside Coffee. Upon stopping at the cafe, I soon found that they were unfortunately closed on this day due to a planned power outage in the area. Although I was looking forward to a pastry I reluctantly continued on. Within less than a mile I found a Stewarts which would have to do.
As the route enters Plattsburgh, the biggest obstacles encountered are an increase in traffic & sewer grates which are placed away from the curb, directly in the path of cyclists. Heading south from Plattsburgh, the character of the ride changes as the flat roads of the first 80 miles or so are replaced by more hilly terrain. After passing through Keesville, the route heads back towards the lakeshore and onto what is arguably one of the best roads on the route. The ride along Highlands road was amazing; not one car passed along this entire stretch and views across the lake of Burlington, Mount Mansfield & Camels Hump were ever present. There were a good number of rollers along this road & it was on one of these hills that I noticed a few oddly placed billboards, which brought a little humor to the climbing.
Passing the Essex-Charlotte Ferry, the turnoff for the 200K riders, I began to crunch numbers to try & determine which ferry I would try to catch at the now removed Crown Point Bridge. The idea of pushing hard to make the earlier ferry only to pull up as the ferry left the slip continually crept into my thoughts. My suggestion is to wait until Westport before attempting to decide which ferry you will try to make, the :15 or the :45. From this town until the ferry crossing there are a few small rollers but a push for the ferry is still possible. In fact, the last 5 miles, apart from a small bridge, are completely flat & a fast pace can be held. I pushed my luck & drove hard to make the earlier ferry. Pulling up to the dock with only 2 minutes to spare, I was very thankful that my premonitions about a 30 minute timeout were unfounded.
The 15 minute crossing went smoothly & the 2nd control at the WAGs General Store came quickly. The route then meanders along the lakeshore past some amazing lakeside estates. Heading inland towards Vergennes caution is required as approximately a quarter mile of Panton Road has been torn up. Once in Vergennes, the smells coming from the many restaurants & the patrons sitting outside tempted me to stop for dinner. However, being only about 30 miles from the end I decided to push on.
The route then heads north along route 7 for a short stretch. There are very generous shoulders, however, the left onto Greenbush Road requires a good deal of attention due to the heavy traffic. The next stage of the ride pushes inland past Mount Philo, along very picturesque country roads. Dropping down to cross over Lewis Creek on the first of two covered bridges, a series of short, steep climbs awaits. Looking ahead on the cue sheet it is nice to know that the route will once again cross Lewis Creek & therefore a descent lies ahead. After crossing the second covered bridge over the creek, more rolling dirt roads await. Pavement reappears shortly before reaching the penultimate control at the Mobile Short Stop.
Being that this control is only 15 miles from the finish only a cursory stop was made & I was back on the road towards Burlington. The last few miles of the ride went by quickly as there are only a few small, gradual hills. Finishing up at the Old Spokes Home I was glad to see Mike again & was even more excited to see that he had brought me some delicious, home-made soup that his wife had made.
Having never ridden most of this route before I really had a great time on the ride & especially enjoyed the views of Vermont from the New York side of the lake. I hope you will have as good a time on this ride as I did.
Last week we received our RUSA certification for the 200k and 300k routes. For those qualifying for PBP next year, all VT results will help in entry formulas… so get out and ride (and finish) certified Brevets this year and next!
See you next Saturday morning bright and early. Ride starts promptly @ 5am. Please arrive early for registration, which opens @ 4:15.