Burlingron Vt
I just saw a you tuber showing trails in Vermont, one of which is the longest trail over water. Has anyone been on this or other trails is the area? Thanks
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The Island Line Trail?
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I rode from North Beach in town to the part where the bridge was removed long ago. It was a September weekday so the free shuttle was not running. This was this year. And yes, it’s called the Island Line Trail. Maybe a half mile is on very quiet streets heading north to the causeway. The trail continues for a few miles on the other side of the missing bridge.
Hard to see, but there is a Great Blue Herron in one photo and a Snowy Egret in another. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e4705dec9.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...785f03318.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3ef1c6b4b.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...21d255f24.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7c09ccbcc.jpeg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9fef5bdad.jpeg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...12f648504.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8fdd7a75b.jpeg There is also this starting in St. Albans, which is about 30 miles north of Burlington: https://www.mvrailtrail.org/ I rode some of it way back in 2010. It was ok. I have a tour planned for next year that includes its entire length. |
would love to spend more time there during fair weather
https://www.bikeforums.net/northeast...ine-trail.html |
When I rode through Burlington and stayed there for two days in 2018 the causeway part of the trail was closed due to damage from a freak June storm. At least I got to ride part of it this year.
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In planning stages right now on riding from Rensselaer to Rouses Point and the to Burlington to south again to Whitehall to Rensselaer.
Planning on using the Mohawk Hudson to Champlain Trail all the way to the border. Rt. 2 South to Burlington. May take a ferry back to Plattsburgh and sought again Still in planning stages. Motels & camping and maybe Warmshowers hosts. |
Originally Posted by bktourer1
(Post 22331088)
In planning stages right now on riding from Rensselaer to Rouses Point and the to Burlington to south again to Whitehall to Rensselaer.
Planning on using the Mohawk Hudson to Champlain Trail all the way to the border. Rt. 2 South to Burlington. May take a ferry back to Plattsburgh and south again Still in planning stages. Motels & camping and maybe Warmshowers hosts. |
Been to North Beach before. Thinking of middle of May, early June
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Originally Posted by bktourer1
(Post 22332964)
Been to North Beach before. Thinking of middle of May, early June
Note they now have 3 Adirondack shelters. They are pretty big. Worth the extra $$ in case you get rain. It poured the first night into the morning when I was there in 2018, and it was chilly and windy. Wish I had had a shelter. A lot of VT state parks also have Adirondack shelters. IIRC, a premium one (one with a good view or near a body of water) is only $5 more for non-residents. (At Half Moon Pond S.P. one was $27 for residents and $32 for non-residents.) Here is the one I stayed in at North Beach this year: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cee25279e.jpeg BTW...Crossing over to Swanton and coming down the east side of the lake might offer more quiet riding as U.S. 2 is the only through route through the isles. And St. Albans Town park is a really nice place for a break. |
Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 22333055)
It will be open. I stayed there around that time in 2018 during a tour.
Note they now have 3 Adirondack shelters. They are pretty big. Worth the extra $$ in case you get rain. It poured the first night into the morning when I was there in 2018, and it was chilly and windy. Wish I had had a shelter. A lot of VT state parks also have Adirondack shelters. IIRC, a premium one (one with a good view or near a body of water) is only $5 more for non-residents. (At Half Moon Pond S.P. one was $27 for residents and $32 for non-residents.) Here is the one I stayed in at North Beach this year: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cee25279e.jpeg BTW...Crossing over to Swanton and coming down the east side of the lake might offer more quiet riding as U.S. 2 is the only through route through the isles. And St. Albans Town park is a really nice place for a break. |
We had a bike and hike trip there a few years ago. We had the group area and had to hike to the toilets and get water.
The group area had no shelters, but this was 6-7 years ago. Primary route was to be Empire Trail Rouses Point, motel, then head south on 2 to Burlington I have an out from Plattsburgh to South Hero to 2 via ferry if the weather turns. |
Originally Posted by autonomy
(Post 22333091)
Is that a Quarter Dome SL2?
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Originally Posted by bktourer1
(Post 22333101)
We had a bike and hike trip there a few years ago. We had the group area and had to hike to the toilets and get water.
The group area had no shelters, but this was 6-7 years ago. Primary route was to be Empire Trail Rouses Point, motel, then head south on 2 to Burlington I have an out from Plattsburgh to South Hero to 2 via ferry if the weather turns. And the shelters (they call them Lean Tos in VT), which I believe are relatively new, are close to the east bathrooms (but not showers). https://enjoyburlington.com/wp-conte...d-2021-map.png |
Originally Posted by bktourer1
(Post 22332964)
Been to North Beach before. Thinking of middle of May, early June
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 22333118)
It is. I bought it more for flat touring, saving the BA Fly Creek UL 2 for hillier routes, but then that started showing some wear. I like the side doors. I am 6' 2". Easier to get out of than the BA. Downside is that it does not pack down nearly as small as the BA.
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Originally Posted by autonomy
(Post 22333173)
So, I ask because I'm looking to go on a trip and I got an end-of-season barely used one from a REI garage sale where I had to replace a coupe of broken poles. I like how light it is even compared to the BA Copper Spur HV UL2 but you're right about it not packing small, namely, the poles are long. So I have 3 questions - how do you carry it on the bike? And do you use a footprint - the floor seems quite fragile? Looks like it worked really well in that shelter, but what did you do about the stakes at the side where the black pole is, did you just not bother?
I carry a 4'x8' or so blue, plastic tarp. Unless I am pitched on soft soil with lush grass, which is rarely, I use that as a groundsheet. I don't bother when I am under a shelter. I stake it out fully when I am not, but if the weather is going to be decent and I don't feel I need privacy I will skip the fly. I did that 2 out of the 8 nights I camped without a shelter during my two-week September trip. It was either cold or wet/possibly wet the other 6 nights. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...61ff46bc4.jpeg In comparison, the Fly Creek doesn't even reach the end of the rear rack, with sloppy tarp fold notwithstanding. I stayed in a hotel the night before I started that trip and didn't bother doing a better job of folding the tarp. I am usually not that sloppy, but I had a long train ride the day before and got up really early because I had a 65 mile day on the GAP ahead of me. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...27a98b67e.jpeg |
Cool, thanks! That looks like a very reasonable option for it. I've read reports from bikepackers who carry tents strapped to their handlebars - this one is too long - or splitting them up and either strapping or carrying the poles only on their top tube. REI makes a bikepacking seat bag that has dedicated straps for tent poles https://bikepacking.com/gear/rei-bikepacking-bags/.
Anyway, that's a digression. Always great to see touring/bikepacking pictures, especially if they're from nearby (NE).
Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 22333390)
I carry it strapped to my rear rack parallel With the bike. (I will post a photo from my phone in a bit.) It hangs much further over the end of the rack than the Fly Creek.
I carry a 4'x8' or so blue, plastic tarp. Unless I am pitched on soft soil with lush grass, which is rarely, I use that as a groundsheet. I don't bother when I am under a shelter. I stake it out fully when I am not, but if the weather is going to be decent and I don't feel I need privacy I will skip the fly. I did that 2 out of the 8 nights I camped without a shelter during my two-week September trip. It was either cold or wet/possibly wet the other 6 nights. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...61ff46bc4.jpeg In comparison, the Fly Creek doesn't even reach the end of the rear rack, with sloppy tarp fold notwithstanding. I stayed in a hotel the night before I started that trip and didn't bother doing a better job of folding the tarp. I am usually not that sloppy, but I had a long train ride the day before and got up really early because I had a 65 mile day on the GAP ahead of me. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...27a98b67e.jpeg |
Originally Posted by autonomy
(Post 22334588)
Always great to see touring/bikepacking pictures, especially if they're from nearby (NE).
I had been taking two-week tours in MT and MT and ID over the last several years, but the pandemic put a stop to that in 2020. Right now I have no desire to deal with, among other things, flying out west (or anywhere, really). Planning a two-week trip in VT for early June, staying mostly at state parks. Train to Brattleboro, then heading north, ending up in St. Albans. Amtrak with a bike for that is easy. |
Originally Posted by rumrunn6
(Post 22333157)
sounds lovely. queue my regular plug for the Outdoor Gear Exchange on Church St which has a consignment shop in the basement. if you've been to the area, you probably already know about it? ...
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Originally Posted by leob1
(Post 22372486)
Found a vintage Ibis Hakkalugi there for $100. Too bad it was too big for me.
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Originally Posted by leob1
(Post 22372486)
Found a vintage Ibis Hakkalugi there for $100. Too bad it was too big for me.
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Originally Posted by bktourer1
(Post 22331088)
In planning stages right now on riding from Rensselaer to Rouses Point and the to Burlington to south again to Whitehall to Rensselaer.
Planning on using the Mohawk Hudson to Champlain Trail all the way to the border. Rt. 2 South to Burlington. May take a ferry back to Plattsburgh and sought again Still in planning stages. Motels & camping and maybe Warmshowers hosts. Google Street View and Bing Maps show ground-level views of most of the roads on the VT side of the lake so you can preview the route. The Crown Point (NY), DAR (VT), and Button Bay (VT) campgrounds are all quite nice if you are camping. Downtown Saratoga Springs is also a nice side trip if you are so inclined. It's about 13 miles over and back - each way- from where the Empire Trail passes through Schuylerville. Take Burgoyne Rd. to Meadowbrook Rd to Dyer Switch to Crescent Ave. to route 9 north ( Broadway) into downtown. Stay off route 29, route 50, and route 9p (Union Ave.) |
Thanks for the assists. All is still in planning and the Western side of Lake Champlain would be done with early morning starts to beat traffic
Have some side roads plotted, to beat the faster traffic. A ferry is planned in case the weather turns. Southbound out of Burlington camps have been routed to either Button Bay (no store nearby) or DAR which has a store before campground. Heading south out of DAR, I may take the Crown Point bridge and go south (nothing finalized yet) I have friends on both sides of Champlain and between motels/and friends I should be ok. Been all over street view and have elevation charts of the Northbound The biggest issue is the lack of bike shops north of Plattsburgh. I have all the bike shops on this route logged on my cues. |
Originally Posted by bktourer1
(Post 22408092)
Thanks for the assists. All is still in planning and the Western side of Lake Champlain would be done with early morning starts to beat traffic
Have some side roads plotted, to beat the faster traffic. A ferry is planned in case the weather turns. Southbound out of Burlington camps have been routed to either Button Bay (no store nearby) or DAR which has a store before campground. Heading south out of DAR, I may take the Crown Point bridge and go south (nothing finalized yet) I have friends on both sides of Champlain and between motels/and friends I should be ok. Been all over street view and have elevation charts of the Northbound The biggest issue is the lack of bike shops north of Plattsburgh. I have all the bike shops on this route logged on my cues. There is a Shaw’s grocery store in Vergennes, about 7 mostly flat miles from the park. |
Originally Posted by jlaw
(Post 22406949)
FYI- a short distance above Ft. Ann, NY the Empire Trail follows mostly high-speed state highways with varying shoulder widths - not fun. You may want to consider crossing over the Crown Point Bridge (very nice views) into VT and heading north from there on Lake St. and other roads that stay close to the lake. There are various back ways into/around Burlington depending on your destination. Burlington is a fun town - especially downtown and the waterfront- worth a visit.
Google Street View and Bing Maps show ground-level views of most of the roads on the VT side of the lake so you can preview the route. The Crown Point (NY), DAR (VT), and Button Bay (VT) campgrounds are all quite nice if you are camping. Downtown Saratoga Springs is also a nice side trip if you are so inclined. It's about 13 miles over and back - each way- from where the Empire Trail passes through Schuylerville. Take Burgoyne Rd. to Meadowbrook Rd to Dyer Switch to Crescent Ave. to route 9 north ( Broadway) into downtown. Stay off route 29, route 50, and route 9p (Union Ave.)
Originally Posted by bktourer1
(Post 22408092)
Thanks for the assists. All is still in planning and the Western side of Lake Champlain would be done with early morning starts to beat traffic
Have some side roads plotted, to beat the faster traffic. A ferry is planned in case the weather turns. Southbound out of Burlington camps have been routed to either Button Bay (no store nearby) or DAR which has a store before campground. Heading south out of DAR, I may take the Crown Point bridge and go south (nothing finalized yet) I have friends on both sides of Champlain and between motels/and friends I should be ok. Been all over street view and have elevation charts of the Northbound The biggest issue is the lack of bike shops north of Plattsburgh. I have all the bike shops on this route logged on my cues. |
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