Parading for a Good Cause-way

Karen and Earl push their tandem up the ferry ramp.

Early on July 4th I met up with a few riders at Local Motion's Trailside Center to ride the causeway then participate in a parade. Coincidentally, a couple touring on a tandem had also stopped for directions, discovered the bike ferry was running, which would be a tremendous help, routing them off busy highways. They were delighted to roll with us and join a small town parade. It was providence.

At ten miles we cross open water—only a bridge width—by bike ferry. The bridge was removed decades ago. The ferry is a critical link between Colchester and South Hero for pedestrians and bike riders, while allowing busy nautical traffic barrier-free access. As a child I spent many hours with my dad, dipping fish pole into The Cut's dark depths. (The Cut is a local moniker for the opening.)

On the South Hero side we meet up with a dad and his two darling girls who ride in a Madsen's bucket. I'd only ever seen this bike on Girls and Bicycles. What a surprise!

Some folks decorated bikes and trailers.

The causeway was destroyed in 2011 after heavy rains and flooded lake.
It was reconstructed in 2012 with federal money, private funding,
 and The Big Fix campaign.

The Big Fix t-shirts were distributed to adults and children.

Volunteers staple coupons to brochures.

 Admiring other parade participants.

The Madsen is decorated with a list of Big Fix supporters. We're ready to roll.

A storm is brewing.

It was hot, walking and rolling along the asphalt. I gave out numerous two-for-one coupons to those interested in using the bike ferry. At the end I said goodbye to tandem travelers, Karen and Earl. Earlier, we'd swapped stories about past July 4th parades on our individual cross-country bike rides: hers in a small midwestern town and mine in Lubbock, Texas. Hopefully, with my directions, Karen and Earl made it to their evening's accommodation along quiet farming and lakeside roads rather than busy Route 7.

One last photo before tucking the camera away in a plastic bag.

On the return trip across the causeway, I stopped for a dip in the lake. Vermont has been trapped in a tropical climate for nearly three weeks with predictable afternoon storms that drop monsoon-type rain. On this day, the storm caught up with me. I must admit, another soaking felt wonderful.