3 Ferry Ride on Lake Champlain

In early August, Paula and I met up to ride the 3 ferry loop around a portion of Lake Champlain. This time around we smartly begin at Airport Park to take advantage of starting and ending on the flat terrain. Last year the long uphill to my home (on an overnight, along a similar route) got the best of us on a 95 degree day. With similar heat in the forecast, we aimed to enjoy every mile.

The miles and conversation flew by and we enjoyed an outdoor cafe lunch in Plattsburgh, New York before heading south. A must stop on this loop is an outdoor sculpture park. I enjoyed the life-sized depiction of the Last Supper.

I was particularly fascinated with a version of Francisco Goya's famous, and horrifying, The Third of May, displaying Spanish resistance against Napoleon's armies.

From both angles, it's an arresting portrayal.

Paula and I continued on, climbed one big hill, and descended to Port Kent among pine scented woods to await the next ferry back to Burlington. Fortunately, the town beach is beside the dock so we cooled ourselves in the lake, then it's a pleasant one hour journey and always an interesting view of Burlington as we cruised into the harbor. As we ride the last 7 miles of the 43 mile loop, we compliment ourselves on our wonderful choice of route and make tentative plans to hook up for an overnight in September.

Though the journey is an easy one day affair, it also makes a stellar overnight. Here's a similar route map and a write-up using the route as an overnight.