Ideas for 2024

2024 plans should rock, another year filled with travel, cycling, and visits with family. 

• I'm recovering from an accident - breaking ribs (falling down stairs - ugh) - but I'm confident I'll be healed in time for a mid-March excursion to the Philly Bike Expo, and if the weather is agreeable, riding on Philly's trail system. 3 weeks out, I'm feeling much better, walking a bit, riding on an indoor trainer, and lately taking it easy on a nearby rail trail on my Dahon. It feels like spring in Vermont so that's aided my recovery, allowing some fresh air. 
• In the meantime, I'm creating a stem bag and an under rack pouch on Jack the Bike Rack, moved from Miss Rachel to the Specialized Hard Rock where it fits better. The pouch will allow extra storage for smaller items like my sleeping pad and liner, without risk of items accidentally coming loose on rougher rail trails (it happened on the Erie Canal adventure) while my sleeping quilt is secured on top.
• I continue to dabble with Gouache painting, exploring techniques. I love bright colors and this medium lends itself well with bold, opaque paint. I'll post images on Instagram: @annie.bikes
• The Bassi Rachel will get a Soma front rack. The Jack the Bike Rack wasn't an ideal companion - sat too high, obstructing vision - so I'm opting for a double rack and panniers setup on this gem. I'll add fenders to the Hard Rock to finish off its capabilities as a touring machine. 
• Touring ideas (take two) include a loop connecting the Cross Vermont Trail and the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, doable from home! Both trails sustained significant damage from 2023 floodwaters but should be in good shape this year - fingers crossed. It's an opportunity to ride varied terrain, crossing the width of Vermont twice. I plan to load up the Hard Rock and see how it handles its inaugural tour, likely in September.
• Additional vacation plans. In June I'll visit our eldest son in Colorado. He and his girlfriend will show me Fort Collins's bike trail network. 

Canadian Rides, Northern Rail Trail, and Salt Water

My annual September vacation took a radical turn, due to a rainy forecast, from exploring Pennsylvania's rails trails to pivoting to Canada, New Hampshire, and a bit of Massachusetts where miraculously, 9 of 10 days were dry.

A friend tagged along for the Canadian adventures, first riding the famed Grandes Fourches loop, a route I did years ago with Adele, and worth repeating, for it's variety of urban/dirt rail trail/dirt road scenery.

I've always admired Catherine's Miyata.

Lake Massawippi in North Hatley was a beautiful spot for a break. Friend Catherine was midway in her  quest to ride 500 miles in September, raising money for childhood cancer.

Beautiful sculptures in a Sherbrooke park.

The route follows three rivers, also part of the route's appeal.

One connection across a river takes advantage of a bridge beneath a busy highway.

Soybean fields.

Another day we pedaled a strenuous loop from Compton, with grand vistas of farmland.

We appreciated the public facilities and parks, amazingly in the smallest of towns.

East Standstead.

An intentionally flatter route from Bedford eased tired legs. The stunning scenery of vineyards, orchards, golden maple lined corridors, and farm vistas (lots of Pelletier family farms).

Loving my Bassi Rachel's climbing ability.

On the right, July's floods wiped out a section of trail. Otherwise this part of Canada escaped
the destruction that occurred in Vermont.

Another day's ride included the Tomofobia Nature Preserve, a rail trail I've ridden many times, yet keep coming back. We looped towards Lake Memphremagog on an ungodly steep climb - I walked part - before heading back to the car.

Our friend returned home while my husband and I regrouped before heading off to New Hampshire. We are fans of rail trails and always have ideas in reserve. Riding a portion of the 59 mile Northern Trail in 2022, I knew I wanted to complete the entire route. We learned that while some parts of New Hampshire were affected by earlier flooding, the trail was rideable.

Left photo, we detoured around the bridge initially, as a crew was resurfacing the wood, but was efficiently finished upon our return. The center line has additional plywood to handle snowmachines.

While it would've been preferable to ride one way, camping overnight, we couldn't locate a nearby campground nor find a shuttle. Creative groups might utilize 2 cars and indoor accommodation, but having two cars for this 5 day portion of our vacation didn't make sense. Instead, we found a comfortable campground 10 miles away in Newfound Lake and did out and back segments, riding double the miles!

Mount Cardigan.

What makes this trail special are the lack of frequent road crossings, various terrain, unique vistas and interesting historical markers. It's never dull.

A visit to a nearby facility, seen from the trail. Loons were paddling on the lake.

A couple of rest stops.

Remnants of a tiny roundabout. Initial train engines were small.

Potters Place, a restored rail station.

I swapped the tire and patched the tube while my husband investigated the source of the mishap. Near the gate crossing, I must've scraped a protruding cement knob.

With smooth tires, my bike wasn't an ideal companion on this trip. I had two front tire flats, but managed, making sure I patched the spare tube. There are many bridges, some rougher chunky surfaces, etc. At one point, I thought about trying to locate more suitable tires, but I'm also in the midst of building another bike that will excel on variable terrain.

A trailside dirt playground! This stop made me laugh.

Six miles from finishing (12 roundtrip) I was chilled, after enduring a steady rain for an hour in low 50's F. Since the forecast would improve later, we left the remaining miles and finished a couple days later, on our return home.

The East Coast Greenway appeals to me...a good retirement project.

Meanwhile...we visited our nephew and his fiancé in Newburyport, Massachusetts, pedaled to Plum Island, and then camped a night near the coast.

An all-around spectacular vacation! 

Colchester Streets Challenge - Rising Water

In late February on a warm weekend morning, I began pedaling Colchester's roads. The first outing involved tacking on 4-5 miles after checking on our family's camp in northern Burlington. I often stop on my favorite Burlington/Colchester border: the pedestrian/bike bridge spanning the mouth of the Winooski River. On this particular morning, I was treated to ice flows moving beneath me, entering Lake Champlain plus hardcore kite boarders cresting waves in 35F degree water.

I also checked on Airport Park's bicycle rest stop, a project I was involved in a year ago, helping construct the covered table and erect the signage. Cyclist's and park users enjoy this spot and is often filled on warm summer days. I was pleased that the structure was holding up well. Afterwards, I looped through a few neighborhood streets.

On my second outing, I struggled with what to photograph. I pedaled through more non-descript neighborhoods filled with raised ranches and older homes falling in disrepair. And to be fair, brown grass is unappealing to start with! However, I came across a sweet miniature lighthouse decorating someone's front lawn, complete with lashed pilings and a crab.

I like the Airport Park neighborhood plus it's proximity to the causeway and waterfront trails.

I am constantly looking at house styles though, certainly a side benefit to this challenge. Colchester has lots of older homes, but has infilled during the past 20 years with new housing developments so there is an interesting mix of old lakefront camps on leased property, 1960's ranches, and over-the-top construction, maximizing on lake views, plus every kind of style in between. There is a high percentage of private roads also -  which I find curious, and now I understand, accounts for all the dotted lines on my map - not included in my "public roads" itinerary. I plan to read about Colchester's history, and in particular, why the high incidence of private roads and neighborhoods.

As I head back towards the waterfront trail, I observed the swollen Winooski River. The water is creeping up the boat ramp in this low-lying neighborhood. I was also reminded of the endangered Lake Surgeon, and because I'm not a fisherperson, it's easy to forget. There's a reason I've only seen this species in a tank.

From the fish and game access, it was a unique view of an area that's been under construction for seemingly a long time before housing goes up. I can tell there's been shoreline restoration and reinforcement, so perhaps the developer needed to get that part done before anything else.

Onward, I stop "on the border", a reversal loop of the previous excursion. This time, the mouth of the river is threatening Burlington's North Cove community.  A lot has happened since that first ride, Hurricane Stella dropped 29" of snow, upriver snow is melting - just this week the lake level has risen 2 feet!

And when I look the opposite direction, I'm reminded how Burlington and Colchester are linked in more ways than one. Both communities share the river as a boundary, and in 2004 they came together to build and commemorate this wonderful bridge that walkers, pedalers, fisher-people, and tourists share - a precious connection that's a real treasure.

2011 - A Year in Review

It was a year of richness and unusual weather, family adventures and special time with my husband.

"Let's go through the tunnel again!" Cape Cod adventures by bike and by car.

Spring floods on the lake rising over the tar

Vermontreal: new route and old friends, huge waves, for goodness sake.

Mount Orford, riding trails, camping and hiking, with dips in a lake.

Bike project and basket for Sally's the plan.

Lots of play time building pebble trails on the shores of Lake Champlain.

Relaxing on the deck with cocktail in hand.

Bike path rides with snow making it cold.

Then later in the spring with a pheasant so bold.

Oka to Ottawa, quiet Ontario and Route Verte commotion.

Hurricane Irene, rivers swollen, throw in mud and erosion.

Frozen Mud Pond. New York Adirondacks.

Crisp fall hikes with my wooly bear hub for rounded measure.

Camels Hump, Vermont.

Blueberry Mountain, New York

A little snow, no bugs is certainly a pleasure.

I will sell these inexpensively to clear out my shelves. Make an offer.

Creative projects galore.
Stamping cards and lunch-sized totes (more for sale).
Yellow, black, green, and orange -
Contact me, check my profile for e-mail.

Here's to an equally full 2012!

Intervale Trail

52 F, overcast

Because of Burlington's relatively small population and access to parks, there are several interesting options for a peaceful one hour ride. The Intervale Bike Trail is one of my favorite starting points - only a mile and a half from home. It begins on a dirt road.

Small vegetable and chicken farms thrive here, all part of the Intervale Center. I recall viewing footage of franctic harvesting during Hurricane Irene, salvaging produce in the wake of the rising flood waters.

It's easy single track for the first two miles.

 At one point it hugs the Winooski River...

...and enters Ethan Allen Homestead land. Hiking is also encouraged here with separate pathways. In the winter all trails are open to cross country skiing.

This bridge crosses a deep creek. In years past this bridge is often under water or is shifted due to the strong current. If it's been wet for prolonged periods, I avoid this trail.



More quiet, comfortable riding.

The bike portion ends at the Homestead and I pedal on a paved path to a bridge.

 Cross the well-made wooden structure.

Climb a short, steep hill and enter Ethan Allen Park. Most trails are paved here, and it's always a beautiful ride for a mile through a hardwood forest.

Then it's a quick hop over to the waterfront bike path.

Two miles later, I arrive home.