Sculpture Park, Ti Ferry, a Steep Climb, and a Star Trek Museum Tour

Outdoor sculptures are fun experiences.

As August weather cooled this summer, I was inspired to get on with my proposed trips. I pictured this 3-event adventure as an Amtrak overnight, but weekend weather hadn't been conducive. Instead, we packed everything into one day, driving first to Lemon Fair Sculpture Park (on a busy road), later parking in a small town to tackle the rest by bike. 

The sculptures are composed by multiple artists exhibiting their work. We walked a mown trail through a hayfield, sending grasshoppers jumping everywhere! I was drawn to several works: shiny, hammered metal ones, and especially the quad of horses, from lattice depictions to full body to the foreground mixture of both.

The ferry route is the longest running crossing of Lake Champlain, dating to 1759.

On the Vermont side of Lake Champlain, we boarded the Ticonderoga cable ferry, crossing narrow water, then pedalled a few more miles into the small town. It was getting hot.

Ending the one-hour tour on the Bridge!

While not a Trekkie, per se,  I've wanted to visit the Star Trek Museum per rave reviews. The owner has reconstructed the original season film set from plans, and as we later learned, had altered some things to make it more authentic, due to changes observed on film. We barely made the reserved timeslot, showing up sweaty!

A knowledgeable tour guide walked a small group around the set, explaining everything from how they filmed to the intricacies of backdrop decorations gleaned from the studio's stockpile (that appear in other TV shows!). What struck me the most was the flimsy walls, open ceilings, and rooms that were configured to represent multiple rooms on the Star Ship. Other interesting notes: Lucy and Desi Arnez studios financed the first three original seasons (I think?) - because filming Sci-Fi was expensive. The public clamored for more, and thus the reruns propelled the original cast and shows to stardom. I am of that generation, watching in the 1970s. In the lobby, there are many original outfits, plus the museum hosts special screenings on the Bridge. And maybe best of all, cast members show up each year - William Shatner, in his 90s, came last fall. 

Well worth the visit!

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Pressed for time, and not knowing how long it would take us, we climbed the 500ft road to Mt. Defiance. It was tough! We also were low on food and a bit dehydrated, but we made it. The breeze cooled us. What a view and strategic overlook of Fort Ticonderoga on the flat peninsula below.

Mt Defiance is notable because British General Burgoyne's army in 1777 built the road to place artillery overlooking both Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Independence, (located on what's now the Vermont side). The same road that's now, thankfully, paved!

The descent tested my brakes, but it seemed only a hot minute back to the entrance.

We discovered a food coop - who knew? - in tiny Ticonderoga village. Refreshed and satiated, we ferried back and arrived at our car in less than 10 miles.

2024 Autumn Dahon Ride - Try, Try Again

Spoiler alert: I made it!

If plans go awry, get back out there and try again! Recently, when I set off on a 3-day journey via folding bike, a slashed tire sidelined the completion of day 3. Serendipity intervened in the form of a stranger who delivered me and my bicycle to the Amtrak station for the journey home. Luckily, another weekend weather window opened 3 weeks later, this time for an overnight only, hopefully, this time, making it to Saratoga National Historical Park.

With the Amtrak schedule running an hour late, I would be pushing daylight. However, most of the route to Troy was familiar, including the comfortable B&B. In addition, I was down to the wire, finishing the Coffeeneuring Challenge, and the only viable option open late was a Starbucks. Somehow I managed the visit: the latte was terrible, though the franchise sported the best, visible, sheltered bike rack. Go figure.

After a comfortable night's sleep, I set off northward, repeating miles in a frosty morning that gradually warmed.

I made it to the park! It was hilly, however, so between my flatlander legs and limited gears, I stuck to the main road following a ravine. There was a lot to explore, so a return trip would be necessary. At the visitor center, I hiked for 2 miles, guided by an online tour, then set off to Saratoga Springs and later Amtrak reservation. I enjoyed Google's hilly rural route by horse farmland, then around a portion of Lake Saratoga and its well-heeled lakeside homes, and eventually riding a main route into the city with wide shoulders. The gargantuan famous racetrack was a shocker, including the accompanying barns, stables, accommodation, parking lots, and museum. As I've said before, when you allow ample time for a new adventure, surprises make the journey.

With sunset at 4:30 in mind, I had ample time to safely pedal to the train station in daylight, so I visited Whitman Brewery, chosen for its long list of IPAs - I'm a big fan - and accompanying food. The burger and fries were delicious. Whitman was a good choice, so if you're in the area, check them out.

Remember, adventures are not always about the miles, but about encountering something new. 

Cycling in the Northeast Kingdom

Happily aboard Miss Clementine, climbing and descending mostly dirt roads around East Charleston.

In early September, my husband and I escaped from busy Chittenden County and his full-time basement office drudgery, fueled by the promise of 4 days of idyllic, traffic-free, Vermont's Northeast Kingdom roads. 

A favorite pastime: inspecting tiny cemeteries.

We spent 3 nights in a cozy lean-to, serenaded by loons, owls, and breezy solitude. Not all campsites were open, which lent comfortable space between campers. Brighton State Park also has a series of hiking trails that came in handy to further stretch our legs.

By day we cruised paved roads that danced near the closed Canadian border.

Funny sign at a crossroad to greet Canadian's heading into Vermont (in normal times).

In Canaan's town square, fall foliage was just beginning.

Canaan's lovely library - open for business!

We stumbled on a very interesting monument!

Most afternoons we had time to also drive and explore some more. The extreme northeastern part of Vermont has always intrigued us. It's remote small towns are often reliant on tourism, and connections with New Hampshire and Canadian towns are important for commerce or family ties. Needless to say, lack of travel across the border has devastated summer tourism.

The entire Connecticut River is within New Hampshire, which means New Hampshire is responsible for upkeep of all bridges spanning the river.

The Connecticut River originates from small lakes in Canada (another area to someday explore) and runs the eastern border between Vermont and New Hampshire. As we were driving a winding, lovely Vermont-side road I offered to drive so my husband could enjoy some more carefree cycling miles. 

At Columbia Bridge, my husband starts his trek further south. I pick him up 10 miles later.

Home away from home for a few nights.

After a few morning showers on the fourth day, we traversed the Saint Johnsbury to Danville section (out and back) of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Even on a Friday morning, the trail, which we thought was remote, was seeing frequent use. However, we all had plenty of space.

The renovated Danville station was a nice place for lunch.

A pedestrian and 4 wheeler/snowmobile bridge in Danville.

The western terminus of the section ends at Joe's Pond. It was nice to see that at least the tracks are gone for future LVRT connections. Someday the trail will run across Vermont.

It was a most welcome 4 day getaway, inspired by my husband's one week vacation. I'm glad we were able to choose the best weather days. Sleeping long hours on a camping mattress was tough on our bodies, especially with lack of daylight in September (and nowhere to hang out after hours because of you know what) but we thoroughly enjoyed our time away and got to explore more of our home state. What's not to like about that?

Slow Rolling with Adele - Coaticook Hills & Surprises

On Adele's and my annual pilgrimage to Quebec, it was Forest Lumina that captured our curiosity during our 2017 Sherbrooke region excursion, and unable to visit then, the area begged to be explored in 2018. Using Coaticook as base (population 9,000), we planned to take in the light-show-in-a-forest plus ride some of the suggested loops on the Eastern Townships' bike map.

The two loops listed above are what Adele and I rode over two days, but of course, there's more to the story.

For example, it was the hilliest region we've ever cycled in Quebec or Ontario! However, Adele and I are fairly adventurous, and when I mentioned this fact ahead of time, she was game for anything. That's what I love about Adele.

A unique urban park in Coaticook, complete with tables and chars affixed to the ground.

I plan a general cycling route and region and she researches accommodation and the food scene.

But first, to back up a bit,  there was torrential rain in the forecast the first day of 3 days in mid-August - very reminiscent of last year's sojourn in Sherbrooke! We'd planned on driving to Coaticook anyway so, making the best of it, we first stopped at the Louis Garneau outlet just shy of the Canadian border.

It's hit or miss though whether I buy something. The red down jacket I got last year was a good find but since then nothing was appealing for the price. However, this time I scored a simple looking magenta tech shirt (look for it later in this post) and a t-shirt for my son on the $5 rack. Adele got $25 panniers, a phone mount for her frame, and other odds n ends.

Arriving in Coaticook too early to check in, we ate lunch, had an ice cream cone at the famed Coaticook dairy when it started to rain. But we make the best of it. Late afternoon we're sipping a bottle of wine on the B&B's porch and later ate an amazing dinner in nearby Compton, which included my first taste of escargot (smothered in tomato cream sauce so I can't say I actually tasted snails),\. The presentation of course, was delightful, something I now expect dining in Canada with Adele. And, at 9:30 pm among drizzle and hundreds of people, we walk the magical circuit in a forest, listening to folk tales projected and animated from the woods with the sound of the nearby Coaticook River lending to the ambiance. A highlight for me at Forest Lumina was walking over the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America while Adele gripped my arm (not her favorite part!) as teenagers behind us jumped up and down.

The next day the storm had mostly cleared out and we set out, aiming to explore and of course stretch our legs after eating a lot the previous day. Immediately, we're in farm country with sweeping vistas.

Coaticook is the agricultural seat of the region. Once a stop on the Grand Trunk rail line from Montreal to Portland Maine, it had been a mill town, but now is also reinventing itself as a tourist area with Forest Lumina as a magnet.

The region is very hilly - we're either climbing or descending - often on dirt roads. Clementine's wide tires and geometry handle it well, but Adele's 1" tires on her custom Marinoni are troublesome on gravel. For safety she walks some of the hills.

Closer to Compton we surprisingly pedal by Station Cheese, after tasting the delicious cheese at breakfast! Of course we have to sample the different varieties and I stow two small blocks in my panniers.

 Across the road a tractor festival happens to be in full swing. How lucky is that?

There are also old farm implements, sewing machines, kitchen gadgets, and ephemera on display or for sale.

My favorite was the older guys dressed in coveralls, tinkering with engines, the chug-chugging the overarching sound of the whole festival.

That's my new Louis Garneau tech shirt.

 And someone presented a homemade trailer for perusal.

The skies looked threatening at one point, but rain never materialized and the weather eventually cleared as the day wore on. The hills continued, however, and we cut the loop somewhat, also deciding to stick to paved roads. This is the first time I notice that Adele doesn't catch me on the descents as in years past - I'm faster climbing, she's been faster on downhills - so I compensate this year by ascending in lower gears so I don't get too far ahead.

It was on one of the climbs that I oddly pass a raccoon skeleton neatly preserved on the asphalt. I laugh out loud - how often do you see that, I thought? I had wanted to photograph it though I felt a little weird about doing it...

 ...however, when Adele caught up, she thought it was also pretty cool, and had no qualms about taking a picture, immediately sending it to a friend who'd also appreciate the sight!

By late afternoon we start descending toward the little city then huff up the hill to our B&B, preparing for another special nighttime event.

With a quick dinner and a beer the August night is already dark. Adele drives 20 minutes east to a tiny town where we hope to catch up with the Sherbrooke amateur astronomy club's annual telescope viewing on a mountain summit - an opportunity too good to pass up! We follow tiny signs and park on the side of a dirt road, then crowd onto a full school bus (how many adults can squish onto a seat?) for a rollicking ride the last 5k. On top it's chilly but an amazingly clear, planet filled sky. Each telescope owner is patient and answers our questions in English (we can't comprehend the general announcements in French). I get to see Saturn's rings, Mars's red blob, Jupiter and several of its moons, and amazingly clear craters on our typical half moon. What a wonderful evening!

On our third morning I suggest a shorter loop that appears to be all paved.

With full sunshine, the day was much warmer than expected. It was fun to stop and explore old churches, and this loop brought us fairly close to Vermont.

We started noticing the Pilgrim Loop signs. Silhouettes are cut out of metal and when you press a button on a metal box (choice of English or French) you can listen to a 5 minute history lesson.

This recording explained how Nathaniel Jenks and his wife emigrated from Vermont and was a traveling country doctor. Interestingly enough, we easily found his gravestone on our way out of town. As a Vermonter with a French maiden name, it's commonly known that Canadians moved south across the border, but it never occurred to me that it must have gone both ways.

Again, the terrain was hilly, though pleasingly with more farmland and lots of tree farms.

At Baldwin Mills a gorgeous round barn presented itself, one of the remaining two in the region.

Then it was a long descent back to our car. On the drive south we stocked up on bread and pastries at a bakery and even made a second stop at Louis Garneau because it was on the way (Adele and I call it that, both understanding that we know its an outlet). I liked the tech shirt so much that I wanted another, even if it would be the same color. I was also interested in the panniers that Adele picked up. But another purchase was not in the cards, so-to-speak. Her panniers had been a demo model and I failed to locate another shirt in the same size.

As expected, Adele is awesome traveling companion. I hope we have more adventures together!

The Coaticook River Valley is worth another trip. There is more to explore and with the right bicycles I'd like to ride more dirt roads, which allows more possibilities for loops. There are plenty of affordable B&B's in the city, perfect for easy walks to restaurants and stores. With wide open panoramas, paved roads with shoulders, beautiful farms, and friendly locals it's a compelling reason to get out of Vermont and head north.