Biking and hiking in Vermont
Jul. 31st, 2008 12:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
figarofigaro1Last weekend was an active one for us.
Friday evening we wanted to go for a bike ride, but B was tired of our suburban housing development route. I have books with rides in them, but most of them involve a drive first. There is one tour listed as an aside on a map that I have that is the Williston Highlands and Lowlands. It is a figure-eight and the first half is a moderate 13 miles. So we decided to do that. There's one HUGE downhill and then later a long but slightly less steep climb back up. We're in better biking shape than we've ever been, and it wasn't too bad. The worst part was the ride along River Road where the speed limit is 50 mph and there's a fair amount of traffic... but also nice wide shoulders to ride on.
Saturday was the usual Farmers Market trip and then we met up with SM, a knitting buddy of mine who wanted to go for a bike ride. I had prepared cue sheets for a nice ride. We started in North Ferrisburg, rode half a loop. (First pic is B and me. Second pic is B and SM.)
Then we ferried across Lake Champlain and rode a nice loop in Essex, New York.
We rode a pleasant loop on some remote back roads. There were more hills than our typical rides and it was a warm day, but we all did OK. B was always way out in front, as usual. It was a hazy day, and the views of the Green Mountains weren't as good as they could have been. We could make out Camel's Hump in the haze, but it disappeared in the pictures.
We did the rest of the loop on the Vermont side, including a stop at the Old Brick Grocery in Charlotte, and Uncle Sam's for creemees. There was a short steep climb from there that was noted on our trip directions. We all did that one OK, but it was threatening rain. Over toward Mount Philo, it started to pour on us. That also ended up being the hilliest portion of the ride. Downhills with rain stinging my face wasn't fun. But climbing up the last really long hill was the worst. Ugh.
We made it back to the cars. It was 32.2 miles round trip. We averaged just over 10 mph, which wasn't bad for hills and rain, I think. Of course that doesn't factor in all the stopping we did. It was the first real road trip for SM and he had a good time. I want to do the ride again when it isn't as hazy.
Saturday night, we have dinner in Burlington at Trattoria Delia preceded by drinks at Drink. We'd been once before with a larger group, and decided it was time to go back, just us. We had a special shrimp appetizer (shrimps wrapped in pancetta), and their duck confit (served as a whole leg, and broiled briefly to crisp the skin... so good), and then I had pasta with tomato and arugula, and mushroom and polenta main plate. B had the Amatriciana (which he loves ever since Rome) and the osso bucco. We both only ate half our main plates and we brought the rest home (and turned the veal and mushrooms into yummy pizzas on Sunday night). I had the tartuffo and B had the panna cotta for dessert. Both of them were excellent. Service was excellent. Tourists were by turns amusing and annoying.
Sunday we woke to another sunny day. We'd left the bikes on the car, but decided that hiking was in order. We spent the morning getting the gear out. We haven't hiked at all this season. After a tasty brunch at Chef's Corner, we hit the road. We decided we wanted to hike up to the summit of Camel's Hump.
My directions were to drive to Huntington Center and then take Camel's Hump Road to the end and park. Well there was one unmarked intersection and we picked the wrong way and had to drive a bit to find a crossroads so we could find ourselves on the map and discover our error. (I always imagine us being on the Amazing Race while things like this are happening.)
We finally got to the parking lot at 1 PM. I'd wanted to do the 6-hour loop, but we opted for the 4-hour loop instead, given the time. The hike is 4.8 miles round trip and a 1950 foot climb up to the summit. It was a fairly difficult hike for our first of the season. I was huffing and puffing and sweating a lot on the way up. There were lots of places where it was very rocky and wet, and those were tricky.
But we made it to the summit, at 4,083 feet, and enjoyed the 360 degree views. Again, it was hazy and would be good to do again on a clearer day.
The trip down was difficult. My legs were already tired and there were tricky places to navigate. Notable on the descent: we found some Indian pipes blooming and I heard a wood thrush off deep in the woods.
There were lots of cute boys on the trails to keep us motivated, too.
We made it back to the car at 6:30 PM, and we'd stayed up at the summit for at least 45 minutes. So we thought we'd made good enough time. It seems we almost always match the hiking times published in books: not fast hikers, but not slow either.
We were both really really sore on Monday, quads and calves both. We've taken it easy this week as a result.
Friday evening we wanted to go for a bike ride, but B was tired of our suburban housing development route. I have books with rides in them, but most of them involve a drive first. There is one tour listed as an aside on a map that I have that is the Williston Highlands and Lowlands. It is a figure-eight and the first half is a moderate 13 miles. So we decided to do that. There's one HUGE downhill and then later a long but slightly less steep climb back up. We're in better biking shape than we've ever been, and it wasn't too bad. The worst part was the ride along River Road where the speed limit is 50 mph and there's a fair amount of traffic... but also nice wide shoulders to ride on.
Saturday was the usual Farmers Market trip and then we met up with SM, a knitting buddy of mine who wanted to go for a bike ride. I had prepared cue sheets for a nice ride. We started in North Ferrisburg, rode half a loop. (First pic is B and me. Second pic is B and SM.)
Then we ferried across Lake Champlain and rode a nice loop in Essex, New York.
We rode a pleasant loop on some remote back roads. There were more hills than our typical rides and it was a warm day, but we all did OK. B was always way out in front, as usual. It was a hazy day, and the views of the Green Mountains weren't as good as they could have been. We could make out Camel's Hump in the haze, but it disappeared in the pictures.
We did the rest of the loop on the Vermont side, including a stop at the Old Brick Grocery in Charlotte, and Uncle Sam's for creemees. There was a short steep climb from there that was noted on our trip directions. We all did that one OK, but it was threatening rain. Over toward Mount Philo, it started to pour on us. That also ended up being the hilliest portion of the ride. Downhills with rain stinging my face wasn't fun. But climbing up the last really long hill was the worst. Ugh.
We made it back to the cars. It was 32.2 miles round trip. We averaged just over 10 mph, which wasn't bad for hills and rain, I think. Of course that doesn't factor in all the stopping we did. It was the first real road trip for SM and he had a good time. I want to do the ride again when it isn't as hazy.
Saturday night, we have dinner in Burlington at Trattoria Delia preceded by drinks at Drink. We'd been once before with a larger group, and decided it was time to go back, just us. We had a special shrimp appetizer (shrimps wrapped in pancetta), and their duck confit (served as a whole leg, and broiled briefly to crisp the skin... so good), and then I had pasta with tomato and arugula, and mushroom and polenta main plate. B had the Amatriciana (which he loves ever since Rome) and the osso bucco. We both only ate half our main plates and we brought the rest home (and turned the veal and mushrooms into yummy pizzas on Sunday night). I had the tartuffo and B had the panna cotta for dessert. Both of them were excellent. Service was excellent. Tourists were by turns amusing and annoying.
Sunday we woke to another sunny day. We'd left the bikes on the car, but decided that hiking was in order. We spent the morning getting the gear out. We haven't hiked at all this season. After a tasty brunch at Chef's Corner, we hit the road. We decided we wanted to hike up to the summit of Camel's Hump.
My directions were to drive to Huntington Center and then take Camel's Hump Road to the end and park. Well there was one unmarked intersection and we picked the wrong way and had to drive a bit to find a crossroads so we could find ourselves on the map and discover our error. (I always imagine us being on the Amazing Race while things like this are happening.)
We finally got to the parking lot at 1 PM. I'd wanted to do the 6-hour loop, but we opted for the 4-hour loop instead, given the time. The hike is 4.8 miles round trip and a 1950 foot climb up to the summit. It was a fairly difficult hike for our first of the season. I was huffing and puffing and sweating a lot on the way up. There were lots of places where it was very rocky and wet, and those were tricky.
But we made it to the summit, at 4,083 feet, and enjoyed the 360 degree views. Again, it was hazy and would be good to do again on a clearer day.
The trip down was difficult. My legs were already tired and there were tricky places to navigate. Notable on the descent: we found some Indian pipes blooming and I heard a wood thrush off deep in the woods.
There were lots of cute boys on the trails to keep us motivated, too.
We made it back to the car at 6:30 PM, and we'd stayed up at the summit for at least 45 minutes. So we thought we'd made good enough time. It seems we almost always match the hiking times published in books: not fast hikers, but not slow either.
We were both really really sore on Monday, quads and calves both. We've taken it easy this week as a result.
