A Beautiful Day For A Bike Ride!

Ken and I were up around 7:30 and he did some "clean-up" outside while I started prepping for breakfast.  It was an egg and fresh fruit morning!  I did some packing inside for our departure tomorrow.  After cleaning up from breakfast we went over to Chuck and Melissa just to have some time to chat before heading out for the day.  It felt good to take about 45 minutes to just relax and enjoy each others company!

The 4 of us left in our CRV at 11:30 with our bikes.  We drove just north of Burlington and parked on the trailhead at North Beach.  You drive through North Park CG to get to the Beach parking lot and it is a place I would recommend if you are camping in this area.  We had planned to stay there, but were told that they would be doing road construction at the entrance and it would be difficult to get in and out.  We couldn't see where they had done any work.  Their location is right along the Burlington Bike Path and would offer a short bike ride into Burlington as well as a wonderful place to have beach access to Lake Champlain.

We parked there between the 3 and 4 mile marker, got on our bikes, and headed north on the Burlington Bike Path.  It goes for nearly 8 miles along Burlington's waterfront, from Queen City Park Road in the South End of Burlington to the mouth of the Winooski River.  The path, which has been in existence for about 30 years, offers gorgeous views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains in New York.

It is a macadam trail for easy riding!

Along the way we stopped at an area where there were wooden steps leading down to the shoreline of Lake Champlain.  Ken and I decided to walk down and I found 5 nice pieces of seaglass. 

A view from the wooden platform right off the trail with
steps leading to the beach area.

The beach was calling....

....and I had to go!

Basketball, anyone????

You go over the metal bridge which is the mouth of the Winooski River and continue on the Island Line Trail. 

A unique bridge along the trail!

Nice view of the mountains when on the bridge!

It was sunny, but cool requiring a heavier coat and something
to cover my ears!  This girl gets cold!

It winds through the woods, a small neighborhood, and then into Causeway Park/Airport Park.  We stopped there for a bathroom and snack break.

Love this area with the metal fencing and cement path!

....through a neighborhood....

...passed some trees with colorful leaves.....

...and back on the trail!

Soon after you leave the park you start crossing the Causeway.  It amazes me how it was possible to build this in almost the middle of Lake Champlain.  It is such a beautiful ride looking out on the water, the huge rocks, and the view of the mountains. 

We are starting the ride onto the Causeway......

...and it is getting so beautiful......

.....with all the water....

....that we decided to stop and just enjoy the view....

....and the passing sailboat! 

We are really in the middle of Lake Champlain....

....and it offers such an incredible view!

When you get to mile marker 12 the trail ends for about 200 feet and the only way to get through is by taking the bike ferry.  Originally there was a swinging bridge, but it is now gone.  Rather interesting.  We didn't take the ferry, but turned around and headed back towards Burlington.  This really is an incredible bike trail.

Okay, there is no place to go, but you are so close to the
other side, that you could swim!

That is the bike ferry on the other side, picking up bikers
and their bikes!

Boats are going through the open space! 

This is the bike ferry that takes you about 200 yards!

We are thrilled to have been on this ride and are ready to bike
back and have our packed lunches!

We arrived back at North Beach at 3:45 after riding 16+ miles, just in time for a late lunch - really???? We sat at a picnic table overlooking Lake Champlain, a scenic view for a lunch break.

Not a bad background for eating our lunch!

We get to see such amazing things on our travels and to share
them with special friends makes it even better!

We drove back to the CG arriving around 5.  We did some additional organizing to prepare for our trip tomorrow to White River Junction, VT, about a 90 mile trip.  It is near the Quechee Gorge, known as the small grand canyon of Vermont.  We will spend 4 nights there before getting back to PA and staying at the Delaware Water Gap.

We had a light dinner after eating such a late lunch.  Then we played games at Gregory's RV.  Our stay in this area and to Canada has been phenomenal.  We are definitely Celebrating Life Daily and feeling so blessed!