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Old 05-14-2015, 06:24 PM
 
Location: "Daytonnati"
4,241 posts, read 7,175,680 times
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My New England road trip rapidly approaches!

...and am looking forward to finally seeing more of Vermont (esp Burlington)

A question about bike riding.

I plan on renting a bike from Local Motion on that Lake Champlain trail, downtown, and am considering riding north along Lake Champlaign, then taking that bike ferry to Hero Island.

Has anyone rode this, and if so can you tell me how long it would take, up and back?

Also, re Hero Island (this would be South Hero Island , I think?)....is there any place on it for food and drink..say some coffee or something like that?
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Old 05-15-2015, 04:27 AM
 
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I've never done it myself personally but you should also consider(haven't had a chance to do either of them yet but familiar with them) riding your bike all the way to the island via the colchester causeway, no need for a ferry.

Yes there's plenty of places for food and drink all the usual stuff(restaurants, gas station convenient stores etc). You won't find a starbucks of course.
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Old 05-15-2015, 05:35 AM
 
Location: Vermont
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Oriz...you need to take a bike ferry from the causeway as there is a cut in for boats to go through. I'm assuming that is what the OP is talking about.
Bike Ferry

I have ridden from the Burlington Waterfront to the cut in the causeway (did not take bike ferry as we didn't want to go any further). Its a beautiful ride. Hopefully someone will chime in and answer your other questions.
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Old 05-15-2015, 08:14 AM
 
Location: Western views of Mansfield/Camels Hump!
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How long of a ride is it to the causeway from downtown? I have a friend visiting this summer and she loves waterfront, might be a nice thing to do with her.
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Old 05-15-2015, 07:39 PM
 
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Check the Local Motion web site to confirm the bike ferry is running for the dates of your trip. I think it only gets started around Memorial Day weekend and is only weekends except July and August. I have done it before and it is awesome. One of the more beautiful "rails-to-trails" in America.

Once on South Hero, plenty of places to stop. Allenholm Farm is first place you pass and their farm store carries orchard apples, cider, plus other drinks and snacks, maybe even snack bar/lunch bar in the summer. Well worth it. If you go a few blocks farther, you'll hit downtown South Hero, i.e., bank, pharmacy, etc. There's a pizza place with grinders and salads and a mini-mart near the gas station.
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Old 05-15-2015, 07:45 PM
 
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Tlkn, it is a pretty long ride but flat and beautiful. Probably at least 11 or 12 miles from downtown to South Hero (one way). Broken up by the ferry ride and plenty of places to stop to check out the water and mountain views or go for a swim. For serious bikers and fitness people, it is no doubt nothing. However, I was quite sore afterwards.
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Old 05-15-2015, 09:13 PM
 
221 posts, read 346,172 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vter View Post
Oriz...you need to take a bike ferry from the causeway as there is a cut in for boats to go through. I'm assuming that is what the OP is talking about.
Bike Ferry

I have ridden from the Burlington Waterfront to the cut in the causeway (did not take bike ferry as we didn't want to go any further). Its a beautiful ride. Hopefully someone will chime in and answer your other questions.

Oh, I must have read something wrong...I automatically thought ferry = NY ferry even though I was aware the post was about south hero, just didn't click lol. As I drive by the ferry location ON the island quite often, but that is totally different.

Anyway, myself I will hopefully get to do it this summer, also only up to that part of the causeway.
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Old 05-21-2015, 04:46 AM
 
Location: Western views of Mansfield/Camels Hump!
2,062 posts, read 3,961,807 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by URob View Post
Tlkn, it is a pretty long ride but flat and beautiful. Probably at least 11 or 12 miles from downtown to South Hero (one way). Broken up by the ferry ride and plenty of places to stop to check out the water and mountain views or go for a swim. For serious bikers and fitness people, it is no doubt nothing. However, I was quite sore afterwards.
Awesome, thank you! My friend rides 20 miles like it's nothing, and I mountain bike, so hopefully my hill experience will get me through lol!
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Old 08-22-2015, 10:46 PM
 
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I just did (July) the Island Line Rail Trail from Oakledge Park in South Burlington to the ferry at South Heron on the causeway. It was 14 miles. There were a few sections where it is not a dedicated path that you go through on neighborhood streets. The scenery is beautiful as it is almost entirely along Lake Champlain. The causeway section is really cool. Didn't bother to do the ferry as I have been through the Heros and there didn't seem to much there. It is my understanding there is no dedicated path there as it is road. For me, 28 miles round trip was enough for me. If you start at Oakledge Park, there is a fee to park there. I instead parked for free on Flynn St.
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