Bed & Breakfasts:
Lilac Inn, Brandon, VT
Shoreham Inn, Shoreham, Vermont
Tour Description:
Lake Champlain, a glacially-formed lake and the 6th largest fresh water lake in the U.S., is situated between Vermont’s Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondack Mountains of New York to the west. The valley that encompasses the lake is magnificent. To watch a sunset from the seat of a bicycle along the Vermont shores of Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Mountains as a back drop, has to be one of the top ten bike rides ever.
Our tour begins in Brandon, Vermont at the elegant Lilac Inn (1909). Everything about the inn is grand yet cozy from the floor-to-ceiling bookcases to the luxurious guest rooms with antique claw foot bathtubs to the central grand staircase. Shelley and Doug Sawyer welcome you to enjoy their property which features a formal garden with gazebo and a glassed-in ballroom. The inn is walking distance to Brandon, a picture-perfect Vermont town with it’s village green and 19th century homes in Federal and Victorian styles.
Tuesday morning will cycle past small farms and villages on our way to Middlebury, home to the prestigious Middlebury College and a beautiful town bisected by the Otter Creek. Middlebury is ideal for a lunch break at a gourmet deli or shopping at Frog Hollow, a gallery of artwork by Vermont residents. Next we turn south in the direction of Lake Dunmore and Branbury State Park. On a hot summer day the lake is cool and refreshing. In Fall you may choose a short foliage hike/walk up to the Falls of Lana where you will enjoy a flowing waterfall and stunning view of the lake below. For those who haven’t had enough cycling, there is an optional round trip Brandon Gap hill climb. Our day ends back at the Lilac Inn.
Wednesday we head west, straight to Lake Champlain. Riding the rolling hills there are views of dairy farms as far as the eye can see. Lunch is at Buxton General Store; as much a town meeting place as a general store. If you rest long enough by the counter, you will learn the important happenings in and around the town of Orwell. After lunch we have a very pleasant ride toward the lake, with a stop at Norton’s Gallery, home to the whimsical woodcarvings of Norton Latrourelle. The Gallery is on an old farm property with views of Lake Champlain, Fort Ticonderoga and the Adirondack Mountains. Worth a stop!
Our home for the next two nights is the Shoreham Inn in Shoreham, Vermont. Originally built in 1790 as a stagecoach stop, this inn has been a haven for cyclists exploring the southern areas of the Champlain Valley for years. A simple country style inn, it has been recently renovated by our friendly innkeepers, Dominic and Molly Francis, and features a cozy common area and the irresistible aroma of good home-cooking. Each guest room has a different theme.
Thursday, we ride through the heart of “the land of milk and honey" — Vermont’s most fertile farmland. Apple orchards, sheep and Holsteins grazing, and small family farms with the Adirondacks as the backdrop, are the vistas of the day. Abundant views of Lake Champlain guide us on our way to Vergennes, “the smallest city (per capita) in America.” Vergennes has recently been revitalized and now has gourmet eateries a refurbished opera house and, for those with a sweet tooth, a chocolatier. At day’s end we return to the Shoreham Inn for another night’s stay.
Friday, our final day, we head towards the Green Mountains, passing through the tiny hamlets of Whiting and Leicester. It’s fun to see if you can name the various Green Mountain peaks in the distance as we pass through vast Vermont farmland. Finally, we follow the calm waters of the Otter Creek on a pleasant finishing stretch towards Brandon and the Lilac Inn.
Special Note:
The Champlain Valley Tour ends by 2:00 pm on the final day. Guests who plan on showering before departure should arrive at the inn by 1:00 pm. Tour leaders will remind all guests.
Level of Difficulty:
Easy to moderate with challenging options.
Meals Included:
4 Dinners
4 Breakfasts
Snacks on the route
Mileage:
Day 1: 22, 33 & 44 mile options (plus 14 mile optional bonus hill climb)
Day 2: 22* & 33 mile options
Day 3: 28*, 38* & 63 mile options
Day 4: 16 & 28 mile options
*Special mileage note: requires a short van shuttle. Mileage listed is not exact.
Tour Dates:
Summer
June 23-27, July 21-25, August 18-22
Fall
September 29-Oct 3, October 6-10, October 13-17
Price Per Person:
Summer: $950
Fall Foliage: $1050
Rental Bike: $80
