To Westport

July 29, 2021

Another day where it looks like we’ll be fine if we time our ride well. It’s dry now, but showers are due to arrive here and at the other end by early afternoon. We make it out to breakfast at our motel right as it officially opens at six but the place is already packed with construction workers, presumably staying here while they work on the project that has all the roads outside torn up. Even though we are up early, somehow we don’t make it out the door until 8:30. Why is it that no matter how early we get up we can never make it out early, Scott?

Once again it is refreshingly cool when we set out - even more so than yesterday. It was only 51 when we first checked the weather this morning and it will stay cool and comfortable throughout the ride. The biking isn’t the most pleasant for the first few miles as we work our way through the sprawling outskirts of Plattsburgh - I probably should have stared harder at the map and found a quieter route through town - but finally we come to a short bike path; and at its end we leave town and come to the broad, steady shoulder we’ve come to expect here in New York.

Finally, after almost four miles of busy, unshouldered streets we come to this nice bike path. It only lasts for about a quarter mile, but it’s enough.

There’s that broad shoulder! We’re on the northern arm of the Empire State Trail.

The first ten miles of the ride are an easy, flat ride paralleling the shore of Lake Champlain, which we’ll generally follow south for the whole ride. After that though some very lumpy miles lie ahead. We’ve gotten soft and spoiled by all the easy terrain we’ve biked through for the past seven weeks, but that changes starting today. We’ll do more climbing today than any other stage of the tour so far.

Image not found :( — The mouth of Salmon River, as it empties into Lake Champlain.

Some of about fifty of the curious sculptures in Stoneledge Sculpture Garden.

Looking across Lake Champlain. I think that’s the tip of South Hero Island to the left.

Looking southeast toward Burlington, we get encouragement to make time. The storms could arrive earlier than predicted.

Finally, the fun’s over. We cross the Ausable River and immediately come to the first of the nine climbs our Garmin shows for the day. The first four are a series that carry us stair-step fashion up about a thousand foot ascent. We’re traversing the easternmost foothills of the Adirondacks, which spill right down to the water’s edge.

I get behind Rachael for the usual reason, and a text from her shows up on the Garmin. She can’t see my position on her device and wants to know how far behind I am. Just under a mile, we conclude. She says she’ll keep going and take her time on these four climbs and wait for me at the top.

I catch up to her though at the top of only the second climb. Not because I’ve set such a blistering pace on the climb, but because she’s stopped and I looking over the edge of the bridge down at the Ausable River. She’s on the other side of the bridge from me, and I holler to her to come to my side because the view is spectacular.

The first crossing of the Ausable River, just inland from its mouth at Ausable Marsh.

A hearth of some massive old building, I assume?

Looking down from the second crossing of the Ausable River.

The view east (upriver) is incredible. So beautiful! I holler to Rachael to come over to this side to see it.

But she hollers back to me to come over to her side, which is incredible too. She’s already seen both sides by now so she starts rolling and shifts down for the start of the third climb and leaves me with my jaw agape.

The downriver side is as spectacular, but in a different way. This is the Ausable Chasm. Zoom in and you’ll see a cable suspension bridge crossing the chasm.

Now doesn’t this look fun? You’ll see from the video that this is an organized crossing - others are crossing right after this person, and still others are walking along the beach on their way there. Exciting!

The next two climbs are stiffer, with one registering 13% on our devices. Fortunately none is all that long, and it helps having short plateaus between them to recover from. Finally we reach the top of the fourth, drop back near the lake for the next five miles, and then stop for lunch at the entrance to a small private park.

The third crossing of the Ausable River, at Keeseville.

We’re definitely getting into the hills here. We’re at the eastern edge of the Adirondacks.

Video sound track: Tanglewood Tree, by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer

But that’s the end of photography for today’s ride. When we start up again we see that the sky has darkened considerably and with fifteen miles left to Westport we’re concerned about arriving dry. We have visions of another soggy arrival like we experienced two days ago but thankfully it doesn’t happen. We’re sprinkled on lightly most of the way but it’s hardly noticeable and we arrive in Westport essentially dry.

The sign on the door of the hotel states that check in begins at 3, and earlier check-in is not possible. It’s just after one now. We grumble a bit but then look around and see a deli across the street so we roll our bikes over there, lean them against the wall, and take a table by the wimdow next to them where we can keep an eye out.

Not two minutes later it starts raining. Lucky again! We quickly go out to move our bikes back to the hotel and lock them together under an overhang where they’ll stay dry, and then go back to wait for our orders to arrive. A half an hour later another less lucky bike tourist wheels into town looking soaked and bedraggled, and then waits under the overhang at our hotel. We’re not the only bike travelers staying here today.

Finally, 3 arrives. We quickly get over our annoyance at the strict check-in time and enjoy a lengthy conversation with our energetic host - a man with many interests who’s well traveled himself. He wants to know specifics of where we’re going this time, and on tours past. his hotel is quite interesting, a museum piece that’s a blend of inn, book store, and antique shop. Westport Inn - a great stay.

Our host tells us of the two eateries within easy walking distance - a bar and grill, which he suggests as an option only if we’re desperate. Much better is the Yacht Club - he highly recommends it but says we should call for reservations right away. I do, and am relieved that they still have a table open. We’re lucky because with the rain they only have limited outdoor seating this evening.

We wait around in the room for a couple of hours until dinner and then walk over. It’s a short but very enjoyable walk. There’s not much to tiny Westport, but it’s just enough - it makes a fine place for a one night stay. And in different weather we’d have even been able to sit in on an outdoor concert at the waterfront park, but it was evidently cancelled due to the weather.

Staying comfortable, waiting for the dinner hour.

In Westport. We especially like the one tiny chair.

An allium of some sort. Such an amazing plant.

The view from the yacht club. As I took this shot a voice called out that he was charging five bucks to take a photo of his boat.

And our host was right. Dinner was great. I had a very nice rigatoni Bolognese, but I regretted not getting the salmon dish with brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes that Rachael selected. That plus a fine salad filled us up nicely, but somehow we still found room to share a strawberry rhubarb crumble a la mode.

Sorry we didn’t share our meals with you, but I did remember to shoot this very nice lager from Ledge Hill Brewing, Westport.

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Ride stats today: 45 miles, 2,700’; for the tour: 2,296 miles, 69,200’

Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 2,296 miles (3,695 km)

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John PescatoreYou didn't miss Ausable Chasm after all!
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo John PescatoreI’m glad we got to see it. It was spectacular!
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2 years ago

Kathleen JonesWhen we lived in Plattsburgh in the 1960s we would go to the chasm every once in a while. While parked you of course got a bumper sticker put on your car. When they could be affixed to the chrome bumpers using wire. Remember those?
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2 years ago

John PescatoreTo Kathleen JonesWow, a rare occurrence: I feel young because I don't remember that kind of bumper sticker!

When I did a 5 day tour around Lake Champlain with 3 friends in 1999 they charged $13 to enter - I wonder how much it costs today??
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo John PescatoreIt was probably much simpler then. Now, it’s $18 for basic admission, which entitles you to a self-guided walk along the trails. There are six different upgrades though, ranging from $12 to $200. For $35 you can walk the Adventure Trail, which lets you cross the river on that cable bridge. For me, looking over the edge from the bridge was awesome enough.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Kathleen JonesYou too? It seems everyone but ourselves knows about Ausable Chasm. We’d never heard of it and happened on it only by chance.
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2 years ago