The Island Line

Hi Blog!

We are staying just down the road from Burlington, Vermont. On Tuesday, April 24, 2018, we decided to take our bikes into town and explore the various trails that run along the lakefront.

In the mid-1800’s, Burlington was the third largest lumber port in the country. The 1800’s waterfront was an incredibly active and lively place, and the economic driver of the Burlington. Images from the period show a waterfront where every available space was used for lumber storage, rail siding, and other commercial activities. By the end of the 1980’s, the filled lands of the waterfront had fallen into decay.

The Vermont Legislature created a list of acceptable uses of Public Trust Lands including "indoor or outdoor parks and recreation uses and facilities including parks and open space, marinas open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis, water dependent uses, boating and related services." The waterfront was transformed with a focus on public access and enjoyment.

On the way, we stopped at the World's Tallest File Cabinet. This 38 foot tall sculptural statement was created in 2002 by Bren Alvarez. Another RV Bucketlist Item checked off the list!

We began our journey just south of Oakledge Park on the Burlington Bikeway!

We wandered our way along the shoreline taking in the views. Small pocket parks line the way. Whimsical sculptures greeted us at various points.

Following an old rail line, the trail works its way through some active rail yards and factory buildings.

Before long, we were back to the waterfront.

The Bridge over the Winooski River! The Winooski River is a tributary of Lake Champlain approximately 90 miles long. Although not Vermont's longest river, it is one of the state's most significant, forming a major valley from Lake Champlain through the Green Mountains.

Driftwood lines the banks of the river as it empties into Lake Champlain.

The Island Line consists of the Burlington Bike Path and the Colchester Causeway, running from Burlington through Colchester to the edge of South Hero Island.

This half mile elevated boardwalk crosses the Delta Park flood plain and is the crucial link that unites the Burlington Bikeway and Colchester Causeway.

The Colchester Causeway itself lies just beyond Colchester's residential neighborhoods and Airport Park. Built in 1900 atop huge marble boulders, the 2.5-mile raised railbed slices across Lake Champlain for unparalleled views. Kathy led the way as we headed out into the middle of the lake.

In order to allow boat traffic from Malletts Bay to Lake Champlain, the Causeway is broken by a 196 foot "cut" which once held a railroad swingbridge. During the summer months, a bike ferry now carries folks over the cut so they can continue their ride onto South Hero. The ferry is so popular that, in 2017, more than 16,500 ferry tickets were sold! Here the ferry dock stands patiently waiting for the season to start.

After our 12 mile ride from Oakledge Park to the end of the Colchester Causeway, we were ready for lunch. We didn't linger long, since the winds were picking up.

As we made our return trip on the causeway, we were greeted with a 25 mile per hour headwind. From this point on, any windy bike ride will be measured against the dreaded Causeway!

We made a quick stop at the Colchester Airport Park to check out the bog. The 180-acre Colchester Bog Natural Area is located on a peninsula between two rapidly developing shoreline areas of Lake Champlain, just a few miles north of the city of Burlington. It includes an open peatland, shrub and tree dominated swamps, open water areas called laggs, a sand dune, and several adjacent uplands.  The bog itself consists of a forest dominated by a dense thicket of shrubs and trees and an open mat of sphagnum moss and sedges. The Colchester Bog Natural Area is a haven for a great diversity of flora and faunal species, making it a prime location for education, research, and the simple enjoyment of nature.  If we have time, we may come back and explore this area further.

On our return trip into downtown Burlington, we stopped at a small snack stand with a large sign reading, "Maple Creemees are Here!"  Always looking for a new adventure, we stopped and questioned the proprietor. What is a Maple Creemee? Basically, it's soft serve ice cream. A creemee could be vanilla or chocolate, but today most folks think a real creemee is a maple creemee -- one made with pure Vermont maple syrup. Apparently, Maple Creemees are the quintessential taste of New England!

The high winds this afternoon made sailing exciting.  As we pedaled back south of the center of Burlington, we had a chance to watch this dramatic sailboat race, where at least two of the boats almost heeled over too far!

With the advancing shadows, the sundial at Oakledge Park was having trouble telling the time.

We finished our ride with a taste of Burlington:  Switchback Brewery! Their smoked beer initiative made for some interesting beers. Think of drinking a beer next to a campfire! We brought a few home with us. If the weather continues to improve, we might actually be able to have a campfire! Stay tuned.