Conference noted::bicycle

    
    Pauline, You might want to check the Ski notes file for DEC ski club
    events. There are always a few nice bike tours, some daily and 
    some weekend camping etc. The cost is usaully minimal and the poeple 
    are nice :-)
    
    I have their news letter infront of me now, on the last club meeting
    which was last Tuesday by the way, they were supposed to announce
    Spring/Summer/Fall activities which include: Camping/BIKING/Conoeing
    Hiking etc...on Cape Cod, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
    
    Shaw

    That's my kind of club!!!!  I've been in the ski files this past winter
    but didn't see this.
    
    Thanks 
    
    Pauline
    

    
    Well aside from the file, Sue O'Neill are Ski Club Rep. which by the 
    way is also at MKO would be a good person to direct any quiries. 
    Her node is MKOTS1::ONEILL
    
    P.S are you getting little trailer for Max and Luke ;-)
    
    Shaw

    oh,oh I guess I have one of -those- last names ;-)
    
    My bike is being tuned up, I bought a springer and Max is in training
    to pull Luke who's still to for long jaunts. 
    
    Pauline

    I've done both - VBT and the DEC ski club.  They're both great but both
    very different (of course, because of the cost and the length of trip).
    
    VBT tours are very extravagent - in terms of accomodations, food!,
    scenery and support (tour leaders, sag wagons, etc.)  I did the Maine
    seacoast with them for a week last August and it was terrific.  I'm
    doing Italy with them this August and I'm psyched.  VBT has been in
    the business the longest (20 years + I believe) and they're pros.
    
    The DEC ski club bike trips are also great (they use a lot of the same
    accomodations and route maps as VBT).
    
    All in all, you can't go wrong with either.
    
    Martha Phinney (trying to break 3000 miles this season!)
                                                         

I've been on a VBT 5 day tour through central Vermont.  It was an inn-inn type
of deal.  It really was great.  We left the inn in the morning, with all of 
our travel gear stored away in a sag wagon.

When we arrived at the next inn, our stuff was in our room, and the hot tub was
ready.  The meals and accomodations were outstanding.  We stayed at inns in 
South Woodstock (Kedron Valley Inn), Plymouth Union (Salt Ash Inn), Brookfield 
(can't remember) and Randolph (Three Stallion Inn).  My wife and I went during
Columbus day week a couple of years ago.

We ended up riding close to 300 miles on the trip.

Neither my wife nor I are USCF category riders, but we were clearly the most
experienced riders in a group of 24.  Consequently, we rode alone 95% of the 
tour.  This offered 2 benefits: we were usually the first to arrive at the 
next inn [choice of room; hot tub to ourselves, etc. :-)], and we were able to 
ride additional miles.  Plus, we also had some "quality" time with the 
respective innkeepers.

On the downside, these things are fairly expensive.  You may also want to call 
VBT to determine if any of the routes on your tour ride over dirt roads.  We
found this out - much to our chagrin - during the first morning's course talk.
Our Centurion carbon fiber and Trek 1200 bikes didn't take too well to 5 miles 
of dirt/muddy roads on the first day! :-(

If you don't mind the cost, I highly recommend VBT based on our 1 experience.

rb

    Does anyone know the phone number for VBT?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Bob

    <<< Note 2528.7 by ROWLET::AINSLEY "Less than 150 kts. is TOO slow!" >>>

    Does anyone know the phone number for VBT?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Bob



	1-800-245-3868

	    or

	INFO@VBT.COM

	Red

	Can anybody offer suggestions of day-long road rides to do out
	of the Burlington, VT, area?

	We're signed up to do a VBT tour in late September, but we'll
	have two days & two nights in Burlington before we join up with
	the tour.

	Picking out roads on a map is no substitute for first-hand
	knowledge of the roads.  

	In looking at a map, I'd be tempted to try a loop over to Lake
	Placid.  And I'd also be tempted to take New York hwy 22 south
	along Lake Champlain.  Or maybe take Vermont hwy 2 north along
	the island in the middle of the lake.

	Does anybody have comments on these ideas?  Other ideas?  We'll
	have a car & a bike rack with us, so we don't have to start
	right in Burlington.  We'd probably be looking for 50 to 100
	mile days.

	Any help would be appreciated!

	- Diane

    I would not do rt 2 through the middle of the islands, the road is
    narrow and lots of trucks.  
    
    Where is your tour going?  I have done a lot of riding up there, and 
    can recommends some good loops where your tour is not.
    
    steve

	Here's the description I have -- doesn't exactly give the routes:

	Day 1  Starts in Craftsbury, a challenging ride of Lowell Mountain,
		northward to Montgomery, and to Kilgore's General Store.
		53 miles.

	Day 2  Will explore the area surrounding Montgomery.  Option to
		cycle to Frelighsburg, Quebec.  32, 39, 50, or 62 miles.

	Day 3  Leave Montgomery, ride over Jay Peak, pass Crystal Lake
		on our way to East Burke.  64 miles.

	Day 4  Tour through remote Island Pond and alongside Lake
		Willoughby, return to East Burke.  60 miles.

	Day 5  Through Glover and Barton and Greensboro on our way back
		to Craftsbury.  22 or 47 miles.


	Thanks for the tip about not riding on the islands.  That's what
	we were wondering -- how narrow are the roads, how bad is the
	traffic.

    The islands are nice, just don't stay on the main route (2?) that has
    substantial truck traffice between Vt/NY.  
    
    That part of southern Quebec is real nice, we ride up there every
    year.  
    
    If you are looking for light rolling roads, the east side of Champlaine
    is great. 
    
    If you can head a bit towards the NE kingdom, don't miss riding by
    Lake Willoby (sp)...beautiful.
    
    steve