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Smashing Fall Colors in New England – Bike Touring Video, Part 4

Welcome to the final installment (part 4 of 4) of the video series covering our 4,000 mile bike tour in the summer of 2014. If you missed previous episodes, here are parts one, two and three. This video details our travels from upstate New York to the Atlantic Ocean in Portland, Maine.Adirondack fall colors

Everyone has an opinion about the timing for prime fall color viewing. “This coming weekend, for sure.” “Oh, you just missed them by six minutes. Bummer.” It seems like the changing leaves are a German train sticking to a tight timetable, not a process unfolding slowly in the woods. All aboard the Peak Foliage Express!

From the beginning, our bike tour goal was to hit New England in time to 1) avoid cycling in snow (Abominable Snowmen hate cyclists) and 2) smash into the explosion of colors for which the area is so famous. Somehow, it all worked out.

A perfect day along a river in the Adirondacks.

A perfect day along a river in the Adirondacks.

This was our favorite part of the tour. Crisp, cool weather coupled with scenic views that left our jaws hanging like a teenager at a strip club. It really is as good as they say. (Fall colors, people – stick with me here.)

We lucked out in other ways too. Warm Showers hosts graced us with their hospitality and we added a half dozen new friends to our lives. A guy in a coffee shop invited us back for lunch at his “camp”, which turned into a boat and plane adventure. A new buddy in Burlington is Chelsea’s new soul sister. A couple in Montpelier and their incredible adventures bike touring all over the world (four years total!) inspired us to push our limits.

New England was the perfect conclusion to a trip we’ll remember forever. The journey brought us closer together as a couple, further seared a love of adventure into our souls and inspired us for another bike tour sooner than later. Even if the fall colors are only 36 hours (pffft, we saw them into late October) and the locals can’t understand what all the fuss is about, we can’t wait to get back. I can’t recommend this area of the U.S. highly enough.

Here’s the link to the final video from our tour or just click play below. Turns out that video editing is a lot of work (I’d never done it before) and I’m glad to wrap this up. A few more photos below the video too. Enjoy, and onward!

Dakota

Ducks preen and watch a kayaker on Blue Mountain Lake.

Ducks preen and watch a kayaker on Blue Mountain Lake.

I found this funny - a short bus hiding out in the Tug Hill Wilderness in the middle of nowhere New York.

I found this funny – a short bus hiding out in the Tug Hill Wilderness in the middle of nowhere New York.

A lovely evening in Burlington, VT.

A lovely evening in Burlington, VT.

 

Falling in Love with New York State

Descending a long hill on the way to Lake Placid.

Descending a long hill on the way to Lake Placid.

Ah, New York. What a great state. We absolutely will be back for more breathtaking outdoor fun. I suspect a month solely in the Adirondack Mountains would still feel fast and I’m positive we could spend an entire summer in the state no problemo.

Yesterday marked three months on the road and three weeks in the Empire State. I also realized we’ve spent half our cycling trip (46 days) in Montana and New York. Big states mixed with awesome scenery make for a wandering path and no hurry whatsoever. Our goal to slow down for our time in New England is panning out nicely!

A fallen leaf on the corner of an old, scratched dock.

A fallen leaf on the corner of an old, scratched dock.

Here are a few favorite shots from the last week pedaling through blazing red and orange trees with blue lakes twinkling in the fall sun. We’ve seen lots of day cyclists grinning away while ripping up and down the steep climbs. There are also huge numbers of canoes and kayaks on top of cars. I’d love to return to do some paddling or hit some mountain biking trails, which are apparently excellent. Then there’s hiking and running the Adirondack 46, all the peaks over 4,000’ that it seems everyone we talk to has on their bucket list.

Just a short post today before picture backlog sets in. Today is an exploring day in Burlington, Vermont after catching the ferry across Lake Champlain over from New York. The town has a great car-free walking area filled with smiling people, a gorgeous waterfront and bike path, mountain views and excellent food to boot. It feels like a sister city to Portland, Oregon. Next week we hit the coast and the end of our tour, which seems surreal at the moment. Barely 200 miles of pedaling remaining!

Happy Monday,

Dakota

Looking across the Atlantic with a view of Spain. Waiiiit a second, that's just Lake Champlain looking at Vermont.

Looking across the Atlantic with a view of Spain. Waiiiit a second, that’s just Lake Champlain looking at Vermont.

A kayaker on Blue Mountain Lake.

A kayaker on Blue Mountain Lake.

Chelsea crushes another hill with the fall colors cheering her on.

Chelsea crushes another hill with the fall colors cheering her on.

Fall colors reflected on a lake south of the town of Tupper Lake.

Fall colors reflected on a lake south of the town of Tupper Lake.

Two fisherman ply their skills in the early morning NE of Lake Placid.

Two fisherman ply their skills in the early morning NE of Lake Placid.

Fall colors peak through bare tree trunks.

Fall colors peak through bare tree trunks.

A nice view of Tupper Lake.

A nice view of Tupper Lake.

I made a friend! He doesn't talk much, but he is a great listener.

I made a friend! He doesn’t talk much, but he is a great listener.

Enjoying a lunch break on a lake.

Enjoying a lunch break on a lake.

Sunset looking across Lake Champlain after our ferry ride from New York to Vermont. As a new friend in NY joked, "what's the best thing about Vermont? The view of New York!"

Sunset looking across Lake Champlain after our ferry ride from New York to Vermont. As a new friend in NY joked, “what’s the best thing about Vermont? The view of New York!”