NYC to Montreal
New York City
We started early in the morning in Queens and biked into Manhattan through Queensboro Bridge, going straight into Central Park. Central Park is such a joy to bike through in the morning when there’s not a lot of foot traffic. We then made our way through Harlem and got our bikes down to the station at Marble Hill in the Bronx.
Train to Poughkeepsie
The reason we decided to take this train is because there are a lot of towns near NYC that have heavy traffic. It’s just not fun riding. So we took a short Metro-North ride along the Hudson Line — Yonkers, Tarrytown, Peekskill, Beacon, and then Poughkeepsie. From then on it was muscle power all the way to Montreal.
Hudson Valley
Leaving the city behind, the Hudson River becomes the guiding line north through towns and surprisingly well-equipped rail trails.
Albany
New York’s somewhat underwhelming capital city. Took a break to eat lunch and explore the New York State Capitol. Although the city is way too car-centric for my liking, it’s definitely worth a stop to check out the Captiol–built in a French Renaissance style with an the intricate staircase inside.
Lake George
The section leading up to Lake George was quite scenic, but as we got closer to Lake George, the traffic became unbearable. No shoulder to bike on, steep hills, and lots of angry truck drivers unwilling to share the road with cyclists. This was the least fun part of the trip.
Vermont
Taking the ferry from Ticonderoga was fun, and the difference it made when we crossed over into Vermont was stark. There was way less traffic, much more farmland, and way friendlier people. Vermont’s quiet backroads, rolling hills, and small towns were an absolute joy.
Burlington
Burlington is a small city with bike paths along the waterfront and views of the Adirondacks across the lake. The Island Line trail just north of Burlington was the highlight of the trip. It was surreal biking along the causeway with views of the Lake Champlain from both sides.
Crossing into Canada
The border crossing was seamless and easy. We made it to Quebec! Bonjour!
Montreal
Not that long after we crossed the border, we were on the outskirts of Montreal. Montreal has outstanding bike infrastructure–probably the best in North America.
