GoBike Montreal/Lake Champlain

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

Overview:

This 12-day roaming tour combines an international celebration of urban cycling with the pastoral beauty of Vermont and New York State along Lake Champlain. From our starting point in South Burlington, we’ll head north through the Champlain Isles and into Canada, picking up the Trans Canada Trail into Montreal. We’ll spend four nights and three days in this heralded cycling city, taking advantage of the annual GoBike Montreal festival, which draws thousands of cycling enthusiasts for car-free riding around the city. Other highlights and options include riding on quiet Canadian and lakeside NY State roads; exploring the remarkable geologic gorge Ausable Chasm, known as “the Grand Canyon of Adirondacks;” visiting Fort Ticonderoga; and completing the circumnavigation of Lake Champlain.

Ride Rating: The seven mandatory rides range from “1A” to “3B” ratings, with options to make the easier days more challenging.  We have rated the overall tour a “2B.” Two mandatory ride days are outliers: Day 8 is 70 miles but has only 750 ft in elevation gain (a rating of “1D”); and the last day, which is 50 miles with 2716 ft in elevation gain (“3B”). The routes are almost entirely paved and are along quiet rural roads. However, the rides on several days have portions which are packed dirt cycling paths, and in one case, a packed gravel (but well-travelled) causeway. Some of the routes in and out of Montreal may be on unprotected bike lanes on urban roads. We recommend road or gravel bikes with a tire width of 28 or higher.  E-bikes and tandems are welcome.

GPS files: Ride with GPS (RWGPS) files will be provided.  Participants who want printed cue sheets or maps can print them from the RWGPS files.  

Weather: The weather in late May and early June is often sunny and mixed, with high temperatures typically in the low 70s, and lows in the 50s. Rain is possible, and riders should expect to ride in all weather.

Lodging: Lodging will be a mix of “3-star” chain hotels, historic inns and a contemporary Adirondack lodge. Limited lodging options on the second half of the trip may preclude solo room options, depending on our numbers.

Costs: The fee of $2925 includes: 12 nights of lodging, six breakfasts, six group dinners, daily happy hours, cycling snacks, and your entry fee into all GoMontreal events. Entrance fees to Ausable Chasm ($20) and Fort Ticonderoga ($30) are not included. A deposit of $1500 will be due upon acceptance of your request to join. The balance of $1425 is due March 1. A total of five days will be spent in Canada. All riders must have a passport which expires after December 31, 2026. The budget was prepared assuming an exchange rate of CA$ .80 to the dollar.

Singles and Solos: The solo supplement is $1325. We may have to wait-list solo riders until the composition of the group is clearer unless a solo is willing to share a room for 1-2 nights. It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single rider without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until March 1 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to cancel or to pay the Solo Supplement cost of $1325 and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. Contact the Ride Leader for solo supplement payment procedure.

Bike rental: Road bike and e-bike rentals are available from Burlington bike shops – leaders will make a recommendation so that riders may set up their own rentals directly.

Health and Safety: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.   

Cancellation Policy: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance. 

Ride Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

Insurance: You need to evaluate your insurance in light of the two-country nature of this tour.  Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents. This coverage applies when touring inside the US, regardless of your nationality. It’s assumed that members’ personal insurance will cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, so these have not been included in the BAC policy. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. You may want to consider personal coverage for emergency evacuation, as this is not included. The costs of treatment or quarantine for Covid and other unexpected illnesses are not covered. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. 

Your insurance assessment must take into account that you will be outside of the United States for five travel days. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US, regardless of your nationality, with the exception of Canadians cycling within Canada who are not covered. It will cover you door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date.

Sign-up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is a $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description. 

Logistics & Day by Day Overview
Note: ride lengths and elevations are approximate and may change. The tour leaders will scout the ride in the fall of 2025 and may make changes.

Monday May 25 (Burlington): We will gather at the Best Western and Windjammer Hotel in South Burlington for a 5:00 pm happy hour followed by a group dinner. The hotel provides free parking, bike box storage, and an airport shuttle to Burlington International Airport.

Tuesday May 26 (to North Hero: 32 miles, 975’ elev): Today’s ride illustrates the best of a cycle-friendly city.  We ride to North Hero, Lake Champlain, by way of a free bicycle-only ferry to the Champlain Isles, which runs all day (weather permitting). Optional route extensions will be offered for those seeking more mileage, including one of 31 miles (750’) to Isle La Motte. Group dinner.

Wednesday May 27 (to St. Jean sur Richelieu: 48 miles, 500’ elev; border crossing): We ride from North Hero to St. Jean sur Richelieu, crossing into Canada as a group just north of Rouses Point.

Thursday May 28 (to Montreal, 31 miles, 350’, plus an optional 23 mile, 350’ Old Montreal ride = 54 miles, 700’ elevation total): Using the Canadian bikeways routes, we head into Montreal and explore the city with a  bike tour of Old Montreal. Montreal will be thrumming with activities sponsored by the annual GoBike Festival. During the three-day event there will be two car-free rides, vendor displays, policy presentations, live music and other activities. (See the 2025 schedule at www.velo.qc.ca/en/event-category/go-bike-montreal-festival/). Riders will receive a detailed bike map of Montreal published by Vélo Québec, organizers of the GoBike festival.

Friday, May 29 (In Montreal): During the day riders may choose from routes recommended by the ride leaders or find one on their own at one of the many websites devoted to Montreal area biking (see https://www.mtl.org/en/experience/guide-to-all-things-biking or https://ridewithgps.com/regions/north_america/ca/28-montreal-quebec-canada ). Friday evening we’ll participate in a festive, car-free 25 km night ride, together with costumed locals who light up their bikes.

Saturday May 30 (In Montreal): You can explore Montreal on your own or choose one of the routes offered by the leaders.

Sunday May 31 (In Montreal): Today is the GoBike Montreal flagship event, the Tour de l’Île, marking its 40th anniversary. With streets closed to traffic and dedicated to thousands of cyclists, you can choose routes ranging from 50 to 100 km (31-62 miles) through diverse residential, commercial and industrial neighborhoods. Thousands of residents turn out to cheer the riders, ringing cowbells, clapping, offering us a chance to reciprocate the warm greeting we receive. A group dinner will give us the chance to exchange stories.

Monday June 1 (To Point Au Roche – 70 miles, 750’ elev + border crossing): We return to the US, with a mid-afternoon border crossing, headed for a contemporary Adirondack lodge at Pointe au Roche, north of Plattsburgh NY. A group dinner will be catered by a leading Greek restaurant in Plattsburgh, held at the lodge.

Tuesday June 2 (To Essex: 43 miles, 1950' elev): The tiny lakeside hamlet of Essex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as  “one of the most intact collections of Federal and Greek Revival architecture in rural America.” Our route takes us past the remarkable geologic formation of Ausable Chasm, billed as “The Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks,” where you can explore a variety of hiking trails (bring a lock). Our lodging, six miles further on the route, is the charming historic Essex Inn, where we’ll have a group dinner.

Wednesday June 3 (To Ticonderoga 37 miles, 2550’ elev): The small town of Ticonderoga is close to the historic 18th century Fort Ticonderoga. Prominent in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, the museum and renovated fort offer historical programming.

Thursday June 4 (layover day in Ticonderoga): There are two options today: Option 1: You will be offered a variety of rural routes in New York and Vermont (accessible by ferry). Option 2: For riders who wish to complete the circumnavigation of Lake Champlain, we’ve got a 60-mile ride south to Whitehall NY and then north on to Shoreham, VT, returning to Ticonderoga by ferry (4175’ elevation gain).

Friday June 5  (To South Burlington (50 miles, 2720' elev): We cross the lake by bridge and cycle back to South Burlington through small towns and farms in Vermont. Group dinner.

June 6  (South Burlington, VT): Tour ends after breakfast. (No riding.)