Routing suggestions for a month-long tour in New England

[raybo]

I just finished riding up the Atlantic Coast, starting at Charlestong, SC and stopping at my in-laws' house in Lambertville, NJ. It turns out that my wife and I and much of her family will be meeting there in August allowing me to plan another East Coast tour leaving Lambertville around Sept. 1. My wife is flying out to Burlington, VT October 3, where I plan to meet her for several days of leaf peeping.

From Lambertville to Burlington is a few hundred miles, so I have to ride somewhere else before ending at Burlington. One idea is to continue on the ACA Atlantic Coast up to Maine. Just north of Portland, ME the Northern Tier meets the Atlantic Coast route. I could switch to the Northern Tier, ride west toward Lake Champlain and then detour up to Burlington. This is closer to the 1000 miles I typically do on a month-long tour. If I have more time and desire, I can go around the Lake, head north to Montreal, or find some other place to ride near there.

This is one obvious option but I am open to any and all other suggestions. Since I've never been to this part of the world, I'd be interested in the best way to spend a month on a bike there.

Thanks,

Ray

[Peaks]

I think Vermont is a great state to bike!

If you haven't already done so, consider doing all or parts of ACA's Green Mountain Loop.  Or check out the Lake Champlain Bikeway around the lake.  The Connecticut River Valley is very bikeable, with most of the trucks and through traffic on I-91.  Or do as much of Vermont as you like on Route 100.  Pick up a road map and go!

[grandfatherbike]

Go for it.  Your plan sounds good and I agree with Peaks comments.  The loop around Lake Champlain is great and there are several ferries to cross the Lake, including a new temporary one to replace the Crown Point Bridge.  Biking in Vermont is generally great with the exceptions of Routes 2, 4, 7,and 9.  Parts of Route 100 are OK but others are quite busy especially through leaf peeping season.  The notches and gaps tend to be long and steep but if you set yourself on a  south-north route you will avoid most of them