Distance: 45 miles | Climbing: 3,500 ft | Terrain: Intermediate | Green Mountain Inn, Stowe
Meet your leaders early at Hotel Vermont in Burlington, VT, for a safety talk and bike fitting before transiting 20 minutes to the route start in the nearby town of St. Albans. Head west for a nice warm up through the low hills and gentle terrain of Fairfield before turning south toward the classic mountain town of Jeffersonville — with its great cafes and general store. From Jeffersonville, you gear WAY down to make the climb up and over Smuggler’s Notch, enjoying the beautiful views all along this storied mountain pass. Descend past the famous Stowe ski resort and dart off close to town to enjoy a pristine paved bike path. You might be lured off the bike for an IPA tasting at one of the state’s premier breweries, The Alchemist, before finishing your final miles into Stowe. Check into the Green Mountain Inn and have time to enjoy their luxurious indoor and outdoor pools or sauna and hot tub. Dinner is with the group at the inn’s cozy “locavore” tavern, the Whip Bar & Grill.

Distance: 45 miles | Climbing: 2,500 ft | Terrain: Intermediate | Green Mountain Inn, Stowe
After a sumptuous breakfast at the inn, cycle north, stopping for a brief walk to check out the cascades at Moss Glen Falls before continuing to the bustling little town of Morrisville. Enjoy a climb to Lake Elmore — one of the most photographed lake views in the state … especially in the fall. Then return through Morrisville, weighing the decision to stop or not at one or two fabulous local breweries. This figure-eight route returns to Stowe at mile 34, offering anyone who wants to cut the ride short (to explore the shops and sites of Stowe) an easy return to the inn. The remainder of the ride is a hearty loop south, west & north and features a challenging short climb up to the Trapp Family Lodge (of "Sound of Music" fame) which — low and behold — also has a great brewery! It’s all downhill from there, and you end the day with a few blissful miles along the paved bike trail. Dinner is on your own with many options within walking distance.

Distance: 50 miles | Climbing: 2,900 ft | Terrain: Intermediate | Middlebury Inn, Middlebury
After another great inn breakfast, take a 45-minute shuttle south to start your cycling in the sleepy town of Warren. Vermont’s Route 100 rolls through bucolic valleys as mountains rise to your right and left. Pass through a number of small towns as you continue south, definitely pulling over in the town of Rochester to check out the local fare at the Rochester Café & Country Store whose eclectic menu will tempt you to load your picnic basket for enjoying after the upcoming climb. Climb, you say? Uh-huh. You have 1,500 feet of climbing in 10 miles as you savor the Brandon Gap. Enjoy a steeper descent on the western side of the Green Mountains and then begin to work your way to Middlebury, passing beautiful lakes and more Vermont small towns. Your destination is the Middlebury Inn, an elegant estate-house-style lodging establishment with a fantastic restaurant and award-winning chef. Dinner is with the group at the inn.

Distance: 70 miles | Climbing: 2,700 ft | Terrain: Intermediate | North Hero House, North Hero
An early start is in order for this epic day! Enjoy a great breakfast at the inn then saddle up for a journey that takes you to more classic small towns, through charming covered bridges, passing through farmland, orchard and horse country, to enjoy a terrific bike path as you head into Burlington to rest and refuel. The bike path north of Burlington features expansive views of Lake Champlain along a dynamic two-mile-long causeway where you enjoy a ride on the unique bike ferry that takes you across a “cut” in the causeway to Grand Isle. Cycling is now mostly flat as you enjoy the various sites on Vermont’s famous “Hero Islands.” Make your way north to the cute town of North Hero with its small marina, classic general store, and the beautiful North Hero House Inn & Restaurant. This classic old inn has a lovely beach, pier, and hot tub overlooking the lake. Dinner is in the inn’s great restaurant.

Distance: 42 or 62 miles | Climbing: 1,100 ft | Terrain: Easier to Intermediate | North Hero House, North Hero
Today you enjoy a pleasant ride north to Alburgh and then head north for an optional ride into Canada — if the border is open (bring your passport!). One Canadian highlight is a visit to Fromagerie Kaiser, a boutique cheese and bread shop and a great place to have a picnic before cycling back on a loop to the United States. Continue south along Alburgh’s West Shore Road, which leads down another beautiful side of the lake. Next, venture onto Isle La Motte, truly a cyclist’s dream and an area shrouded in fascinating history. You pass through Saint Anne’s Shrine, located at the site of a 1666 French fort. The fort was the first European settlement in Vermont and played a number of roles during the Revolutionary War. Continue your ride around the island — including a stop at the fossilized remains of an ancient coral reef — before steering along another lakeshore route, eventually leading back to North Hero. Dinner is at the inn.

Distance: 30 miles | Climbing: 900 ft | Terrain: Easier
Today’s ride takes you south along the quiet bays and shoreline of Lake Champlain as you again enjoy the bike ferry across the “cut” on the Burlington Bike Path causeway. Enjoy more paved trail on your way back into Burlington where there will be an option to shower at a local gym. The Discovery van will help take people either to their cars left in Burlington or to the airport. That’s when you say your farewells after a fine week of cycling.