Touring - Adirondacks to SW Quebec with dirt roads

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PDA
vgXhc
09-30-12, 04:43 PM
Hi everyone,
to finish this year's touring season I'd like to do one more trip in the second week of October. First day will be Montreal to Burlington, VT and I already have a good route for that part.

For the way back I'd like to take the ferry over to Port Kent and then head towards Lake Placid, stop for lunch at the brewpub there, and then head back north towards Quebec, ending the day at a campground (most of them are closed by now, though) or a state forest that allows primitive camping. Mileage for the day should be about 70 to 90 miles. Last time I was riding in the Adirondacks I found the roads somewhat busy and ideally would like to ride on smaller roads. Dirt roads (as long as they're ridable with my Cross-Check with 37mm tires) would be even better. Climbing is not a big issue.

Does anybody have suggestions for that part of the route? Once I'm near the Quebec border I know my way around.

Thanks,
Harald.

bmike
10-04-12, 07:09 PM
Is the ferry running to port kent?

Take the Charlotte ferry. Ride to moose river plains. Camp there. Then head north.
sedges
10-05-12, 08:50 AM
Dirt vs gravel. If these road are indeed "dirt" your 37mm should be OK except if it is soft and muddy. Many forest roads, however, are gravel covered. Depending on the size of the gravel it can get real uncomfortable on your 37mm. Also, downhills on dry, loose gravel can be real squirrelly. It seems the Crosscheck can carry up to 45mm without fenders and I would recommend that if the unpaved roads are your choice. A tire like the Kenda Kwick Bitumen might be the type of tire to look for. It comes in 700x45. 85 psi, but you can run it softer for the unpaved sections. Also, its a folder, so you could take it along and swap tires for the dirt sections as long as your regular tires can be folded or otherwise tied onto your bike.