Originally Posted by
autonomy
You mention that you didn't see many tourists, that's interesting. I saw a couple Canadians having lunch in Stowe with a mixed pannier/bikepack setup, and a TON of tourists in just one day, including a couple bona-fide bikepackers, mostly on the Colchester Causeway and several on the Island Line trail near Burlington, so guessing maybe that area is a bit more popular.
I have ridden to Philly from St. Albans twice. 2018 and 2021. Both times I spent two nights in Burlington to spend some time with an old friend. Did see some touring cyclist at North Beach in 2018. It was early June, but the causeway leading out to the missing bridge was closed due to storm damage. In 2021 it was after Labor Day so the shuttle was only running on the weekends. I arrived on Sunday but had plans to go sailing with my friend. At least I got to ride the causeway out to the missing bridge on Monday.
Forgo to mention that I saw some Canadian riders in Richford after I came down from Jay and was having lunch in a park. (Heard them speaking French as they road by, and you can walk to the Canadian border from the center of town.) I assumed they had ridden across the border to do part of the climb or maybe part of the Missisquoi Trail since they were headed in the direction of both. if you cross the borddr just north of Richford and re-enter the U.S. at N. Troy you skip the climb. The Canadian siee is relatively flat.