Chazy on Champlain

Last month Jen and I took a few vacation days and headed north for cooler temps and a long weekend of training in preparation for Zurich.  Our destination, Chazy, NY and a family lake house on the shores of Lake Champlain.  We loaded up the VW with all of our gear, bikes, and our mascot Islay for a long road trip hoping that we would avoid any major traffic issue as we navigated up the eastern seaboard.  For most folks a 9 hour plus road trip is a chore and while I would not want to do it every weekend Jen and I had fun with our pup and a good selection of tunes, news, and comedy bits via the Sirius satellite radio.  We hit the road early on Thursday morning and before you knew it we were sitting on the deck of the lake house, enjoying a fine pilsner and a great view of the lake, I think the only person in our party that was happier was Islay.  This was also the first time we had visited Jen's dad and his wife Barbara since Thanksgiving in 2012.

Our weekend of training included the following:

Thursday - 45 minute shake out spin on the bikes
Friday - 6 mile run in the morning followed by an hour swim in the afternoon
(We killed time in between with a boat ride across the lake and into Vermont where we enjoyed some sandwiches at a future pit stop on our big bike ride).
Saturday - 88 mile ride and four mile run
Sunday - 2.5 hour run (that one was tough, needed to beg for some water from the local ice cream shop on the way back)

Jen enjoying the chilly boat ride on Lake Champlain

With all of the training it is hard to classify this trip as a vacation but it was a great time and I am looking forward to going back.  It was a great chance to recharge the batteries, hang out with family, enjoy some good food courtesy of Jen's father, and wake up every morning to cool temps and the sounds of water lapping against the rocks.

IPAs on the deck

If you are in the area I recommend a beer and burger at the Squirrel's Nest in Rouses Point, just up the road from Chazy.  Try the poutine, it is a winner.

About the only fail on this trip was the fact we could not convince Islay to go swimming with us but she probably had a better time than any of us.