An Adventurous Journey: Biking from Montreal to New York with Jack Boyle
What started as a simple return trip from a conference in Montreal turned into an adventurous biking journey for Jack Boyle, a second-year doctoral student in environmental sciences at the University of Virginia. Boyle decided to cycle nearly half the way back, making his journey both challenging and memorable.
Boyle, accompanied by his friend Joe Ferris, a professional shepherd, embarked on an eight-day cycling journey covering over 500 miles from Montreal to New York City. They relied on a unique app connecting touring cyclists to locals willing to provide lodging.
Reflecting on the trip, Boyle shared, “Each day presented fantastic, new characters. We met so many incredible people who happened to be wonderful environmental advocates and educators.”
Their journey began with a stay in Montreal with a fellow cycling enthusiast who also builds environmentally focused museum exhibits across North America. They then took on their longest day of cycling, covering 101 miles to reach Burlington, Vermont.
In Vermont, they were hosted by a woman involved with a bike co-op and sustainable food initiatives. From there, they cycled across the Adirondack mountains to Albany, New York, where they met with an environmental and cycling lobbyist. This host played a crucial role in developing the Empire State Trail, which guided their route from Canada.
Boyle recounted, “We joined a weekly cycling ride she organizes around the city of Albany every Wednesday night. She introduced us to many people in the cycling and outdoor education world, and was welcoming to us strangers.”
In Albany, another friend, McKenzie Blaine, joined the duo. Blaine is an incoming doctoral student at Northeastern University, focusing on the impact of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” on communities. Together, the trio continued to Rhinebeck, New York, where they were welcomed with pizza and hospitality by a former attorney who now restores industrial lands along the Hudson River to their native ecosystems.
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