Adirondack Park

Oops - Sprinty quietly snuck over a BIG milestone Sunday night - his 365th day camping with the Van Huttens.  The talley is:

     2017:  80 nights

     2018:  183 nights

     2019: 108 nights (so far - projected to be over 200)

Wednesday, 24 July

After a most pleasant stay at Verona Beach State Park (great site, very nice restroom/shower facility, great setting on the lake), we headed up the road 15 minutes to the Mc Connellsville Golf Club in Blossvale, NY.  After some practice on the range, we were off at about 9:30.  We were behind a three-some - two of whom seemed to be pretty good golfers, the other was not having a good day.  Darrell found the trees on the right on the first tee shot, so he was pleased to finish with a bogey.  Kris hit her tee shot nicely and finished with a par.  Darrell managed to even it up on the next hole, and so the front nine went, back and forth, with Darrell finishing two strokes up at the turn.  In the meantime, the single golfer behind had bumped into us, and as the three-some was not letting us through, we invited hm to join us.  He was from the area and offered helpful advice on several of the holes.

On the back nine, the three-some finally let us play through on the Par 3.  Darrell stuck it close to the pin to make birdie, and Kris got up and down to make par.   Despite Darrell’s birdie, tree trouble and sand traps got him, and Kris finished that day three strokes up.

After golf, we were headed into the Adirondack We Park for several days.  We elected to top off with diesel.  As luck would have it, the gas station was across the street from a Dunkin Donuts, so Kris bought frozen coffees.

Our stop for the night was at Old Forge Camping Resort Campground just outside Old Forge, NY.  As we passed through Old Forge, we recognized a few things from our trip to the Adirondacks in the summer of 2005.

Expecting that camping in the Adirondacks would likely be popular, we had made reservations for all four nights in the Adirondacks.  The camping resort was quite nice and well run.  One minor item was that due to the state of their electrical system, they did not allow running of air conditioners or electric heaters.  Fortunately, the low temperature was going to be in the mid-50s, so we did not need/want either.

And camping resort was also popular, with just about every site occupied, as well as their many cottages and cabins.  Once Sprinty was all settled, we hiked the nature trail around the lake.  And met one the the more pesky residents of the Adirondacks- the black fly.  The biting black fly.  Poor planning on our part for not putting on bug spray before venturing out into black fly habitat had us walking the trail swatting our ball caps like a horse flicks it’s tail.  Lesson learned.

When we checked in, the staff required us to sign a bear notice.  The notice warned us of bears in the Adirondacks, and typical precautions about food storage, etc.  We noticed they electrified their trash and recycling area.

As we were preparing dinner, we noted the arrival of a guest for dinner:

The deer seemed quite oblivious to humans, and after he left our site, he munched just off the road while a crowd gathered to take pictures.

In the evening, the smoke from the many campfires hung in the air, so we turned off the smoke alarm n Sprinty so as to keep the alarm from going off.

Thursday, 25 July 

The cool evening/night temperatures made for nice sleeping as we snuggled in our fleece blankets.  After breakfast, we broke camp and drove the 15 minutes to the Inlet Golf Club in Inlet, NY.  We knew from the Google satellite view they did not have a driving range.  Arming a little early for our tee time enabled us to go off early.

Darrell managed to miss every fairway on the front nine, while Kris hit every single fairway.  Darrell had to execute some creative shots and was pleased to only trail Kris by 3 shots at the turn.the back nine seemed more challenging - and Darrell made it more so by continuing to miss most fairways.  He finished the back nine on stroke ahead of Kris’ back nine score, but it was not enough to erase the deficit.

By starting early, we finished before lunch, in part because we got to play at our own pace.  After lunch at the Sprinty cafe, we continued down the road to Blue Mountain Lake to do the Castle Rock Trail.  Castle Rock Trail is a 2.8 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Blue Mountain Lake, New York that features a great forest setting and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and birding and is best used from May until September.   

Elevation gain is 650 feet, with the steepest part being in the last 0.1 mile.

Once on top, the views of Blue Mountain like were very nice.

Alas, what goes up must come down.

We decided to do the loop trail, despite it being 0.4 mile longer than just going back the way we came up.  And despite one of the other hikers suggesting it might be muddier.  It was a nice trail, and most of the boggy areas had foot bridges.  We enjoyed the more gentile slope as well.

After the hike, we went to the Adirondack Experience, the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, also in Blue Mountain Lake, NY.  We arrived at 3:15pm, and as feared, we were not able to fully visit all of the museum before they closed at 5pm.  We were able to take in the “Life in the Adirondacks“ exhibit which was very well done.  Exhibits ranged from displays to short multi-media videos.  It covers the Native American tribes, the early settlers, and the establishment of the state park.  The establishment of the state park is not without controversy, and there were exhibits on the ongoing tension between the State Legislature’s language of “Forever Wild” and the many people of who depend on the land for their livelihood.

We were able to visit a couple more of the exhibits before closing time.As our entry tickets are good for two consecutive events days, we might revisit the museum to take in some of the exhibits we missed, especially the Boats and Boating exhibit which includes an extensive collection of authentic Adirondack guide boats and canoes.

Our campsite for the night is at Lake Eaton Adirondack Preserve in Long Lake, NY.  The sites were as rustic as the Old Forge Camping Resort Campground, but the rest of the facilities (restrooms, shower house) were not as nice.  The showers had push buttons, which ran the water for about 6 minutes.  The first 4 minutes were cold water.  So glad it was not coin-operated.  Adequate, but Sprinty has gotten a bit spoiled with Verona Beach State Park and Old Forge Camping Resort Campground.  Maybe a little more authentic to the rustic camping of old time Adirondacks?

The trash and recycling building was also electrified for bears.

Friday, 26 July

What a quiet campground Lake Eaton Adirondack Preserve in Long Lake, NY, was.  You would hardly know the campground was mostly full.  And some of the most courteous campers we have experienced.  Our campsite was adjacent to the path to the restroom, so there was a fair amount of people going back and forth.  This morning, the gentleman in the site next to us actually asked if he could cut through our site.  With almost 365 nights camping in Sprinty, we have had numerous people cut through our site, which is generally considered poor camping etiquette.  This morning was the first time we can recall anyone has asked.

Another observation on camping in the Adirondacks is the higher percentage of tent campers.  While the Old Forge Resort had a lot of RVs, it also had a lot of tent campers.  And the Lake Eaton Adirondack Preserve, a New York State park, was mostly tent campers.

Nice gentleman.  The sign they posted said they were from Elton, MD, but his accent was not Maryland.  In talking with him, he said he was born and raised in New Your.  When I commented that his accent did not sound Maryland, he replied “I have an accent?”  To which I replied “you just sound like most everyone else we have met over the last few days.”  He has a good laugh.  He also shared he had been coming to the Adirondacks since 1952.  We suspect a lot of the other campers have a similar experience.

Golf today was at Saranac Lake Golf Club in Lake Placid, NY.  Their web site said tee times were not required, so we had a leisurely start.  We warmed up on the range and then headed out.  The 9-hole course is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.  Not much of a golf course as the fairways were very hard and spotty grass.  It made for long drives, but the balls did not necessarily bounce straight.  We noted the lack of pin movement, suggesting the pins get moved maybe once a month.

We both started off with a bogey on the first hole, then Darrell got serious, making par on 6 of the remaining 8 holes on the first time around, making the turn several strokes ahead of Kris.  And despite having a severe case of righties on most of his tee shots.

On the second time around, it stayed close, with Kris playing pretty well, and Darrell struggling with a sand trap.  We tied on the second nine, so Darrell had honors on the day.

After golf, we noted there was a Starbucks in Lake Placid, 4 miles away.  Seemed like an easy stop until we got there.  Lake Placid was packed with traffic and people.  Sunday is the Lake Placid Ironman, and from the looks of the crowds and vendors, they are going to have thousands of participants, and several thousand supporters/spectators.  Sprinty struggled to find a place to park as all the normal parking lots were filled to capacity, and Sprinty would not have fit anyway.  Sprinty found a place on a residential street several blocks off the main drag about a mile from the center of town.  So we got a hike in to Starbucks and got to see some of Lake Placid too.

Several signs along the highway warned of traffic delays on Sunday.  A check of the Internet indicated on several main roads in the Lake Placid area are going to be closed from 7am until 5pm on Sunday, potentially trapping Sprinty in the campground all day.  

After Starbucks, we headed northeast to High Falls Gorge (https://highfallsgorge.com).  High Falls Gorge is a 22 acre, privately owned nature park.  The short 30 minute trail passes four waterfalls cascading over rocks into a deep crevice carved a billion years ago.  Sturdy bridges, walkways and groomed walking trails provide safe access to breathtaking Adirondack views and scenic photographic vantage points.

Also at High Falls Gorge was a sign that had some interesting facts about the Adirondacks:

Tonight, Sprinty is staying at Wilmington Notch Adirondack Preserve, Wilmington, NY, another New York State park.  No hookups, it is between the highway and the AuSable River.  Like last night, mostly tent campers.  No doubt the lack of hookups is a contributing factor to being mostly tents.

Sprinty may or may not stay the two nights he reserved here.  He only made reservations for two nights because the New York State park reservation system had a two night minimum.  He will give some thought to the road closures and traffic delays associated with the Lake Placid Ironman.  Upon checking, they advised there would be no refund as the cancellation fees to cancel one night exceed the price of the one night - meaning Sprinty would have to pay more money to leave a day earlier.

Saturday, 27 July

Another very peaceful night in the campground.  We did hear some loud music, but it was coming from outside the state park. 

First item of the day was to drive the Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway

up Whiteface Mountain (https://www.whiteface.com/activities/whiteface-veterans-memorial-highway).  Our campground was actually only a few hundred meters from the main lodge area for Whiteface Mountain ski resort.  We had two choices to visit the top.  One was to ride the gondola for $21 each.  The other was to drive up for $25.  We elected to drive and learned once we got on top that had we ridden the gondola, there was still a hike involving several hundred feet of vertical climb to get to the parking lot, which is still over 250 feet below the summit.

On the way to the toll house, where you pay your entrance fee to drive the Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway, we passed through North Pole, NY

Once we got Sprinty settled in the parking lot near the summit, we walked through the 400+’ tunnel and rode the elevator to the top.  As we ascended the 26 floors, the elevator operator gave us a quick spiel about the history of the development of Whiteface Mountain as a tourist designation in the early 1930s.  At the top, there was a more detailed article about how the road, tunnel and elevator come about.  As automobile tourism was becoming popular, someone came up with the idea to put a road in to the top of Whiteface Mountain, one of 46 mountains in New York over 4,000 feet, and New York's fifth-highest peak at 4,867'.  That plan did not come about.  The idea was resurrected when the road to the top of Pikes Peak was completed, and New York wanted one too.  Some of the land near the top was donated to the state of New York to build the road provided it was dedicated to the veterans of World War I.  The project was put to the voters and was approved with considerable majority, with strong support coming from New York City.  As well as from then-Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Once on top, we enjoyed cooler temperatures (about 10 degrees cooler than down below) and hazy views.

The drive up had a speed limit of 25mph, and as we climbed up, we saw a few bicyclists making the climb (for $11 each).  We saw a sign for a bicycle race to the top of Whiteface Mountain and learned later the 2019 Whiteface Uphill Bike Race was held on Friday, May 31.  The race announcement said:

“If you like a challenge, this is the course for you. This USATF certified course covers 11 miles over an 8 percent grade up Whiteface Mountain's scenic Veteran's Memorial Highway. Whiteface Mountain is New York's fifth highest peak with 360 degree panoramic views of the Adirondacks, New England, and Montreal.  The starting line is at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center and the finish line is at the castle on the summit of Whiteface.”

Stock photo:

Sprinty made the climb in 2nd gear just fine (the automatic transmission wanted to be in 3rd gear, but the engine would have struggled).  On the way down, also in 2nd gear to avoid overheating the brakes, we passed dozens of bicyclists making the climb.

Speak not of bicycles, we saw dozen upon dozens of them on the roads in the Lake Placid and Wilmington areas.  While many of them were likely preparing the the Ironman, given the number of bike shops in Lake Placid, lots and lots of bicyclists is pretty routine.  As are paddle sports.  Seems like a New York Mecca for the fit.

Once back down, we headed to Port Kent, NY, on the shore of Lake Champlain to play golf at Harmony Golf Club.  Checking their on-line tee times indicated they were wide open.  Double checking upon arrival, we saw that they were on GolfNow and there was a Hot Deal available for $10/person.  So we snagged it in the parking lot before we even went into the pro shop.

We learned as we were checking in that it was a 14-hole course.  Something very different for us (we have played many 9-hole courses, and one 12-hole course).  Apparently, the plans to complete the remaining four holes remain just that - plans.  As the tee box was open, they said we could go if we went right away.  And they warned us of a big group of 20 guys that went off an hour earlier, part of a bachelor party.  With no warm up or practicing on the range, we both hit nice long drives.  We were able to cruise along for 4 holes, then we bumped into the first group - an eight-some.  They were nice enough to let us through immediately, and we both hit great drives in front of the watching audience, always an anxious moment.

Near the end, Darrell put his driver in time-out for misbehaving - it kept sending Darrell’s ball to the right.  When he lost a ball in the woods (to the right), it was the last straw.  Out came the 3 wood, which behaved much better.  His drives were just as long, and in the fairway.  

As the golf course was not too crowded, we asked if we could play the first four holes a second time to make 18 holes.  Plan was good, but we bumped into a slow four-some, and hearing thunder in the distance, we jumped a hole and managed to play 5 holes instead of 4.  Darrell,played the final 5 holes much better, but still not enough to catch Kris.

In talking with some of the other golfers who were from the area, they all complained about the heat - 85 degrees is apparently a heat wave for this part of New York.

After golf, we headed for a nearby Dunkin Donuts for a frozen coffee and WiFi.  While there, we reviewed our options of where to camp for the night.  One option was to return to Wilmington Notch Adirondack Preserve where we still had a reservation and had paid for tonight.  We decided we did not want to drive the hour back and have to get up at 6am to beat the Ironman road closures.  So we picked Macomb Reservation State Park in Schuyler Falls, NY, as ReserveAmerica showed they had several walk-up sites available for tonight.

When we arrived, the park staff gave us a list of available sites, which even included an electric site.  We decided on a non-electric site that had a view of the lake.  

Nice location, but with poor cell connectivity on Verizon and AT&T.  Surprising that our T-Mobile outperformed both Verizon and AT&T, even using the WeBoost.  No surfing tonight.  Good thing we took advantage of the WiFi at Dunkin Donuts to do some planning for tomorrow.  Our original plan for going to Bar Harbor only went as far as Wilmington, NY, figuring we would figure out and plan the rest of the trip once we got to Lake Champlain.  So for the next few days, we will be making it up day by day.

And it appears we are spending tonight outside the “blue line”, meaning we have officially exited The Adirondack Park.