Adirondack Adventure (36-1)
Text and photos by Norm Rosen
A
journey through the Adirondacks can provide fun for the whole
family.
We took out a 2007 Class C, Jayco Greyhawk for our trip. The
unit was both spacious
and equipped with all the features we expected in a motorhome
of this caliber. |
Every
summer, the lure of the Adirondack pines beckons travelers to
explore the largest state forest in the USA. From Plattsburgh
to Albany, New York, the region is so rich in landscape and
historic attractions that you can find something to interest
every member of the family.
The major destinations for our highly-anticipated adventure
ranged from Lake Placid in upstate New York, to Lake George,
some 210 miles south. This area has long been a favourite year-round
playground for RV enthusiasts from the Ottawa, Montreal and
Quebec City regions. Our journey covered just a shade more than
1,000 miles from our home in Toronto, while our friends in Montreal
would cover about 400 miles to visit the same attractions.
We like to travel mid-week, to avoid the traffic, and this trip
was planned to begin on a Thursday, and end one week later.
Timing a visit to the Adirondacks depends on a range of factors,
based on the tourist traffic, climate, and your recreational
interests. July can be a very busy period, with campground reservations
scarce, and lineups at the major tourist attractions substantial.
The weather in July is always warm, and the crystal clear lakes
offer a full range of boating and waterfront activities. August
in the Adirondacks is also beautiful, with warm sunny days and
chilly nights typical of the mountain climate, and travelling
at the end of the summer generally coincides with much less
traffic on the roads and at the campgrounds.
With many of the RV manufacturers operating press demo fleets
based in the U.S., we often travel from Toronto to upstate New
York to pick up road test vehicles. For this trip, Buffalo RV
in Elma, New York, was our starting point, and we were the first
magazine to road test the new 2007 Jayco Greyhawk 33DS class
C motorhome.
Once we stowed our gear aboard the Greyhawk, we headed out on
I-90 toward our first overnight stop at the Rochester-Canandaigua
KOA, one of our favourite spots along the interstate. You can
wet a line in the trout pond, or use the campground as home
base for exploration of the Finger Lakes region. The campground
is just the right size - small enough to be quiet and cozy,
large enough to offer a convenient on-site restaurant, and a
fully stocked campground store.
From Canandaigua, we headed east on I-90 to our second destination,
Lake Placid, New York, home of the 1930 and 1980 Olympic Games.
Our campground of choice was the Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain
KOA, a beautiful park that was the winner of the 2005 KOA President¡¯s
Award. With a full playground, miniature golf, and a restaurant
capable of seating 200 people, this facility is one of the finer
KOAs that we have visited.
If you decide to visit Lake Placid KOA, don't miss the opportunity
to drop in at High Falls Gorge adventure center, on highway
86 just west of Whiteface Mountain. It's on your way from the
campground to Lake Placid, and it's a great spot to take a dip
in the cool mountain waters or the region.
Olympic Dreams, RV Reality
Lake Placid has been the site for the "thrill of victory,
and the agony of defeat" twice since the advent of the
modern winter Olympic Games. Nestled on the shoreline of Lake
Placid, in a valley surrounded by majestic peaks, the village
of Lake Placid caters to the tourists, with special attention
to the needs and interests of outdoor enthusiasts and athletes.
As an essentially winter destination, one might expect this
area to be quiet during the summer months - but that's certainly
not the case - the sights and scenery of Lake Placid are as
interesting in the summer as they are in winter.
We began our adventure with a tour of the Olympic Center, site
of the Herb Brooks Arena, and also the site of the 1980 "miracle
on ice" when Team USA took the gold medal. This complex
also encompasses the Jack Shea Arena, where the legendary Sonja
Henie won her second of three gold medals in 1932, and went
on to become a movie star. The Olympic Center houses a museum
dedicated to the 1932 and 1980 games, staffed by former Olympians
and their trainers. We were so fascinated with the bobsleds
that our next stop had to be the Verizon Sports Complex, where
we toured the training site for the U.S. bobsled, luge and skeleton
athletes. This is the only location in the northeast U.S. where
the general public can take a ride on an actual Olympic bobsled.
Outfitted with wheels for the summer training season, the four-man
sled, with Olympic driver and brakeman to assure passenger safety,
rockets down the course at speeds that are only a fraction slower
than the pace set when the course is frozen for Olympic competition.
It's a 43 second thrill ride that is not for the faint of heart,
but an experience to remember for years to come.
The Verizon complex is also home to the biathlon range, where
expert instructors provide instruction on Wednesday through
Sunday throughout the summer. The cross-country ski area is
open daily during the summer season for mountain biking, and
rentals are available.
For the very best view of the region, don't miss the opportunity
to ride the Whiteface Mountain gondola, and if you feel up to
the task, you'll want to take a quarter mile uphill trek on
the Stag Brook Falls hiking trail to see the most incredible
view of the Adirondack region.
The town of Lake Placid is a mecca for tourists, and best enjoyed
on foot. Streets are tight for a motorhome, and while the main
drag is lined with boutiques and restaurants, the real attraction
is the scenery. There are public parking areas with plenty of
space for RVs, and the town is definitely tourism oriented -
exceptionally friendly people, and a great holiday atmosphere.
One major consideration when travelling through the Adirondacks
in an RV is the topography. While the conventional road maps
show relatively short distances between towns, the winding roads
can be quite a challenge, with steep climbs and descents around
almost every turn. We tour this region with a road map, a GPS,
and a topographic map book. Following our evening ride north
to Lake Placid, which was hilly to say the least, we plotted
a gentler route to take us back to interstate 87. For the sake
of about ten miles of additional travelling we were able to
avoid several steep grades, saving fuel.
If you decide to head north from Lake Placid, consider taking
a side trip to Ausable Chasm, just a few miles south of Plattsburgh,
New York on route 9. This natural wonder has been billed as
the "Grand Canyon of the North", and it offers an
excellent adventure opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking,
rafting, and kayaking are family favourites in this area, and
there's a really nice campground and a motel on-site. Check
out the possibilities at www.ausablechasm.com.
Fort Ticonderoga
When we told the kids that we were going to Fort Ticonderoga,
where the 18th century comes to life at a national historic
landmark, their initial reaction was "you remember that
far back in time?" In fact, I had visited the fort as a
small child some fifty years ago, and that was in the last century.
Fort Ticonderoga was constructed in 1755 by the French, who
called it Carillon, and it was a major strategic location during
the American war of independence and the Seven Year's War. This
was the site of the first American victory of the revolution,
when Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys
carved out their niche in history.
The Fort has been a focal point for historic restoration since
the early years of the 20th century, and continues to be a major
attraction, with a series of reenactments and special events
throughout the summer season. For more information visit www.fort-ticonderoga.org.
Lake George Area
Our route through the Adirondack region took us south on route
87, through scenery that has made this stretch of the interstate
the perennial winner of the title "most scenic highway
in the United States". Along the route, attractions like
the Stone Bridges and Caves in Pottersville, New York, are great
places to stop, and it's always nice to get off the interstate
to see what the area really looks like. Check the website at
www.stonebridgeandcaves.com for more details.
Our destination for this leg of the trip was the beautiful Lake
George RV Park, located on route 149 just a few minutes south
of the village. This is a magnificent property, with more than
100 acres of rolling terrain, and hundreds of fully-serviced
campsites nestled into a forest of Adirondack pine. We try to
drop in every few years to visit, and take in a show at the
French Mountain Playhouse, located at the west end of the park.
This park remains one of the highlight destinations in the northeast.
For an in-depth view of Lake George RV Park, check out the RV
Lifestyle archives at www.rvlifemag.com/ ile315/lakegeorgerv.html.
If you visit Lake George with small children, be sure to spend
some time at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, a Six
Flags theme park. It's fun for the whole family at rates that
are quite reasonable for a tourist attraction of this type.
Check the website at www.sixflags.com.
For the sophisticated traveller, there's nothing like the Saratoga
region, located about half an hour south of Lake George on route
87. From thoroughbred racing to museums, theatre and the legendary
Saratoga Hot Springs Spa, this stop on your Adirondack adventure
is a destination that should not be missed. For information
visit the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce at www.saratoga.org.
Heading Home
After a whirlwind week of RV touring, it's always nice to change
the pace a bit. We decided to explore the sights of Highway
20, the old route from Albany to Buffalo. It's a shame that
everyone heads for the thruway to go across the state, because
there are so many really beautiful towns that barely have a
signpost on the major route. We stopped at Cherry Valley, a
town established in 1768, to photograph the Jayco motorhome
with the Adirondack Mountains in the background. Tranquil and
peaceful today, this was the site of a massacre of settlers
in 1778, and in 1779 General James Clinton secured the area
and what was at that time the western edge of the frontier.
Our route back to the Toronto area included stops at the Herkimer
Diamond Mines KOA, and the Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse,
home of the Skychiefs, one of the Toronto Blue Jays farm teams.
With just fewer than 1,000 miles on the trip meter, we returned
home with many happy memories of our trip. Make plans to experience
an on-the-road adventure yourself, and enjoy the freedom only
the RV enthusiast knows.
(Page Top) |
Park your RV in the municipal lot, and explore Lake Placid on
the trolley.
At Fort Ticonderoga history is brought to life in battle reenactments. |
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