Monday, September 22, 2008

Lake George, Adirondacks, New York

From Boston we headed northwest to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. Traffic was heavy on the Mass Pike leaving Massachusetts, but thinned out as we headed north from Albany. We arrived at our campground near Lake George just before 5:00 on Sunday afternoon.

The kids spent Monday morning working on homework from 9 to noon. Teressa and I took Rocky for a long walk around the campground. There are two ponds on site – one for kayaking which is closed for the winter, and one for fishing. Paved bike paths connect both ponds with the main campground. Rocky enjoyed chasing chipmunks, but they get the last laugh as they “chirp” at him incessantly from six feet up the tree. He continues to practice his tree climbing skills, but only has “pitch paws” to show for it! ;-)

In the afternoon we ventured out to explore Lake George. I found discount coupons on-line for a 2 and ½ hour boat ride on a three deck ship called the Mohican (the book The Last of the Mohican's was written about an incident that happened nearby). It was a beautiful fall day with temperatures in the low 60s when we arrived at the dock at 2:15. Thomas Jefferson called Lake George the Queen of American Lakes, and it is easy to see why. It lies in a beautiful valley on the edge of the Adirondack mountains. Primarily spring fed, the lake is crystal clear and supports a number of fish species including lake trout, bass, pike, freshwater salmon and pan fish. The lower half of the lake (about 17 miles) is completely surrounded by homes and hotels. The most prestigious is The Sagamore, which has a rich history dating back over 100 years (see the photo above). Offering a stark contrast, the upper half of the lake is surrounded by state parks and has no homes. Dotted with a multitude of small islands, it offers picnicking and camping in a setting that looks as close to Hungry Horse (one of our favorite spots in Montana) as I think we will find on the east coast. Overall it was a great way to spend the afternoon and learn a little bit about the history of the area.

When we got back to the campground we took Rocky for another walk, and then all four of us went swimming in the heated indoor pool. Brian and Laura spent a little time in the video arcade, where Brian managed to win a Nintendo DS (value over $100) while spending less than $5 in quarters! I’m afraid he thinks this special “talent” will carry over when we visit in Las Vegas this winter! ;-0


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