The Adirondacks

Day 95, July 5, 2011, Adirondack Mountains

Route from Ticonderoga to Golden Beach Campground, Raquette Lake, NY

87.2 miles, averaging 12.7 mph

Worst Moment – It’s not fair when the biting flies can go faster than I when going up hill and they gang up on me biting the backs of my legs through my jersey and shorts.  Yeesh!

Best Moment – I may run out of superlatives about the scenery of the Adirondack’s Today’s ride was an all time classic for cyclists one!

Shortly after leaving the Ticonderoga area, I had a huge long climb to the mountain lake area of the Adirondacks.  I went past Eagle Lake, Paradox Lake, Harris Lake, Rich Lake, Long Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, and finally Raquette Lake.  Then there were the rivers I rode along, or crossed, the Schroon, the Boreas, the Hudson, and the Marion plus lots that weren’t named.  There are ponds and waterfalls - it was all so spectacular.

Of course there are the mountains and for a westerner, passes in the range of 2200 feet elevation don’t sound like a lot – but when I went from only 300 feet of elevation, that kind of gain (and then loss) several times in 87 miles makes for a challenging ride. 

Most of the roads are in excellent condition with flower-studded embankments.  There was a small section of hard packed dirt road along a river and next to a rock wall that I could have ridden on forever – it was so beautiful and entirely without traffic. 

It is interesting to see all of the roadside motels,  lodges and “resorts” that I’m sure were really something in their day.  Seems that tourists have abandoned these places in favor of something or someplace else.  Sad to see so many for sale and empty. Perhaps the town of Long Lake is trying to reverse the trend with their July 4^th activity.  We missed the races by a couple of days, but the signs were still there.

I arrived at Golden Beach Campground on Raquette Lake around 3.  It is a beautiful state campground with over 200 campsites.  We have a beachfront view and can watch the sunset over the water.

If you would like to donate to my ride, my link for the Lance Armstrong Foundation is http://grassroots2011.livestrong.org/billsbigride197.  I really appreciate your support.