Lake Placid to Vermont to Ben and Jerry’s

Hard to fathom but our drive from Lake Placid to Vermont was even more beautiful than our drive through the Adirondacks. The landscape was in full color and every turn offered a more beautiful vista than the last. Nearly moved to tears at the natural beauty surrounding us.

Route Nine brought us to the edge of Lake Champlain and through some old and beautiful waterfront towns. We once again were to connect with our New Zealand fiends and had arranged to meet them at the Ben and Jerry’s factory in Vermont. As we drove through the south western side of Vermont the landscape opened up to rolling farm land. Every nook and cranny of this route was filled with one breathtaking view after another. While we soaked in each and every one it proved difficult to get any pictures as the road was narrow and we couldn’t slow down enough or turn the rig around to capture the moment. The memory of witnessing some of the most beautiful country sides during the most beautiful time of year in nearly perfect light would have to suffice. This short stretch of road has remained an absolute highlight of our trip due to the sheer natural beauty.
We pulled into the Ben and Jerry’s parking lot to see the Kiwi’s rig. We were super excited to catch up with them again. They were waiting in line with our tickets in hand so we made no haste to catch up.

With a fun tour and free ice cream under belt we sat down to figure out where to stay the night. Our first choice was Smugglers Notch State Park however there was only one space available to accommodate the size of our rigs. Plan B was to call a cider mill located five minutes up the road and find out if it would be okay to park our rigs on their property for the night. A quick call and we received the okay to park on their land and made no haste in getting there.

When we arrived we discovered a wine shop on the same property. Everyone poured out of the rigs to check out the Cider Mill. Once the dads circled the wagons we headed in to catch up with the rest of the crew. However we got sidetracked by the wine tasting adjacent to the cider mill. Being forward thinkers and knowing our girls love wine, we had the foresight to choose a few bottles to accompany our communal dinner later on. We closed the tasting room down and headed across the parking lot to the cider mill to catch up with Laurel and the kiddos.
While we were tasting wine, Laurel and the six kids were receiving a tour of the facilities from Paul, the owner. He showed them the cider press, the bee hives and the solar farm. We didn’t know who had the better time. Walking back across the lot to our campsite to start dinner we kept giggling at our good fortune to be in such an amazing spot together. After a fantastic dinner  the kids retreated to our coach to watch a movie while we drained a couple of bottles of wine over great conversation. It was a pinch yourself moment that makes life so special.

The cold night gave way to a frosty morning. Old man winter reminding us that we shan’t get comfortable in anyone place for too long.

But things warmed up so we decided to stay locally at Smugglers Notch State Park as the Kiwi’s were off to visit some old friends nearby. We called the park and they had one spot available to accommodate us.

Smugglers Notch State Park

Smugglers Notch State Park offers up one of my top three favorite camp sites of our trip. Intimately set on a steep slope in the mountains just below Stowe Ski Resort and the Notch, hidden among a dense and colorful forest, there are only twenty or so sites in the whole campground. No hookups, so you have to be completely self-contained. We squeezed into one of the sites towards the top which offered plenty of room once we were in.

Most of the campsites are for tents with only three or four able to accommodate a coach our size. The weather was breezy and partially cloudy with intermittent rain showers. Daytime highs in the fifties and night time lows in the thirties told us winter was upon us. But it seemed to be holding off long enough for us to enjoy this beautiful alpine setting.

We took a short drive up and over the Notch towards Smugglers Ski resort. The drive snakes through a steep and twisted canyon of rocks protruding into the roadway with colorful trees overhead. With a sign at the base of the pass reading “No Semi’s or RV’s” we were stoked to be in our little truck. Some of the turns were tighter than those of Lombard Street in San Francisco.

We were looking for the trail head to Sterling Pond as we were told by a local builder this was a neat hike suitable for the family. With map in hand we found the trail head leading off the summit. The builder said it was about an hour and a half hike; hour up, thirty minutes down. We realized we were not prepared for the hike due to the weather and time of day. It was a bit late so we decided to better prepare and hit it the following morning after checking out of the campground. Instead we checked out the ski resorts and headed back to camp.

The wind kicked up and the rain began to fall. In any other circumstance I would welcome snow but any snow or ice here would present a huge challenge to safely move the Windryder.
Morning gave way to a release of fresh alpine smells from the night’s rain, gusty winds and light periodic showers. It was fall in the mountains highlighted by the wash of colorful trees. I would have liked to stay here for a week as the setting was perfect and overwhelmingly beautiful. I cannot emphasize enough how immensely beautiful this area is this time of year. Everywhere you look was picture postcard beautiful.
Taking advantage of the window in the weather to hike to sterling pond we headed out that afternoon so we regretfully checked out of Smugglers Notch State Park and parked the rig in the Stowe Ski Resort parking lot while we took the truck up to the notch.
Thankfully we were prepared for a variety of weather conditions with food and water for the short hike. The trail starts right off through the steep rocks offering several do not fall zones where we all had to be focused on the climb rather than the scenery.

 

They gave way to a challenging trail taking us through all types of terrain and weather.

After a solid climb we relished our time at the summit in a warming hut at the top of Smugglers Notch Ski Resort.

As we sat looking out the window at the beautiful landscape the snow flurries moved in. It was time to head back. Three and a half hours later we had completed the hike. We had pushed the kids out of their comfort zone but they pressed on and their tiredness gave way to a surge of confidence and a huge sense of accomplishment. I am super proud of the whole crew as this hike was to become a confidence booster for hikes to come.

Once safely back in the Windryder and ready to press we did not want to leave this most beautiful part of the country. We headed to the eastern edge of the Vermont, New Hampshire border where we would spend the weekend under our first dusting of snow and close down yet another campground.

I was looking forward to this leg of the trip as I am a big fan of the winter Olympics and have always wanted to visit Lake Placid and the Adirondacks. As we made our way east across upstate New York we amassed over fifty dollars in tolls to drive on their expressways. Little did we know, the route that lay before us would be worth every penny. Leaving Utica up route 28 we started our climb in elevation from the western side of the Adirondacks. A recently paved, two lane road offered a smooth ride. With each passing mile Mother nature’s display of colors became more abundant. Colorful trees erupted across the landscape like a Fourth of July fireworks finale exploding in the sky. With each dip and turn we would discover a view more beautiful than the last. It became apparent that we lucked into perfect timing to experience falls display of color.

As we pushed further into the Adirondacks we started looking for a campground. State Parks are first on the list but most of them were already closed for the season. The first private campground we came across was booked solid for the Columbus Day Weekend. For good reason as every site was picturesque, set under colorful trees and green pines. With darkness approaching we continued on to Eighth Lake State Park.

As usual we arrived late to find they had already closed down one section of the campground. However we were in luck as we scored the last available site. The campground has several loops and we were on the first loop closest to the bath house and entrance. While we were close to these facilities our site was private and extremely quiet.

Blanketed under large trees, with leaves proudly showing their colorful display, we settled into our site.

Once night falls, it’s dark up here. Without the bright lights of any big city nearby, it’s “Can’t see your hand in front of your face” dark.  We started a fire and I prepared a dinner to remember in a cast iron skillet over the open flames. With temps in the forties at night it was cool but not too cold.

Did I mention it’s dark up here? Not only is it dark, it’s quiet too. The only other sounds that night were a few other campers chatting near their fires. There is no electricity, hook ups for water or sewer or cable tv at any of the campsites. You need to be self-contained. The focus here is on nature.

Since we were in bit of a rush to find a campground the night before we decided to wake up early and drive back to where we first noticed the leaves really starting to change color to get a better look. We didn’t know when we would get to experience such natural beauty again. The drive was longer then we remembered coming in but worth the extra time as we were able to stop and drink in every view point that we seemed to wiz by the previous afternoon.

The kids grew tired of us stopping frequently for photo opportunities. We off set their boredom by taking a train ride through the Adirondacks. It was a treat to get off the road and see a bit of the forest from a different perspective.

Night fell quickly and the darkness beckoned a campfire so we could once again prepare dinner in a cast iron skillet over the open flames. One of our best meals to date.

With our late start to the trip we have been closing down campgrounds with nearly every stop. This was no different. It was a holiday weekend and we felt fortunate to have a campsite. We stayed for one more night until their last day of operation for the season and headed out early in the morning for Lake Placid. The early morning light offered glorious views of some the most colorful landscapes I have ever witnessed. The natural beauty was overwhelming literally taking my breath away. I again stopped many times that morning making the trip into Lake Placid take much longer than it should have.

Lake Placid

This would be the start of the budget breaking campgrounds as all of the New York state parks have closed for the season in this area. The only campground open was a KOA “Kampgrounds of America” which offer all of the amenities anyone could ask for which is exactly what we are trying to avoid. However with no other options available we decided to stay here so we could check out the area the following day. The area offers an abundance of hiking options and of course the Olympic venues which many are currently used by our Olympic teams for training. Rain in the immediate forecast offered incentive to get homework done and take advantage of the windows in the weather to get outside to hike around.

Since the holiday weekend had come to a close over one hundred twenty campers had checked out of the KOA that day so we had the campground nearly to ourselves.

The facilities cover over eighty acres and front a beautiful river. Not letting the wet weather dictate our day we went for a short hike along the river in the rain. Again the views were beautiful and we were the only ones on the trail. Charlie had free run the whole way.

An hour and a half later we got back to dry out. The rain was moving out so we headed into Lake Placid but not before we venturing off on another short hike along another river and a visit to White Mountain Ski resort.

I’m such a ski bum I even have to visit the ski resorts when there is no snow.

Forever a fan of the Olympics, especially the winter Olympics I looked forward to again experiencing that familiar Olympic pride. In the late nineties I lived in North Lake Tahoe and spent my winter days at Squaw Valley, home to the 1960 Winter Olympics. I always felt and still feel privileged every time I pass the Olympic torch entering that valley. Lake Placid was no different, that first glimpse of the ski jump towers hovering over the fall landscape brought on a wave of nostalgia and Olympic pride.

We rolled up on the ice rink where in 1980 the greatest hockey game in Olympic History was played.

The doors were open and we strolled in like we owned the place. Found seats behind the goal and watched local college girls run drills. While it would have been beyond great to watch that 1980 game in person it was pretty cool sitting next to the ice and checking out all the tribute banners lining the arena. We must have sat there for nearly an hour with no one ever bothering us. With evening approaching we checked out the rest of the town then headed back to KOA for dinner and a couple games of giant chess.

I would have like to stayed another day but we have to keep moving east to stay ahead of old man winter. Next stop Vermont and the Ben and Jerry’s factory tour.