Adirondack and Catskills, NY

[Hawks_Nest]

Heard the fall foliage was peaked in upstate NY, I took the week off and I packed my bike and headed north on Sunday morning.

Here is my itenary.



Slapped up to Lake George and took 9N along the lake. There was no traffic along the road. If you come this place in summer, the roads are packed with vacationers.



This is nothern end of Lake George.



Along 9N at Lake Champlain



When I crossed Rt.87 and entered the Adirondack, weather rapidly changed. It started drizzle as I was approaching Lake Placid. I stopped at a small lake just before the town. I wonder what those white trunk trees are.



Took a while to find the campground and arrived there after dark. It was raining hard and there was no place to ask around. The campground was virtualy empty and few RVs were there. It appears they were hunters.

Dinner. This was Plan B. Plan A was to go to a diner before I enter the park. But all local restaurants were closed early Sunday evening there.



After filled up with hot noodle soup, I started a small camp fire. All downed branches were wet. So it took some efforts to start the fire. I torched the wet wood with chain lube :)



Went to bed early. But it was getting very cold. I checked the temperature and it was 40deg. Brrr.. Couldn't fall into sleep because of the loud noise of the rain drops on my tent. After tossing around sometime, I remembered one thing. I reached to the ear plugs in my bag. And shortly after I put them in my ear,  I fell into sleep. They worked.

Next morning: sun was rising and sky was cleared up. Nice






Packed early and left the park around 8. Temp was 35 deg. So I decided to heading south.
I met the guy on the bicycle. He was from Colorado. Not he was riding from there. He was visiting the Adrondacks and his wife was staying at nearby RV park.





This was after I entered the Catskills. Many roads were closed and they put me in numerous detours. I passed many towns still recovering from the Hurricane Irene.



I arrived at my friend's farm house in Roxbury, NY around 4:00pm.

Dinner?


After sun down, a lot of stars appeared in the sky. Moon was rising on the ridge.


I stayed at his farm house until lunch. Then, I headed to home. My home was only three hours from there.

[ailkel]

Sounds like a great trip.  I really enjoyed the pic's of your campfire; something I haven't seen in a while due to burn bans.

[Burgi]

Are the white trunks Birch trees?
Some beautiful shots!
I'd love to do a fall color ride back east. Then you start talking 40 degrees and rain.......

[mattrowe19]

Beautiful trip! I was born in the Schenectady area and have always wanted to go back to visit. Now I remember why.

[tbante]

I really like that nighttime pic of the stars. I have a real problem getting out of a warm sleeping bag when it is that cold outside. You da man!

[green427]

Beautiful shots you got there. We love the Adirondacks, have relatives up there. Yes, those white trees are birch trees, lots of them on the east side. On Rte 30 you get to see the park's immense beauty.

Rte 30 is a winding, smooth, 45-55MPH road, perfect for motorcycles.

[Adam Roby]

I love the Adorondacks, and the 9N is an amazing road.  We come down from Montreal and avoid the 87 at all costs.  We would normally pass through Ausable Chasm on the way to Lake George.  But like you said, traffic is nuts during the busy season.  If we stop in Lake George it is just to rest up eat before heading back out. 

Thanks for sharing, I haven't been there in some 4 or 5 years, just making me think I should plan something.

[hppants]

Great RR, thanks for sharing.  I'm looking forward to the leaf change here, but it only last a very short time.

Like Tbante - my favorite pic was the one with the stars.  Coincidentally, last night I downloaded Google Skymap:

http://www.google.com/mobile/skymap/

I cooked a chili and the neighbors and I gathered around a small camp fire in the center of the block.  We had fun with that app learning about the sky.

Hawks Nest - I notcied your jacket is a High-vis color.  Which one do you have?  Likes?  Dislikes?

[Hawks_Nest]

Beautiful shots you got there. We love the Adirondacks, have relatives up there. Yes, those white trees are birch trees, lots of them on the east side. On Rte 30 you get to see the park's immense beauty.

Rte 30 is a winding, smooth, 45-55MPH road, perfect for motorcycles.

I am not good at names of trees. It sounds right. Adirondacks are famous for white birch and conifers.  Rt30 was an excellent road. I took it from Saranack Lake and all the way down to Roxbury (~6 hour).

http://www.google.com/mobile/skymap/

I cooked a chili and the neighbors and I gathered around a small camp fire in the center of the block.  We had fun with that app learning about the sky.

Hawks Nest - I notcied your jacket is a High-vis color.  Which one do you have?  Likes?  Dislikes?

That night, sky was brigthen up with zillions of stars. I wish I had a super wide angle lens and a sturdy tripod.

I made a brief review of my Tourmaster Transition 2 jacket here several months ago.

http://nighthawk-forums.com/index.php/topic,9341.0.html

I finally tested its waterproofness. It worked very well. So I don't need to pack rain jacket anymore. You may call it 3 season (fall-winter-spring) jacket. Too hot in the summer even with all vents were open. It has well insulated jacket liner. But it is somewhat limiting my mobility so that I rarely use it. During cold days, I wear heated jacket liner under the jacket and hook it to the battery when I need extra warmth.

Check this website:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/2/49/10314/ITEM/Tour-Master-Womens-Transition-Series-2-Jacket.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch

[green427]

I am not good at names of trees. It sounds right. Adirondacks are famous for white birch and conifers.  Rt30 was an excellent road. I took it from Saranack Lake and all the way down to Roxbury (~6 hour).

Looking at your map, it appears that you went to Tupper Lake, and passed through Blue Mtn Lake & Long Lake. Did you notice an antique hotel in Long Lake right in front of the beach at the bottom of the hill? My parents stayed there on their wedding night in 1962. Tupper Lake is where my mother grew up and where my grandmother lived and is now buried there. The town is in much worse shape now, the economy there depends on tourism.

My cousin lives on a waterfront home in Saranac. Here is a shot of the lake I took while standing on her boat house dock. During the winter, the ice gets about 4 feet thick, enough to drive your trucks on to do some ice fishing. I tried it at -15°F, never again.





Can't wait until I have enough time to spend a week up there riding around.

[hockeyhawk]

Great ride and pics Nicholas. I have been to Lake Placid and Saranac 2 times with the family for hockey tournaments. I have only been there in winter. I'd love to take a trip there to do some riding. I remember when Lake Saranac was frozen there were dog sled teams training there, it was awesome to see.

[hppants]

Yeah - I looked at that Tourmaster jacket - very nice indeed.  But too much $$$ for essentially a 1 season jacket for me.  Thanks for the info.

[Adam Roby]

Can't wait until I have enough time to spend a week up there riding around.

Hmmm... that's only a couple hours from my place, maybe you should host a camp gathering and we can all take a nice ride! 

 

[fishball]

What a great trip Nicholas.  This was my favorite photo...



Smart idea about the ear plugs for restful sleeping.

[Falban]

Beautiful trip HN.
So frustrating being held down by life/work sometimes.  Just can't get away as the season slips away.  Soon enough though.

[Cafe Nighthawk]

What a great place. I did that same ride on a 2008 Harley Road King. Nice pic's

 

[Hawks_Nest]

green427, thank you for the picture of the lake. More or less, lakes in the Adirondack look the same. A lot of them.

I passed Tupper Lake without stopping but I stopped at the Long Lake right after the bridge. There was a small parking area for the boar/kayak trip thing. It was Monday and very windy. So the place was empty that day. I do remember that the town along the lake was very rustic and nostalgic: very old inns and stores along the very small strip.

Hmmm... that's only a couple hours from my place, maybe you should host a camp gathering and we can all take a nice ride! 

 

Sounds good. We may have a camp gathering there someday.

What a great trip Nicholas.  This was my favorite photo...

Fishball, I like that pic too. When I was riding up the hill, I saw the background on my rear view mirror and stopped there, saying 'Wow'.  I wonder why all farm buidlings are painted in red.

'Cafe Nighthawk', you are local. NY-NJ-PA riders are planning a meet-up before the end of riding season either on Nov 12 or 13. Hope you can join.

[NH750Kitch]

Great report Nicholas.  Thanks for sharing 

Kitch

[Bumblebee]

That makes me homesick for the Catskills. I have to go back there eventually.

I wish I had a super wide angle lens and a sturdy tripod

Lenses are spendy. The pennytech method: Go to novelty stores or random places like that and find one of the $5 chrome balls or a 1/4 round chrome hubcap or a round bottom bowl from the dollar store. Chrome spray paint and a smooth surface ball works too. It doesn't even have to be all that pristine either as long as it's mostly reflective even with light tarnish. Put the shiny thing on the ground and the camera above it on a tripod or some other kind of support aimed down. Open the shutter and wait.