Trip to Lake Placid - August, 2009

With the first sunny day in weeks, my daughter Sarah and I decided to take our new puppy, Marti, for a ride to Lake Placid- a two hour plus trip to what is New York State’s High Peak’s Region in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. You may recall Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in the 1930s and in 1980.  It is famous for its rustic beauty and history, and it is where the American Olympic Hockey team defeated the Soviet Union for the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics.  It is also where I’ve found many beautiful pens and related items over the years, including a 14k gold Swan fountain pen, several beautiful Victorian sterling silver pencil holders, a difficult to find Eagle pencil, pyramid shaped ink wells including one in yellow Vaseline glass. 


Interstate 87, better known as the Northway, takes us past many well know resort areas: Saratoga Springs, famous for thoroughbred racing, Warrensburg–the site of a well known hot air balloon festival and huge antique/flea market- and Lake George.  I have found some great pens in each of these locations.  Years ago, my very last stop at the Warrensburg flea market yielded a huge Waterman desk set with two German Shepherds though I had to drive deep into the Adirondack Mountains to pick it up the next day. 


Exit 30 of the Northway brings us to Route 73, one of the most beautiful roads in New York State.  The road winds up and down some of the highest peaks of the Adirondacks- and through meadows and the Ausable River that meanders along both sides of the road.


We must travel through St. Hubert, Keene Valley and Keene before reaching Lake Placid.  In Keene Valley, we pass the Noon Mark Restaurant where Sarah and I ate last trip to Lake Placid.  Unfortunately, we had a very disagreeable encounter with an older couple with strong opinions on the current political situation.  Their lunch was served, but they got up from the table and left without eating or paying. This trip, we stopped in Keene at Stewart’s for an ice cream cone and to get a bottle of water for Marti.


The most beautiful view along Route 73 is of the high peaks just before entering Lake Placid.  Sarah says she’s going to buy the farm house that is just to the right of this picture and that I can mind the farm when she’s away.  Lake Placid is up the road a few miles.


No pens this trip, and the antique shop that I like to visit most was closed again- right at the height of tourist season!  On the way back, we pick up submarine sandwiches and eat by the Ausable. An older man read his evening paper with his Irish Setter beside him at the next table.  Marti was more interested in the submarine sandwich.