Epic Trails

West Highland Way, Scotland

I saw that National Geographic published a list of 20 "epic" trails - in their words, "walks that travel deeper into a location’s history and culture." Looking through the list, I would eagerly do 19 of them - the exception being the climb of Mt. Fuji in Japan, which sounds like a perfect nightmare, jam-packed with half of Tokyo at any hour of day or night.

The chance of actually doing most of these hikes seems like a longshot at best (especially the ones in the Himalayas and Andes), but some seem especially interesting, and in the "who knows, maybe someday" category:

• Laugavegurinn/Fimmvörðuháls Pass, Iceland
  
• West Highland Way, Scotland
  
• Copper Canyon/Tararecua Canyon, Mexico
  
• Gaspésie National Park, Quebec

Adirondacks '12: Finale

"Home, Final Thoughts"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here, and his final thoughts are here.

7:57am
We're done breakfast at the Comfort Inn and are getting ready to hit the road. I slept well, and Eric and I were up shortly after 7:00. The plan was to be on the road around 8:00, and we'll be close to that. The Weather Channel was on while we ate, and it looks like we'll be driving through some rain today, and that it will be quite hot when we get home. At this point I think we're all looking forward to being home.

12:27pm
We're at Phil's house, unloading the van. The drive was uneventful, we didn't hit any traffic to speak of, and made great time getting here. The predicted rain never happened - we may have gotten a sprinkle or two, but nothing more than that.

1:15pm
Eric dropped me off at my house, and Adirondacks '12 is officially over for me.

Final Thoughts

Summit of Algonquin Peak

It's probably not fair to compare trips, but I can hardly avoid comparing this trip to Adirondacks '08, since trips were so similar - we stayed at the same campground for the same number of days, and did some of the same hikes. On almost every point of comparison, this trip was better.

• Brother Eric was with us this time. I hope we didn't annoy him too much with comparisons of our '08 trip - there was a lot of talk of "remember when we did such-and-such here last time", which was only natural, but it may have had him feeling a little left out. I hope not.
• Our campsites were prettier and more secluded.
• The weather was better - last time it was much colder, and there were rain showers every day.



Lazy afternoon in camp

• I'm not sure I'll call it "revenge", but I got to the summit of Mt. Marcy and actually saw the vista this time.
• I also got to the summit of Algonquin Peak, and saw an equally spectacular vista.
• Campsite meal planning was fantastic. We ate like kings, for which I claim no credit. Left to my own devices, campground meal planning would be simple arithmetic:
      (number of days x number of meals/day = number of peanut butter sandwiches required)
• Having a guitar with me worked out even better than I expected (and I expected it to be good.) I'll be bringing it with me everywhere I can reasonably bring it.

The only negative point of comparison I can think of is that we didn't all make it to the summit of Marcy. There was nothing else to do at the time, but leaving John and Eric behind didn't feel good.

Combined GPS tracks of my two summit hikes

I've probably used these terms too often in this trip report, but the only words I can think of to describe Adirondacks hiking are steep, rocky, and punishing. I asked myself a few times on my two summit hikes if I was having fun. At a number of points on those climbs, the answer was "no, not at all" - it was often brutally hard work.

The vistas from the top, and the sense of accomplishment from having done those hikes really does make it seem worthwhile - but I also wonder if we should be looking at flatter hikes. I'm sure there will be discussions of that as we start to talk about next year's hiking trip (about which more soon - of course ideas are already flying around!)

I probably conclude each year's trip report the same way, but there's no other way to say it - it's a pure treat to be able to get away with such a good group of guys. We've known each other forever, we're used to each others' quirks, and we all love these trips where we can get away into some remote and beautiful places and do some great hiking and see some gorgeous scenery.

In short, it was another well-planned and well-executed trip: first-rate hiking and first-rate companionship. I can't wait to do it again next year.

Adirondacks '12: Day 5

"Algonquin Peak, Breaking Camp"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here, here, and here:

7:42am
Well, my plan of getting up and hitting the trail at daybreak didn't happen. I had a very bad night's sleep, so I stayed in the sack until I felt somewhat rested. I finally got up shortly after 7am. It's a beautiful sunny morning, and I'm eating a quick breakfast (yogurt and an energy bar) and getting ready to go.

Phil says today's forecast calls for a high of 80, and a 20% chance of rain. Tonight there's a 70% chance of rain extending into tomorrow. That's not good news - I don't mind camping in the rain, but breaking camp and packing up in the rain is miserable, and results in a wet, smelly van. But we can wait until this afternoon to decide what to do - it's beautiful out now, and there's a full day of hiking ahead of us.

8:02am
I'm leaving camp and starting my hike. This is much later than I'd hoped - I know Algonquin will be a popular hike on a beautiful summer Sunday, and I hope to have at least some solitude. I feel great physically - I also feel a good bit of nervous excitement, as I expect this hike to be a challenge. It's four miles (one way) to the summit, and more than 3,000 feet of vertical elevation gain - except the first mile is completely flat, which means the next three miles are just about straight up. As with Marcy two days ago, I have my iPhone with me, turned off. I'll turn it on to take pics, and hope I have enough battery to capture the one-way track from the summit back to camp.

8:28am
I've come one (flat) mile on the Van Hoevenberg Trail, and am now at the Algonquin Trail junction, which I'll be taking today. The warm-up is over, and now the work starts.

9:19am
I'm at a very pretty waterfall. This is a pleasant surprise, so I'm stopping here for my first pack break. I was surprised (and not pleased) when the trail continued at a level grade after the junction - that just means that the climbing, when it starts, will be all the steeper. It finally did start to climb, but gradually. I'm roughly estimating that I've come a mile and a half since the junction, which means another mile and a half to the summit. I can't even guess at how much of the elevation gain I've done, but I'm sure it's less than half - which means I have a lot of steep climbing ahead of me. I'm glad I don't have an altimeter - it's better not to know just how far up I still have to go.

But I feel good, and the day is still gorgeous. The trail is very rocky and muddy, and follows what looks like a stream bed. I haven't seen anyone on the trail yet, which is a nice surprise. There haven't been any views yet - the trail is a green tunnel through thick woods.

9:56am
Junction of the trail to Wright Peak. Algonquin is 0.9 miles ahead - turning left, Wright Peak is 0.4 miles away.

I'm not above treeline yet, but the woods have thinned, and I can see views of the surrounding area. There's a monster of a peak out ahead of me, towering into the sky. My first thought was a fervent hope that I was looking at Mt. Marcy, and that I didn't have that far still to climb. But no, that can only be Algonquin, and my spirits sink into my shoes. Then I turn and look at Wright Peak, and it's also towering above me...yet I'm going more than 500 feet higher than its summit. My spirits, if possible, sink even lower. Physically I feel fine - I'm just not a great climber, and the prospect of so much steep climbing is daunting.

I'm taking a moment to look at the views, both up and out over the surrounding vistas. I've finally seen some other hikers.

10:38am
Summit of Algonquin! That last mile was very steep and difficult - just punishing and unrelenting. It seemed like every time I rounded a corner and looked at what was ahead, I could hardly believe my eyes. I know I thought this a few times, and I'm pretty sure I actually said out loud, "What the f^&*? Really?!?" Just disbelief that the trail ahead of me could be so steep and rocky. I took many little breaks to sip some water and gasp for breath.

Most of the last mile was above treeline, so the views were amazing in all directions - Algonquin looming in front of me, and vistas in all other directions. Wright Peak was off to my left, and I could measure my vertical progress against it: first I was looking up at it (with the hikers to its summit clearly visible), then I was even with it, and after a while, thrillingly, I was above it.

It's a gorgeous sunny day, and the views might even be better than from Marcy - just breathtaking in all directions. Marcy is clearly visible, miles away, but every other point is below me. I'm at elevation 5,114 feet above sea level - and Marcy (5,344) is the only other peak over 5,000 feet in NYS.

11:06am
As at Marcy, I stripped down as far as I could to dry off. This time, I did bring a change of shirt and socks. I ate a PowerBar, drank a Gatorade, and sat on the rocky summit drinking in the views.

I feel pretty good, and am not worried about the hike down. I've been toying with another idea, and finally decided against it - this trail continues 1.1 miles to the summit of Iroquois Peak (elevation 4,840). The trail descends off the peak here, dips down onto a saddle, then climbs to the summit of Iroquois. It's very tempting, and I definitely feel good enough - but in the end I decided I've had enough climbing - also, I hadn't mentioned this possibility to the guys, and I don't want them to worry about me if I get back much later than expected.

It's time to start down. I've turned on my iPhone, taken some pics, and will start the GPS app to capture a track of my hike down.

11:39am
Some of the down-hiking has been every bit as stressful as the climb, as I don't want to fall down any of the steep parts. Also, I'm wondering if the elevation and the exertion have me hallucinating. Climbing to the summit, as I was descending off of it, were a procession of knockout young lady hikers, highlighted by a blonde Valkyrie right out of a Wagner opera, who I'm pretty sure was named Inga (or possibly Elsa...or Brunhilde.) It could have been my imagination...but I'm pretty sure they actually existed.

12:04pm
I'm back at the waterfall and taking a short break. I've passed a steady stream of hikers climbing up. And no, it's not just my active imagination, there are a lot of attractive women on the trail today. For my own amusement, I'm playing "guess the Frenchman" - when I see a hiker approaching, I guess whether my greeting will be answered in English or French. I've been right much more often than wrong.

12:44pm
Junction of the Van Hoevenberg Trail. One mile to go, and I want to get this done. I feel good, but also like I've been through the wringer.

1:06pm
I'm back at our campsite, and very, very happy. I want a shower, a drink, and a nap...and I'm not sure in what order. The guys are still off on their hike, and I'm happy to have some time to myself at camp. The hike took me just over 5 hours.

4:15pm
A shower and clean, dry clothes never felt so good. I'm a little sore and stiff, but not too bad.

The guys got back from their hike maybe an hour ago. The weather forecast hasn't changed, and we've decided to bail. We're sad not to have one more night in camp, but breaking camp in the rain is just miserable. We've packed up, loaded the van, and are ready to leave. The van is less crammed than on the way up, but not as much as I thought it would be. It's still pretty full - though my guitar can now be in the back, and not between my legs. We've also remembered to do the smart thing, and have packed a change of clothes and our toiletries in our day-packs - we won't have to completely unload the van tonight, and re-load it tomorrow.

10:40pm
Comfort Inn, Bethlehem, NY. We wanted to drive for a couple of hours (shortening tomorrow's drive), then find a cheap roadside motel. It started well, then ended with two hours of chasing our tails. Details are on Eric's trip report - I don't want to re-live it again. I'm tired and want to be home. It was a great trip in every way. It also hardly seems possible that it was earlier today that I was standing on the summit of Algonquin Peak - it seems like a long time ago, with everything that's happened since.

Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 4

"Lazy Day, Big Meals, Phil's Birthday"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here and here:

7:45am

I've been up for maybe 20 minutes. I slept great, though it got cold in the night. I started out in just the bag liner, but woke up in the night and got inside the sleeping bag. I was awake sometime shortly after 6am, but I was so warm and comfy that I laid there for a while, listening to the birds and the early morning sounds of a campground. John, Ted, and Phil were up very early, and are preparing a breakfast feast.

The campground looks completely full, and there are Quebec license plates and French language conversations on all sides of us.

9:36am
We've been reminded that it's Phil's birthday, and we've wished him a happy day. He's let it be known that he's not a "birthday" guy - thus ensuring that we continue to make a big fuss over it for the rest of the day.

We've just finished a breakfast feast fit for a king: eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, yogurt, and a mix of potatoes, peppers, and onions. It's a beautiful sunny morning, though the forecast calls for a 30% chance of rain. I feel surprisingly good after yesterday's hike - just a tiny bit stiff.

2:55pm
We spent a lazy morning around camp: reading, chatting, playing guitar. Eric and Phil talked about driving into the town of Lake Placid to walk around and have lunch. Then the sky darkened and rain looked imminent, so we all decided to come along. As we got into the town, it started pouring rain, so we found a nice little pub, ordered some beer and wings, and settled in.

Phil liked the design on his beer glass and asked the waiter if they sold them. "Just put it in your pocket", he was told. This made us laugh, as we used to do exactly that, only without being invited by the waiter. Later, the waiter brought Phil one of the glasses in a carryout bag, which we dubbed his birthday present.

Now we're back at camp and it's still raining lightly - though it's hardly noticeable under the cover of trees at our campsite.

4:04pm
I'm back from...not exactly a hike...more a walk around the campground. I needed to stretch my legs after two big meals, and a third to come. The map showed a trail around the circumference of Heart Lake, and I found it. I went out in my rain jacket, but the rain stopped about as soon as I started, so I carried it the rest of the way. It seems to be clearing up, and there are patches of blue again.

6:13pm
The sun is out again, and the guys are cooking dinner over the campfire. Phil is doing big steaks with the works (veggies, corn on the cob, and garlic bread.)

Sacre bleu...our next-door Quebecians seem to be trying to smoke us out - they're trying to burn wet or green wood, and the breeze is bringing their smoke into our camp. French-accented curses fly....

We're talking about plans for tomorrow: I have a strong desire to hike to the summit of Algonquin Peak. I feel good and I want to give it a try. It will be a challenge - it's the second-highest point in New York State, just shy of Marcy, but the trail to the peak is two miles shorter - which means it's much steeper. John and Ted attempted Algonquin four years ago, and got close to the top before being told by a ranger that the trail was closed because of approaching thunderstorms.

No one's interested in joining me, which is fine, I'm happy to hike by myself. They're planning to hike to the summit of Mt. Jo, then hike back to Rocky Falls for a picnic and a swim.

7:38pm
We just finished a steak and veggie feast. Phil and Eric out-did themselves. That's three very big and very excellent meals today. It's a gorgeous evening - sunshine and blue sky. There are plenty of leftovers, and there will be steak for breakfast - not for me though, my tentative plan is to be up and out at first light, so I'm preparing everything I can now.  I want to wake up, dress, and go.

8:51pm
We have a roaring campfire going. Is there any better way to spend an evening than sitting around the campfire with good company? It's still a gorgeous evening, and the daylight is just starting to fade.

9:49pm

Heart Lake just after sunset

Guitar by the campfire. I've played everything I can think of, and the guys want more. I need to learn more songs before the next trip.

I just walked out into the clearing to see if there are stars, and there aren't - there's still a last remnant of daylight.

10:33pm
I walked out into the clearing one last time, and now the last daylight is gone, and there are a million stars out. It's not quite the sky we saw in the Dakotas, but it's pretty close. Someone saw a shooting star (Eric, I think).

Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 3

"Return to Mt. Marcy"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here and here.

5:13am
Rise and shine. We were all awakened a while ago by the loudest squawking birds I’ve ever heard. There were a few of them, and they were close. I don’t know if they were vultures of some kind?

I slept very well. It never got cold - I spent the night inside my bag liner on top of the actual sleeping bag, and never felt the need to get inside the bag itself.

6:58am
We’re packed and ready, leaving the campsite and starting our hike. We had breakfast bars and yogurt for breakfast, then made sandwiches for lunch and packed our day-packs. I have all the fluids I can carry, two sandwiches, a baggie of GORP, a bunch of PowerBars, a rain jacket, and a fleece vest. That makes for a full and heavy day-pack. I'm bringing my iPhone for pics and maybe to capture the GPS track (though Eric has his GPS.) I have it off to conserve battery, and will turn it on if/when I need it.

The plan is simple - we'll take the Van Hoevenberg Trail to the summit of Mt. Marcy. It's a 14.8 mile round trip with 3,223 feet of vertical elevation gain - very strenuous by any measure. There's a mood of eager anticipation.

7:29am
Junction for the trail to Algonquin Peak, which means we've come about one mile. It's a very pleasant morning, and I feel great - ready for anything Marcy can throw at us (and yes, I fully realize the "famous last words" potential for that thought.)

7:55am
Marcy Dam. Except that it doesn't exist any more. Apparently last summer's hurricane (I forget the name, but the one that sent Darling Wife scurrying for her home and native land) washed it away. There's a detour around it, which hopefully won't add too much mileage to our hike.

8:30am
The detour around Marcy Dam was short, and a temporary bridge has been constructed. We're now starting to climb - the trail is a muddy and rocky trail ascending alongside Phelps Brook.

We're at a decision point. I've been in the lead, with Phil and Ted close behind. John and Eric have been lagging some, and I've been making stops to let them catch up. They're telling us to go ahead and not wait for them, that they feel bad slowing us down. Part of me agrees that this is logical...but I also don't feel good about leaving them behind. There's some discussion, and they tell us to go. We agree, and start off again. Hiking order is me, Phil, Ted.

10:06am

Water break. It's been a hard, steep, rocky, relentless climb - just as I remembered. But I feel good, and I think we're all doing well. It's overcast now, though there are patches of blue in the sky. The day could go either way - it could clear and be sunny, or clouds could come in and make it just as miserable as our first time. It's 1.2 miles to the top, and there's still a *lot* of climbing to do.

Ugh, I just looked toward the summit, and it's completely wrapped in clouds. A very discouraging sight.

10:51am
Summit of Marcy! The high point of New York State. It's now sunny and clear, thank goodness! That last 1.2 is just punishing and relentless - much of it scrambling over bare rock (as we're above the treeline.) The views are breathtaking in all directions.

I'm as wet as if I'd just jumped in a lake, and will now strip off shoes, socks, and shirt - to let them dry some for the return hike. I'll also chug some Gatorade, and eat a sandwich. Happy happy feeling.

11:16am
The cool breeze whipping us feels delightful. If I had any brains, I would have brought a change of shirt and socks with me. Sadly, I don't - but my socks have been inside-out, drying on a rock, and they'll do for the hike down. Phil, a prince among men, *did* bring a second shirt, but doesn't want to change, and has offered it to me. I'm not too proud to take it.

We chatted with some other hikers lounging at the summit as we ate, drank, and dried off. We're drinking in the views - and also thinking of Eric and John and wishing they were here with us.

We're ready to start back down. I've turned on my iPhone to take some pics, and will turn on the GPS track - hopefully I have enough battery to get the whole track from the summit back to camp.

My legs are a little sore, but overall I feel really good.

12:18pm

Water break. I'm still taking the lead, and I'm not making many stops. I need to take breaks when climbing, but not when descending. Phil and Ted aren't calling for stops either, so we keep moving. At one point, Ted started singing "Cripple Creek", which starts with the line "When I get off of this mountain...." Very appropriate, and now I have the song in my head.

The clouds have cleared, and it's now a beautiful sunny day. Discussion of whether we're going to meet John and Eric ascending...but so far we haven't. Also discussion of what the first beer will taste like when we get back to camp.

There's unanimous agreement that now that we've seen the view from the summit of Marcy in good weather, there's no need to ever climb it again. I offer that I can only think of one scenario that will get me on the Van Hoevenberg Trail again - and that's if a ninja hits me with a poisoned dart and tells me that the antidote is on the summit of Marcy.

2:21pm
Trailhead! We did it. Satisfaction and relief. I'm a little footsore, and just generally weary - but a hot shower and clean dry clothes will remedy that. Phil just told us that he's wearing a heart monitor, which tells him he's burned 5,555 calories on the hike. We tell him he can go to Wendy's and eat five Baconators and still be good for the day.

I'm happy to see that my iPhone battery has held out, so I should have a GPS track for the hike back.

7:21pm
Beautiful day and evening in camp. The weather is perfect. It turns out that Eric and John hiked a ways further after we separated, and then turned back. They also had a little misadventure, which can be read about in Eric's trip report.

The campground is filling up (actually, it's probably completely full now), and mostly with Quebec license plates. There's probably more French than English being spoken in the campground.

I feel really good - surprisingly good. Yes, I can feel the miles I did today, but my legs aren't aching, and I'm not wiped out.

Burgers and dogs are on the grill, and I'm pretty sure they're going to be the best ever.

10:15pm-ish
It got cooler when the sun went down, and I put on long pants and a flannel shirt (prompting Ted's comment that I've "gone full Neil Young.") It was another lovely evening around the campfire - delicious dinner, much discussion of the day's hikes, some well-earned beers, and more guitar playing.

Overall, a very satisfying day. I won't call it "revenge on Marcy" - we got lucky with good weather at the summit, but she could just as easily have slapped us in the face again.

Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 2

"Setting up Camp, Hiking to Rocky Falls and Mount Jo"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day is here, here, and here.

7:27am
We're up and getting ready. I slept well. The original plan was that we'd all go to Walmart, but John and Phil were up early, and figured they could go get the things we need. That's fine with me. When they get back, we'll re-load the van, then get a quick breakfast and hit the road.

8:56am
The boys are back from Walmart with groceries and now we're packing the van. I have no idea how we're going to get even more in the van than we had yesterday.... Oh, Phil got me a $3.50 pair of sunglasses. I like them as sunglasses, and I *love* that they cost $3.50!

9:27am
We did it, everything is loaded - I don't know how. We're hitting the McDonald's drive-through for Egg (or Sausage) McMuffins and coffee. It's a bright sunny day, and already quite warm, and we're looking forward to getting to the campground.

12:05pm
We're unloading the van and settling into our two campsites at the Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake. Eric and I will be in site #9, and my tent is already up. The rest of the guys will be in site #10, and that's where we're setting up the "kitchen" and Phil's pavilion (dubbed the "party tent"), where we can take cover if it rains. The sites are shady and secluded, and there are no sites here that I’d rather have. The day is quite hot and somewhat humid, but there’s a breeze, and it doesn’t feel bad. I'm very happy to have arrived.

1:46pm

Phil, John, Ted, Dave below Rocky Falls

We finished setting up camp, had a quick lunch, changed into hiking clothes, and are ready to hit the trail. We stopped in at the High Peaks Information Center, but there were no rangers to talk to, so we’ve decided on a short hike - we’ll hike to Rocky Falls, a bit over two miles away, then come back via the summit of Mount Jo - which is a short climb, though steep in places, leading to a fantastic view of Heart Lake and the surrounding high peaks.

2:47pm
We’re at Rocky Falls. It was a very pleasant hike to get here. We ran into a ranger on the trail, who was pleasant, but our conversation with him was frustrating. He was a young guy, and John asked him a few different times to recommend a good hike besides for Mt. Marcy (which we *are* doing.) He said a lot of words, but never answered that simple question.

The trail hit a rocky stream, and we could hear the waterfall a short distance away. When we walked toward it, a dog started barking, and alerted two sunbathing ladies to our presence. We chatted a bit and explored the waterfall. It was very pretty, a 6-8 foot chute coming through the rocks, then over, and had a lovely-looking swimming hole at its base. We were all ready to jump in, but we didn’t have towels, or any other way to dry our feet - and hiking in wet feet the day before attempting Marcy wouldn’t be wise. So we passed up the swimming hole, regretfully - though there was talk of returning another day.

4:19pm

Heart Lake from the summit of Mt. Jo

Ted and I are at the summit of Mount Jo. When we got to the connector trail, Phil and Eric decided to head back to camp and start preparing dinner. We needed ice and firewood, and the camp store closes at 5:00 - so we didn’t think we could do Jo and get back in time. John started with Ted and me, but then decided to join the guys at camp. I had forgotten just how steep Mt. Jo is in spots. But the view from the top is fantastic - you're high above Heart Lake (and it feels like you're looking straight down at the lake), and a number of the high peaks are spread out around you. We’ll sit on the rocky summit, sip a Gatorade, and enjoy the view.

8:28pm
It's a perfect evening - warm and beautiful. There are many empty campsites, though I imagine they’ll all fill up tomorrow for the weekend. We’ve finished dinner, which was a feast: marinated chicken breasts, baked potatoes, green beans, and salad. There was some disagreement as to how the potatoes should be cooked, and the result was potatoes charred beyond recognition - completely black and possibly useful as hockey pucks. Much fun was had with our carbon lumps.

Cell phone service is spotty to non-existent. I thought there'd be service if we walked up to the lodge, but there isn't. The lodge does have Wifi, but it might be the slowest I've ever used. We're basically disconnected - and that's fine.

9:49pm

We've been sitting around the campfire talking and having a beer. There's talk and some prep for tomorrow's Mt. Marcy hike. I’ve also gotten my guitar out, and it’s a whole lot of fun to have it here. Today is one of the longest days of the year, and it’s not completely dark out. I’m happy (and a little surprised) that it's still warm - I'm in shorts and a t-shirt. Four years ago we were here at the same time of year and we were bundled in fleece and huddled around the fire to keep warm. Everyone's tired, and we'll be hitting the sack soon. We want to get an early start on Marcy.

10:15pm
Nite nite.

Adirondacks '12: Day 1

"On the Road"

Trip report in diary format. Brother Eric's account of the day starts here and continues here.

11:00am
We've loaded the van and are departing Phil's at exactly 11:00. There are five of us in a rented Dodge Grand Caravan with all our gear and supplies, and it's hard to see how we could cram anything else in. I'm surprised at how tight things are - we also had five guys in a Grand Caravan two years ago for the Great Smokies trip, and the van wasn't this full. I brought my travel guitar, and I said that if necessary, it would ride between my legs - and that's exactly where it is. It was either that or leave it home, and I very much want to bring it. Ah well, we're packed and on the road.

Eric picked me up around 9:30 and we drove to Phil's together. I have a number of smallish bags and duffels, and Eric has the same. We were the first to arrive at Phil's, followed closely by Ted, and then John.

In addition to our clothes and camping gear, we're taking a lot of provisions with us. Eric bought a list of non-perishable items, and Phil has planned most of the menus and has pre-packaged and frozen a number of meals. We'll just have a small list of perishables to pick up tomorrow morning before heading into the campground.

12:59pm
Lunch stop at Wendy's, Morristown, NJ. All is well, and we're making good time. Spirits are high. Phil is driving, as usual. Eric is the second driver, and is in the passenger seat. I'm behind the driver, John is behind Eric, and Ted is back in steerage.

We note, looking at the Wendy's nutrition chart, that their Baconator burger is over 1,000 calories, and I forget how many grams of fat. Much hilarity ensues, and the Baconator will be a recurring theme.

3:26pm
Rest stop on I-87 approaching Albany. We're making good time and all is well. It's scorching hot. The weekend forecast for home is very high heat, and we're pleased to see that the forecast for the Adirondacks is significantly cooler. I realize that I didn't bring sunglasses with me, which isn't a big deal...I don't wear them that often anyway.

5:02pm
Rodeway Inn, Lake George, NY. It was an uneventful trip, and we're very happy to be off the road. We have two rooms: one for the early-to-bed folks (Eric and I), and the other for the night owls.

We realize with disgust that we should all have put one change of clothes and our toiletries in our daypacks - so that we wouldn't have to completely unpack and re-pack the van. But we didn't think of that until now. Unpacking is a pain, and re-packing tomorrow morning will be a double pain. Oh well, no alternative now.

I should note that my older daughter considers staying in a motel "cheating." She thinks that on a camping trip, you're not allowed to do anything but camp. I'm not sure where she gets these ideas? I'm not sure if bringing frozen hamburgers is also cheating...perhaps we're only supposed to eat what we've personally hunted? I think we've watched too much Survivorman together....

10:00pm-ish
We had a pleasant low-key evening in Lake George. We drive into the town and walked around. The lake itself is very pretty - the town around it less so. It's very commercial and touristy - the kind of place I don't really enjoy. But it was nice to walk around. We found a place on the waterfront that had wings and beer, and we enjoyed our meal and the view of the water. We walked some more afterwards and even found a couple of geocaches (Phil is a cacher in addition to Eric and me.)

Now we're back in the rooms. We all watched some TV together, but now Eric and I are back in our room reading, and lights out will be soon.