Monday, September 20, 2004

Old Forge, NY

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Bald Mountain, also known as Rondaxe Mountain, is located just outside of Old Forge to the north. It is a popular hike, very similar to the Old Rag Mountain hike, hence, it can be very crowded. There is a sign-up sheet at the base of the hike, and on a summer day as many as 400 people will make the climb. Today was a weekday and there were few hikers on the mountain. We arrived at the trailhead just before 10 am and there were two cars in the lot. During the hike we only saw a handful of other hikers.

Atop
Bald Mountain
Like the Old Rag climb, there is a wooded, gradual ascent until reaching the granite boulders near the peak.
Fire Tower
on Bald Mountain
The hike is a mere mile to the top, but with frequent stops at the overlooks, it took us over an hour to reach the summit. There is a fire tower being restored at the top. I ignored the “under repair” signs and climbed to the top where there was a 360 degree view of the surrounding lakes and peaks.

There are several eateries in Old Forge, most of which seem to only be open for breakfast and lunch. We found a bagel café that had good, fresh bagels. We resisted the temptation to use the many computer workstations that offered Internet access for $3 for 15 minutes.

One of the main attractions of Old Forge, besides the water park, is the Old Forge Hardware Store. It contains an amazing amount of merchandise. There was a complete, well-stocked hardware store that contains nearly as many tools as Home Depot. There was a souvenir shop, and outdoor store, a rustic furniture section, and a complete bookstore, all contained within the store. After wandering for nearly an hour we pried ourselves away.Before spending another hour or so on our feet at the Art Guild, we took a walk along the lakefront near the dam and sat for a while on a bench overlooking the lake. As with most areas on the East coast these days, the grass was covered with goose turds and geese grazed nearby. A few minutes after we sat down a small dog appeared, chasing away the geese up and down the shore, as if that were his job for the day.

The Arts Center of Old Forge was hosting the National Watercolor Show, with works on display from around the U.S., including one by Carol Lopatin, an artist with a studio at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA. There were some excellent works and we spent a while checking them out. The design of the show poster has been basically the same since the inception of the annual show nearly 15 years ago and one sees the posters at various retail establishments around town, including the Old Mill Restaurant and our motel room.

We returned to our motel room for a brief nap, and then ventured out for our final dinner out.
View from
Big Moose Inn
The ads for the Big Moose Inn looked interesting so we drove the 15 miles for an early dinner. Although Big Moose Lake is not a large lake, there are at least 3 restaurants and inns along the shore.
Moose head
in Inn lobby
The Big Moose Inn Restaurant overlooks the lake. The barbeque salmon, salad, and Lyonnaise potatoes were very good, as was Kerie's baked haddock. We rocked on the chairs on the deck for a while, then went inside to take a photo of the Moose head in the lobby.

Tomorrow we take the long drive back to Reston, which should take around nine hours. It's been a great vacation in an unexpected location. My earlier perception of the Finger Lakes area was of a rather bland, agricultural area, not the very scenic terrain that we found. For some reason I envisioned the Adirondack area as a redneck playground. The clean, clear air and beautiful lakes were a pleasant surprise. We will certainly consider returning in the future; it's always good when one leaves an area frustrated that there were many places left to explore.

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