(Check back for more pics later!)
From Plattsburgh, we started our day today heading south on Route 3 towards the Adirondack Mountains. Route 3 is another FAT highlighted route in the Harley Tour Book and we thouroughly enjoyed this ride as well.
The north end of the park is relatively sparse as far as population and towns. We followed the Saranac River for quite a long way and it’s a bucolic area through Cadyville, Redford and down through to Saranac Lake. The river is lazy and the thick trees and bushes along the shores reach out over the water. A perfect paddling river.
Saranac Lake is a gorgeous little town and one we would love to come back to and stay for awhile. It was first settled in the very early 1800s and today, the village boasts a very large number of historic buildings in the downtown core. It turns out, it was once an international center for treating tuberculosis and it was the place where a cure was eventually developed. Who knew?
Today, it’s a very artsy little town on the banks of it’s namesake lake and there are lovely little cafes, art gallerys and other delightful little shops to mooch around through. And, of course, it’s nestled in the middle of the stunning Adirondack Mountains. The park itself is over 2.5 million acres of preserved land that is State owned.
From Saranac, we headed over to Tupper Lake which was also interesting. While not nearly as picturesque as Saranac Lake, when you first come into the town of Tupper Lake, you are immediately met by an ENORMOUS set of white buildings that look like either a military compound or a small university. Turns out, it’s a hospital for people with mental illness so, without knowing much else about it, I imagine it must be a central hospital for people from across the State given that Tupper is just a tiny town.
Heading south on Route 30, we came to Blue Moutain Lake and, at this point, things started to get very touristy. What they call Central Adirondacks is a massively popular outdoor recreation area and there are hundreds of beautiful resorts and a plethora of lakes everywhere. Around every corner is another lake and some of them are very large. They form a group that people come to paddle and, like Saranac River, these lakes are idyllic. It is truly a paddlers paradise here. In many ways, this area is, to New York State what the Muskoka area is to Ontario - major cottage country and some of them are jawdropping, matching Whistler Mountain Village chalets in their splendour. But, in between some of these huge cottages are many smaller cabins that have stood the test of time...
Over to Old Forge, we stopped again and had a look around. As the story goes, back in the early 1800s, an iron mine opened here and a fellow built the first forge in the area which quickly became a meeting place for locals and then the center of the first European settlement here. The old forge itself is long gone but the name remains.
Continuing south, by the time we passed through Woodgate, the mountains subsided and the terrain flattened out. All day today, Lynn’s engine light was coming on and his volt meter was low so we decided to high tail it to the closest dealership in Utica, NY. We were grateful we didn’t end up stranded in the mountains! We made it in by 3pm and Doug, the service manager, was awesome. Harley dealerships almost always prioritize people who are travelling through and Doug got Lynn’s trike on the diagnostic machine ASAP. Turns out he needs some electronics replaced but they didn’t have time to finish the job today so we booked into a hotel (TOO HOT TO CAMP!! About 35 in the city...) and managed to get a couple loads of laundry done and some of this blog caught up.
I went on Trip Advisor and saw that there was a Delmonico’s right next door and it’s rated the #4 restuarant in Utica (a small city of about 65,000 people.) Delmonico’s has a long and storied history, beginning in New York City in the 1800s and it has morphed and changed hands over the years. At one time, it was a speakeasy during prohibition in NYC. There are now several other locations throughout NY State, with Utica being one of them. They are world famous for their Delmonico Steak - a 24 ounce Rib Eye. We shared one and it was still a huge meal. We also shared their legendary Tiramisu and seriously, it was probably the best I’ve ever had. Perhaps the best part of Delmonico’s is the decor. It’s sort the peak of 1970s Italian Rube with shiny gold stuff everywhere (vases etc.) and gold plastic bead curtains adorning the walls. There is a special dining room encased in glass walls which is the show piece of the restaurant - designed by the owner’s wife. A golden table surrounded by golden upholstered chairs and a behemoth crystal chandelier. It is absolutely breathtaking in all it’s kitschy glory... Delmonico’s completely made my day. Hands down the best meal we’ve had this entire trip and the ambiance was perfection. Next time you’re in Utica, NY, do yourself a favour and hit up Delmonico’s. Your NY mafia boss alter-ego will be delighted. And buy the steak.
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