Check out the map of our route here. We basically rode in a big circle, with a couple of little jaunts to the side when something was interesting - like the Great Sacandaga Lake, which is actually a reservoir developed to reduce spring-time flooding from the Hudson and Sacadaga rivers. The roads along the lake are perfect for riding - and watching all the various types of boats on the lake. Don't miss Northville, a great little town with a fabulous spot for mid-ride stop: Java John's coffee shop. We stopped mid-morning, sat outside and enjoyed cold beverages, scones and muffins.
After lunch, we were riding through farmland, and all of a sudden came across huge windmills marching across the ridgeline. Later on we found out it's the Hardscrabble Windfarm in Herkimer, NY with 37 windmills! Check out our video of the trip, and you'll see how huge these windmills are.
The Adirondacks is a huge area, over 6 million acres. Designated as a park in 1892, it's actually larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite parks combined - and doubled! There are only 100,000 fulltime residents in the entire park, which means if you stay outside the major tourist towns you have the pavement all to yourself. Camping, hiking, kayaking, and snowmobiling opportunities are everywhere. Some of the thousands of lakes are quiet and undeveloped, while a few are major tourist attractions. In between you'll find lots of small lakes ringed by summer cottages with a small town anchoring the shoreline. One of my favorites is Inlet, on a chain of lakes that are numbered (First through Eighth) rather than named.
We finished the day back in Indian Lakes, right on time for dinner reservations at 6:30pm. There aren't a lot of restaurants, and on a busy summer weekend reservations are definitely in order. It was a perfect day: sunshine, warm but not-too-hot weather, twisty roads up and down through the mountains, very little traffic, and good company. I'm ready to go back!
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