Day 63 – August 5 – Boonville, NY to Blue Mountain Lake– 63 Miles

Today started with some anxiety.  We needed to make it to Old Forge, NY where we could get Joe’s bicycle serviced.  In between were 30 miles of hills that would test the temporary fix as well as Joe’s ability to climb in a higher gear than would normally be used.  Weather was also an issue as severe storms were predicted for the area in the afternoon.

We got our start early, leaving Booneville by 6:20.  The road conditions turned out to be very good.  Moose River Road had been resurfaced last year.  It was lightly traveled.  We made good time on our way toward Old Forge.  About 7 miles west of town we noticed the skies darkening behind us.  We soon noticed the wall of rain approaching from behind.  We stopped in time to don our rain jackets, and put the rain covers on my panniers.  The deluge started before we were back on the bikes.  We rode the next few miles in the rain before spotting the depot for the Adirondack Scenic Railroad in Thendara just a 2 miles from Old Forge.  We took shelter in the dept until the rain stopped.  We talked with the volunteer crew who were preparing for their Sunday morning trip.

The rain stopped after about a half hour and we found Moutainman Outdoor Supply.  We were able to get Joe’s bike in immediately.  The head mechanic did not get in until 11:00 so we walked into town to find lunch.  When we returned the bike was finished.  The mechanic explained what had been wrong, and what he had done to fix the problem properly.

I checked the weather on my cell phone and there we no storms to the west of Old Forge.  It was still early in the day so we decided to push east.  Our route followed South Shore Drive along the Fulton Chain of Lakes.  Our first goal was the town of Inlet on the east end of the fourth lake.  The ride there went well and after an afternoon break we decide to go another 14 miles to the town of Blue Mountain Lake.  The State of New York has a series of conservation areas throughout the area with several that include camping areas along State Route 28.  We arrived in Blue Mountain Lake around 5:30 PM just as the skies to the west were darkening.  A campsite listed on our maps was no longer open.  Just as we made that discovery a man in a pick-up truck stopped and let us know that we ought to take cover, and that a severe storm was coming.

We had seen a couple of possible lodging options on the west edge of town so we turned around to see what might be available.  The first one we came to was Prospect Point Cottages.  There was a “No Vacancy” sign out but it didn’t hurt to ask any way.  We parked the bikes and walked toward the office where we saw three people standing on the porch.  They turned out to be Carol Doherty, the manager and David and Paul Oestreicher, the owners of the cottages.   They confirmed that they were fully booked, but they generously offered to let us camp on the lawn and use the restroom in the recreation center.

It turns out that the Oestreichers had a passion for hospitality.  The cottages had been a place they spent part of their summer vacations as children and youth.  When they came up for sale several years ago and were in danger of being torn down for a new development, their family purchased the property and began running the business.  At one point, David and Paul told a story, that as youth they had canoed from New York City, up the Hudson River, across the Erie Canal, into Lakes Erie and Ontario, a journey of over a thousand miles.  Along the way they were shown generosity by numerous people, many total strangers.  When we came up this evening, they felt it was an opportunity to “pay it forward.”  For us it was another compelling example of outright graciousness and generosity.

I can easily understand the pride that Paul and David take in running these cottages.  Blue Mountain Lake is in the heart of the Adirondacks.  The cottages are set on the shore of Blue Mountain Lake and offer a serene and tranquil location for spending a vacation.  May of their customers come back each year.  The setting is an escape from busy lives.  Before they left for the evening David and Paul took us on a tour of their recreation building and encouraged us to camp there for the evening.

Tomorrow our goal is Ticonderoga, NY.