Traveling Blue Ridge Road, An Adirondack Scenic Bonanza

I'd just left Frontier Town, where the dogs had had a fun rest stop. I next traveled up Blue Ridge Road, headed for the town of Newcomb. Blue Ridge Road is a scenic treasure indeed. The first stop was the Adirondack Buffalo Company, surrounded by mountains:

I stopped to see the bison which were quite close to the road on that day:

But I didn't go inside and buy any meat. I just enjoyed the scenery for a moment and then continued on my way:

The dogs waited in the car while I snapped pictures. That beautiful home across the road belongs to the owners of the buffalo farm and that's a miniature covered wagon behind the pickup truck:

C'mon, Dad. Can we get moving again?:

We continued climbing higher on Blue Ridge Road, but I stopped to snap a photo of this magnificent, historic barn:

And the Papillons liked it too:

I'd planned to give the dogs a rest stop at the top of the mountain by the Bog River, but found people camping there when I arrived:

So I pulled into the forest across the road from there and let the dogs out:

We couldn't go far, but enjoyed the forest while we we could:

Winky had slowed down a lot lately and Wally had just died the previous day, so I determined to get a photo of his cute little face in a natural setting. He looked so happy to be out in the forest that I'm very glad I got this picture. Winky died the next morning and was buried near the fence in the north hay field:

Fergus and Seamus eyed the forest, the Papillons ran around like little imps and then we continued on our way:

The Start Of A Very Special Trip Up To The Farm

I left for the farm on a Sunday morning and began driving northward, just as I usually do. But this trip would be different because my sister was coming all the way from Columbus, Ohio to visit. And her daughter, my niece, would be coming with her, bringing along her beloved Papillon all the way from Chicago. When their visit ended, my niece's Papillon would stay with me and my friendly dog pack. So I drove northward as far as Exit 29, pulled into the old, abandoned Frontier Town and went straight for the beautiful shores of the Schroon River:

My six dogs needed a rest stop and frankly, so did I. We walked down to the river and looked around:

Wally trotted across the sand dunes between the forest and the river:

Winky and Fergus joined him for a sniff-fest:

But I gave them a call, wanting them down by the river to get a drink before we continued on our way to the farm:

The trees were just beginning to acquire their autumn colors and the scene was altogether pleasant:

The dogs ran up and down the shore and had themselves a thoroughly wonderful time:

But we couldn't spend too much time there, so I gave them a call and we began moving back toward the car:

But Seamus, of course, wanted to go into the water before returning to the car. That way he'd be wet and covered with sand when he jumped in: Both dogs and kids seem to delight in making messes:

Dainty little Clover trotted up over the sand dunes toward the car. I got all the dogs loaded up and we continued on our way, traveling up Blue Ridge Road toward Newcomb:

I stopped at the Adirondack Buffalo Company along the way, both to enjoy the view and to buy some meat for my family's visit:

I purchased Bison meat and Elk meat to cook for my family and returned to the car to find the dogs all anxious about where I'd gone and why I'd left them behind. We then continued on our way, but I'll post more tomorrow:

Page 2 - North Hudson, New York, The Hub Of The Adirondacks

I was on my way home from a weekend up at the farm with my usual carload of dogs. We'd made it to Blue Ridge Road in North Hudson and were headed down the mountain toward Exit 29 from which we'd drive the rest of the way home on the Northway. I was enjoying the scenic views and pleasant homes along the way:

This is Adirondack forest country and any home had to be surrounded by trees, mountains and wilderness. But these people clearly embraced that closeness with nature:

I passed by the entrance to the Ragged Mountain Fish And Game Club:

Now, this was real Adirondack living!:

More views of the surrounding mountains:

A traditional Adirondack home with a modern addition, a woodpile and a boat:

An old barn along the road, a reminder that some hardy souls once farmed here:

And the entrance road to the privately owned Elk Lake Resort. The road is also the starting point for several high peaks hikes. I once used it for a hike up Dix Mountain with a group of friends:

I passed by the bison of the Adirondack Buffalo Company as they grazed in their mountain pastures:

This house apparently belonged to the owners of the Adirondack Buffalo Company:

And their meat and gift shop set alongside the road with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and the bison grazing below:

I continued down the mountain on Blue Ridge Road, encountering some increased population as I went. North Hudson was sparsely populated by anyone's standards, though. I'll post more photos tomorrow:

The Drive Home From The Farm

When it came time for my weekend at the farm to end, I loaded the pooches into the car and headed southward early in the morning. I'd taken so darn many photos over the weekend that I decided not to take any more on the way home. But when a Ruffed Grouse ran across the road causing me to stop and then began displaying as if he dared me to come any closer - well, I had to snap a photo:

We made it all the way to Blue Ridge Road before I took another picture, this time at the beautiful Boreas River at the top of the mountain:

Oops! Seamus, used to sandy river bottoms with gradual slopes, was caught by surprise when he tried to enter the water at this spot. It was filled with large boulders with deep chasms between them. He wisely gave up that endeavor and just enjoyed the shore:

Clover and Daphne danced across the rocks and got a cool drink. And old Winky made it down to the river for a drink of mountain water:

It was all very beautiful and peaceful, but this was only a brief rest stop and we still had many miles to go. So I gave a call and we all began moving back toward the car:

All, that is, except Winky and Wally. They were moving, but very slowly. I was patient and kept encouraging them. When all six dogs were back in the car, we continued on our way:

It would have been a straight run from that point on except that I wanted to stop again at the Adirondack Buffalo Company and get a bit of grass fed Bison meat:

And I loved the view from their observation deck:

These Bison lead a good life:

The pastures are surrounded by mountains:

And the Bison live quietly. I made my purchase and then we continued on our way home:

Stopping At The Old Adirondack Frontier Town

Another Sunday, another trip up to the farm with all six dogs. We took the Northway (Rt 87) from Albany up to Exit 29, where I got off at the abandoned tourist trap, Frontier Town. There were no "POSTED" signs and I had noticed previously that local folks used the property for recreation:

I pulled into the parking lot, noting the former headquarters. I suppose it was a hotel and souvenir shop back when it was operating:

Daphne was excited. She could tell we were headed for an adventure:

At the far end of the parking lot was a small lane leading back into the woods and I turned down it:

This must have been Frontier Town's jail once upon a time:

There was a local family back there teaching their young children to ride motor bikes on the road (not, thankfully, in the woods) and another young family bicycling. As for me, I pulled off into the woods, let the dogs out and discovered the Schroon River and its sandy banks. Fergus and Clover ran and played with great merriment:

Seamus waded into the water for a cooling off and a refreshing drink of mountain water:

The younger dogs ran down the shoreline for a bit and then ran all the way back:

Daphne and  Clover were simultaneously wrestling and running while blind old Wally trotted slowly behind them:

The youngsters almost went in with Seamus but then changed their minds:

Winky resisted coming down the sand hill to the water's edge, but once I'd coaxed him down there he seemed to be having a great time:

But of course this was only a brief rest stop and we soon had to return to the car. Winky again resisted and I had to coax him back to the car. Once all the dogs were loaded up and I'd counted heads, we set out on Blue Ridge Road past the Adirondack Buffalo Company toward the town of Newcomb and on our way to the farm: