From The Deer River Flow To The High Peaks Region

I was on my way home with the dogs from a weekend stay at the farm. We began the journey on Port Kent Road which became Red Tavern Road, part of the historic Port Kent Hopkinton Turnpike. But when we arrived at Route 30, I turned south on the highway because to continue on the Port Kent Hopkinton Turnpike would have involved seasonal, unplowed roads. Besides, Route 30 had plenty of its own gorgeous scenery along the way:

The wetlands of the Deer River Flow abutted Route 30 in many places:

All the snow had melted the day before, leaving an autumn-like golden hue to the water's edge. There was so little traffic on Route 30 that I was able to stop anywhere on the shoulder of the road to snap pictures:

The Adirondacks has much real wilderness which can only be accessed by hiking or canoe, but it also has much "almost wilderness" which can be viewed from the comfort of one's car:

And even in these relatively flat sections of the Adirondacks, there were almost always mountains in the background:

More glorious wetlands, part of the Deer River Flow:

And I stopped briefly at Barnham Pond, whose shoreline laps the shoulder of Route 30 just north of Paul Smith's, a sort of combination college and town:

This was a December morning but the waters were not yet frozen over:

But then I turned southeast on Route 86 toward Route 73 and entered the high peaks region:

The scenery was glorious and we were just north of the towns of Ray Brook and Lake Placid. But I'll post more about Ray Brook tomorrow:

From Saranac Lake To Hays Brook Horse Trail

The dogs and I made as far as the town of Saranac Lake and, as I often do, I stopped there to fill my gas tank and to buy a sandwich. But there was a new attraction that day right across the road from the convenience store. I'd already heard about this new project so I knew right away that it was the beginning of the Adirondack Carousel. Instead of just horses, the riders will sit on carvings of Adirondack Woodland Animals (and one horse). I hope to chronicle its progress in my future trips up to the farm:

And from Saranac Lake I drove up through the broad, flat fields in the town of Brighton where Adirondack high peaks frame the view in nearly every direction:

I stopped just long enough for a snapshot at Barnham Pond. Notice how close the road is to the water:

At the far side of Barnham Pond:

But it was time for another doggy rest stop, so I pulled off the highway into the Mountain Pond fishing area. No one else was there so I opened the car doors and let the dogs run:

Mountain Pond is always lovely:

We walked along the shore. The waterline was still higher than normal, a lingering result of Tropical Storms Irene and Lee:

The dogs played along the shoreline:

And then I loaded them all back up into the car:

But instead of leaving by the way we'd come, I continued on for the length of the pond to Hays Brook Horse Trail. And for the first time, I actually saw horses there. I wanted to stop and say "Howdy" to the horses and their owners, but I did not want my dogs to start barking. So I simply snapped a picture of the horses, waved to their owners and kept driving: