Newcomb, New York, A Mountain Town

The next stop on our journey was the Adirondack town of Newcomb. I didn't spend much time there or take many photos, but how could I resist stopping a moment and taking in such beauty?:

The views from Newcomb are majestic and there's a sign identifying the mountains. I didn't linger, though:

The dogs had to see the sights from inside the car, but they'd just had two rest stops:

It was Sunday morning, and church services were in progress right across the street:

One last look at the surrounding peaks and I was on my way again:

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:

Tupper Lake - The Lake, Not The Town

I was traveling up to the farm and had taken a new route, beginning on Blue Ridge Road. I traveled through the towns of Newcomb and Long Lake and then north to the town (and the lake) of Tupper Lake. I pulled off the road into the parking area of the boat launch:

Tupper Lake stretched out before me, shimmering in the morning light. A small boat with two people and a large dog floated out in the open waters:

But I turned my attention to the grassy area on which I was standing, beginning with this Red Admiral butterfly resting on a Dandelion blossom:

And wild strawberries in bloom:

And Dandelions. If they were difficult to grow instead of invasive, people would be lovingly cultivating them in pots and greenhouses, developing new varieties and forming Dandelion Lovers Societies:

And many small patches of Bluets:

Tupper Lake is very long and narrow. I could only see the area closest to me. It would have been a fine time to lauch a boat and go exploring:

But this place was too public to let the dogs out. They had to wait in the car and watch me. I'd look for another place to give them a rest stop:

I bid farewell to the lovely shoreline of Tupper Lake and continued on my way:

I investigated another boat launch area as we traveled north but concluded that this one wouldn't be a good place to give the dogs a rest stop either. So I continued on my way along Route 30:

Another Trip Up To The Farm With A Stop Along Route 28N

With work on the barn going at an exciting pace I was soon back on the road driving up to the farm. But this time I decided to take another route just for variety. I was driving on Route 28N through the Adirondacks near Newcomb, New York when I spotted a pull-off which I knew from previous trips had a nice place where I could give the dogs a rest stop. We all hopped out of the car and down a small hill to a brook:

Little Daphne and Clover stopped only momentarily for a drink before resuming their race through the forest:

Old Wally, in spite of his failing eyesight, happily walked across the water on a moss covered log:

And crabby old Winky did the same. These two old guys have not yet given up their spirits of adventure - they're just slower and more cautious these days. But this was just a quick rest stop and within minutes we were all back in the car and on our way once again toward the farm. I'll post more tomorrow:

Driving Through Two Adirondack Towns

We were on our way up to the farm, the dogs and I, for a weekend visit and traveling Route 28N. When we arrived at the wonderful Adirondack town of Newcomb, New York, I at first stopped at the park with its nice views of the high peaks. But I've photographed them many times before and they just didn't look much different that day. So I turned onto a side road and followed it a short distance until it ended at the Hudson River Information Center. No one was there, but I got out to take a look:

There was a small logging museum and out behind the building was, not surprisingly, the Hudson River. Folks in southern New York would be surprised to see the mighty Hudson so small, so pristine, so lovely, The river runs almost east to west at this point and this view is looking west:

And looking east:

But that was all there was, so I hopped back into the car, returned to the highway and stopped again at Lake Harris, also in Newcomb. Again, no one was there so this time I let the dogs out:

They were all excited and happy to be out, exercising and giving everything the sniff test:

Crabby little old Winky, however, was moving very slowly and needed a lot of encouragement to get him to join us:

But join us he did, and seemed very happy about it:

The next order of business, of course, was getting all the dogs back into the car. This went quite well except for Winky. He was as slow as usual and required a boost to get him up into the car:

When we arrived in the Adirondack town of Long Lake, I stopped at Hoss's general store. It was decorated with real birch bark and twig art. And if that's not enough, there was a giant bear outside. Their website is here:

Hoss's had a giant eagle or two plus more bears, ducks and herons on and about its front porch:

I went inside to buy myself a sandwich, but as has happened before, their deli was abandoned and nothing was available. Luckily there was a convenience store right across the street, so I bought a sandwich and we continued on our way. I'll post more tomorrow:

The Adirondack Town Of Newcomb, New York

The dogs and I were driving up to the farm through the Adirondacks via Route 28N and had already seen some magnificent scenery. We'd had a rest stop along a bubbling brook and stretched our legs. Then we arrived in the small town of Newcomb, New York. I parked across the street from a small church so that I could photograph the high peaks visible just over the tree line:
These mountains are much closer than they appear here, just a few miles away in fact:

Just beyond those trees stand a few of the Adirondacks' higher peaks. The town of Newcomb is a great place to get a view:

The grassy field in town appeared to be a park, and there was a monument identifying those mountains visible from that spot:

I got back into my car and continued on, enjoying the small town sights. It felt much like going back in time:

This rather ramshackle looking general store may or may not have still been in business. I couldn't tell by looking and I didn't try the door. I suspect because of the ice machine, however, that it was indeed open for business:

Lake Harris abuts the town and runs right along the highway:

I stopped with the dogs near the water's edge for a few shots of that wonderful, pristine Adirondack lake:
One more photo and we were on our way once again:

And just outside of Newcomb we crossed over this scenic Adirondack stream. Believe it or not, this is the Hudson River, just south of its origin but far north of where it becomes a major river: