Lake Placid

[TIBURON]

Lake Placid
I want to go to lake placid, I'm leaving on Sunday morning getting there Sunday evening, stay there at the hotel the northwoods for 89 a night, I'm staying there for 2 nights while riding around lake placid during the day coming back on Wednesday!!
I ride a vtx 1800, who is in??

I've read about the roads not being in the best condition after the flooding, but one thing is for sure that if I don't make this trip, I will regret it in the coming months of cold weather. If you guys have any tips please welcome, I checked weather and it's going to be 18+ during the day and 3 at night!
I need to do this!! Are we bikers or posers?? Lol

[canadianshark74]

I like your forum name.

We did the Lake Placid tour last fall at this time.

High Falls Gorge was nice to see in the morning.
Call the base of Whiteface Mt before heading up the mountian. The people at the base will tell you what the visibility is like from the summit.
9N south to Lake George is a really nice ride.
From Lake George: Head west on CR4, it is a really nice road that snakes along a few lakes. Then head back to Lake Placid for the night.

Hope this helps,
cheers

[l84toff]

Wife and I just did Lake Placid area twice in a week, in fact we just got home yesterday. Saranac Lake was our first stop on a week long trip. We stayed in the Adirondack Motel, quite nice actually. We then headed east to Gaspé but ended up coming back through the area on the way back. We stayed in Plattsburgh the last night of our trip and came through Lake Placid on the way home. We actually wanted to hit Whiteface mountain on the way back but we got there before 9. It seems the mountain is closed prior to 9am. We wondered if the mountain was aware of that. Perhaps all the little animals punch out, get out of their suits and check in to a local animal motel at the top somewhere. Then there was fee to go up, $16. Although I'm not sure if she meant each or for both of us on the bike.

Have I mentioned how we both hate the commercialism of everything natural and beautiful? So we left without waiting and paying. Sorry, had to vent. And I do realize that it costs $ to keep things looking that way but I will say they certainly don't spend any of your $16 on roadwork leading up to the mountain.

The roads were actually fine. There were a couple of spots where they were clearly fixing up the sides of the road or the road itself but they were all passable. We crossed over in Ogdensburg and came in this way. We came home this way. Although we've been up to Lake Placid before, both these routes were new to us and I would say they were ok. The Lake Placid area is quite spectacular as far as scenery goes. As we didn't spend a lot of time there this year we are thinking of camping out for a few days next year just to check out the local sights.

I think I would prefer to go via Buffalo area, simply because I hate riding across the city on the 401, but to each their own. Taking the I-90 will cost you about $6.30 if I remember correctly but it's a pretty smooth ride. Watertown was kind of dumpy and strangely had an incredible amount of traffic for a small place. I would probably take 90 to Rome or so and cut up from there, something like this instead rather than anything else we've done so far. Of course you can avoid taking the freeway all together but it'll cost you in time.

We were expecting much more colour to the trees being Sep but everything was still quite green. We were there 2 years ago 2 weeks later in Sep and it was much different. Have a safe ride.

[HarleyHare]

Wife and I just did Lake Placid area twice in a week, in fact we just got home yesterday. Saranac Lake was our first stop on a week long trip......Have a safe ride.

If you liked Lake Placid, that's the appetiser. You should go for the main course and travel a bit further east to Mount Washington in New Hampshire, and pay the toll, its not that tragic. Its the closest thing to Pike's Peak in the North-eastern States. Temperature at the base this time of year is about 70 F, at the top its about 35 F. Wear warm clothing. The climb is spectacular with tonnes of scenery. There are many hikers at the lodge at the top as its part of the Appalachian Trail.

And stay away from the I-90 and 401 across the top of Lake Ontario, unless of course you like slabbing it. Those are the reasons I ride in the U.S. to get to decent riding roads. Unless you have an a Gold Wing or a truck, I see little point in going at high speed in a straight line....boring.

[ike]

I've been to Lake Placid a couple of times... stayed at Art Devlin's Olympic Motor Inn .... it is a great place with reasonable rates. It is really close to downtown L. Placid, so you can park your bike and go walking around town in the evening. There are some decent restaurants/pubs close by as well. http://www.artdevlins.com/

Enjoy your trip!

[Carmen]

I am in Lake Placid as I type this. I am using the Crowne Plaza's computer room. I am burning some time on the computer as I wait for the temps to warm up. It is Friday morning at 10:30 am and the temperature is 40 f. It is supposed to reach 55f today, and 62f tomorrow so its all good.

I left Aurora Wed. afternoon at 2:00 and stayed the night in Gananoque. Thursday morning I awoke to rain and a temperature of 10 c. I put on my rain suit and crossed the border at the Ivy Lea bridge. It rained on me the whole time and by 2:00 pm I had had enough so I started looking for a motel for the night. I was in Tupper Lake at 1:00, and in hind sight I should have stayed there for the night and cut my losses. However, I did the macho thing and continued to ride south on 30 hoping to get as close to my destination (Lake George) as possible. I passed the Adirondack Hotel in Long Lake and thought, that would be a nice place to stop. Hotel, restaurant, pretty spot right on the lake my oasis for the night. For some unexplainable reason I again ignored my better judgement and continued south on 30 to Racquet Lake. The gas station attendant informed me I missed my turn and that I was headed to Old Forge. I was trying to get to Lake George.


Finally realizing that I was not going to make it to Lake George, I doubled back for 30 minutes and returned to the Adirondack Hotel on Long Lake. Thankfully, I was able to get a room. This place was built in 1855. While I was grateful to get out of the weather for the night, this hotel had um.. "Character". It cost me $120 a night for a room with a private bathroom. As well, I learned that the room had no TV. Oh well, at least they had a diner and bar that served Bud on tap for $2.00. When I removed my clothes I found that my clothes I was wearing were soaked. Thankfully I had wrapped my travel clothes in garbage bags so they were ok. I spent an hour drying my clothes and boots with a borrowed hair dryer. While the hotel was a little over priced I was grateful for the room and would have paid $150 if I had to.

I will be in Lake George Friday night and Lake Placid Saturday night. I will be headed home Sunday morning.

Btw, haven't come upon any washed out roads yet.

[TIBURON]

Thanks a lot guys, I just printed a map with all the directions and routes described by all of you, I have a GPS as well just in case, I am leaving sunday afternoon getting to lake placid sunday night, i already have reservations, on monday i will go to whiteface mountain, and tuesday going to lake George, spending that night at lake placid again coming back home on wednesday. I know its going to be a bit chilly, bit weather calls for sunny days ahead, maybe rain on tuesday but I dont mind!! I will post some pictures later!!
Once again, Thank you !! Canadian Shark we have to go riding mang !! lol

[gcrouse]

Ahmen [QUOTE=HarleyHare;1656142
And stay away from the I-90 and 401 across the top of Lake Ontario, unless of course you like slabbing it. Those are the reasons I ride in the U.S. to get to decent riding roads. Unless you have an a Gold Wing or a truck, I see little point in going at high speed in a straight line....boring.[/QUOTE]

[gcrouse]

Amen Boring and dangerous

If you liked Lake Placid, that's the appetiser. You should go for the main course and travel a bit further east to Mount Washington in New Hampshire, and pay the toll, its not that tragic. Its the closest thing to Pike's Peak in the North-eastern States. Temperature at the base this time of year is about 70 F, at the top its about 35 F. Wear warm clothing. The climb is spectacular with tonnes of scenery. There are many hikers at the lodge at the top as its part of the Appalachian Trail.

And stay away from the I-90 and 401 across the top of Lake Ontario, unless of course you like slabbing it. Those are the reasons I ride in the U.S. to get to decent riding roads. Unless you have an a Gold Wing or a truck, I see little point in going at high speed in a straight line....boring.

[Carmen]

Just got home from the Adirondacks after 4 days. While the days were nice. The mornings had temps barely above freezing that didn't warm up above 10c until after lunch time. Just something to keep in mind. Early morning starts are painful this time of year in the mountains.

[MacDoc]

I think you caught an unusual stretch of early autumn cold ( partially the flip side of the hurricane off the east coast ).

But yeah single digits in the morning will be the norm in the mountains these days.
Tib - don't charge up Whiteface.....it's got paved whoops that are down right nasty....and hard to see if the cloud base is low.

Have fun - great area.

[HarleyHare]

Just got home from the Adirondacks after 4 days. While the days were nice. The mornings had temps barely above freezing that didn't warm up above 10c until after lunch time. Just something to keep in mind. Early morning starts are painful this time of year in the mountains.

For whatever reason after September 15th the weather turns sharply colder. For that reason I start my tours to the U.S. after labour day but get it done by September 15. This way everybody is back at work or back at school, you've got uncrowded roads, no problems with hotel accodomodation and still lots of the residual summer heat remaining. This year was exceptionally warm when I went September 10 to 14, it was mid 70 F to 80 F daily.

The other alternative is try June before the schools are out for summer.

[Carmen]

Btw, I did a short loop into Vermont crossing over at Chimney Point on the free ferry. Here are my observations: 17 going up the Appalachian Gap was beautiful but the condition of the road was shameful. It had buckled immensely right in the middle of the lane, and I don't think this happened over night. Vermont is a beautiful place, but they have to start spending some money on their roads. 100 south was fine but I had to detour just north of 125 due to Hurricane Irene damage. The detour was only 15 minutes long, and it allowed me back on 100 in time to turn west on 125. While on 100 I observed uprooted trees resting in unnatural places. The condition of 125 was not bad and allowed me to maintain a spirited pace with out fear of being swallowed up by cracks in the road.

[TIBURON]

I am right now in lake placid at the hotel, temperature is 16 and sunny, I went to whiteface this morning and it was beautiful!!! I've never seen anything like this!! Tomorrow I am going to lake George and stay there overnight, then going back to Toronto on Wednesday!! Thanks guys for your advice!!

[MacDoc]

You picked a perfect time tho suspect you will hit some rain on the way home.
Happened to us last year....
We got caught in some old car monster rally in Lake George last year......took us an hour to get out of town.....

American's like their parties.