Adirondack LettersNo.21: A Road Story. Pick your road with care. Get off hard pavement onto a nature track. Take time to look around, enjoy the quiet. CLICK & GO! (On this page.) Adirondack Letter No.21: "A Road Story." (On the next page.) Links to all the Adirondack Letters in this series. 
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to get on our mailing listAnd receive occasional Adirondack Letters like this. "A Road Story" Adirondack Letter No.21 Subject: A Road Story Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:09:13 From: Martin (Your Adirondack Guide) To: Fourpeaks Visitors At: < youremailname@youremail.address > Dear Fourpeaks Visitor, I've traveled the road to camp maybe thousands of times in all the years. A five hour drive up from the city, you could say I know every turn and tree. And the states of mind as well, that come along with it. The frustration stuck in traffic, before getting out to where it's open and less travelled. The impatient sense of fun with a just a girlfriend alongide, some food and wine. The noisy excitement with all the kids aboard and Albert on a family visit. And just me after breaking up with her, alone and empty, away for months. There's a spot on 73 where the road turns up into the mountains by Keene. I feel it every time. On Stonehouse road, except for the Peckham place and a few culverts, the landmarks are all natural. A high sandpit ringed with great pine at the top, a deep hollow on the Granite Company land, the sag, a swamp, and giant maple opposite Perkins. We cut one years ago that died. It took forever and the broad stump defied Willy's saw to the end. Three feet across, you can still find it on the right near Sugar. He spotted another one not long ago, but I told him to let it be. Time enough when it falls down on it's own. (Not likely we'll bring that in any time soon.) Anticipation builds in increments along with the rise in elevation, till it levels out for good at Halsey Straight's place. His farmhouse spruce, grown tall and majestic, now join the canopy of oak and maple above. Stretched out ahead with a gentle curve, the road feels peaceful, like home. Years ago Mitch made a fine color photo of it in Fall. Looks like a cathedral interior with bright stained glass around. I'll find it and put it on the webpage. I framed some of his other stuff in the kitchen at The Cabin. B&W. Snowbound in Winter, even for just a day or two, feels like shipboard at sea. Nothing on the horizon and nothing expected either, considering the location. The town plows their part right away, but I tell Willy not to rush with my quarter-mile driveway. I don't need anything, no guests for a while, and I enjoy the isolation. White and deep, with no tracks but my own, I shovel a path to the privy, for the exercise. Later, traveling on it, even with good studded tires, you develop a special sense of control, like skiing. Maintain momentum, keep the wheels in track, and brake gently or not at all. Spring thaw, for a brief period, the road is nearly unnavigable. Ditches and culverts clogged with mud and trash, water comes down hard making deep cuts in the sandy soil. You must take care to stay off the shoulders no matter what. Up from the city in this season many years ago, I found a barricade, "Road Closed." I moved it over, and went up. Only a mile to the end, the blocked and broken road that day gave me the feel of my backcountry. They came a few days ago and plowed it smooth, but there are wet soft spots in it still and it'll be a while before it dries out enough for proper planing and shaping the ditches again. Time to clear the road to Ridge. Winter guests spoke of deadfall on the way. Got to High Meadow early on and cleared some good sized popple there. But I was more concerned about mud and water on the long flat after Great Rock. Billy's strongest with the chain saw. He came up after work just yesterday and we went up together. It was dry on the grade and we picked up rotten birch and broken limbs of all kinds. On the flat I put my wheels high on the side for traction just to be sure. No need. The water cuts Kevin put in last Summer, though they made for bumpy travel at the time, did fine. One really troublesome big jack pine, several trees hung up overhead, and lots of smaller stuff. We picked up birch at the view spot and entirely cleared the "go-round" that connects to the corner swamp and the ridge beyond. All oak mostly. We cut and loaded the blocks for firewood. It was near dark by the time we got done. Billy wants to come back to get birch bark for a decoration at his new house. And harvest more oak that's down. I said ok. Thanks for reading this. Pick your road with care. Get off hard pavement onto a nature track. Take time to look around, enjoy the quiet. And stay awhile. With just this in mind, I took a roadtrip this Winter. It took considerable effort and application to get far enough away from the miles of housing developments, Walmarts, national chain hotels, and the food and other outlets of all kinds. Read about it-- http://4peaks.com/pprdhome.htm I can make finding quiet much easier for you. Visit my Fourpeaks, a natural place just hours from home. Get the views-- http://4peaks.com/fotrails.htm Enjoy the comfort and seclusion of a real Adirondack cabin-- http://4peaks.com/fcamp.htm Make some time to experience it! (Availability Calendar.) http://4peaks.com/femail0.htm Your Adirondack Guide, Martin P.S. If you liked this letter, save it for the links, and tell a friend! If you didn't like it, please send it back with "REMOVE" as the subject. Thanks. Member Whiteface Mountain Visitors Bureau Member Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau ************************************************************* This is No.21 of a really occasional Letter, "Hints of Balsam and Pine from our Corner of the Adirondacks," for Fourpeaks guests or anyone who ever inquired about a Fourpeaks Vacation/Getaway. To get off this list reply with "REMOVE" in the subject heading. *************************************************************
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