Catching Up in Lake Placid

"In an era of Google Earth, Tom-Toms,MapQuest,Magellan's,GPS, Lonely Planet travel guides to Anartica, and 13 year-olds calling home by satellite phone..from Mount Everest, no less, just how does one become lost anymore?"

-Michael DiGregorio in BIKE

I've been meaning to do some updates lately now that I finally bought a new camera after my other one died. My most recent trip about 3 weeks ago was to Lake Placid, NY for Ironman Lake Placid. I've missed the last two years of Lake Placid due to other NRC races with the road team so I was excited to go back and catch up with my friends and one of the best places in the world. I like that Lake Placid is a little bit off the map. I appreciate that cell phones don't really work up there. I miss living in that small town atmosphere where you pretty know everyone on some level. It's a great place to get LOST. Lost in friends, lost in new trails, lost in good times from "back in the day".

Keep checking back this might take more than one post.


My first stop was to stay with Randy and Lisa. This was actually the fist time I got to meet Jonathon since he was born and like many boys he likes trucks. Randy showed me the trails he's constructed on land adjacent to the house. It was pretty cool to have some ski trail literally right out the back door.


Ken and Julie are the owners of THE BEST BIKE SHOP! If they don't have it you probably didn't need it. It was nice to be invited to the staff party. I spent some hours at the shop since many of my friends were working there and they have a good espresso machine. Kenny was probably glad to see me go and stop bothering the employees.


Placid Planet had a new door that was cool.


And...some big chainrings too!


Liquids and Solids" is a new bar/eatery opened up by some friends. Seems like all us mountain bikers ended up there several times after rides.



I ran into Dusty and Chrissy. Dusty and his sister Lori were some of the first people i met when I moved to Lake Placid in 1992. There mom has been reading my blog! HI!

Ironman week was wet. Not all the time but enough where I worked inside the truck most of the time instead of under the Ez-Up tent. Ironman race day was fun watching Special K, The Schultz, and Devon compete. Keith decided two days before to do it. This was Dave's first Ironman distance and Devon's 2nd or 3rd. Inspiring to see those guys having fun.


Keith


Dave


Me, spectating at the finish from the catwalk on top of the truck.