Lake Saranac Village

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Hello Hello Hello!

Yes we're alive!! We decided to take the day off in Lake Saranac Village (quite a nice little town!). We're pretty exhausted but enjoying the day off! I'll give you a little rundown of the last six days...

Well the way here was a little tiring we had a red eye flight to Syracuse and then a bus ride to Utica and then a shuttle to Old Forge. Mountainman Canoe supply hooked us up with and awesome canoe and all the essentials! They also let us sleep in the backyard of the store!! Awesome company! Oh and thanks to Jeff who works there for a cooler he gave to us!! It's perfect!

Day 1: Rolled our canoe through Old Forge for a hearty breakfast, which some random really super awesome couple that we hardly talked to bought us breakfast!!! And it was delicious! Then the supermarket for food and then to the launch. That day we kept forgettting stuff like our paddles! Ha so brian ran back and got them. We crossed a bunch of lakes to I think 7th lake. And when we got to 7th lake we realized we left the strap to our wheels all the way back at like 6th lake. Luckily there was a trail and a road. So we did about a 8 mile hike that night! We now just keep it attached to the boat so we don't have to do that again!!!

Day 2:
We made it through 7th and 8th lakes that day and then part of Raquette Lake and planned to finish Raquette buuuuttt...it the wind picked up and got a little freaky so we just found a lean to and stayed there. We met some people who were out fishing and were doing some good camping. They let us stand by their fire and fed us food and some beer. They even brought firewood over to our lean to! Super nice people out here!!

Day 3:
Well we got out on the lake early before there would be wind and had a glassy lake the rest of the way! It was beautiful (actually there really hasn't been anything thats not) We did another lake called Forked Lake. And had a few crappy portages. We have quite a bit of stuff and well the dry bags are not made like backpacking backpacks and you feel every pound of stuff! Brian also has to carry the canoe which is quite heavy but we just bought him some pads to put on the yoke that should help!! Anyways after Forked Lake we got onto Long Lake which it is REALLLY long... it was super windy which was annoying so we pulled in and portaged through the town and got a really greasy burger which was not a good idea, and ice cream which was a really good idea! And then we just paddled a few miles up to a lean to which was really nice. Did a little laundry and cleaned up and got some rest.

Day 4:
Got up early again so we could have no wind! Of course I (whitny) had a horrible nights sleep, so the early morning was not welcome but needed! We got through the rest of long lake just as the wind picked up. Luckily we got on the Raquette River and did a few miles on that. And a REALLY bad portage which was exhausting. By the way i think portaging is more tiring than doing twenty miles of paddling!! We went up river a bit to a campsite which had a lot of mosquitos! Ugh!! Terrrible! But had a good nights rest.

Day 5:
Up Stoney creek...which was kind of confusing. Brian likened it to the maze of Mordor (if there is such a thing...) Lots of little ways to go and got lost a few times but we made it out and had a "wheelabe" portage...over rocks and roots. It was pretty difficult (you should see the bruises on my thighs from being bashed by the canoe) We have a new appreciation for pioneers who didn't have trails or anything...i can't imagine....Anyways we did Upper Saranac which was a really clean pretty lake and portaged to middle which was slightly like the last portage only shorter. And then middle Saranac which was ok just a little windy. And then finished Lower Saranac. Our Campsite last night was amazing! No Mosquitos firewood already there and a nice little view of a river.

Ok well i'll come write a little in the morning they're shutting off the computers at the library in a minute!!

Whitny (Starbuck)

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Comments

[Bob and Vivian Losser]

Lake Placid - olympic village
We are happy that you are in the Adirondacks. Your are really close to the olympic village. We hope you get a chance to see some of it. If not, we hope you will think about returning to the area. Love and prayers, Uncle Bob and Vivian