A meal with a view, and the Ironman

July 27 – 28, 2019

July 27 – Today, we were going to explore the Ausable River Gorge (Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks)…….that is, until we found out it was a private business operation that charges $20 pp just to hike around a gorge area. That just seemed like too much to us since there was so much natural beauty around….for free! So we took a little drive, ran a couple errands, and came home. I did a few chores around Alice while Nancy took a 2.4 mile hike on the nearby Cobble Lookout trail.

Later that afternoon, we went to the renowned R. F. McDougal’s Pub located at The Hungry Trout Resort. This pub was designated by Outdoor Life magazine as one of the top 10 fishing bars in America. It was a really friendly place with a great menu, a crusty, but friendly ol’ bartender, and and fantastic views from the dining areas. It was a great evening….and the food was fantastic!

The view from our table at McDougal’s…

July 28 – Today we stayed around home and watched the Lake Placid Ironman event. The biking portion passes right in front of the campground and is considered to be the premier Ironman qualifier event in the country. It’s also the longest-running event aside from the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Starting around 9am, we walked up to the front of the campground and watched the bikers as they rode by. The bike portion of the triathlon is a 112 miles (two times around a 56 mile road course). By the time we saw them, they had already completed a 2.4 mile swim and rode their bike about 45 miles. So 11 more miles to the halfway point of the bike ride…..another 56 miles and a 26.2 marathon! It hurts me just to think about it! 🙂

The two leaders pass by after a 2.4 mile swim and about 45 miles into a 112 mile bike ride