All work and no play makes Darrin a dull boy.
After multiple tours of snow removal duty Sunday night and Monday from the foot-plus snowstorm, I was more than ready to enjoy the bounty!
Had it in mind to make a Newcomb run. That’s a really nice ride when trails are good.
Unloaded my snowmobile from the ilsnow wagon at the end of Pelon Road and started my ride just after 10am.
Heading out
S87 / 42nd and Broadway was a white carpet ride along Cedar River.
Encountered a fresh groom on C8A/Old S84 leaving Indian Lake from the groomer making its return run. You’ll never find the trail much better than this.
Newcomb trail/O’Neil Flow Road to Hamilton/Essex County line had yet to enjoy a post-storm groom, but was a fun romp through fresh powder. Encountered some lumps nearing County Line.
Picked up a fresh groom on C8A/Newcomb side and rode that into Newcomb proper. SWEET!
Did a scratch and sniff on C7B toward Long Lake for about a mile. Didn’t look like it had been groomed past Route 28N crossing Tuesday morning, but certainly wasn’t bad riding.
Snowbank trail along Route 28N to Lake Harris hadn’t been tamed yet. Lots of unpacked pow pow to muscle through.
I laid first tracks on Lake Harris – and the snow was steep-n-deep! Powder flew over the hood onto my dashboard.
Campsite to Overlook trail only had a couple fresh tracks on it. I was nearly 100 percent sure who broke that trail.
Got to Town of Newcomb Visitor Center and had a great visit with Dave Hughes, recreation and events coordinator there. Newcomb’s new visitor center is amazing! Wish I had taken some pictures for show and tell. When you get to High Peaks Overlook, cross the highway and take a look inside.
Dave is an amazing ambassador for Newcomb. I don’t know anyone happier at his job! And yes, he broke the trail from Campsite to Overlook on his way to work on snowmobile.
On Dave’s recommendation, I rode Local 538 trail from Campsite to Santanoni Preserve. That was a steaming bowl of powder chowder!
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To Blue Mountain Lake
Once I returned to the homeland, I ran S84 to Blue Mountain Lake. Was a claustrophobic and post card pretty ride to Lake Durant.
Trail along NY 28/30 to S84/Old Stage trail was under a snowbank, so I turned tail and gripped-it-and-ripped-it through deep powder on Lake Durant. Route 28/30 snowbank near Durant Road was unbroken and looked too daunting to cut back to Old Stage trail from there.
Got creative and rode snow-covered Durant Road to NYSEG substation and romped through the ungroomed local trail until I reached the Town trail by Blue Mountain Rest. Wanted to have some good eats at Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner but it wasn’t open.
That left me to ride S84/Old Stage trail back to Lake Durant. AWESOME cloud riding through that avenue. Reminded me of Morehouse trail.
Followed where others had broken through the snowbank and rode side of Route 28/30 until I got back to S84 near Lake Durant.
Return to Indian Lake
C8A/Old S84 back to Indian Lake was GREAT! You heard me correctly: IT WAS GREAT! Don’t have many better rides on that trail.
C8/S86 main drag was a good ride into town. S85/Ski Hut trail was untracked groomer ribbon.
Hit up McSweeney’s for dinner and wasn’t disappointed. Started with the awesome roasted red pepper and smoked gouda soup. Amy told me that someone ordered the soup because they had seen it on a previous ride report. Looks good, eh?
I could have pushed the yummy sweet potato fries aside to better display the Reuben. But I can tell you it’s one of the best Reuben’s I’ve eaten. Outstanding!
After dinner, I found S86a to resemble Little Canada, especially between Sawmill Road and Lone Birch. I was sure to thrash that thrice. WHAT A RUSH!
Ripped across Adirondack Lake, hopped over snow dunes on the lake like a grass hopper to Pelon Road and completed the Victory Lap I had started in the morning. 92 clicks on the odometer when I loaded my sled onto the trailer just after dark.
Bottom line
After the storm, snowpack has settled into an 18-30 inch mantle, with 3+ feet lurking in the snowbowls. CLASSIC mid-winter prime here!
You know I love my road trips up north and banging out mega-milers from the compound.
But conditions are now good enough for me to enjoy local Town trails for the sheer pleasure of riding them, instead of using them as a means to an end, like bagging another high miler.
I didn’t even break 100 miles today, yet can say this is one of my best rides of the season.
Call off work, sick or dead! Screw the boss. His company will continue with or without you.
Ride map
Click here for ride stats, larger map and 3D Flyover
For the ilsnow nation,
Darrin
