Driving to the ‘Daks

We took a day trip to the Adirondacks last week. What an adventure! The weather forecast called for “relatively” precipitation-free weather… but they were wrong. I’ve been on bad roads before (I used to live in Cherry Valley, Rt. 20 area), but this was awful. Just a small amount of wet flurries, and our car was all over the road at times. They had the plows out in full force, but from Remsen to Old Forge, it was pretty dicey.

The scenery was absolutely beautiful. You couldn’t see the mountain tops very clearly, because of the snow and clouds, but they did show their faces every once in a while.

New York’s Adirondack Park is the largest natural park in the continental United States, did you know that? The New York State Constitution guarantees that it will be “forever wild,” and New Yorkers vehemently protect the Adirondacks from over-development and pollution. I am appreciative of all the nice, smooth highways in the park; but a turn off the highway onto a small road is like stepping back 5,000 years in time. The park is huge, it’s wild, and it’s rugged. And it’s beautiful!

We drove up to Tupper Lake, NY, to the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks (known as the Wild Center), and made a pit stop in Raquette Lake to visit the Raquette Lake Navigation Company- the WW Durant is sitting on the frozen lake there, and we visited when the lake was being prepared for a big ice-cutting day. I took hundreds of photos and have been sifting through them all! Stay tuned.

It’s Coming, Get Ready

I live in Upstate New York. So when October is a few hours away, and I say “it’s coming” ….. chances are pretty good that I am referring to WINTER. I read a news story yesterday that said meteorologists are expecting an unusually cold and snowy winter for the Northern Hemisphere– perhaps the coldest of the decade– because of a weak El Nino occurrence this year. Weak El Ninos usually bring very cold winters for us in the Northeast. So we’re preparing for our winter early this year (and it was in the low 40s already today!): getting out the winter clothing, sealing up the windows, buying new coats for these growing children.

Without a doubt, one of the best winter coats you can get are the down jackets. They are light-weight, comfortable, and extremely warm. Webtogs is having a tremendous sale right now; if you are in need of some excellent winter wear or any kind of outdoor wear, you should definitely take a look at their inventory. They offer free shipping with qualifying orders all across the EU, too! Prices are good, service is exceptional, and you can find the best winter wear, and travel and camping gear available at Webtogs. The North face brand name is especially popular, and Webtogs has an incredible selection!

It pays to be prepared before the seriously cold weather hits. Webtogs can help!

Grab Great Discount Deals on Snowboarding Gear

I drove past the Val Bialis Ski Center in Utica the other day– a day of near record-breaking high temperatures for April– and was surprised to see a snowbank on a hill there! Maybe it isn’t snow?? Certainly the snow and ski activities have now come to a halt, but this is the time to start thinking about next year’s sports and recreational season. Snowboarding is very hot with the kids right now (and I know a few adults who compete in snowbaording events here in New York State), and bankrolling that hobby can be really painful. I am the kind of person who hunts deals out of season– in the winter, I buy sandals, beach towels, discounted tickets, etc; and in the spring I buy winter gear. Doing this can save you a ton of money.

So if you’re thinking ahead and are needing some gear for next year’s activities, check out Snowboard-Mountain.com. They are having great deals on snowboard clothes (like the extremely popular North Face coats), snowboard gear, accessories, top of the line snowboards for the serious snowboarder, and more. The site also has some great information on snowboarding (like the history of snowboarding!), learning snowboarding tricks, and they also have educational DVDs and articles. There’s also a great article about learning how to snowboard! It’s the winter sportsperson’s dream! Snowboarding and skiing are two of the most popular sports here in Upstate New York, especially at the foothills of the Adirondacks and the Lake Placid area– so I know some of you readers will find the site a great resource. Check the site for some discount coupons before you buy anything there, to save even more. The site is entertaining and very informative- check it out for everything you need to know about snowboarding, and everything you need to have to make your snowboarding activity a blast!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Squirrel Season

I’ve never seen so many squirrels, all in one place before. Namely, my yard. And these bubbas are FAT. There’s a permanent family of five that have taken up residence on my property (and in my house eaves, I think, ugh). They are very entertaining to watch. For about two weeks now, they’ve been making their rounds around the yard, digging and nibbling on the most miniscule of morsels. WHAT are they discovering in my yard, day after day, that is so fascinating?! lol.

After a few days trying, I did manage to snap a photograph of the little rodents. This photo is particularly amusing. Looks like papa-sahn or mama-sahn is keeping watch while the rest feed their faces. LOL

Click on the image and choose “All Sizes” for a clearer view. Little chubbs, they are!

A Site for the Traveler

Autumn is the lovely repose before harsh reality hits: winter! Winter has its pleasures: football, cozy evenings, woodstoves, and home cooking. But driving and paying the heating bills are pretty scary in these parts. It helps to buffer the discomfort a little by getting great deals on winter gear.

Autumn is the best time to get stuff like this, before winter’s snows start blowing. Be sure to prepare by packing a small emergency kit (portable shovel, blanket, cat litter, flashlight) in your trunk! I never used to do it, not until I had an accident on some slippery roads one winter. That shovel and blanket came in handy!

AJPrindle.com is a good place to start looking for your outdoor needs. They have a great selection of garage and travel gear and equipment, plus loads of stuff for winter’s tailgaiting celebrations, including some great NCAA products for football fans. AJPrindle specializes in travel products– everything from comfy shoes to travel pillows to portable translators! And wait til I show my husband THAT contraption. Guess what it is? It’s called a “wovel.” A shovel with a wheel! AJPrindle says it clears snow three times faster than the regular shovel! LOL! There are some pretty cool gadgets and tools there. Check them out and get all you need to be safe on and off the road this winter.

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