Lake George, New York

     This past week we drove to upstate New York to see our family. I was encouraged to see our mothers in such good spirits and our parents' homes still holding strong. I got some chores done around the property and had a bit of time to visit with Steve's parents as well. It was brutally hot every single day, but we decided my mom could endure an air conditioned boat ride on Lake George. We made a girls day of it and I'm so glad we did. We chose the Lac du Saint Sacrement cruise because it served a lunch buffet and would tour the lake for two hours. It's the first I've been to the lake in eleven years.
     When we were growing up, the Adirondack mountains were our summer playground. Steve's family had a camp on Brant Lake and my family went to Lake George every summer to camp, rent a cabin or just drive up for a day picnic or boat ride on the water. Even though it's only an hour away from Albany, the air is a few degrees cooler and the northern lakes are especially beautiful to me. The lake water is clear and cold with an ever present breeze blowing across the water. I was surprised by how little boat traffic there was on the lake and how quiet the village was on this visit. Perhaps it was due to the heat or maybe the economy. I remember this place to be bustling in the middle of summer, unlike this day. It's hard to imagine from these photos, but Lake George was actually too busy a place for my taste. I preferred the quiet of Brant Lake, Schroon Lake or Blue Mountain Lake; just a few of the many other lakes dotting the Adirondack mountains.
     A few facts: Lake George is 32 miles long and 4 miles wide. It runs north-south with the water flowing north. Control of the lake was fought over between the British and French during the French and Indian War with Fort William Henry and Fort Ticonderoga flanking its southern and northern ends. It is 200 feet deep at its deepest. The entire Adirondack Mountain range is a state park encompassing 6.1 million acres, making it the largest park in the U.S. It thankfully remains beautiful and underdeveloped.

Me at the railing of the Lac du Saint Sacrement.

The Sagamore Hotel, built in 1883.

The other side of the Sagamore.

One of many beautiful estates on the lake.

Another Lake George Steamboat Company boat.

Looking northward with islands. Many of the islands can be rented from the state for camping.

The paddle wheel boat also owned by the Steamboat Company.