My knees and replaced left hip didn’t think that the most strenuous stretch of the whole trip would be on day 82. Whiteface Mountain is the site of the downhill ski race at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics. There’s a 5 mile drive to near the top. You park there for a “nature trail” to the chilly weather observatory at the very top. This nature trail is a couple of hundred stone stairs interspersed with rock climbing. Thank goodness for the railings. And the spectacular views of the surrounding lakes, forests and mountains were worth it.
Then I visited the Olympic training center, which was full of exhibits and young girls preparing for a rhythmic gymnastics competition in the huge gym. The Winter Olympics Museum is attached to the hockey and figure skating rinks from the 1932 and 1980 (Miracle on Ice) games and overlooks the site of the outdoor oval which hosted the Opening and Closing ceremonies and speed skating.
The Adirondack Experience is my kind of place to visit – indoor exhibits and galleries, furnished actual and replica buildings and people to explain logging, boating and transportation to the area. It’s the story of how the Adirondacks were lived in by the native peoples, settled by the Europeans and Americans and used for wood, mining, boating and fishing, luxury “camping” and now recreation. And there were plenty of Adirondack chairs!
A very exciting event was crossing a bridge over an inlet of Lake Champlain and finally arriving back in New England. It was opening night of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival and I watched a few bands playing at three stages along the pedestrian Church Street.
The song of the day is “The Sound of Music”, since I am near the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe and I heard a lot of music tonight. And a song for the whole trip is “I Got a Name” by Jim Croce, the one I miss the most of all the musicians who died too young. I have been following the words of his refrain: “Rolling me down the highway, Rolling me down the highway, Rolling ahead so life won’t pass me by”.
The scene at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival 
The first band 
Vermont across Lake Champlain was a welcome sight 
A log cabin made with no nails 
A mosaic twig cottage 
Blue Mountain Lake 
The original 1876 Log Hotel 
I immediately spotted the huge Adirondack chair 
Mountain lakes everywhere 
The Herb Brooks Arena, where the Miracle happened 
The 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics 
This is where the athletes marched in and Eric Heiden won 5 speed skating gold medals 
A view from the top of Whiteface Mountain 
The town of Lake Placid between the two lakes 
Whiteface Mountain among the clouds
Mark's cross-country trip 