Apparently, riding on a 110-year old passenger train car, sipping drinks in a plush dining car, and eating in a historic train station weren’t enough birthday adventure for this year. It turns out that when you have relatives who live in Adirondack State Park, you get to have two birthday celebrations in one week, set among one of my favorite places on the planet!
So come along, then, on a weekend journey to upstate New York. We’ll eat some great food, climb a small peak, catch some fantastic sunsets, and have a wonderful time.
Let’s begin:
An Adirondack Birthday Adventure
Do I even need this map anymore? If you’ve been reading The Open Road Ahead for any length of time, you can probably identify Adirondack State Park from memory at this point.After lunch on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, we set off toward I-87. Traffic was miserable for much of the drive, but at least we had nice views!As we neared the Adirondacks we made a quick stop at Kayuta Drive-In, a restaurant and ice cream shop in Remsen, New York.Summers in upstate New York MUST include ice cream from Kayuta. I ordered a vanilla shake, and promptly guzzled the whole thing.One of my favorite road signs: “Entering Adirondack Park.” About an hour later, we were pulling into our dear relative’s driveway and settling in for a lovely weekend.Early the next morning, I walked down to The Donut Shop of Eagle Bay. A trip to the Adirondacks isn’t complete without a cinnamon-and-sugar coated fry cake!While waiting for my order, I spotted this beast on display beside the donut shop – the Rokon Trailbreaker. In production since the 1960s, the Trailbreaker is the world’s first commercially available two-wheel drive motorcycle. It is designed to tackle rough terrain that would stop other bikes. Fun fact: the wheels of the bike are hollow, allowing riders to carry extra fuel or water. Fun fact #2: the original engines were supplied by Chrysler, but more modern versions come with an engine from… Honda (via Wikipedia).Rainy weather on Saturday meant that most of our time was spent running errands in the towns of Inlet and Old Forge. Of course, we made a pitstop to Blue Line Coffee House, which was embracing the coming fall season!That’ll be an almond milk latte for my wife (left) and an iced Birch latte for me (right). Best of all, Blue Line has recently instituted an online ordering system. Rather than waiting in the long (long!) line, we placed an order through my phone, went shopping, and then picked up our drinks when they were ready.Lunch on Saturday was from one of my favorite spots in Old Forge: Dough a Deer. This cafe offers healthy eating options with numerous choices for gluten-free and vegan diets. I went with my favorite – the Cobra Kai Bowl. Featuring chicken, matchstick carrots, edamame, sesame oil, red cabbage, teriyaki sauce, and rice, it is healthy and filling.On Sunday, the clouds were replaced by sunny skies. After breakfast, I thought I’d go on a hike, and so drove to the Bald Mountain trailhead. Huge mistake – the parking lot was completely filled. I then drove to the trailhead for Rocky and Black Bear Mountains, and that lot was also mobbed. I returned home, disappointed, until our relative suggested Eagle Cliff, a smaller peak in Inlet, NY.The trail for Eagle Cliff is short – maybe 1/3 of a mile each way. However, it’s a steep climb, so you definitely get the heart pumping!The forest path quickly transitions to a rock slab peak.With sunny skies and temperatures in the 70’s, it was a beautiful early afternoon on Eagle Cliff. I ended up chatting with a very nice couple. The guy had done a decent amount of hiking, but his girlfriend had just climbed Rocky Mountain – her first summit! I encouraged her to complete the Fulton Chain Trifecta challenge, and then wished them well.Before leaving, I stopped to take a photo of my trusty walking staff, handmade for me by a family member.One of Eagle Cliff’s quirks – the ascent is on the ridge of the hill, and the sides are pretty steep. Too far to the left of the trail could mean a quick, unintentional roll to the bottom.With the trails still a bit muddy and damp from yesterday’s rains, I planted my behind on the hill and scooted down on my bottom. Safety is more important than style! Eagle Cliff was a fun hike, and gave me a nice climbing experience while avoiding all of the Labor Day crowds.For my birthday dinner, our dear relative treated us to a lovely meal at The Little Fox, an Inn and Restaurant in Eagle Bay.The Little Fox was originally built in 1938 as a private home. It was converted into a restaurant a few years after its construction. The dining room is intimate and cozy, a comfortable place for a meal. Paintings and photographs from local artists adorn the walls.We started with an appetizer of Bao buns, filled with crabmeat, avocado, and a sriracha salad – so tasty!While I enjoyed a burger and my wife dined on blackened mahi mahi, it was our relative whose meal stole the show – a six ounce sirloin steak that was tender and delicious! It was a lovely birthday dinner in the Adirondacks!A mixture of sun and passing showers made for an interesting view during the drive home. As we drove along Big Moose Road, we saw a few of the trees beginning to change color for autumn.Mother Nature treated us to an amazing sunset on the last night of our trip.We got an early start on Labor Day to try to avoid the worst of the holiday traffic. Passing the Wigwam Tavern on NY-28 always makes me a little sad – it means another trip to the ADK has come to an end.As we approached the city of Utica, a low-hanging mist hung dramatically over the Mohawk River.We stopped in Utica for a quick breakfast with a family member. Our meetup point? Top of the Morning Cafe. This breakfast and lunch spot is conveniently located near the entrance to I-90, making it an ideal meeting point on our way home.After enjoying some great conversation, and fueling up on eggs, potatoes, and toast, my wife and I said goodbye to our family member and began the long trek home.We pulled into the driveway mid-afternoon on Labor Day. Our early departure from the Adirondacks meant that traffic was not terrible. Grace, our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, brought us home comfortably, with no drama. She even managed to eke out nearly 26 miles per gallon – pretty impressive for a mid-size SUV. Onward!
Updates
Before closing, I wanted to share a couple of updates. First, my 2020 Acura TLX continues to provide trouble-free transportation. It is due for service next week, so I’ll be having Bridgewater Acura change the oil, rotate the tires, and address a few minor issues under warranty. Overall, I remain really happy with the car – it now has over 44,000 miles on its odometer. Onward!Finally, back by popular demand… Betty! She’s doing well, and continues to brighten up our house with her antics.
Wrapping Up
Birthday Week 2024 has finally come to a close! In all seriousness, though, a trip to the Adirondacks is a lovely way to celebrate another year on this planet, sharing some wonderful experiences with family.
Thanks, as always, for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead.
The Open Road Ahead 
Sounds like a great trip and very relaxing one . The pics are really good and the food looks delicious!
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It was a great trip – thanks for reading the post!!
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