Lake Placid Camping trip - Holy Hills!

Ironman is getting close. We needed to get some hill training in, so what better way, than to train on the actual course!


We decided to camp, since a great camp ground is right on the bike course. We have a tent, but I decided to get us a luxury one for the occasion. A 9 person tent for the 2 of us! Toules stayed home - doggie day care, since our rides were going to be long. He wouldn't have enjoyed being stuck in his kennel for 8 hours at a time.

Our new tent all set up!




It even has a screened front porch. Chris asked if I got the building permits, before he went through the trouble of setting it up - ha ha.

A nice air mattress & we were in heaven on Saturday night! (Especially since we arrived at 11 pm on Friday night, and didn't have time to set up the tent, so we slept in the back of the truck sans air mattress - ouch!)

So, Lake Placid is absolutely beautiful. Too bad it's so far away (5 1/2 hour drive for us). Otherwise, we might be tempted to go every weekend!

It's a triathlete's dream: Olympic training center (1932 & 1980 Olympics); miles and miles of hiking trails; miles & miles of hilly roads to run & bike; and a beautiful lake to swim & take recovery baths in. Every where we went, we saw triathletes training for the Ironman. Hundreds of cyclists on the road - in groups of one; two; 20.

30-50 swimmers on the shores of Mirror Lake putting on wet suits to hit the lanes. (Yes, Mirror Lake has mile long lane lines - just like a gigantic swimming pool)

Hundreds of runners on the marathon run route. So many - I felt like we were in a race. Seriously. Aid stations & all! Unbelievable.

Camera didn't make it to many of our events over the weekend, as I was busy pushing my body up and down the hills. We are headed back in a couple weeks, so I'll have pictures of Mirror Lake & the Run Route.

Love the downtown: cute shops & a Starbucks!!

This trip: Bike Route - and what a route it is!!!

Chris - cruising along - on the one flat part of the course. I could actually take this picture & ride. The rest of the pictures, I either stopped, or I took while we were driving in the SUV...

If you can get beyond the hill after hill after hill after hill (you can see, I need to work on my mental attitude...); the scenery is absolutely beautiful: Beautiful green hills & lots of rivers. The area is big for fly fishermen - something I've never really seen. (sorry no pictures)

Saturday was sunny & very warm (high 80's). 6 1/2 hour bike ride & we were toast!

Sunday was humid, but the threat of T storms kept the sun hidden here & there. We never got wet, but it looked very threatening at times.

Route 86 - home of the bears: Baby; Mama; Papa Hills so notorious they name them - not sure if that is a good sign or not.... Fortunately, the views along 86 are the most spectacular of the course, which will help take your mind off the bears.

Cresting Baby Bear; Mama Bear is around the corner

I know they don't look like much in the photos - but trust me - there are a lot of hills & they are big! If you don't believe me, you can always ride the course yourself :) One section is a 10 mile long climb & another is a 3 mile long climb. Fortunately, there is a nice descent section too - almost 6 miles. It's a little scary though - big yellow signs for trucks to go into a low gear...

Cresting Mama Bear & looking at Papa Bear:

Starting the climb up Papa Bear

Getting close to the top! (These probably aren't the steepest hills on the course, but what makes them SO difficult is where they fall: Approx miles 50 & 106)

Ahh, we're reached the top, but we need to turn right to get back into town & start lap #2 (or finish - yippee)

Crikey! The hill doesn't stop - it keeps on going!

Down that one & up one last hill...

Yeah, downhill around town! (unless you're starting loop # 2...)

Other nice views of the bike course

Looking forward to coming back!!!