A Twisted Tale

Today I am embarking on a marathon of sorts. We are undertaking the Northern Ice Cream Trail in the Adirondacks. Our itinerary is set; We will drive to Saranac Lake, enjoy some ice cream, work it off with a small mountain hike, have ice cream again, enjoy a hike in the woods, and top it off with, you guessed it, more ice cream. As a rule, I don’t keep this sinful treat in my home. I must walk or cycle to it. This forces me to assess the intensity of my craving. This adventure, therefore, seems custom-made for me.

Before we arrive at our first destination, we notice a sign imploring us: “Don’t be a meanie, buy a weenie.” The hot dog cart in front of Paul Smith College beckons. We don’t need much encouragement as the glazier hot dogs served here, are locally made and amazing. It is almost lunchtime after all! While munching on our meal we discover a new trail behind the parking lot and memorize its location for another day. We are soon back on the road and heading to Mountain Mist, a small stand on the shore of Lake Flower where we enjoy a sweet dish of Graham Canyon ice cream on a covered patio. Several canoes drift by, adding to the peaceful scene. I notice a small sailboat moored to the dock next to a pair of sandals and wonder where the shoeless sailor has gone.

In anticipation of the blackfly season, I come prepared with my battalion uniform: long pants to be tucked into hiking socks, a long-sleeved shirt, and a bug net. Only my hands will be exposed to the blood-seeking foes. We are ready for our mountain hike! At least that is our honest intention; However, our poor sense of direction leads us five miles past our target. Our extended route brings us to a parking lot for the new Adirondack Rail Trail. Excited by our discovery, we abandon our plan to go to the mountain. I am more than happy to dispense with my battalion outfit to walk this trail which will likely be less infested with blackflies. This recreational trail runs from Saranac Lake to Lake Placid and will eventually reach Tupper Lake. We walk a scenic section through pine forests and bogs with mountain views, then discover an unknown trailhead at a road crossing. Perhaps another future hike? The next crossing reveals a sign for a museum which we follow out of curiosity. There will be more to discover when we return to cycle here next month!

Perspiring from our exertion, we feel entitled to a frozen dessert. We drive to Donnelly’s, a small stand by the road in Harrietstown with an unobstructed view of the McKenzie range. Established in 1953, this seasonal business still uses the original machine to produce its famous two-flavor ice cream. What is unique about this stand is the lack of choice. There is one varying flavor per day almost always twisted with vanilla. Sunday’s flavor is chocolate/vanilla, and the line-up is long, but we know it will be worth the wait. It always is. We are not disappointed.

Our itinerary lists a hike in Brighton next, but the dozen blackfly bites behind my neck and the heat make me less than enthused to enter the woods. Without much debate, we ditch the itinerary and head straight to Bokie’s Drive-In in Malone, a 1950s-style diner that serves four types of homemade ice cream. Here, we indulge in a final guilty pleasure, a baby-size dish of Maple Pralines and Pecans ice cream. It is difficult but not impossible to justify a reward without effort, but, as with most things in life, it is important to persevere to reach our goal, in this case, the completion of the Northern Ice Cream Trail. It’s a sweet ending to a cool adventure.

By a twist of fate, our journey has led us to new trails and sites inspiring us to plan several more outings. Perhaps it was meant to be. I hope these day trips will lead us back to Donnelly’s twisted cones, my favorite of the day, but not too soon or I will be rolling down the mountains instead of climbing them.