Lake Placid

Over Columbus Day, we decided to take advantage of the time for one more family trip before the deployment. Lake Placid has been on our list of places we wanted to go and we chose to wait until the fall to enjoy seeing all the leaves changing in the Adirondacks. The leaves were a little past peak, but it was still beautiful.  To understand how much we enjoyed this trip, you have to understand how much we enjoy the Olympics.  Let's just say we are Olympic fanatics...the Atwells would understand. :) 

On our way in to town, we stopped had lunch at a recommended BBQ place.

That afternoon, we only had time to go to one venue before they closed for the day.  If you don't know the history, Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980 and is still a site for Olympic training.  First stop - Bobsled, Combination Track  

You can pay to ride down the 1932 bobsled course.  It looked fun!

After the Bobsled track, we headed back to the hotel and grabbed dinner and took it back to our room.  We stayed at the High Peaks Resort and would definitely recommend it.  Forgive the mess in the room!

The next morning we went to the Olympic Center.  It had a small Olympic Museum.  

Torches from past Olympics

Medals from Lake Placid

The goal and other memorabilia from the 1980 Hockey team

Not only do I love the Olympics, I love sports movies.  Miracle is a great story and a great movie.  This is where the 1980 US Men's Hockey team beat the Russian team to move on to win the gold medal.  I got goosebumps walking in the arena!

The door was open to the ice, so Chad ventured out...

apparently we were breaking the rules because right after we got off the ice, they closed all the boards to the ice.

View of the 400 meter speed skating track and site of the 1932 Opening Ceremony.  We shocked to see this track outdoors!

Next Stop - Whiteface Mountain - home of the downhill events.  The World Cup and other groups still have competitions here. 

Driving up we could see the ski slopes - they look even more daunting to me without snow!

Taking the Gondola up to the top of Little Whiteface.  It was really long ride - 45 minutes roundtrip!

View of Lake Placid from Little Whiteface

Chad can't wait to come back and snowboard on these slopes!

Riding back down

We drove up the Veterans Memorial Highway to the top of Whiteface.  View of Lake Placid from the drive up. 

"Castle" at the top of the mountain

There were two ways to the sumit walking the 1.5 mile trail up from the castle or taking this tunnel to the elevator that goes up through the middle of the mountain.  President FDR asked that this elevator be put in to allow him to get to the top of Whiteface Mountain. 

Waiting on the Elevator

View from the top

History nerd, I know, I know...the blue prints from 1935!

My handsome man

Glad we didn't attempt the walk with the kiddo!

Everytime we say we are going to relax on a trip, we rarely do!  We managed to squeeze in one more venue - ski jumping!  The Aeriels team were practicing while we were there.  During the summer they land in a pool!  How cool to watch Olympians in action!

Next to the Aerials was the ski jumping towers.  Wow - whoever does this is CRAZY!  We got to ride a chair lift and an elevator to the top of the jump.  Since Mya couldn't go, Chad went with Addison and then I went.  

Elevator to the top of the tower.

Can you imagine jumping off that with skis??

Chad and Addison's ride down the chair lift

So Steep!

View from the top of the tower

The most relaxing part of the trip - my chair lift ride alone! :) I could hear Addison the whole way down!

Olympic Caldron

View of Mirror Lake from the balcony outside our room

view of Whiteface from our balcony

hanging out by the fire in our lobby after dinner

Even though it was COLD, we still managed to get ice cream!

On our last day, we headed back to the Olympic Center.  We saw that Figure Skating practice was on the schedule and we wanted to check it out.  This couple definitely had some sort of ice dancing career!

I really wish I knew this girl's name.  She rivaled any Olympian I've ever seen!  Her jumps looked amazing and she didn't hesitate, stumble or fall the entire session.  

Addison jamming out to the skater's playlist...currently Justin Bieber

Our event - watching the Luge Team practice.  Apparently this is a pretty rare things to see them practicing on the hockey rink.  Again, just seeing Olympians is pretty cool for us. 

They were practicing their starts - lots of arm waving!

Men's Double's Luge - not sure who would volunteer for this awkward sport!

If you don't like the Olympics, you probably got bored with this post a long time ago, but we had a great time!  It was a relaxing and a unique place.  We look forward to going back in the winter!