After a couple of days in dry dock (we were afloat in beer) in Toronto, it was time to get back on the road. We were up early once more waiting for the other Toronto Citroën owners to join us for the drive to Saratoga Springs.
The plan was for us all to drive from Toronto, over the Thousand Island Bridge to Watertown, NY before splitting into two groups. The Toronto group would, with Canadian efficiency create havoc and road blocks on their way to Saratoga, while the Seattle/German/NY contingent would go East to drive through the Adirondack region.
As usual, departure times are mutable…George wanted to get off with the end of rush hour, departing around 9am…but most of his local group wasn’t able to get through the morning traffic and arrived later. When we did finally all get together there were 5-2CVs, a D Special, a gorgeous Traction Avant and a rare GS in the Queue to Rendezvous.
George led the way out of the city and we did benefit from the later departure by enjoying relatively open roads…for Toronto anyway. We rolled out of town to Port Hope, where we recharged on caffeine and fueled up on 93 octane.
Then it was back on the highway and on to US customs at the Thousand Islands Bridge. Clearing customs was pretty straight forward and we then continued south to Watertown. Not sure everyone knew what was happening…but going through town the group was splintered by traffic and lights…George seemed to have forgotten we were going to eat together and then split up, so Axel, who was leading our band, made the executive decision to split off when our turn onto Rt.3 came up. We all grabbed something to eat in the shopping mall at the turn, gassed up and off we went.
From Watertown to the Adirondack Forest is an easy drive, but really doesn’t offer a lot of things to see until you get almost to the end of the line at Tupper Lake.
Our original thought was to go from there to Lake Placid…the site of the 1980 Winter Games. It’s a bit of a touristy location, but the old Olympic village is there, the bobsled track and ski jumps, so it would be interesting. A fellow racing buddy, who lives south of there had offered us the chance to stay at his home, if we were passing through. After taking in the off and on rain and desiring an early and easier day on the road, we opted to drive there and skip Lake Placid. If we wanted, we could add that to our schedule tomorrow.
I called my friend Drew and he gave me an address for my GPS. He told me that he and his wife Jan-Marie were looking forward to our visit. It takes a special person to take in a crowd of 6 2CV fanatics, especially at relatively short notice, but Drew and Jan-Marie were more than welcoming when we did show up.
It took us a few hours to get to them from Watertown, but their beautiful home, overlooking a lake, was worth every minute of that time. We were just glad to have found the house which is WAY off the beaten path. We would have been glad to just have a place to stay, but what a beautiful home we had come to and what incredible hosts! My daughter later said this was the best campsite she’d been to this entire trip and I had to concur.
The view out on the lake
We wet our whistles upon arrival…and before we knew it, were sitting down to a delicious meal and some great conversation. Around 11PM…just about the time George would be gathering a head of steam in Saratoga Springs, we were breaking off to go to bed. I still have no idea how he does it.
With the promise of an easy days travel ahead…just a couple of hours to Saratoga Springs, our plan was to get a good night’s sleep…take our hosts with the most on a little ride in a 2CV in the am and then take a scenic route south before checking in for Rendezvous 2017in the afternoon.
It’s crazy to think that we are almost at the end of a journey begun several weeks ago…it still feels like I just left Baker City for Yellowstone yesterday. Time for bed…big days ahead.
[Read the story about the complete trip here.]