LOCALadk Magazine

38 Spring 2019 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk DAY 1—SARANAC LAKE So that is how we came to find ourselves strapping bike- packing bags onto our bikes and completing a final gear check in Courtney's driveway in Elizabethtown. It was just af- ter sunrise on a perfect July morning. We pedaled around the corner to the Stewart's Shop where the Essex County Public Transit Cascade Express was waiting to take off on its daily route. Within minutes our bikes were loaded on the back of the bus, and we were already feeling like tourists, enjoying the magnificent mountain views out the large window as we munched on Stewart's egg sandwiches and sipped hot coffee during the hour-long ride to Saranac Lake. We undoubtedly got our money's worth out of the $2 bus fare. Our first stop in Saranac Lake was on the shores of Lake Flower, where we unloaded our bikepacking bags in the yard of Jeff's sister, Stacey Annis. I was thankful to lighten our load for the day of trail riding. We pedaled to Dewey Mountain on the outskirts of town— the first trail system we would explore. This trail network has great variety, with smooth and winding trails for beginners up to technically challenging terrain towards the summit, which we found to be similar to our home trails of Elizabeth- town. Enjoying the fast descent from the summit back to the base area, our timing was perfect to cross paths with Josh Wilson— BETA executive director—and the BETA summer trail crew, Dusty Grant and Devon Rush. Headed into the woods, the crew was continuing progress on a new section of trail at Dewey. BETA is a non-profit organization that ad- vocates for, builds, and maintains a network of trails for ski touring and mountain biking in the greater High Peaks re- gion of the Adirondack Park. We were excited that the newly released BETA Mountain Bike Trail Map included our trails in Elizabethtown. Our leisurely route from Dewey back into Saranac Lake's downtown ended at Origin Coffee, a perfect morning break. Our friend Chris Gosling joined us and led the way to Mount Pisgah for a tour that had us on nearly ever y inch of the five- The plan was simple. Four days. Four towns. Travel by mountain bike, starting in Saranac Lake through Lake Placid to Wilmington, finally finishing in Elizabethtown. Link together all of the Barkeater Trails Alliance (BETA) mountain bike trail systems. A true Adirondack bikepacking adventure, filled with all the riding variety our region has to offer: rugged trails, technical climbs, flowy singletrack, and quiet dirt roads. We would carr y camping gear on our bikes, yet travel light by refu- eling in towns along the way, affording the opportunity to hit favorite spots for morning coffee, local meals, and post-ride beers. We would be tourists in our own home. After proposing the plan to Jeff Allott and Courtney Fair—two friends who never turn down a chance for adventure —their response was an immediate yes. Just a few months earlier we traveled together through the Utah desert on an overnight bikepacking trip and were eager for a longer route. An adventure in our home territor y seemed the perfect way to squeeze a trip into the busy summer season. It would also be an ideal journey to product test their Solace Cycles OM-1 bike. Jeff and Courtney are co-founders of Solace Cycles, based in Westport, where they design aggressive hardtail mountain bikes built specifically for the Adirondacks, but made to ride anywhere. A Backyard Bikepacking Adventure By Jen Kazmierczak

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