urban ku # 126 ~ autumn moonrise
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 10:50AM 
Autumn moonrise with Olympic venues • click to embiggenYesterday was one of those glorious late Autumn days - shirt-sleeve (albeit, long sleeve) weather. Most of the leaves are on the ground which sometimes makes even a middle-of-the-fairway 270 yard drive hard to find. But that didn't effect the view from the 18th green at the end of the round.
These views are presented as they were pictured - in geographic and picturing order from left to right. The moonrise was what got me to bolt to the car and grab the camera. In the center picture, the top section of the new(ish) combined bobsled, luge, skeleton track is visible - the scene of my 2 silver medals in regional luge competition. The track is one mile long, has 20 curves, and drops 420 feet of elevation - in other words, that's equivalent to a 35-40 story building.
Luge speeds are well into the mid-80 mph zone. Non-Olympic class lugers (me) are only allowed to start just above the 1/2 way point (the 'juniors' start) from which 50-60 mph speeds are the norm. Nevertheless, 50+ mph while sliding on your backside inches above the ice is real rush.
On the right is Mt. Marcy - NY's highest at 5,344 ft and growing (the Adirondack Dome is rising every year) - with the 90 and 120 meter Olympic ski jumps in the foreground - and, no, I don't have any ski-jumping medals. An elevator ride back down to the bottom after enjoying the view is good enough for me.
All of the Olympic venues are in constant use for training and World Cup competitions. It's fun when Olympic/world-class athletes and the press come to town. It gives the area are real international flavor.
Reader Comments (3)
I don't know the location at all, but I'm supposed to be spending a week in Lake Placid next summer. Is this the same area ?
Gordon - there is a Lake Placid in Florida but this Lake Placid is in northern NY - please let me know when you're in town
I at least know it is the Adirondacks that we are going to, so I'm not totally lost. My wife is doing the triathlon there next summer - so some time towards the end of July I suppose.