A Road Trip Story - Part 5. From Alexandria To Adirondacks

This is now the 10th day of this road trip, and part 5 of the story.  See the first four parts here.

1. Part 1 - Finger Lakes
   
2. Part 2 - Niagara Falls
   
3. Part 3 - Great Lakes Seaway Trail
4. Part 4 - 1000 Islands

It is now time to leave the beautiful 1000 Islands and map the route towards the Adirondacks and Lake Placid.  I wanted to end my road trip there, and do some mountain hikes, before finally driving back home.

BUT first, more explorations and discoveries.  Yesterday, when driving on the 1000 Islands toll bridge, I saw some pedestrians walking on the bridge.   I found out there is a Pedestrian Sidewalk accessible from the welcome center.

And interestingly enough, a Bicycle Information to cross the bridge and cycle from US to Canada thru 1000 Islands?  I can't find enough information to confirm if this is really possible...

After leaving camp, I headed back to the welcome center, parked my car, and looked for the pedestrian sidewalk.  It is a narrow walkway, not even 2 arms length.  And the bridge shakes and rattles because of the big trucks passing.  It was an experience and another gem I found on this road trip.

View of Rock Island from the bridge

1000 Islands Bridge

The pedestrian sidewalk

St Lawrence River

A passing freight ship

Alexandria Bay

There is another place I set to go before the road to Lake Placid - Alexandria Bay.  This is a popular destination in the 1000 Islands region, known for boat and sightseeing tours to the popular islands.  2 of the popular tourist attractions are the Boldt Castle and Singer Castle, both nestled in their own islands in the region.  But I was not after these attractions.  I wanted to have a look at the Sunken Rock Lighthouse, in an island of its own.  From google maps, I could drive to Alexandria Bay and go to a marina to have a view of the lighthouse.  And on the way, I found more gems to collect.  How about 20+ corvettes?

Sunken Rock Lighthouse

Corvettes in Alexandria Bay

Buddies having selfies

The Beast

Yellow

The Boldt Castle 

The Boldt Castle is a perhaps the most popular sightseeing attraction in the 1000 Islands.  It is located in Heart Island and accessible only by boat.  There are boat tours to visit and explore the island and the castle and towers on the island.  It is also interesting to read the history behind this architectural beauty. 

Boldt Castle Images

Heart Island

Boldt Castle

The Alster Tower

The Power House

The Yacht House

The kid having a selfie

After these sites in Alexandria Bay, it was really time to map the route to Lake Placid.

It was a rural and countryside driving from Alexandria Bay to the Adirondacks.  It was sing-a-long time on the radio, classic rock genre.  I felt the tingle of like being home when I saw the sign on the photo below. 

The Adirondacks

In The Adirondacks.

I would stay one more night in a free camping spot in Little Green Pond, a DEC-managed land, because of a late afternoon hike in the Saranac area (couldn't resist it).  It was a solitude hike to Ampersand Mtn before finding a site in Little Green Pond.  The next day, on to Lake Placid, where I would do another hike before finally deciding to take the highways to go back to New Jersey, where this journey started.

Ampersand Mtn

Solitude stay at Little Green Pond

Cascade Mtn

Epilogue.

This is quite long of a story for a road trip.  But I have to write it.  This story would be the catalyst for me to go back to writing / blogging.  Why?  This road trip contains memories that are worth keeping and remembering.  As we grow older, we tend to forget, or lose the vivid details of things that happened in the past.  I want to remember these memories.  This story and pictures will keep the memories alive.