Old Forge, NY is a quaint little mountain town which is totally within Adirondack State Park. The park was created in 1892 to help preserve the state’s water and timber resources. Encompassing 6 million (that’s not a typo) acres, it is larger than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier and Grand Canyon national parks all put together. Gary and I came up here to attend a writing workshop and to just get away for a few days.

Most people come to Old Forge for the outdoor sports – hiking, kayaking, fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling. I’m slightly embarassed to say that I did most of my hiking on Main St. checking out all the gift shops. By far, the most popular and must-see store is the Old Forge Hardware. It’s so big that it’s impossible to take a picture of the whole store at once. This is the main building with a wing on each side. Besides hardware, you can find kitchen gadgets, books, yarn and knitting supplies, furniture, candy, and many more items. It’s the perfect place to wait out an afternoon thunderstorm.

A couple of other things I like about Old Forge are the houses with the tin roofs (think snow) and the small old-fashioned theater which shows current movies. Both Harry Potter and Capt. America were playing. Then there are the deer. I’m convinced that the deer in Old Forge think they’re people. They just stroll down Main St. or across someone’s lawn like they’re on their way to the grocery store or to visit a friend.

To round out the day, Gary and I couldn’t resist playing mini-golf at Over the Rainbow. It combines two of our favorite things in an hour of fun. I just wish I hadn’t let him beat me.  

Day 206: 11,470 Steps YTD: 1,859,683 Steps Goal: 1,936,000 Steps  

By the way, does anyone know why all small town theaters are called the Strand?