A Little Escape
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March 17th was a date I had been looking forward to for the better part of a year. It was the day my boyfriend and I should’ve been on a plane bound for Reykjavik, off to spend 10 days on the adventure of a lifetime in Iceland. Early on during the pandemic, we debated whether or not we would still be able to to go. As it worsened, he came to terms with the trip’s cancellation (or should I say, postponement) earlier than I did. It wasn’t until the airline officially cancelled our flight a week before that it sunk in that we’d not be flying anywhere, anytime soon. So, like so many others in the COVID era, we pivoted.
March 17th found us driving to our apartment in Brooklyn, our first visit in months, to pack up some necessities before heading north. In a wine-fueled online research expedition, I had discovered that no nearby states were welcoming guests, even to camp (I should note to say we have always planned to stay socially-distant, so we only looked into opportunities where we could do so). So we looked within our state to select a destination: the Adirondacks, a place I’d never been but that my boyfriend had visited multiple times as a kid. To be quite honest, I felt ambivalent about the destination until I discovered the perfect Airbnb. Fittingly called ‘The Library,’ the room was part of an idyllic compound in the northern Adirondacks. With great reviews and a reasonable price, we jumped on it before either of us could change our minds.
How grateful am I for that decision! The opportunity to get a change of scenery was one I don’t take for granted. Quarantine is affecting all of us differently — for me, it’s the overwhelming feeling of being trapped, frozen in time while the days pass blurrily by. What I jokingly called a ‘fake-cation’ had the impact of jolting me awake, reminding me of how important it is to keep living in times that don’t feel like normal life at all.
We spent the week exactly how I’d hoped - hiking until our legs burned and we forgot about everything but the peak ahead of us, cooking meals over an open flame whenever we felt like eating, reading together in companionable silence. Nothing felt forced, nothing felt urgent.
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Staying at the Library was like having a sleepover in another time, where technology wasn't all-consuming and people lived at a different pace. The furnishings are timeless and chic, but not overwhelmingly so - it's a place designed for a pre-Instagram era that feels perfectly cozy and comfortable. For any book-lover, the floor to ceiling shelves offer endless exploration. Each time we opened our books, I felt like we were connecting with the walls around us, becoming a part of a community, no matter how inanimate the other members were.
Rather than try to describe the magic, I’ll let you see for yourselves:
A break from monotony is always a good idea. It wasn’t an international destination, but the Adirondacks gave me a feeling of renewal that I’'ll cling to in weeks and months to come.
Adirondacks 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Camp Arden early evening. Dinner cooked over the fire w/ ingredients we brought along. Explored the grounds as dusk set in.
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Day 2: Summited Cascade and Porter mountains. Stopped for ice cream at the iconic Stewart’s as a reward. Visited John Brown’s home to pay homage. Drove around Lake Placid for a while. Had a hard time finding dinner for take-out — eventually brought home food from Wiseguys Sports Bar & Grill. Roasted marshmallows over our campfire.
Day 3: Sumitted Loon Lake Mountain. Went canoeing back at Camp Arden. A few hours spent lounging and reading. Another dinner cooked over the fire with s’mores as the sun set.
Day 4: Packed up & said goodbye to Camp Arden. Drove to Lake George, where we hiked Prospect Mountain.
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I recognize how privileged I am to be quarantining how I am, and am even more grateful to have safely and responsibly traveled during these times.