August 22, 2025 • 55 mins
Throwing it back to a fan-favorite episode. A race on trail on foot and on the road via car. This is the race to loj
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Join the next GREAT RANGE ATHLETE Team and get in mountain-hiking shape in just 6 weeks from your local gym or your house.
Learn more HERE
Follow on Instagram & Facebook:
@46of46podcast
@jamesappleton46
Get my books:
1.) The Adirondack 46 in 18 Hikes: The Complete Guide to Hiking the High Peaks
2.) Adirondack Campfire Stories: Tales and Folklore from Inside the Blue Line
Looking for custom help to improve your both your fitness for hiking, disicpline, and daily habits? Work with James 1-on-1 to become fit for the trail and llife.
Book a free strategy call with James to learn more about his 1-on-1 coaching program,
SEEK TO DO MORE at www.seektodomore.com
Visit my other websites:
www.46OUTDOORS.com
www.46OF46.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everyone, it's James. Two things One.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
The Next Great Range Athlete group kicks off September first,
So as summer comes to an end and fall kicks in,
what better time than to focus on your physical fitness
and getting mountain strong this fall. Plus, when you get
strong enough to climb mountains very efficiently, you get strong
enough to do anything in life pretty efficiently as well.
Join the Next Great Range Athlete Team, make some new friends,
(00:26):
and get super fit this fall. You can sign up
at Greatrangeathlete dot com and if you want to learn
more about the Great Range Athlete teams, scroll back in
the podcast and listen to the many Great Range Athlete
Team episodes. Next this week, I am throwing it back
to an episode over four years old because it's one
(00:46):
of my favorite episodes we've ever done here on the
forty six to forty six podcast. And in case you're
new here over the last few years, you may have
missed it, or if you've been with me from the start,
I'm willing to bet it's one of your favorite episodes too.
This is the Race to the Lodge on June seventeenth.
(01:06):
History will be made as two men battle it out
in the race of the Century. Trail runners versus gas pedals,
man versus machine. Only one will come out victorious in
the race heard round the Park as Jonathan Zaharic squares
(01:26):
up against James Appleton in a race unlike anything you've
ever seen, a race from the Upper Works trailhead to
the Adirondack Lodge. One man on foot, one man in
a car, who will get there first.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
The race to the Lodge begins now.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Just on my way to go pick up Jonathan at
his house and we're gonna drive to the Upper Works.
The big race is about an hour and a half away.
Just driving down Sentinel Road here in Lake Placid. It's
a beautiful blue bird day, not a cloud in the sky.
(02:23):
There's Moose Mountain and Mackenzie Mountain directly in front of
me looking beautiful. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good. I'm feeling
pretty primed for this race today. You know, I got
a decent night's sleep. I woke up feeling pretty good,
got a shower in, had some breakfast, you know, just
(02:45):
feeling overall, just ready to absolutely destroy this race. You
know that my body is primed, my hands are primed,
my driving hands are primed.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
My right foot is ready to go.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I did a bunch of calfrais this morning to get
my driving foot just like primed and warmed up, because
you know, I don't want to pull a muscle, need
the body to body to do well to succeed in
this this event today. Just pulled up to Jonathan's house
(03:18):
and uh, yeah, he's not ready yet. Also, how Jonathan's
a heeric? Is it that he has an absolutely unbelievable
view of the high peaks and the saw Tooth Range
right from his driveway where he lives. Should I honk
the horn or should I save my strength for the race?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
That is the question.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
We'll honk and here he is Jonathan.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Good morning, Hey, good morning, Right on time? Right on time? Oh,
I guess yeah, you're right.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
I said already set of SoundBite that you were gonna
be a little late. It was with my guest, But yeah,
you are right eight o'clock.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
All right.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Nice, I guess I was early.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I said a little SoundBite saying that you would roast
me for or you'd be shocked that I was on time.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Wow, consistency. Okay, how you feeling I'm feel good.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
I'm feeling good.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I got I got my I got my bagel in,
got my good mythical morning in, and I'm feeling I'm
feeling like I'm gonna smoke you today.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I don't know about that.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
I got a really good night's sleep, and my body's
just really primed for this.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
This will probably be the hardest thing you have ever.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Done, very well likely. So let's talk about what you
have right now. You just have the little vest on
with the little water bottles that you see trail runners,
and that is it.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You don't even run with treking poles. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Nope, No, not a lot of elevation game today. I
only think about a thousand feet of total climbing. I
got some craft running shorts on and a nice working
shirt and basically I got two water bottles filled with tailwind,
so tailing in here, and two cliff shots.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
So I'm only carrying two hundred calories.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Right, I am carrying zero calories and I am hiking
today in all cotton.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
I went with the whole. I went with the all
cotton uniform.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I'm wearing shorts from old Navy, my cotton with Honor hoodie.
Shout out to anybody who listens to with honor, Great
man I have a lake blasted Niner T shirt on,
which is also one hundred percent cotton, so my comfort
level is pretty.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Much out of this world.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I'm also gonna be hiking in my new Balance eight
seven four's, so yeah, I'm definitely ready, ready to rock.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Shoe wise, I'm actually using the VJ Max. A few
of you might have heard this before.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
But the VJ Max.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
The VJs are based out of Europe and they are
an absolutely incredible trail runner. A lot of people have
been converting to ultras here in these mountains, but I
believe ultra rubber is not that great.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
It's vibrant.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
But I'm using VJ and they have the best grip
on the planet.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
All right, Well, my new Balanced sneakers beg to differ
because I can grip the hell out of this break
and this this gas pedal.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
So with that, you're straight out of New Jersey this morning.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I definitely am and all right, and with that, we're
gonna start driving. Goodbye Lake Placid, Hello MacIntyre, Range, Hello Street,
and I We are now onto the upper works. Jonathan,
put your seatbelt on. Put your seatbelt on. It knows,
(06:41):
it knows you're not wearing your seatbelt on. We have
a red light. All right, we're off to a good
start on our way to Upper Works to get this
race underway. And off we went to the Upper Works trailhead,
roughly ninety minutes from Lake Placid. It was a beautiful
sunny day for both drive and a run through the
(07:01):
Forever Wild at Airondack Park, and days like today makes
such a drive feel.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Like a breeze.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Bluebird sky, no clouds, cool late spring, early summer temperatures,
green trees.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
As far as the eye can see, just perfect.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
So down Route seventy three we went through Keene and
Keene Valley onto I eighty seven south, just one exit
to exit twenty nine, where a nice long drive through
some remote roads began as we made our way to
the Upper Works. All right, we are turning left here
to go on Upper Works Road. How you feeling, Johnathan
(07:41):
in year out to take off and I'm about to
take off.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Dad, I don't know what to expect.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I've been to get about this for so long.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
To the Upper Works we went past the Santanoni trailhead,
past the McIntire Iron Works, and.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
The Allen Mountain.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Trailhead before arriving at the Upper Works, number of people
were unloading their cars preparing for a day in the wilderness.
All right, well, Jonathan sits here showing me his quads.
This race is about to be underway. Jonathan, how many
miles do you have to the Adirondack Lodge.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I have ten and a half miles to the Adironduck Lodge.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
And I have a sixty eight mile drive. The first
person to the gate at the Adirondack Lodge is the winner.
Finish line, that is the finish line. I will see
you there. Jonathan is going to walk through the woods
at Upper Works past the high peaks.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, something like walking.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Maybe about a thousand feet of gain. So basically what
my route entails is we hear at Upperworks. Basically you
can either turn right to go at up to Lake Coldon,
or you turn left to go up towards Preston Ponds
north side of Henderson Lake, or up to Indian Pass.
I will be making my trajectory towards Indian Pass up
to Wallface, passing the cold Brook Pass trail up to Marshall,
(09:06):
going past to the Wallface Ponge trail all the way past.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
I think it's split Rock Falls something like that. I
don't even know. That's probably really wrong.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
And then basically cruising all the way on through past
the Heart Lake and past the street nine turn and.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Right there, so straight shot, straight shot.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
And then I will be driving back down the Upper
Works Road back onto I eighty seven north to exit
thirty through the High Peaks, through Keene Valley, Keen two,
Lake Placid too the Adirondack Lodge, and the first person
at the gate at the Adirondack Lodge is the winner
of the race to the lodge. Jonathan, how do you
(09:49):
feel I'm ready to win this? That's unfortunate because I'm
too am ready to win this. Also there, I will
be driving at a normal pace, no more than.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Seven miles an hour over the speed limit, because that's
how I drive.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
That is a pretty normal drive. And I will be
driving at a normal pace, as will Jonathan be running
at a very fast pace. But I'm ready? Are you ready?
Speaker 4 (10:11):
I'm ready?
Speaker 1 (10:12):
All right? So I uh, we better start a timer here.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Let me get let me get my watch here, all
finding the GPS here, Let's see if it does a
good job. There we go GPS.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Round all right.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
It is nine to thirty eight am, let me stay
out here Thursday. Jonathan is gonna leave the leave the van.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh beautiful weather, A right, I need I need thirty
seconds of stretching.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
There's no time, ah, my hammis.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Jonathan's gonna stretch before we start moving, all right, Jonathan.
This race begins in five four three two one.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
And he's off and we're off.
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Scare.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
He goes running down the road and I'm going to
drive away, all right, you guys. Next stop, have a
good day. The Adirondack Lodge first, of course. While Jonathan
arrives huffing and puffing. Oh yeah, my driving foot is
feeling good. It is primed and ready to crack man.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
James technically is getting a.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
One minute head start because of the parking lot distance change.
It's a beautiful fifty five degrees in sunny here, and
I am now at the upper workshrawhead.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Taking a picture.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
And we're off, and the.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Race to the lodge was officially underway. Jonathan sped away
on foot, breathing heavily as his feet pounded the dirt
and rock floor of the woods as I casually and
comfortably drove away my ram ProMaster high roof van. Next stop,
the Adirondack Lodge tollbooth. Who would get there first? Well,
(12:08):
only time would tell. Just cruising on the dirt road
just past the Allen trailhead and the tahawis mine.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Big bump, speed bump.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah, the Upper Works road is filled with potholes and
speed bumps and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
But it's okay.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
About to pass the Santanoni trailhead shortly on my right.
Feeling very confident today. Jonathan had better be cruising because
this van is a rocket ship. It is fast, it
may be high, it may be large, but it's got
some balls to it. And I am going to destroy
(12:50):
Jonathan on this race. I am actually confident that I
will arrive with a good fifteen minutes to spare at
the Adirondack Lodge, so I could get to the lodge
and run up Mount Joe and then Jonathan will arrive.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
That's my hunch. But we shall see just how fast
his legs will move. Today.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
It's a sunny day, though so far there I've not
seen a single cloud anywhere in the Adirondacks. Sun is shining,
the temperature is sixty degrees. It is nine am. A
couple of minutes into the race. Beautiful day, beautiful day
for a drive through the ADK Park.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Arriving my first turn, it's Indian Pass, all right. I
got to the intersection, yeah, turning right like coldon and
now I'm on the Indian Mass Trail.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Now.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
One thing that James hasn't advantage to is that there
are four miles of section that I have never been on.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
I have no idea what the trail is like going
up the wall face, so we'll see. Right now, I'm
averaging an eight mile.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Already, dodging some mudy here, perfect temperature.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Just ducking and dodging all the uh, all the potholes
here in the Upper Works. I I don't want to
roll an ankle or have a flat tire, so having
to drive like a like a race car driver, cruising
over them. Jonathan's going to be jumping and jumping and
(15:15):
driving past boulders and rocks and mud piles and mud pits.
I'm just driving around these potholes and they are abundant.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Man, it is a beautiful day for a drive.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Currently driving about thirty six miles an hour down the
Upperworks Road, a nice steady pace, feeling good. My left
hand is currently steering the wheel. Yeah, at a twelve
o'clock position on the steering wheel right now, thumb out,
just ready to roll on this race today. Ah, the
(15:55):
Hudson River is looking as glorious as ever as well.
All right, I have made it to the end of
Upper Works Road. Here in the new bridge, which is
on my left, I'm going to turn right. Oh yeah,
really crushed that turn. That turn right signal game was
on point, all right, reving it back up, driving forty
(16:15):
miles an hour. You know, we're driving the speed limit
back here. It keep it safe, keep it consistent. The
road is pretty smooth today on this road now, not
nearly the same pothole game.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
As before, So that's good.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
I passed that section of this trail for me today,
A lovely day in the woods.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Ten minutes in one point two miles.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Surely coming up to.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
The Indian Pass Preston Ponds turn off.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
Definitely some good amount of.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Mud it rocks I've had to avoid so far. My
theoretical goal in order to be James is an average
of a ten minute mile. I know going up the
(17:24):
wall face will definitely slow me down, but I'm hoping
the crank at least a seven minute mile average hold
the way out.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Jonathan's goal of maintaining a ten minute mile to start
the race was off to a good start as he
approached the Indian past Preston Pond's turnoff. And meanwhile, I
too was off to a terrific start and was about
to rev up the engine and experience cruise control and
turn it up to a whopping fifty five miles an hour,
while simultaneously getting a glimpse of some Adirondack wildlife in
(17:59):
the process. All right, here, I am out of that road.
Now I'm banging a left. I don't remember what road
this is, but I'm back on the road that is
now going to take me back to I eighty seven,
(18:22):
where I will then get on to go north towards
the High Peaks region of the Adirondack Mountains, where I
will eventually end in Lake Placid, where I will eventually
claim victory over Jonathan Zaheric here on the race to the.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Lodge, sunshining.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
All right, I'm able to make some pretty good time
on this next stretch of trail. This road is very smooth,
it's very nice. The yellow lines are painted on pretty decently,
albeit a little faded.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Still very obvious, though.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I'm able to cruise fifty five miles an hour, which
is great. I'm actually about to U about to put
a cruise control on. All right, cruise is engaged fifty
five miles per hour. You think Jonathan's running fifty five
miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
I don't think so. Sunshining.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Oh there's a deer. Hello, dear, do not cross the road.
All right, good, we are past that, dear, No problem. Oh,
all right, the next turn we'll be on to I
eighty seven north.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
All right, just got to the Indian Pass Brook turnoff.
Wallface Lean Two's one mile Indian Pass two point eight.
How dour Neck Lodge seven point four. It's all new
trail here for me until we get to the Wallface
Ponds turn off. I do think the seven point four
to the lodge is a little a little short. I
(20:03):
think it's more like eight point eight.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Bye.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Hey, I hope the.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Sign is right.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
You never quite know exactly how accurate the trail signage
is when you're in the woods, but we'll take their
word for it. But we were approaching the twenty minute
mark into the race, a couple miles into the hike
for Jonathan as he was cruising through the woods while
my cruiser was doing a bit of cruising on its own,
taking sharp turns, flying on the straightaways. Really just textbook
(20:34):
driving technique all around. And my full blown cotton wardrobe
was holding up very well in today's elements.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
Two miles in sixteen minutes, forty five seconds.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
So we're doing good. We're doing good.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
We are just about twenty minutes into the race. So
by this point Jonathan's probably he's probably a couple miles
into the run already. But so far, I'm feeling good,
feeling good, got a ten and two driving position right now.
My right leg is feeling good, no cramps, you know,
(21:30):
laying on the gas pretty decently, the occasional the occasional
break before a turn, and then you know, gassing it
around the turn. So the body's feeling good. We're fueled up.
My cotton clothing is holding up very well to the
conditions right now inside of my slightly air conditioned van. Yeah,
(21:53):
it's so far, so good. I'm coming for you, Zaheric,
I am coming for you, all right.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
I met the next turn off, turn right takes me
to the loop around back to Lake Holden. I just
turned left, which feeds me directly in the Indian passat
two point two in nice Little Bridge.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Things were looking good for both racers so far, but
despite the perfect conditions here on race day, it was
only a matter of time before one of the racers
experienced their first setback of the day. For Jonathan, three
miles deep in the High Peaks Wilderness and twenty seven
minutes into the race, it happened.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So three miles in twenty seven minutes, just rolled my ankle.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
There was a little bit of a pop. Oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Of course, taking a second here to just stretch, oh
shock out the leg. See the thing that sucks, I'll
rolling your ankle is then you become more apprehensive to
landing on that foot, and so you're not embracing the
(23:27):
impact as strongly, and so you could potentially roll it
a second time. All right, we're jogging again. Three miles in.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Meanwhile, things were starting to get serious over in the
van when I encountered a logging truck that tried to
derail my race, but it was clearly no match for
the state pupped Marshmallow van and the unprecedented raw power
and speed that it exhibited on this fine sunny eating day.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
It is ten to ten.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
We are thirty minutes into the race. I just passed
the Bison farm on my right as I'm heading towards
I eighty seven, making terrific time. Jonathan has no idea
what he's up against, but so far, so good. The
(24:32):
drive's gone well, bodies holding up. I haven't even broken
a sweat yet. Guarantee Jonathan's sweating right now, but I haven't.
Heart rates at a great level. I did just have
to pass a logging truck, so that was exciting. Past
that with no problem. Just cruised right on past. It
(24:54):
didn't even have to turn off cruise control. It just
worked out flawlessly. I came up around the curve, saw
the truck ahead, thought about tapping the brakes, noticed that
the passing lane was about to start. Came up to
that no cars on the other side. Flawless, seamless pass
(25:16):
on the left around the logging truck. As I continue
down this road, about to pass two American flags on
the side of the road, one on each side, letting
me know, yup, you're doing this. You're gonna win this
race today for America. Fifty five mile an hour road
I got a pickup truck in front of me, but
(25:37):
so far they're keeping a good pace. I don't think
I'm gonna need to pass them, but my foot is
on the gas in case I do need to. Driving
fifty eight miles an hour at the moment down this
fifty five mile an hour windy road. Got a red
Pondo CRV that just passed me, and a black fly
(26:01):
on my windshield inside my van that just will not
fly out the window. Get out of my face, blackfly.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
It is really nasty through here, somewhat boggish, So huh
about that?
Speaker 2 (26:33):
So Jonathan had to dig deep inside after rolling his
angle deep in the back country, which he did as
he continued the race, eating up mileage and approaching the
climb up Wallface, which would be the highest point of
elevation for his day. However, over in the van, I
too was approaching my highest point of the day. That
would be my top speed of the race. At seventy
(26:54):
one miles an hour on the highway, the long twenty
plus mile backwoods drive from the Upper Works to eighty
seven was complete. Now heading north one exit to Exit
thirty for the next stretch of the race. All right,
I am one mile from the exit thirty towards Keen
(27:18):
and Lake Placid.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Here on eighty seven.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
One more mile, and if I'm calculating correctly, driving seventy
miles an hour, I will be there in less than
one minute. You think Jonathan can go a mile in
less than one minute, because I do not. There's a
truck pulled over on the side of the road here
on my right, just got passed on my left by
(27:41):
a blue jeep. And there it is Exit thirty, Keene Valley, Keen,
Route nine and Route seventy three. You all know the exit.
You know the sign. I am now turning right here
on Exit thirty my home exit Beautiful day Giant and
(28:02):
Rocky Peak Ridge over on the left. Yes, I would
love to turn left towards Keene Valley, Keene and Lake Placid. No,
I would not like to turn right to Mineville, Port
Henry Witherby or the Champlain Bridge.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
But thank you for the offer. Turning left.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Nobody around going under I eighty seven twelve feet nine
inches to the bridge.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
My van, though high, not that high.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Exit thirty a sign that represents a venture to the
thousands of outdoor recreationists coming to the adyk Park. Every
year for me, it typically represents ah, I'm finally home. However,
today it represented the road to victory. I was, however,
right on par with our pre racetime calculations, and if
(28:49):
those calculations were.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Correct, it would indeed put me at the.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Adirondack Lodge exactly one hour twenty five minutes into the race,
putting both Jonathan and myself neck and neck at the
finish line. As Jonathan made his way across the High
Peaks Wilderness trails, I was making my way flawlessly along
them somewhat wider concrete double yellow line.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Trails of the High Peaks Wilderness.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
While Jonathan was working through a clearly sprained ankle. Nothing
could stop me from winning this race except those pesky
Route seventy three drivers driving well below the speed limit.
Of course, all right, I have hit a bit of
a snaffoo. I'm stuck behind a motorcyclist and a blue
(29:33):
pickup truck that are not going the speed limit.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Sure, I get it.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
It's a nice, beautiful scenery you're driving on Route seventy
three through the mountains. The drive from eighty seven to
Keene Valley is so scenic and wonderful and always a delight,
But hey.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
I need to go the speed limit. I'm in a race.
It's as if they don't even know that.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Hopefully I'll be able to pass them coming up here,
but we shall see. We are fifty minutes into the race.
(30:22):
I'm now passing the giant Mountain Ridge Trail which, yeah,
quite a bit of cars there, a lot of people
parking there. Chapel Pond right now on my left looking
just absolutely gorgeous. A lot of people out enjoying the
scenery and enjoying the trails today as they should on
a beautiful bluebird at Arondack day like today. But coming
(30:45):
down the hill now passing the giant Roaring Brook trailhead
the au Sable Club, amr a few cars at the
giant trailhead there for Roaring Brook, and then up here's
these lovely, lovely spikes in the side of the road,
very esthetically pleasing and functionally beautiful.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Can't say I'm I'm a fan of all of these
spikes on the side of the road. I think they
look atrocious. I think they're really unfortunate, and oh did
I mention that they just look awful? And I also
just love how they've also put those spikes on things
that were clearly designed and concrete poured and land cleared
(31:29):
for pulloffs on the side of Route seventy three. But yeah,
we don't want people parking there either. Don't park even
where things were designed for people to park or pull off, we.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Wouldn't want that.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
That concrete must have accidentally been poured years ago when
they created those pull offs.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
It must have been a total accident. Oh no.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
My name is Lindsay Enderley and I am from Kasnova,
New York.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
I came across James and his podcast because I love
hiking and they at around as. His post piqued my
interests because at the time I had wanted to become
a stronger hiker and gain the confidence to finally start
hiking the high peaks.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
Which I had been very intimidated by.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
So I signed up for the Great Range Athlete program
and saw amazing improvements in my strength, fitness, and overall mindset.
At the end of the program, I ended up hiking
three high peaks in one day. Because of the progress
I made in Great Range Athlete, I decided to then
sign up for Steek to do more I wanted to
continue improving myself in all areas, which is what Seek
to Do More focuses on. Since starting the Seek to
(32:33):
Do More program, I have continued to get stronger and
have seen noticeable changes in my body. However, the mindset
shift that has also happened is what's driving the positive
changes that affect all aspects of my life, not only
in my hiking mountains I never thought I'd be capable of.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
I am feeling strong while doing it. I go through
every day with intention and purpose.
Speaker 6 (32:52):
My husband and the people who are closest to me
have noticed these positive changes as well. I'm a better
version of myself because of the Seek to Do More
program and having James as my coach. I look forward
to every day in the program to see what I
am capable of and to continue my journey of living
my best life.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
If you're like Lindsay and you're looking to improve your
ability and your confidence out on the hiking trail, now's the.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Time to take action to make those changes.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Just like having a map when you go hiking, knowing
how to get from the trail head to the summit,
you need a structured plan to take you from where
you are to where you want to go and one
of my coaching programs, whether my group program called Great
Range Athlete, or if you want to work with me
one on one in my Seek to Do More program,
we have something for you that will help you improve
how you show up out on the hiking trail and
(33:40):
ultimately how you show up in everyday life as well.
Book a call with me today at seek too Moore
dot com and we'll figure out which coaching program is
right for you. Fifty five minutes and thirty five seconds
into the I am entering Keene Valley, just past the
(34:03):
rooster Combe trailhead. Dropping my speed now down to thirty
five miles an hour. Body's feeling good. My driving foot's
feeling just so ready to keep pressing the gas and
to keep pressing the brake. I have yet to break
a sweat. My clothing holding up very well. The cotton
(34:24):
is really nice on the skin. It's very soft, it's
very gentle. It's really working well to keep me warm.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
On this race day.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
A nice stroll through Keene Valley, past the Valley Grocery
store on my left, just past the gem signs Keen
the craft Beer Center. Okay, we've got the Keene Valley Lodge,
Ben and Breakfast on my right. No vacancy though. Right
now we are about to drive over the Johns Brook
(34:57):
and we're on the bridge for John's Broke low Water
today there's the Mountaineer on my right. Fifty seven minutes
into the race. I hope Jonathan's cruising right now, because
I'm getting there.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I am getting there.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
All right, cresting the high point for the day exactly
one hour in, which doesn't feel like that at all.
I don't know how slow the scent's going to be,
so I'm averaging a twelve minute, nineteen second.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Mile, really hoping to pick that back up on the downhill.
Hope we're doing good.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
James, just past Marcy Field here in Keene Valley slash
Keen Marcy Field the most underutilized parking possibility in the
High Pieces region in my humble opinion. Coming up into
(36:05):
Keene fifty nine minutes and twenty three seconds in, we're
approaching that one hour mark.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Now.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
I wonder if Jonathan has been running hard for a
one entire hour. I have to think he has, but uh,
we will find out. We will be likely be together
within thirty minutes but we shall see. We've got Root
nine coming up on my right. Could bang a right
there and go over to Elizabethtown. Elizabethtown is a true
(36:35):
gem here in the Adirondacks in the High Peaks region.
Doesn't get talked about a lot, but it's a great
little town in a great spot. If you're looking to
own land or purchase something in the the Adirondacks in
the High Peaks region, I'd look towards Elizabethtown.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
It's a real gem and.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
Very easy access to Lake Platt and Keen without paying
those Lake Placid and Keen rates.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
The descent is very wet and rocky, so I'm not
going much faster right now. I do no.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Eventually it's going to get a lot a lot better.
I'm trying not to spread my ankle a second time,
of course as well.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Ten For one hour and one minute into the race,
I am in Keen. One hour ago John and I
were at the Upper Works, and now I am in Keen,
dropping my speed down to thirty five miles an hour.
As I head through Keen, got Stewart's here on my left.
(37:51):
A number of cars in front of me. Unfortunately though
right now, so this could be problematic as I climb
the hill to Lake Placid, to the cascades. But fortunately
I own that hill. I can fly up that hill
other laying sad at the new Stuart's on the New
(38:11):
Stewart's sidewalk. Very nice, looks beautiful, all right. I got
the sentinel range right in front of me. Here as
I head down the hill in Keen, about to turn
left to head towards Lake Placid. One hour, two minutes,
forty seconds into the race.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
I've now slowed down to a thirteen minute mile because
how awful of this descent is. They're gigantic rocks, so
they're very very slow going over and dropping down. But
only I have like one or two hundred feet left
until the rock stop and I can Ryan Adkins the
(38:54):
rest of this trill. I'm gonna probably have to average
a six point thirty on the way out order two
maintain the goal.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
And on trail that's difficult. So we will see.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Here we go, All right, here we are.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
We are at the hill to go up towards Lake Placid.
We've got a few trucks in front of me, but
it is time to cruise, all right, laying on the gas, goodbye,
truck number one, got a race to win, gotta go. Hello,
pick up truck number two, Ford Ranger. You should have
(39:37):
brought something faster than that. Okay, goodbye truck number two,
And hello tractor trailer from Cisco delivering all those restaurant needs.
And you are officially passed driving up the hill, about
to pass Owl's head. One hour and four minutes and
(39:58):
fifty three second. Oh, here's another car that's about to
get past Ford Escape from New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
Bye bye, goodbye New Jersey. I hope you had a
nice drive.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
And there's pitch off right in front of me now,
and we've got a Owl's head coming up.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Here on my left.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Oh yeah, I'm gonna pick up some serious, serious lost
time on this hill as I always do on my drives.
I know this hill like the back of my hand
because I've driven it hundreds of times. And there's Cascade
(40:50):
looking very nice. Oh hello, red Honda Mini Van Odyssey.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Goodbye? Oh what's this? What is this? White Honda Avalanche
half truck half suv? And know those were still around?
Speaker 2 (41:06):
Bye bye bye, goodbye, passing you and Cascade just looking
flawless in front of me here as it towers above
the road.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
Just past the Cold River ascent to Cold it Or
to Marshall Wops all right five and a half miles
in one hour and twelve minutes, that is slow.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
As I made my way along Route seventy three, pass
Keene Valley and pass Keene, I was just putting on
a free race car clinic. As I drove up the
hill towards the cascades and towards Lake Placid, things were
looking good. Jonathan, however, was still way back in the
woods dealing with the slow, hellish ascent over Wallface.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
But the race was still far from over because.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
Once he was back in that Scott's Clearing area, he
could make up for a lot of lost time. And
fortunately for him, I would experience my own delay as
I would be stopped for construction literally one hundred feet
from the Adirondack Lodge Road. I am almost to the
Adirondack Lodge Road. I am so close, and now I
(42:32):
am stopped for construction. One hour, fourteen minutes, forty three
seconds into the hike. At his ten fifty three am.
You know, here comes a car from Virginia passing me.
Car from Florida, Connecticut. Lots of out of town or
(42:53):
is here in the adk right now. Can't blame them.
Nice place to be in the summertime, especially June, the
longest days of the year.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
It is lovely. But yeah, I am, I am stopped.
I am losing precious time here stopped.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
I am now at Scott's clearing area. It was very
challenging just now to get here, some bushwhacking and stuff
like that. So I'm about the past Scott's clearing you too,
unless I already did. But basically I'm on the stretch now,
(43:39):
and I'm theorizing that James will probably beat me, only
because this trail is just so slow. Going up the
wall facing down kind of sucks. We are six point
two in hour and twenty one minutes, and.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
There we go.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
We got the old sign turned stop to slow. All right,
let's get moving here, people. I got a race to win,
and I am so close to being at the end.
One hour, fifteen minutes, forty seconds in, so not too
bad of a.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Of a.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
So not too bad of a delay. And there's the
Adirondack Lodge Road, turning left ten fifty five am. One hour,
sixteen minutes and ten seconds to get from the upper
works to the Adirondack Lodge Road, turning the left.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
Hitting the potholes.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
There it is street in nine Mount Joe, the McIntire range,
cold in wallface. Jonathan's going to be coming from that
area shortly. Here. Yeah, here we go, the final push.
One hour sixteen minutes, I am on the Adirondack Lodge Road.
(45:08):
Here we go, Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
Now I just goss the Scott's Clearing leen too, all right.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
As Jonathan was now passing the Scott's Clearing lean to,
putting him still a few miles from the Lodge, I
was driving down the Adirondack Lodge Road, heading straight for
the toll booth.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
As we approach eleven am Ah, can you smell it?
Speaker 2 (45:35):
That is the smell of sweet sweet victory only moments away.
If I can survive all the potholes on the road.
Of course, you know you're getting close to the Adirondack
Lodge down this long road. The worse the actual road
(46:00):
it gets. Man, pothole after pothole after pothole. Man, they
could really use some work here on this road. But uh,
one hour twenty one minutes, sixteen seconds, I'm about to
pass the South Meadows Trailhead parking area here and he
(46:23):
saw Jeez Louise any second now and there it is
South Meadows.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Nobody's no one's here today. Fascinating Here we come. There's
Algonquin looking really nice up there, and.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
Right Mountain two down the little hill, over the nice
pavement bridge, and we're going right back up. The real
question is will Jonathan zaheric be standing there at the
sign in booth upon my arrival. That is the question,
(47:01):
and we will find out momentarily. Adirondack Mountain Club, Adirondack Lodge, Welcome.
I am on Adirondack Mountain Club property right now, one hour,
twenty two minutes and thirty five seconds into the day. Ugh, ugh, man,
(47:22):
what a beautiful day. I definitely will need to go
out for a hike, get in the woods, or go
to the lake or something today. It is just too
nice to pass up. I am at the Adirondack Lodge.
Speaker 4 (47:36):
There.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
It is the Adirondack Lodge, Toll Booth eleven two, one hour,
twenty three minutes and twenty three seconds. Jonathan has officially
lost this race. I'm gonna drive in, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan,
you cannot beat the machine today.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
And uh, yeah, what a day it is. Ah, the
Adirondack Lodge very full. A lot of people here. Parking
is looking quite quite full. Oh, there's a nice spot
right up right up front.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
I will take that spot gladly, and I will walk
over to the toll to the booth to wait for
young Jonathan. I am parking one hour twenty four minutes
twenty one seconds eleven o three a m hour and
a half in now.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
This is right about the time I wanted to be
passing the street and I intersection seven and a half miles,
so there actually only might be around two miles to go,
So right now in the flats, I am averaging around
in eight thirty, not quite the six thirty I wanted,
because it's still a little rocky, just.
Speaker 2 (49:06):
Hanging out here waiting for Jonathan to get to the booth.
We are one hour thirty four minutes on the dot
into the race, very sunny day, having a nice chat
with the lodge employee working.
Speaker 1 (49:20):
In the booth.
Speaker 2 (49:22):
Not a bad day to just be hanging out here,
still waiting Jonathan. Where are you at one hour thirty
four minutes, eighteen seconds. I have been here now for
eleven minutes. The race has been over for eleven minutes.
Speaker 4 (49:41):
There wasn't split rock Falls, my correction, it was just
Rocky Falls. I remember that now. I just got to
the turn off there.
Speaker 2 (49:57):
Eleven twenty one hour and forty one minute in thirty
six seconds since the race started, and we are eighteen
minutes and fifteen seconds in since I arrived here at
the lodge. If I was a betting man, I would
imagine Jonathan has looked at his watch and probably assumes
I'm already here. So perhaps he has slowed down towards
(50:19):
the end, but we'll find out. We'll get the whole
story once he gets here. But not a bad day
to just be hanging out outside here at the lodge.
But I'm sure that he's aware that I have probably
arrived by this point.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
But we shall see.
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Back down to a twelve minute mile average. Who yeah, oh,
going over well face was definitely slow eight point four in,
(51:00):
averaging around a seven to forty five average since Scott Clearing.
Who just enter lodge property, currently passing the Heart Lake
Luke Trail one tenth Street and I turn.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
On and then moments later one hour, fifty four minutes
and thirty eight seconds after we parted ways at the
Upper Works Trailhead with a sprained ankle and all, Jonathan
Zaherrick arrived at the toll booth at the Adirondack Lodge.
Speaker 1 (51:42):
The race to the lodge was officially in the books.
He's here, and what's the official time? The official time? Yep,
I told you he make it.
Speaker 4 (52:00):
Here going over Wallface and down is it's so slow?
Huge rocks, super wet. That really slowed it down.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
But sure, I've been here for twenty four minutes.
Speaker 4 (52:14):
I approximated twenty one, okay, so but it was it
was Wallface that got me.
Speaker 1 (52:18):
Yeah, sure, that was really solid.
Speaker 4 (52:20):
If it was if it was like the.
Speaker 3 (52:22):
Ascent descent that I kind of wanted, the thirteen average
minute mile, then I would have won.
Speaker 4 (52:28):
But ten miles on the dot not too bad.
Speaker 1 (52:30):
Yeah yeah, yeah, good, you look good. Thank you, you
look thank you. Did you have any moments where you
had to slow down other than Wallface? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (52:39):
No, great, Well I did take a picture Wallface.
Speaker 5 (52:43):
You lost your time, I guess.
Speaker 6 (52:46):
Hey, alright, how's your day going?
Speaker 3 (52:50):
Good?
Speaker 4 (52:51):
That definitely was slower than I wanted it to be.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
Yeah, but you still you still made it from there
from you made it there to the two hours hours.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
Yeah, I mean, I mean I'm impressed. I'm impressed.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
I mean you couldn't beat the machine, you know, the
stay puffed Marshmallow van was a little too fast for
you today. But ultimately you still crushed it though. But
you still lost though, So I am the winner. Say
that I'm the winner.
Speaker 4 (53:16):
You are the winner, James is the winner.
Speaker 1 (53:17):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (53:19):
Yeah, so, I mean I'm a little disappointed. But again
it was only because wall Face was so slow. And
I said that's six.
Speaker 2 (53:25):
Times now, Wallface was slow. But the race to the
lodge is complete. Jonathan still did it from the upper
Works to the lodge in under two hours, ten miles
under two hours.
Speaker 1 (53:38):
Still very impressive. Here is my van.
Speaker 2 (53:42):
We are here, So I think that that wraps up
the race to the lodge. Say it again, say one
more time than I'm.
Speaker 1 (53:48):
The winner, James. One right, I'm the winner.
Speaker 4 (53:50):
Destroy though.
Speaker 1 (53:51):
I am the winner.
Speaker 3 (53:52):
Though.
Speaker 2 (53:52):
If anybody wants to challenge me from a drive from
the upper Works to the lodge and you want to
run it, you know where to me.
Speaker 1 (54:01):
Good time. This was fun. That was fun, and it's
a beautiful sunny day. So you can't really beat it.
Speaker 2 (54:06):
Today man couldn't beat the machine, and thus concludes the.
Speaker 1 (54:11):
Race to the Lodge.
Speaker 2 (54:13):
The sixty eight mile drive from the Upper Works to
the Adirondack Lodge in Lake Placid took me one hour,
twenty three minutes and twenty three seconds to claim victory
over the Man, the Myth, the legend Jonathan Zaheric, who
completed his own ten mile trail run in under two
hours at one hour, fifty four minutes and thirty eight seconds.
(54:33):
A very impressive feat by Jonathan and another fun and
unique day here in the Adirondacks. Well, I hope you
all enjoyed the Race to the Lodge episode here on
the forty six of forty six podcast. Head over to
forty six of forty six store dot com to support
the show by picking up a T shirt or a
hoodie or stickers. Check out forty six of forty six
dot com. Follow the show on social media at forty
(54:56):
six of forty six podcast, and check back on Fridays
for new mountains, new stories, new guests, and new episodes
here on the forty six of forty six podcast. Remember
to always leave no trace, do the rock walk and
if you carry it in, carry it out everything every
time banana peels and all.
Speaker 1 (55:13):
Take it all with you. See you on the trails
Hey everyone, it's James. Two things One.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
The Next Great Range Athlete group kicks off September first,
So as summer comes to an end and fall kicks in,
what better time than to focus on your physical fitness
and getting mountain strong this fall. Plus, when you get
strong enough to climb mountains very efficiently, you get strong
enough to do anything in life pretty efficiently as well.
Join the Next Great Range Athlete Team, make some new friends,
(00:26):
and get super fit this fall. You can sign up
at Greatrangeathlete dot com and if you want to learn
more about the Great Range Athlete teams, scroll back in
the podcast and listen to the many Great Range Athlete
Team episodes. Next this week, I am throwing it back
to an episode over four years old because it's one
(00:46):
of my favorite episodes we've ever done here on the
forty six to forty six podcast. And in case you're
new here over the last few years, you may have
missed it, or if you've been with me from the start,
I'm willing to bet it's one of your favorite episodes too.
This is the Race to the Lodge on June seventeenth.
(01:06):
History will be made as two men battle it out
in the race of the Century. Trail runners versus gas pedals,
man versus machine. Only one will come out victorious in
the race heard round the Park as Jonathan Zaharic squares
(01:26):
up against James Appleton in a race unlike anything you've
ever seen, a race from the Upper Works trailhead to
the Adirondack Lodge. One man on foot, one man in
a car, who will get there first.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
The race to the Lodge begins now.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Just on my way to go pick up Jonathan at
his house and we're gonna drive to the Upper Works.
The big race is about an hour and a half away.
Just driving down Sentinel Road here in Lake Placid. It's
a beautiful blue bird day, not a cloud in the sky.
(02:23):
There's Moose Mountain and Mackenzie Mountain directly in front of
me looking beautiful. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good. I'm feeling
pretty primed for this race today. You know, I got
a decent night's sleep. I woke up feeling pretty good,
got a shower in, had some breakfast, you know, just
(02:45):
feeling overall, just ready to absolutely destroy this race. You
know that my body is primed, my hands are primed,
my driving hands are primed.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
My right foot is ready to go.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I did a bunch of calfrais this morning to get
my driving foot just like primed and warmed up, because
you know, I don't want to pull a muscle, need
the body to body to do well to succeed in
this this event today. Just pulled up to Jonathan's house
(03:18):
and uh, yeah, he's not ready yet. Also, how Jonathan's
a heeric? Is it that he has an absolutely unbelievable
view of the high peaks and the saw Tooth Range
right from his driveway where he lives. Should I honk
the horn or should I save my strength for the race?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
That is the question.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
We'll honk and here he is Jonathan.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Good morning, Hey, good morning, Right on time? Right on time? Oh,
I guess yeah, you're right.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
I said already set of SoundBite that you were gonna
be a little late. It was with my guest, But yeah,
you are right eight o'clock.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
All right.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Nice, I guess I was early.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I said a little SoundBite saying that you would roast
me for or you'd be shocked that I was on time.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Wow, consistency. Okay, how you feeling I'm feel good.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
I'm feeling good.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I got I got my I got my bagel in,
got my good mythical morning in, and I'm feeling I'm
feeling like I'm gonna smoke you today.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I don't know about that.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
I got a really good night's sleep, and my body's
just really primed for this.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
This will probably be the hardest thing you have ever.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Done, very well likely. So let's talk about what you
have right now. You just have the little vest on
with the little water bottles that you see trail runners,
and that is it.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You don't even run with treking poles. Interesting.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Nope, No, not a lot of elevation game today. I
only think about a thousand feet of total climbing. I
got some craft running shorts on and a nice working
shirt and basically I got two water bottles filled with tailwind,
so tailing in here, and two cliff shots.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
So I'm only carrying two hundred calories.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Right, I am carrying zero calories and I am hiking
today in all cotton.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
I went with the whole. I went with the all
cotton uniform.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I'm wearing shorts from old Navy, my cotton with Honor hoodie.
Shout out to anybody who listens to with honor, Great
man I have a lake blasted Niner T shirt on,
which is also one hundred percent cotton, so my comfort
level is pretty.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Much out of this world.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
I'm also gonna be hiking in my new Balance eight
seven four's, so yeah, I'm definitely ready, ready to rock.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Shoe wise, I'm actually using the VJ Max. A few
of you might have heard this before.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
But the VJ Max.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
The VJs are based out of Europe and they are
an absolutely incredible trail runner. A lot of people have
been converting to ultras here in these mountains, but I
believe ultra rubber is not that great.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
It's vibrant.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
But I'm using VJ and they have the best grip
on the planet.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
All right, Well, my new Balanced sneakers beg to differ
because I can grip the hell out of this break
and this this gas pedal.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
So with that, you're straight out of New Jersey this morning.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I definitely am and all right, and with that, we're
gonna start driving. Goodbye Lake Placid, Hello MacIntyre, Range, Hello Street,
and I We are now onto the upper works. Jonathan,
put your seatbelt on. Put your seatbelt on. It knows,
(06:41):
it knows you're not wearing your seatbelt on. We have
a red light. All right, we're off to a good
start on our way to Upper Works to get this
race underway. And off we went to the Upper Works trailhead,
roughly ninety minutes from Lake Placid. It was a beautiful
sunny day for both drive and a run through the
(07:01):
Forever Wild at Airondack Park, and days like today makes
such a drive feel.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Like a breeze.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Bluebird sky, no clouds, cool late spring, early summer temperatures,
green trees.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
As far as the eye can see, just perfect.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
So down Route seventy three we went through Keene and
Keene Valley onto I eighty seven south, just one exit
to exit twenty nine, where a nice long drive through
some remote roads began as we made our way to
the Upper Works. All right, we are turning left here
to go on Upper Works Road. How you feeling, Johnathan
(07:41):
in year out to take off and I'm about to
take off.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Dad, I don't know what to expect.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I've been to get about this for so long.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
To the Upper Works we went past the Santanoni trailhead,
past the McIntire Iron Works, and.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
The Allen Mountain.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Trailhead before arriving at the Upper Works, number of people
were unloading their cars preparing for a day in the wilderness.
All right, well, Jonathan sits here showing me his quads.
This race is about to be underway. Jonathan, how many
miles do you have to the Adirondack Lodge.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I have ten and a half miles to the Adironduck Lodge.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
And I have a sixty eight mile drive. The first
person to the gate at the Adirondack Lodge is the winner.
Finish line, that is the finish line. I will see
you there. Jonathan is going to walk through the woods
at Upper Works past the high peaks.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah, something like walking.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Maybe about a thousand feet of gain. So basically what
my route entails is we hear at Upperworks. Basically you
can either turn right to go at up to Lake Coldon,
or you turn left to go up towards Preston Ponds
north side of Henderson Lake, or up to Indian Pass.
I will be making my trajectory towards Indian Pass up
to Wallface, passing the cold Brook Pass trail up to Marshall,
(09:06):
going past to the Wallface Ponge trail all the way past.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
I think it's split Rock Falls something like that. I
don't even know. That's probably really wrong.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
And then basically cruising all the way on through past
the Heart Lake and past the street nine turn and.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Right there, so straight shot, straight shot.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
And then I will be driving back down the Upper
Works Road back onto I eighty seven north to exit
thirty through the High Peaks, through Keene Valley, Keen two,
Lake Placid too the Adirondack Lodge, and the first person
at the gate at the Adirondack Lodge is the winner
of the race to the lodge. Jonathan, how do you
(09:49):
feel I'm ready to win this? That's unfortunate because I'm
too am ready to win this. Also there, I will
be driving at a normal pace, no more than.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Seven miles an hour over the speed limit, because that's
how I drive.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
That is a pretty normal drive. And I will be
driving at a normal pace, as will Jonathan be running
at a very fast pace. But I'm ready? Are you ready?
Speaker 4 (10:11):
I'm ready?
Speaker 1 (10:12):
All right? So I uh, we better start a timer here.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Let me get let me get my watch here, all
finding the GPS here, Let's see if it does a
good job. There we go GPS.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Round all right.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
It is nine to thirty eight am, let me stay
out here Thursday. Jonathan is gonna leave the leave the van.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh beautiful weather, A right, I need I need thirty
seconds of stretching.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
There's no time, ah, my hammis.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Jonathan's gonna stretch before we start moving, all right, Jonathan.
This race begins in five four three two one.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
And he's off and we're off.
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Scare.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
He goes running down the road and I'm going to
drive away, all right, you guys. Next stop, have a
good day. The Adirondack Lodge first, of course. While Jonathan
arrives huffing and puffing. Oh yeah, my driving foot is
feeling good. It is primed and ready to crack man.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
James technically is getting a.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
One minute head start because of the parking lot distance change.
It's a beautiful fifty five degrees in sunny here, and
I am now at the upper workshrawhead.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Taking a picture.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
And we're off, and the.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Race to the lodge was officially underway. Jonathan sped away
on foot, breathing heavily as his feet pounded the dirt
and rock floor of the woods as I casually and
comfortably drove away my ram ProMaster high roof van. Next stop,
the Adirondack Lodge tollbooth. Who would get there first? Well,
(12:08):
only time would tell. Just cruising on the dirt road
just past the Allen trailhead and the tahawis mine.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Big bump, speed bump.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah, the Upper Works road is filled with potholes and
speed bumps and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
But it's okay.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
About to pass the Santanoni trailhead shortly on my right.
Feeling very confident today. Jonathan had better be cruising because
this van is a rocket ship. It is fast, it
may be high, it may be large, but it's got
some balls to it. And I am going to destroy
(12:50):
Jonathan on this race. I am actually confident that I
will arrive with a good fifteen minutes to spare at
the Adirondack Lodge, so I could get to the lodge
and run up Mount Joe and then Jonathan will arrive.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
That's my hunch. But we shall see just how fast
his legs will move. Today.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
It's a sunny day, though so far there I've not
seen a single cloud anywhere in the Adirondacks. Sun is shining,
the temperature is sixty degrees. It is nine am. A
couple of minutes into the race. Beautiful day, beautiful day
for a drive through the ADK Park.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Arriving my first turn, it's Indian Pass, all right. I
got to the intersection, yeah, turning right like coldon and
now I'm on the Indian Mass Trail.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Now.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
One thing that James hasn't advantage to is that there
are four miles of section that I have never been on.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
I have no idea what the trail is like going
up the wall face, so we'll see. Right now, I'm
averaging an eight mile.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Already, dodging some mudy here, perfect temperature.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Just ducking and dodging all the uh, all the potholes
here in the Upper Works. I I don't want to
roll an ankle or have a flat tire, so having
to drive like a like a race car driver, cruising
over them. Jonathan's going to be jumping and jumping and
(15:15):
driving past boulders and rocks and mud piles and mud pits.
I'm just driving around these potholes and they are abundant.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Man, it is a beautiful day for a drive.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Currently driving about thirty six miles an hour down the
Upperworks Road, a nice steady pace, feeling good. My left
hand is currently steering the wheel. Yeah, at a twelve
o'clock position on the steering wheel right now, thumb out,
just ready to roll on this race today. Ah, the
(15:55):
Hudson River is looking as glorious as ever as well.
All right, I have made it to the end of
Upper Works Road. Here in the new bridge, which is
on my left, I'm going to turn right. Oh yeah,
really crushed that turn. That turn right signal game was
on point, all right, reving it back up, driving forty
(16:15):
miles an hour. You know, we're driving the speed limit
back here. It keep it safe, keep it consistent. The
road is pretty smooth today on this road now, not
nearly the same pothole game.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
As before, So that's good.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
I passed that section of this trail for me today,
A lovely day in the woods.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Ten minutes in one point two miles.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
Surely coming up to.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
The Indian Pass Preston Ponds turn off.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
Definitely some good amount of.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Mud it rocks I've had to avoid so far. My
theoretical goal in order to be James is an average
of a ten minute mile. I know going up the
(17:24):
wall face will definitely slow me down, but I'm hoping
the crank at least a seven minute mile average hold
the way out.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Jonathan's goal of maintaining a ten minute mile to start
the race was off to a good start as he
approached the Indian past Preston Pond's turnoff. And meanwhile, I
too was off to a terrific start and was about
to rev up the engine and experience cruise control and
turn it up to a whopping fifty five miles an hour,
while simultaneously getting a glimpse of some Adirondack wildlife in
(17:59):
the process. All right, here, I am out of that road.
Now I'm banging a left. I don't remember what road
this is, but I'm back on the road that is
now going to take me back to I eighty seven,
(18:22):
where I will then get on to go north towards
the High Peaks region of the Adirondack Mountains, where I
will eventually end in Lake Placid, where I will eventually
claim victory over Jonathan Zaheric here on the race to the.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Lodge, sunshining.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
All right, I'm able to make some pretty good time
on this next stretch of trail. This road is very smooth,
it's very nice. The yellow lines are painted on pretty decently,
albeit a little faded.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Still very obvious, though.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I'm able to cruise fifty five miles an hour, which
is great. I'm actually about to U about to put
a cruise control on. All right, cruise is engaged fifty
five miles per hour. You think Jonathan's running fifty five
miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
I don't think so. Sunshining.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Oh there's a deer. Hello, dear, do not cross the road.
All right, good, we are past that, dear, No problem. Oh,
all right, the next turn we'll be on to I
eighty seven north.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
All right, just got to the Indian Pass Brook turnoff.
Wallface Lean Two's one mile Indian Pass two point eight.
How dour Neck Lodge seven point four. It's all new
trail here for me until we get to the Wallface
Ponds turn off. I do think the seven point four
to the lodge is a little a little short. I
(20:03):
think it's more like eight point eight.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Bye.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Hey, I hope the.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Sign is right.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
You never quite know exactly how accurate the trail signage
is when you're in the woods, but we'll take their
word for it. But we were approaching the twenty minute
mark into the race, a couple miles into the hike
for Jonathan as he was cruising through the woods while
my cruiser was doing a bit of cruising on its own,
taking sharp turns, flying on the straightaways. Really just textbook
(20:34):
driving technique all around. And my full blown cotton wardrobe
was holding up very well in today's elements.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
Two miles in sixteen minutes, forty five seconds.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
So we're doing good. We're doing good.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
We are just about twenty minutes into the race. So
by this point Jonathan's probably he's probably a couple miles
into the run already. But so far, I'm feeling good,
feeling good, got a ten and two driving position right now.
My right leg is feeling good, no cramps, you know,
(21:30):
laying on the gas pretty decently, the occasional the occasional
break before a turn, and then you know, gassing it
around the turn. So the body's feeling good. We're fueled up.
My cotton clothing is holding up very well to the
conditions right now inside of my slightly air conditioned van. Yeah,
(21:53):
it's so far, so good. I'm coming for you, Zaheric,
I am coming for you, all right.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
I met the next turn off, turn right takes me
to the loop around back to Lake Holden. I just
turned left, which feeds me directly in the Indian passat
two point two in nice Little Bridge.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Things were looking good for both racers so far, but
despite the perfect conditions here on race day, it was
only a matter of time before one of the racers
experienced their first setback of the day. For Jonathan, three
miles deep in the High Peaks Wilderness and twenty seven
minutes into the race, it happened.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So three miles in twenty seven minutes, just rolled my ankle.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
There was a little bit of a pop. Oh gosh.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Of course, taking a second here to just stretch, oh
shock out the leg. See the thing that sucks, I'll
rolling your ankle is then you become more apprehensive to
landing on that foot, and so you're not embracing the
(23:27):
impact as strongly, and so you could potentially roll it
a second time. All right, we're jogging again. Three miles in.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Meanwhile, things were starting to get serious over in the
van when I encountered a logging truck that tried to
derail my race, but it was clearly no match for
the state pupped Marshmallow van and the unprecedented raw power
and speed that it exhibited on this fine sunny eating day.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
It is ten to ten.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
We are thirty minutes into the race. I just passed
the Bison farm on my right as I'm heading towards
I eighty seven, making terrific time. Jonathan has no idea
what he's up against, but so far, so good. The
(24:32):
drive's gone well, bodies holding up. I haven't even broken
a sweat yet. Guarantee Jonathan's sweating right now, but I haven't.
Heart rates at a great level. I did just have
to pass a logging truck, so that was exciting. Past
that with no problem. Just cruised right on past. It
(24:54):
didn't even have to turn off cruise control. It just
worked out flawlessly. I came up around the curve, saw
the truck ahead, thought about tapping the brakes, noticed that
the passing lane was about to start. Came up to
that no cars on the other side. Flawless, seamless pass
(25:16):
on the left around the logging truck. As I continue
down this road, about to pass two American flags on
the side of the road, one on each side, letting
me know, yup, you're doing this. You're gonna win this
race today for America. Fifty five mile an hour road
I got a pickup truck in front of me, but
(25:37):
so far they're keeping a good pace. I don't think
I'm gonna need to pass them, but my foot is
on the gas in case I do need to. Driving
fifty eight miles an hour at the moment down this
fifty five mile an hour windy road. Got a red
Pondo CRV that just passed me, and a black fly
(26:01):
on my windshield inside my van that just will not
fly out the window. Get out of my face, blackfly.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
It is really nasty through here, somewhat boggish, So huh
about that?
Speaker 2 (26:33):
So Jonathan had to dig deep inside after rolling his
angle deep in the back country, which he did as
he continued the race, eating up mileage and approaching the
climb up Wallface, which would be the highest point of
elevation for his day. However, over in the van, I
too was approaching my highest point of the day. That
would be my top speed of the race. At seventy
(26:54):
one miles an hour on the highway, the long twenty
plus mile backwoods drive from the Upper Works to eighty
seven was complete. Now heading north one exit to Exit
thirty for the next stretch of the race. All right,
I am one mile from the exit thirty towards Keen
(27:18):
and Lake Placid.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Here on eighty seven.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
One more mile, and if I'm calculating correctly, driving seventy
miles an hour, I will be there in less than
one minute. You think Jonathan can go a mile in
less than one minute, because I do not. There's a
truck pulled over on the side of the road here
on my right, just got passed on my left by
(27:41):
a blue jeep. And there it is Exit thirty, Keene Valley, Keen,
Route nine and Route seventy three. You all know the exit.
You know the sign. I am now turning right here
on Exit thirty my home exit Beautiful day Giant and
(28:02):
Rocky Peak Ridge over on the left. Yes, I would
love to turn left towards Keene Valley, Keene and Lake Placid. No,
I would not like to turn right to Mineville, Port
Henry Witherby or the Champlain Bridge.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
But thank you for the offer. Turning left.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Nobody around going under I eighty seven twelve feet nine
inches to the bridge.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
My van, though high, not that high.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Exit thirty a sign that represents a venture to the
thousands of outdoor recreationists coming to the adyk Park. Every
year for me, it typically represents ah, I'm finally home. However,
today it represented the road to victory. I was, however,
right on par with our pre racetime calculations, and if
(28:49):
those calculations were.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Correct, it would indeed put me at the.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Adirondack Lodge exactly one hour twenty five minutes into the race,
putting both Jonathan and myself neck and neck at the
finish line. As Jonathan made his way across the High
Peaks Wilderness trails, I was making my way flawlessly along
them somewhat wider concrete double yellow line.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Trails of the High Peaks Wilderness.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
While Jonathan was working through a clearly sprained ankle. Nothing
could stop me from winning this race except those pesky
Route seventy three drivers driving well below the speed limit.
Of course, all right, I have hit a bit of
a snaffoo. I'm stuck behind a motorcyclist and a blue
(29:33):
pickup truck that are not going the speed limit.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Sure, I get it.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
It's a nice, beautiful scenery you're driving on Route seventy
three through the mountains. The drive from eighty seven to
Keene Valley is so scenic and wonderful and always a delight,
But hey.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
I need to go the speed limit. I'm in a race.
It's as if they don't even know that.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Hopefully I'll be able to pass them coming up here,
but we shall see. We are fifty minutes into the race.
(30:22):
I'm now passing the giant Mountain Ridge Trail which, yeah,
quite a bit of cars there, a lot of people
parking there. Chapel Pond right now on my left looking
just absolutely gorgeous. A lot of people out enjoying the
scenery and enjoying the trails today as they should on
a beautiful bluebird at Arondack day like today. But coming
(30:45):
down the hill now passing the giant Roaring Brook trailhead
the au Sable Club, amr a few cars at the
giant trailhead there for Roaring Brook, and then up here's
these lovely, lovely spikes in the side of the road,
very esthetically pleasing and functionally beautiful.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
Unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Can't say I'm I'm a fan of all of these
spikes on the side of the road. I think they
look atrocious. I think they're really unfortunate, and oh did
I mention that they just look awful? And I also
just love how they've also put those spikes on things
that were clearly designed and concrete poured and land cleared
(31:29):
for pulloffs on the side of Route seventy three. But yeah,
we don't want people parking there either. Don't park even
where things were designed for people to park or pull off, we.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Wouldn't want that.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
That concrete must have accidentally been poured years ago when
they created those pull offs.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
It must have been a total accident. Oh no.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
My name is Lindsay Enderley and I am from Kasnova,
New York.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
I came across James and his podcast because I love
hiking and they at around as. His post piqued my
interests because at the time I had wanted to become
a stronger hiker and gain the confidence to finally start
hiking the high peaks.
Speaker 5 (32:08):
Which I had been very intimidated by.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
So I signed up for the Great Range Athlete program
and saw amazing improvements in my strength, fitness, and overall mindset.
At the end of the program, I ended up hiking
three high peaks in one day. Because of the progress
I made in Great Range Athlete, I decided to then
sign up for Steek to do more I wanted to
continue improving myself in all areas, which is what Seek
to Do More focuses on. Since starting the Seek to
(32:33):
Do More program, I have continued to get stronger and
have seen noticeable changes in my body. However, the mindset
shift that has also happened is what's driving the positive
changes that affect all aspects of my life, not only
in my hiking mountains I never thought I'd be capable of.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
I am feeling strong while doing it. I go through
every day with intention and purpose.
Speaker 6 (32:52):
My husband and the people who are closest to me
have noticed these positive changes as well. I'm a better
version of myself because of the Seek to Do More
program and having James as my coach. I look forward
to every day in the program to see what I
am capable of and to continue my journey of living
my best life.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
If you're like Lindsay and you're looking to improve your
ability and your confidence out on the hiking trail, now's the.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Time to take action to make those changes.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Just like having a map when you go hiking, knowing
how to get from the trail head to the summit,
you need a structured plan to take you from where
you are to where you want to go and one
of my coaching programs, whether my group program called Great
Range Athlete, or if you want to work with me
one on one in my Seek to Do More program,
we have something for you that will help you improve
how you show up out on the hiking trail and
(33:40):
ultimately how you show up in everyday life as well.
Book a call with me today at seek too Moore
dot com and we'll figure out which coaching program is
right for you. Fifty five minutes and thirty five seconds
into the I am entering Keene Valley, just past the
(34:03):
rooster Combe trailhead. Dropping my speed now down to thirty
five miles an hour. Body's feeling good. My driving foot's
feeling just so ready to keep pressing the gas and
to keep pressing the brake. I have yet to break
a sweat. My clothing holding up very well. The cotton
(34:24):
is really nice on the skin. It's very soft, it's
very gentle. It's really working well to keep me warm.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
On this race day.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
A nice stroll through Keene Valley, past the Valley Grocery
store on my left, just past the gem signs Keen
the craft Beer Center. Okay, we've got the Keene Valley Lodge,
Ben and Breakfast on my right. No vacancy though. Right
now we are about to drive over the Johns Brook
(34:57):
and we're on the bridge for John's Broke low Water
today there's the Mountaineer on my right. Fifty seven minutes
into the race. I hope Jonathan's cruising right now, because
I'm getting there.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I am getting there.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
All right, cresting the high point for the day exactly
one hour in, which doesn't feel like that at all.
I don't know how slow the scent's going to be,
so I'm averaging a twelve minute, nineteen second.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Mile, really hoping to pick that back up on the downhill.
Hope we're doing good.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
James, just past Marcy Field here in Keene Valley slash
Keen Marcy Field the most underutilized parking possibility in the
High Pieces region in my humble opinion. Coming up into
(36:05):
Keene fifty nine minutes and twenty three seconds in, we're
approaching that one hour mark.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Now.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
I wonder if Jonathan has been running hard for a
one entire hour. I have to think he has, but uh,
we will find out. We will be likely be together
within thirty minutes but we shall see. We've got Root
nine coming up on my right. Could bang a right
there and go over to Elizabethtown. Elizabethtown is a true
(36:35):
gem here in the Adirondacks in the High Peaks region.
Doesn't get talked about a lot, but it's a great
little town in a great spot. If you're looking to
own land or purchase something in the the Adirondacks in
the High Peaks region, I'd look towards Elizabethtown.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
It's a real gem and.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
Very easy access to Lake Platt and Keen without paying
those Lake Placid and Keen rates.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
The descent is very wet and rocky, so I'm not
going much faster right now. I do no.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
Eventually it's going to get a lot a lot better.
I'm trying not to spread my ankle a second time,
of course as well.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Ten For one hour and one minute into the race,
I am in Keen. One hour ago John and I
were at the Upper Works, and now I am in Keen,
dropping my speed down to thirty five miles an hour.
As I head through Keen, got Stewart's here on my left.
(37:51):
A number of cars in front of me. Unfortunately though
right now, so this could be problematic as I climb
the hill to Lake Placid, to the cascades. But fortunately
I own that hill. I can fly up that hill
other laying sad at the new Stuart's on the New
(38:11):
Stewart's sidewalk. Very nice, looks beautiful, all right. I got
the sentinel range right in front of me. Here as
I head down the hill in Keen, about to turn
left to head towards Lake Placid. One hour, two minutes,
forty seconds into the race.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
I've now slowed down to a thirteen minute mile because
how awful of this descent is. They're gigantic rocks, so
they're very very slow going over and dropping down. But
only I have like one or two hundred feet left
until the rock stop and I can Ryan Adkins the
(38:54):
rest of this trill. I'm gonna probably have to average
a six point thirty on the way out order two
maintain the goal.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
And on trail that's difficult. So we will see.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Here we go, All right, here we are.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
We are at the hill to go up towards Lake Placid.
We've got a few trucks in front of me, but
it is time to cruise, all right, laying on the gas, goodbye,
truck number one, got a race to win, gotta go. Hello,
pick up truck number two, Ford Ranger. You should have
(39:37):
brought something faster than that. Okay, goodbye truck number two,
And hello tractor trailer from Cisco delivering all those restaurant needs.
And you are officially passed driving up the hill, about
to pass Owl's head. One hour and four minutes and
(39:58):
fifty three second. Oh, here's another car that's about to
get past Ford Escape from New Jersey.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
Bye bye, goodbye New Jersey. I hope you had a
nice drive.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
And there's pitch off right in front of me now,
and we've got a Owl's head coming up.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Here on my left.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Oh yeah, I'm gonna pick up some serious, serious lost
time on this hill as I always do on my drives.
I know this hill like the back of my hand
because I've driven it hundreds of times. And there's Cascade
(40:50):
looking very nice. Oh hello, red Honda Mini Van Odyssey.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
Goodbye? Oh what's this? What is this? White Honda Avalanche
half truck half suv? And know those were still around?
Speaker 2 (41:06):
Bye bye bye, goodbye, passing you and Cascade just looking
flawless in front of me here as it towers above
the road.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
Just past the Cold River ascent to Cold it Or
to Marshall Wops all right five and a half miles
in one hour and twelve minutes, that is slow.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
As I made my way along Route seventy three, pass
Keene Valley and pass Keene, I was just putting on
a free race car clinic. As I drove up the
hill towards the cascades and towards Lake Placid, things were
looking good. Jonathan, however, was still way back in the
woods dealing with the slow, hellish ascent over Wallface.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
But the race was still far from over because.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
Once he was back in that Scott's Clearing area, he
could make up for a lot of lost time. And
fortunately for him, I would experience my own delay as
I would be stopped for construction literally one hundred feet
from the Adirondack Lodge Road. I am almost to the
Adirondack Lodge Road. I am so close, and now I
(42:32):
am stopped for construction. One hour, fourteen minutes, forty three
seconds into the hike. At his ten fifty three am.
You know, here comes a car from Virginia passing me.
Car from Florida, Connecticut. Lots of out of town or
(42:53):
is here in the adk right now. Can't blame them.
Nice place to be in the summertime, especially June, the
longest days of the year.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
It is lovely. But yeah, I am, I am stopped.
I am losing precious time here stopped.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
I am now at Scott's clearing area. It was very
challenging just now to get here, some bushwhacking and stuff
like that. So I'm about the past Scott's clearing you too,
unless I already did. But basically I'm on the stretch now,
(43:39):
and I'm theorizing that James will probably beat me, only
because this trail is just so slow. Going up the
wall facing down kind of sucks. We are six point
two in hour and twenty one minutes, and.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
There we go.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
We got the old sign turned stop to slow. All right,
let's get moving here, people. I got a race to win,
and I am so close to being at the end.
One hour, fifteen minutes, forty seconds in, so not too
bad of a.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Of a.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
So not too bad of a delay. And there's the
Adirondack Lodge Road, turning left ten fifty five am. One hour,
sixteen minutes and ten seconds to get from the upper
works to the Adirondack Lodge Road, turning the left.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
Hitting the potholes.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
There it is street in nine Mount Joe, the McIntire range,
cold in wallface. Jonathan's going to be coming from that
area shortly. Here. Yeah, here we go, the final push.
One hour sixteen minutes, I am on the Adirondack Lodge Road.
(45:08):
Here we go, Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
Now I just goss the Scott's Clearing leen too, all right.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
As Jonathan was now passing the Scott's Clearing lean to,
putting him still a few miles from the Lodge, I
was driving down the Adirondack Lodge Road, heading straight for
the toll booth.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
As we approach eleven am Ah, can you smell it?
Speaker 2 (45:35):
That is the smell of sweet sweet victory only moments away.
If I can survive all the potholes on the road.
Of course, you know you're getting close to the Adirondack
Lodge down this long road. The worse the actual road
(46:00):
it gets. Man, pothole after pothole after pothole. Man, they
could really use some work here on this road. But uh,
one hour twenty one minutes, sixteen seconds, I'm about to
pass the South Meadows Trailhead parking area here and he
(46:23):
saw Jeez Louise any second now and there it is
South Meadows.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Nobody's no one's here today. Fascinating Here we come. There's
Algonquin looking really nice up there, and.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
Right Mountain two down the little hill, over the nice
pavement bridge, and we're going right back up. The real
question is will Jonathan zaheric be standing there at the
sign in booth upon my arrival. That is the question,
(47:01):
and we will find out momentarily. Adirondack Mountain Club, Adirondack Lodge, Welcome.
I am on Adirondack Mountain Club property right now, one hour,
twenty two minutes and thirty five seconds into the day. Ugh, ugh, man,
(47:22):
what a beautiful day. I definitely will need to go
out for a hike, get in the woods, or go
to the lake or something today. It is just too
nice to pass up. I am at the Adirondack Lodge.
Speaker 4 (47:36):
There.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
It is the Adirondack Lodge, Toll Booth eleven two, one hour,
twenty three minutes and twenty three seconds. Jonathan has officially
lost this race. I'm gonna drive in, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan,
you cannot beat the machine today.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
And uh, yeah, what a day it is. Ah, the
Adirondack Lodge very full. A lot of people here. Parking
is looking quite quite full. Oh, there's a nice spot
right up right up front.
Speaker 2 (48:16):
I will take that spot gladly, and I will walk
over to the toll to the booth to wait for
young Jonathan. I am parking one hour twenty four minutes
twenty one seconds eleven o three a m hour and
a half in now.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
This is right about the time I wanted to be
passing the street and I intersection seven and a half miles,
so there actually only might be around two miles to go,
So right now in the flats, I am averaging around
in eight thirty, not quite the six thirty I wanted,
because it's still a little rocky, just.
Speaker 2 (49:06):
Hanging out here waiting for Jonathan to get to the booth.
We are one hour thirty four minutes on the dot
into the race, very sunny day, having a nice chat
with the lodge employee working.
Speaker 1 (49:20):
In the booth.
Speaker 2 (49:22):
Not a bad day to just be hanging out here,
still waiting Jonathan. Where are you at one hour thirty
four minutes, eighteen seconds. I have been here now for
eleven minutes. The race has been over for eleven minutes.
Speaker 4 (49:41):
There wasn't split rock Falls, my correction, it was just
Rocky Falls. I remember that now. I just got to
the turn off there.
Speaker 2 (49:57):
Eleven twenty one hour and forty one minute in thirty
six seconds since the race started, and we are eighteen
minutes and fifteen seconds in since I arrived here at
the lodge. If I was a betting man, I would
imagine Jonathan has looked at his watch and probably assumes
I'm already here. So perhaps he has slowed down towards
(50:19):
the end, but we'll find out. We'll get the whole
story once he gets here. But not a bad day
to just be hanging out outside here at the lodge.
But I'm sure that he's aware that I have probably
arrived by this point.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
But we shall see.
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Back down to a twelve minute mile average. Who yeah, oh,
going over well face was definitely slow eight point four in,
(51:00):
averaging around a seven to forty five average since Scott Clearing.
Who just enter lodge property, currently passing the Heart Lake
Luke Trail one tenth Street and I turn.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
On and then moments later one hour, fifty four minutes
and thirty eight seconds after we parted ways at the
Upper Works Trailhead with a sprained ankle and all, Jonathan
Zaherrick arrived at the toll booth at the Adirondack Lodge.
Speaker 1 (51:42):
The race to the lodge was officially in the books.
He's here, and what's the official time? The official time? Yep,
I told you he make it.
Speaker 4 (52:00):
Here going over Wallface and down is it's so slow?
Huge rocks, super wet. That really slowed it down.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
But sure, I've been here for twenty four minutes.
Speaker 4 (52:14):
I approximated twenty one, okay, so but it was it
was Wallface that got me.
Speaker 1 (52:18):
Yeah, sure, that was really solid.
Speaker 4 (52:20):
If it was if it was like the.
Speaker 3 (52:22):
Ascent descent that I kind of wanted, the thirteen average
minute mile, then I would have won.
Speaker 4 (52:28):
But ten miles on the dot not too bad.
Speaker 1 (52:30):
Yeah yeah, yeah, good, you look good. Thank you, you
look thank you. Did you have any moments where you
had to slow down other than Wallface? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (52:39):
No, great, Well I did take a picture Wallface.
Speaker 5 (52:43):
You lost your time, I guess.
Speaker 6 (52:46):
Hey, alright, how's your day going?
Speaker 3 (52:50):
Good?
Speaker 4 (52:51):
That definitely was slower than I wanted it to be.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
Yeah, but you still you still made it from there
from you made it there to the two hours hours.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
Yeah, I mean, I mean I'm impressed. I'm impressed.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
I mean you couldn't beat the machine, you know, the
stay puffed Marshmallow van was a little too fast for
you today. But ultimately you still crushed it though. But
you still lost though, So I am the winner. Say
that I'm the winner.
Speaker 4 (53:16):
You are the winner, James is the winner.
Speaker 1 (53:17):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (53:19):
Yeah, so, I mean I'm a little disappointed. But again
it was only because wall Face was so slow. And
I said that's six.
Speaker 2 (53:25):
Times now, Wallface was slow. But the race to the
lodge is complete. Jonathan still did it from the upper
Works to the lodge in under two hours, ten miles
under two hours.
Speaker 1 (53:38):
Still very impressive. Here is my van.
Speaker 2 (53:42):
We are here, So I think that that wraps up
the race to the lodge. Say it again, say one
more time than I'm.
Speaker 1 (53:48):
The winner, James. One right, I'm the winner.
Speaker 4 (53:50):
Destroy though.
Speaker 1 (53:51):
I am the winner.
Speaker 3 (53:52):
Though.
Speaker 2 (53:52):
If anybody wants to challenge me from a drive from
the upper Works to the lodge and you want to
run it, you know where to me.
Speaker 1 (54:01):
Good time. This was fun. That was fun, and it's
a beautiful sunny day. So you can't really beat it.
Speaker 2 (54:06):
Today man couldn't beat the machine, and thus concludes the.
Speaker 1 (54:11):
Race to the Lodge.
Speaker 2 (54:13):
The sixty eight mile drive from the Upper Works to
the Adirondack Lodge in Lake Placid took me one hour,
twenty three minutes and twenty three seconds to claim victory
over the Man, the Myth, the legend Jonathan Zaheric, who
completed his own ten mile trail run in under two
hours at one hour, fifty four minutes and thirty eight seconds.
(54:33):
A very impressive feat by Jonathan and another fun and
unique day here in the Adirondacks. Well, I hope you
all enjoyed the Race to the Lodge episode here on
the forty six of forty six podcast. Head over to
forty six of forty six store dot com to support
the show by picking up a T shirt or a
hoodie or stickers. Check out forty six of forty six
dot com. Follow the show on social media at forty
(54:56):
six of forty six podcast, and check back on Fridays
for new mountains, new stories, new guests, and new episodes
here on the forty six of forty six podcast. Remember
to always leave no trace, do the rock walk and
if you carry it in, carry it out everything every
time banana peels and all.
Speaker 1 (55:13):
Take it all with you. See you on the trails
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