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| Race at Long Lake (Fall 2012) |
When
I signed up for a 10-mile race at Long Lake with Hamilton’s Marathon Canoe
Racing Team my freshman year, I was in for a rude awakening. In my naiveté, I believed
that marathon canoe racing was comparable to recreational canoeing, only with a
faster pace. My experience paddling at summer camp did not prepare me for those
grueling 10-miles. Never before had my forearms felt so agonizing as the lactic
acid built up in my muscles with every stroke. My entire body felt as if it was
going to give out. Mid-race I asked myself, “Who in the right mind would
voluntarily sign up for this physical torture?” In the end, I survived the race
and, to my chagrin, my boat was dead last. Still, I am grateful for having had
the opportunity to participate in one of the most unique experiences in the
Adirondacks.
No
event better exemplifies marathon canoe racing in the Adirondacks as the
Adirondack Canoe Classic. Fondly known as “The 90-Miler,” the Adirondack Canoe
Classic is an annual three-day race scheduled in September. Competitors
traverse 90 miles following a route through lakes, ponds, and rivers from Old
Forge to Saranac Lake. This route was a historic “highway” traveled by Native Americans,
trappers, and guides in the 19th century. Today, the Adirondack
Canoe Classic welcomes all participants from as far as Florida and New Zealand.
Moreover, its participants’ ages range from preteen to senior citizens. With
275 boats on the water and spectators on the shore, the event inevitably
fosters friendly competition and camaraderie.
The 90-Miler was inaugurated in 1983
with the intent of boosting Adirondack tourism. Incredibly successful, the
event has brought together various communities and each year local businesses
look forward to the profits brought in with the paddlers and their spectators. The
event is so important to the region that it is even sponsored by the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Central Adirondack
Association, and the Adirondack Watershed Alliance.
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| Boats competing in the 90-miler. Photo by Nancy Battaglia. |
Although that brutal race at Long
Lake will burn in my memory, I am considering joining the Hamilton Marathon
Canoe Racing Team’s pit crew. Members of pit crew are given the responsibility
of keeping the racers well nourished and rested between each leg of the race. I
would love the opportunity to be a part of the 90-Miler, even if it is from the
banks. Supporting my Hamilton peers as they participate in such a popular
Adirondack event would be incredibly exciting and fun, especially after taking
this class.
Sources:
I love this, Victoria! What do you think the impact of these kinds of races might be on the Adirondacks environmentally? I know we talked in class about the need to clean off the boats to avoid spreading invasive species as the canoes move from lake to lake, but I wonder if there is anything else potentially harmful to the ADK environment.
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