Quick Links
About TLP
Hey there, thanks for visiting my blog! I update this site pretty often with photos and stories from my latest adventures at Tania Lezak Photography, and they're usually pretty entertaining, so it's probably a good idea if you bookmark this page and stop by a lot. :) If you have any questions or would like more info on my photography services, please feel free to leave a comment or shoot me a note. I'll be sure to get right back to you!
Proud to be an active member of the WPJA!
Categories
TLP Links
Calendar
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
Archives
XML/RSS Feed
Statistics
Total entries in this blog:
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Jul 03, 2007 07:05 AM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Jul 03, 2007 07:05 AM
Break from the norm: Lake Placid & the Adirondacks, NY
A few weeks ago I took a trip up to
Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks and stayed at the Porcupine Inn -- which I highly
recommend! [The inn is gorgeous and so welcoming, the innkeepers (Andrea &
Anthony) are down to earth and great fun to hang out with, and they make a
killer breakfast (not to mention the fresh-baked cookies you get right before
bed - yum!)... it's nothing short of an Adirondack slice of heaven. At the very
least, check out their rich, unique website and the great photography by Andrea,
the hostess!] Moving on....If you don't know the area, it's right next to Lake
Placid -- home of both the 1932 and 1980 winter Olympics. As you drive into Lake
Placid on Route 73, the road winds through the woods, with lakes and rivers all
around you....and out of nowhere, these 2 huge structures appear above the
trees, stretching into the sky. It's the ski jumps, and man, are they amazing! I
am a huge fan of the Olympics, both winter and summer, and when they come around
I'm glued to the tv, trying to catch as many events as possible. In 2002, I
actually made it out to Salt Lake City and got to see several events first
hand...including the 120 meter ski jump, so, of course, when I saw these jumps,
I had to go inspect them as well.
These things are just so cool. While we were there, they actually had summer jumping practice going on, so we got to check out the athletes skiing down these things (sans snow!), flying through the air, and landing on the grass below. Even better, they took off their helmets at the bottom, and none of them were more than 14 years old...
From the ground below the jumps:
Once I found out that you can actually take an elevator up to the top of the 120 meter, there was no way I was going to miss that. So...below are some shots from the jump itself. This one's looking down on the 90 meter. These things are HUGE!
For some reason, they are crazy enough to actually allow you to go up inside the jump, and step out onto a platform on the jump. They're built out of wood and steel and while I'm not really into architecture, the colors and angles were so interesting and made for some great shots....
I was intrigued by all the different textures. I think it's all part of the Olympic awe... I just kept imagining trying to climbing this tower (which is so high it actually has lights so planes don't hit it) in ski boots, over snow and ice...making it to the top is a feat in itself!
This is looking back down at the doorway leading to the jump platform. I started feeling a bit of vertigo when I was up there -- it's just so incredibly high up....
The platform you're allowed to walk out in is actually the lowest point the athletes can legally start from....it goes up even further and most jumpers start from wayyyyyy up at the top.
I like to think I'm pretty brave, but there's no way I'd be able to look down on this view and say, "Yeah, I'll ski down this thing!" Yikes! Ski jumpers are my new heroes.
Last look from underneath the 120 meter.... I definitely recommend checking these out if you're in the area!
These things are just so cool. While we were there, they actually had summer jumping practice going on, so we got to check out the athletes skiing down these things (sans snow!), flying through the air, and landing on the grass below. Even better, they took off their helmets at the bottom, and none of them were more than 14 years old...
From the ground below the jumps:
Once I found out that you can actually take an elevator up to the top of the 120 meter, there was no way I was going to miss that. So...below are some shots from the jump itself. This one's looking down on the 90 meter. These things are HUGE!
For some reason, they are crazy enough to actually allow you to go up inside the jump, and step out onto a platform on the jump. They're built out of wood and steel and while I'm not really into architecture, the colors and angles were so interesting and made for some great shots....
I was intrigued by all the different textures. I think it's all part of the Olympic awe... I just kept imagining trying to climbing this tower (which is so high it actually has lights so planes don't hit it) in ski boots, over snow and ice...making it to the top is a feat in itself!
This is looking back down at the doorway leading to the jump platform. I started feeling a bit of vertigo when I was up there -- it's just so incredibly high up....
The platform you're allowed to walk out in is actually the lowest point the athletes can legally start from....it goes up even further and most jumpers start from wayyyyyy up at the top.
I like to think I'm pretty brave, but there's no way I'd be able to look down on this view and say, "Yeah, I'll ski down this thing!" Yikes! Ski jumpers are my new heroes.
Last look from underneath the 120 meter.... I definitely recommend checking these out if you're in the area!
Posted: Tue - July 4, 2006 at 09:06 AM