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Road view during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College.

A Weekend Cycling Around the Adirondacks

by Jennifer Manning

What a Weekender!

If picturesque scenery, wonderful company, the outdoors, and hearing the call of the loon are on your Adirondack bucket list, then the Weekender at Paul Smith's College delivered.

Guest blog by Jennifer Manning, Adirondack Life Magazine.


It was a weekend filled with riding your bike on roads throughout the Paul Smith’s and Saranac Lake region. Where hills are rewarded with grand vistas of the high peaks and the quiet winding back road along a lake rewards you with the sounds of a loon. You do not need to be a professional cyclist--just a lover of the outdoors who also loves to ride their bike. Every day featured strategically planned routes to highlight various vistas and area attractions that are clearly marked. There are routes and distances for all abilities.

Aid stations were available and manned by Paul Smith’s Scout Troop. While the Troop helped to supply much-needed water, electrolytes and snacks, they also gave demonstrations on knot tying and map navigation. The aid stations are also conveniently situated in places where you would want to stop and explore. For example, on Saturday one of the aid stations was located next to the Saranac Lake Farmers Market. Weekenders were able to explore the market, and if you purchased something, they transported it back to home base so there was no need to carry it back on your bike.

Members of the Worchester County Women's Cycling club pose for a picture with the Paul Smith's College bobcat before heading out on a ride.
Riders pose for a picture with the Paul Smith's College bobcat before heading out on a ride.

Saturday we broke up into groups for the remainder of the afternoon. I went to Paul Smith’s Visitor's Interpretive Center (VIC). My group was guided down well-manicured trails and a boardwalk as we learned more about the plant species that inhabited the bog, such as the carnivorous pitcher plant.

In between activities and after rides I was a frequent swimmer in St. Regis Pond to cool off from the warm summer days. While I rode the longer routes every day, not everyone did. Some people went out paddling and explored the nearby waterways. Another went back to the VIC to capture photographs of hummingbirds and butterflies. Others took a break from their ride as they discovered a rope swing into some much-needed cooling water. The Weekender is what you make of it and how you take advantage of the offerings. It depends on how you ride your bike around the carefully marked course that has been mapped out.

Cyclists (including the author on the left) explore a bog at the Paul Smith's College Visitor's Interpretive Center.
Cyclists explore a bog at the Paul Smith's College Visitor's Interpretive Center.

Every event that Bike Adirondack organizes donates money to a cause. By participating in the event, donations went to Paul Smith’s College Climate Fellowship Program. Fellows in this program have gone on to explore food insecurity across the United States and even the evolution of guide culture.

This was a wonderful experience, and I thank Doug Haney and Bike Adirondacks for the event that they put together. It was a nice change of pace from the typical triathlon cycling I do. I met many wonderful people throughout the weekend and listened to many different experiences that each one had along the way. I look forward to my next Bike Adirondacks event and encourage others to look into them as well.

Editors Note: Jennifer is awesome and dates for the 2022 Weekender at Paul Smith's College will be announced soon. If you'd like to be among the first to know, please sign up for our email list. 

There is nothing like the view from Norman Ridge.
There is nothing like the view from Norman Ridge.

2021 Weekender at Paul Smith's College Photo Gallery

Images by Dave Kraus. Click to enlarge, scroll and see captions. 

Weekender at Paul Smith's College guests take a selfie with the college mascot. Riders line up with the Paul Smith's College mascot prior to the opening send off ride. No Weekender at Paul Smith's College experience is complete without a bobcat sighting. Question, is the bobcat posing for a photo or a meal? BikeADK pro mechanic Michael Battisti at your service. Cruising the low traffic backroads of the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Nothing like fresh pavement on the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Hats off to Troop 12 for keeping everyone fed, hydrated and educated during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. The views from Norman Ridge are truly something. Note: this is the author of this blog in the photo. No Weekender is complete without a trip to Norman Ridge. BikeADK ride marshal Julianne Stemp leads a speedy crew. BikeADK ride marshal and photographer Dave Kraus with his best fish impression. Rest stops are way more than rest stops on the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Cruising up Harrietstown Hill after a delicious rest stop at Donnelly's Ice Cream. Low traffic backroads and fresh pavement during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Group shot with the Paul Smith's College bobcat. Evening lakeside music during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College? Of course! Fireside chats and s'mores. This band. That sunset. The Weekender at Paul Smith's College What's one s'more? Sunset chats by the lakeside during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on the deck with this view. A visit to the Paul Smith's College Visitor's Interpretive Center during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Guided bog walk during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Paul Smith's College guide provides forest knowledge during the Weekender at Paul Smith's College. Ghost pipes along the bog. Paul Smith's College Climate Fellowship Program sharing their stories on the deck as the sun goes down over St. Regis Lake. A postcard to cap the 2021 Weekender at Paul Smith's College.