Ampersand Mountain

Last night finally got chilly!  After the rain moved out the cool breeze moved in and overnight the temps dropped!  It was nice to snuggle under my big comforter! I finally made myself get up because I had stuff to do!

The first item on the agenda was to get re-upped with the campground and get a new site for tonight.  I went to talk to the gal but I couldn’t reserve my site because their phone line was broken and they couldn’t take a credit card and I didn’t have enough cash.  Oh well, it was no big deal I could just take care of the campsite tonight, she was sure the sites would still be available. 

The next stop was the Dodge dealer, Upstate Dodge, in Saranac Lake to see if they could read the code on the check engine light.  They were very nice, very eager and willing to help.  However, they didn’t have the current Sprinter software and couldn’t read the code.  He did however give me the number of a Sprinter service place in Syracuse that I could hit on the way home. 

Dad had met me at the Dodge dealer and then he went to the Grand Union grocery store, I was heading there to meet him but went to the wrong Grand Union! The store I went to was close to the Advance Auto Parts, so I went in and got them to try and read the code for the check engine light.  Their tool would connect, but it wouldn’t read anything. 

I then completed my last town errand, go to the ATM and get cash to pay for my site for the next two nights and have enough for tolls on the way home. 

I called my guy at Mercedes of Chantilly, since I was trying to get in touch with him, I left him a message, but at this point there wasn’t much I could do.  If I made it to Syracuse I was going all the way home and just let “my” guys deal with it. 

Dad had given up on trying to meet up and  he went out to the trail head and as soon as my errands were done I followed.  We found a pull out for me to park in and went back to the trailhead. 

Ampersand Mountain was a nice “medium” hike – 2.7 miles one way with 1700 ft elevation gain, most of it coming in the last mile! The 1st mile was almost flat! It was a nice walk, and the climb wasn’t as difficult as Cascade Mt. or maybe it was just shorter. Ampersand however is not one of the 46 high peaks because it’s “only” 3030 feet high!

On the way up the mountain I met a guy who was hiking really fast but he slowed down to talk to me – turns out he was a retired teacher who is now a outdoor guide!  The company he works for is Adirondack Connections and it was started by another teacher who got sick of teaching and started a guide business!  Can’t wait to check out their website!

The steep part of the trail was certainly steep! It was hand over hand climbing in a few places, but most were not that scary!  Finally we came out onto the open rocks of the summit!  Just like Cascade Mt. Ampersand had 360 degree views!  It was hard to take pictures because the clouds were low, but we could see everything – lakes and mountains! We could see Mt. Marcy and Whiteface and plenty of other peaks that I don’t know the names of! 

The trip down was just as slow as the trip up, but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be!  Soon we were back at the car and headed back to the turn out where we’d parked my RV. 

When we got there we discovered that I’d been parked in! There was a roofing truck that had been pulled over and needed a tow!  There was a tow truck there getting ready to tow it away.  I probably could have gotten out, but it was easier to just wait.  I was glad I’d “parallel parked”, otherwise the truck and the tow truck couldn’t have gotten in.  

Once the trucks were gone, Dad and I hopped into our cars to head out.   He then realized I didn’t know where we were going so came back to tell me.  I turned the key once in the ignition so I could open the window, we chatted and then I got my other stuff ready.  When I sat down to drive I finished turning the ignition on and lo and behold, the check engine light went out!!!!!!  YAY!!!!  I’m pretty sure it’s some kind of error!

When I got back to the campground I got  my site for tonight squared away – tonight I’m in 197 and it isn’t anywhere near as nice as 191!  In order to get close to level I’m only a few feet from the road! It’s an ok site, but it’s not as good!

I also got a return call from my guy at the Mercedes dealer, his suspicion is that the check engine light’s problem is a “sensor” issue and that it’s probably fine to drive home and deal with it when I get home.

This evening my dad built a fire because my Mom wanted Smore’s, we were sitting around the fire and my dad says “No TV, no internet, all you can do is sit around the fire and fart!”  And my Mom added “and blow us all to kingdom come.”  

ADK: Ampersand Mt 8.6.12