Seven of us -- my fiance and I from Albany and five friends from New York City -- had decided to escape the Y2 chaos in a serene and natural place, a relaxing distance form the churning cities.
We found our Shangri-La at The Lodge on Lake Clear, an Adirondack retreat out on 25 acres of wooded land on Lake Clear, which is located approximately eight miles west of Saranac Lake.
Our group rented a chalet and one of the four guest rooms in the inn for four days over New Year's Day Weekend.
The chalet, built in 1991, was spacious and inviting, complete with kitchen, fireplace (and an unending supply of firewood), cathedral ceilings and the obligatory mounted deer head. Our five friends slept comfortably, two in each bedroom, and one on the pullout couch. 
And if the refrigerator was to small to hold all the food and beer we needed for seven people, the enclosed side porch made for a good walk-in fridge in the cold weather.
My fiance and I stayed in a comfortable room in the inn, which also sports a to-notch restaurant and german Bierkeller, a nod to the proprietor's heritage.
The lodge which was built in 1896, has been operated by the Hohmeyer family since 1965. Ernest Hohmeyer took over the operation after his father retired and now runs the place with his wide, Cathy, who cooked all the meals while we were there, despite being nine months pregnant with their child. The family, grandparents included, still lives on the property.
PLENTY TO DO
Although the lodge is fairly isolated, there are plenty of things to do close by. We spent one chilly afternoon on Lake Placid's charming main Street, about a 30 minute drive from the lodge.
Several of us hunkered down by the fire to drink spanish coffees and watch football in the dancing Bears Lounge, a friendly bat in the Lake Placid Hilton. Others explored the craft shops and outlet stores that line the main drag.
We finished the evening with a satisfying and reasonably priced meal at the Great Adirondack Steak and Seafood Co., which despite its generic sounding name, has memorable food and relaxing atmosphere.
Back at the lodge that night, we rand the bell in the inn and were greeted by Ernest, a funny, friendly guy who reminded us of Bill Murray. He opened up the Bierkeller just for us and got a roaring fire going. there we drank and played pool and ping pong, listening to American Pop Songs in German.
Part of tour holiday package included a New Year's Eve dinner served in the dining room of the lodge. After a day spent hiking through the snowy woods, we put on our best winter finery and joined the other guest for what was indeed a festive feast.
| IF YOU GO... |
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The Lodge on Lake Clear is located eight miles west of Saranac Lake on Route 30 The Lodge offers several kinds of accommodations on 25 acres of wooded land, including two chalets that each sleep two to six people and rent for $99-$285 a night. For more of a bed-and-breakfast experience, there are four rooms available in the inn for $89-$135 a night, including breakfast. There are also lakeside suites and houses available for larger groups. Call (518) 891-1489 for more information or check out the Web site at http://lodgeonlakeclear.com |
The meal began with platters of assorted appetizers, including German sausages and delicate dumplings. next came a hearty beef and vegetable soup, followed by either German cucumber salad or winter green salad. There were six choices of entrees, including a delicious Salmon baked in parchment paper, crispy Wiener Schnitzel and Grill Cornish Game Hen.
After dinner, we went downstairs to the Bierkeller for coffee and a hug dessert buffet that included black forest cake, creme de menthe tarts and scones with fresh berries and cream. The entire meal, excluding drinks, came to $50 a person.
Afterwards, feeing as stuffed as the moose head in the dining room, we retreated to our television-free chalet o play Trivial Pursuit and quietly ring in the new year.
As the crystal ball dropped before the chanting crowd in Time Square, we suspended our game-playing and listened as the radio reported the last minutes of the millenium,sitting closely together around the fire, our glasses of champagne poised. At midnight we stood and toasted and hugged and listened as our friend Joyce spoke for us all by saying she was simply glad we were all there and not apart in that city crowd.
Then we turned the radio off and began the new year together, something we were sure was anything but a trivial pursuit.
