In case I wasn't feeling bad enough for over-indulging during the holidays, I spoke with one of Lake Placid's most active mountain guides yesterday.

Brian and Karen Delaney own and operate High Peaks Cyclery (HPC) and High Peaks Mountain Adventures (and they run the weekly Lake Placid mini-tirathlons in summer, the mt. biking center in summer, and more, and more...) You can find them at one of their businesses or zooming around the Adirondacks on bikes, crampons, skis, kayaks, snowshoes or running shoes almost any time between the hours of 5am and midnight, year round. 

I spoke with Brian on January 2 to ask about backcountry ski and snowshoe trips for this winter.  We chatted about the late arrival of snow this year, and he told me that despite the unseasonable weather, he did get a couple of workouts in on New Year's Day.  I asked him to send me his day's report, and here it is:

Kim, The perfect Day for the New year 2012.

12 Noon: No Snow, No Problem! I headed out for a 8 mile run from HPC downtown main street. Running in shorts and t-shirt with hat and mittens. Ran down to River Rd., saw some familiar faces out in the field and ran over to say "Happy New Year"to DJ and Carolyn. Then I ran up the road to the spring and grabbed a quick drink. Headed north across the green bridge and up the Jack Rabbit Ski trail. No one on the trails! Started around the Lake Placid Club Golf course and up mto the Cobble Mt. Lodge around the Mirror Lake , where I said "Happy New Year" to at least 20 people walking in the "Spring Like" weather. Back to HPC in about 1hr 15 min.

-A short break for a quick lunch of soup and homemade bread.

2PM:  This 40 degree weather in January is tough to take for a Mountain Guide!

I jumped on my mountain bike and went out for a ride on the River Rd. Loop - a fovorite ride around 12 miles from my house in Lake Placid. Returned via route 73 and past the Ski Jumps and around John Browns Farm for a peek at the High Peaks. Headed down Old Military Rd to Bear Cub rd. Went up Bear Cub to the out and back - a beautiful view of Street and Nye Mts., then a zip back down to downtown and back home to clean off the Specialized Epic Mt. Bike.

3PM: Karen (my wife) came back from Zumba at the school. We loaded the Jensen 18 canoe on top of the VW Euro Van and drove over to Lake Placid Lake. We were on the water in 5 minutes. Paddled up the lake toward Pulpit Rock and dicovered really cool ice formations. The wind was picking up at the far end of the lake by the Landing and the rain started as we turned to the south.

Many flocks of ducks were seen and the air was warm.

We ended our Jan. 1st with a drive home to a warm fire and a good hearty bowl of homemade soup.

In comparison, my Jan. 1 report goes something like this:

Wake up. Coffee. Contemplate going for a run. Eat leftovers. Nap. Contemplate going for a run. Eat dinner. Read. Sleep.

So you can see how I'd feel slightly sedentary, comparing notes. And then Brian sent me a note along with this report:

Jan. 2nd. 4:20 PM: Off to hike Cobble Hill before it's too dark. I wish you all the very best in 2012. Keep Adventuring in the Adirondacks!

OK. I'd better go for that run now.

-Kim Rielly is the director of communications for the Lake Placid CVB