Into the Wild: The Adirondacks

My adventures continue at Tupper Lake, NY, just a short drive from my camp. Now I bet you're wondering why in the world I would sit in the car with my family for an hour, to go to a lake when I have one in my front yard of camp. Well, this lake happens to be home to the coolest place in the Adirondacks, The Wild Center. 

Assuming you didn't click on the last link to see what The Wild Center is,  it's pretty much a freaking cool museum featuring exhibits and educational experiences about the Adirondacks. Such as glass cases with dead butterflies, and live animal enclosures, and fish, etc. I had been a few times when I was younger, but it was quite cool to come back and see it now. Although it is somewhat disappointing to return to realize everything seems much smaller than it was before.

The first thing you see when you walk in is this massive faux iceberg-esque thing. I just had to snap a picture since the last time I came, photo filters weren't a thing. 

Along with some mysterious tanks full of forest moss and various placards of "Did you know?" facts were my favorite part of the museum, the live animals. Gosh, I could watch animals all day, they're just so fascinating. Even if they aren't cute and fuzzy, it's still fun to make faces and pretend they understand what you are saying to them. This time I especially became friends with this fish. No matter how many photos I took (flash free of course) or faces I made, this guy kept staring at me with his mouth open. I tried to convince everyone else how funny this was, but apparently I was the only one amused.

Eventually, I gave up trying to entertain my family with my Eliza Thornberry like experience and moved on to the true crowd pleaser. The river otter. I watched this little guy for a solid fifteen minutes before I realized my grandma lapped me in the exhibit circle. 

After the otter and fish, there were just more posters and signs about plant life, weather, and the food chain in the Adirondacks. Then I stumbled on this dark room with the earth orb in it. I think it was projecting weather from around the world onto the globe, but I wasn't too long before they starting projecting a movie about loons.

Unfortunately, one can only sit through so many seconds of loon footage before they get bored; even if it is on a floating globe. So, the family and I made the trek to the newest outdoor exhibit that slowly inclines and takes you to high platforms among the trees.

It was pretty hot that day, but I managed to find some shade and something to sit on.

I'm not quite sure if these chairs were supposed to represent anything in nature, but I felt like a small tree hippie when I sat in it. 

 Now, I'm not huge on heights since they make my tummy feel all uneasy, but I sucked it up and climbed into this giant bird's nest structure. Surprisingly, I felt extremely secure and a ease even though I was far above the tree tops at that point. Wouldn't it been great to be a baby bird?

 As you can see, the view went on for miles and miles and I just took in all the fresh air. You know, you don't know how nice fresh air is, until you have it. 

 After running around on tree house bridges and skipping inside a giant tree, the day was coming to a close. 

Of course we stopped at a small ice cream shop on our way out. If you know me, you know how most of my entire existence relies on this creamy delight, summer or winter.

Lately, I've really been into berry or fruit flavored ice creams. Black raspberry being my favorite. Who knew they would make black raspberry soft serve? And it would come in twist form?! I digress...

Anyways, a few days later we packed up the car and headed back home.

 I don't think I've ever been that sad to leave. Not only because I made so many great memories this year, but because I could feel myself getting older. It's so strange to feel yourself growing and having this second home feel as if it hasn't changed in decades. I guess it also brings me comfort to know that I can return thirty years from now and it may look and feel just the same as it did back then. 

"Sometimes, you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself." - Secret Life of Walter Mitty