[Road trip] North Country?

[DeltaOne81]

So this may be a bit early, but it's really only a month and a couple weeks now...

I was wondering on who is planning on making the trip to the nearly Great White North for the games on the 4th/5th of January. I'll be home in Ct and with nothing better to do on Winter Break, I was going to make the trip with a college hockey fan friend of mine (though not a Cornell fan). So I was just curious what kind of contingent to expect.

I also wanted to see if there were any Cornell-specific plans, as well as people's advice on what to do / where to stay in up there. TBRW?'s info is kinda sparse, but it makes it sound like the Best Western is *the* place to stay for both days. Any backups? Bars? Other things not to miss during the days for my first (and perhaps only) trip up there?

Oh, and, tickets over break shouldn't be a problem right? specifically through the Cornell box office?

-Fred

[melissa]

When Judy and I went we took our passports and stayed roughly 30 min north in a small town in Canada. I got to have Tim Hortons and go shopping for Ketchup chips. :-D  It was awesome! That made it one of my fav trips. However, there was very little to do in Potsdam or Canton - and everyone in the Dairy Queen (yes - it was a full joint with burgers and stuff - yay!) looked at us like we were coneheads or something - way out of place. Still it is a trip every die hard should do once. If you enjoy scenic routes you might enjoy the relatively long drive. With sunset it is really beautiful.

[judy]

Question tossed out to the masses: How long do you think it'd take to get to the North Country from Albany and what would be the best route?

[Ben Doyle 03]

DeltaOne81 '03,

My brother (Adam '04) and I will be there for both nights. We're staying at our place in the 1000 Islands so I have no ideas on a place to stay. . .and yes there is NOTHING to do in Canton or Potsdam, nothing!!! - Bring a good book

[DeltaOne81]

Really? Nothing? I mean I figured there wouldn't be an amusement part or a museum or anything, but is there really nothing? Nature trails? Craft stores? I'll take anything. Just to say I did something in the area. Like Melissa's Tim Horton's experience or something (I'll drive half an hour if there's really nothing closer, but come on, nothing?!). Decent restaurant?

Someone I know at SLU says there are 4 bars, while the Hitchhiker's says the only night life is the Best Western, so there appears to be more than meets the eye, though probably not much ;-).

Via Albany route information would also be appreciated here :-).

[Ben Doyle 03]

:-D :-D hey you could always do what the students at SLU(t) and Clarkson do, get some beer
and drink your way out of Canton and Potsdam . . .works for them, should work for us. :-D :-D

[Anne 85]

I'm planning to be there, but be warned, there is often a poor turnout during intersession, and the band's absence makes a big difference.

There's a Comfort Suites practically next door to the Best Western in Canton.  It's newer, and slightly nicer, but it doesn't have a lounge or anything that is open in the evenings.  The CS does have a decent continental breakfast, and the lobby area is pretty nice if you need a place to hang around waiting for game time.

There are also small (non-chain) roadside motels in the Canton/Potsdam area, but I can't really give you any details.  And there's always the Clarkson Inn, but it's rather pricey.

As far as things to do, on your first visit you can probably keep yourself relatively occupied between games by checking out the two towns and the schools.  If you find anything really interesting to do, please let me know!  I've been there many times and have yet to find anything.  I can't say I've noticed many (any) craft stores, but maybe I was oblivious.  In Canton, there was a shop that sold hockey cards etc., but I think it was gone last season.  

For an example of the kinds of nothing we're talking about, you can check out the following site:  http://northcountrynow.com/.  When I looked, there was something about a basketmaking class in the local events section.

[Adam \'04]

There are a few good Pizza/Italian joints.

[KeithK]

Try to stay in one of the name brand hotels if you can.  We got a reservation at one of the little motels one year.  When we showed up, the clueless and unfriendly woman at the desk basically said, "Sorry we don't have your reservation and we're full. Good bye."  This on a pleasant 5 degree Januray night in Potsdam.  So we ended up crashing with people who'd had the sense to make reservations at a real hotel...

You want something to do?  How 'bout sit in your hotel and watch the NFL playoff games?  I've done that before in the NC

[Josh '99]

I've stayed at the Chalet Motel (on Route 11 a few miles outside Potsdam, 315-265-8400) on a number of occasions and never had any problems.  It's also dirt cheap.

As far as things to do, I can't recommend much in the way of daytime stuff, but for after the game, Potsdam does have a few decent college bars, FWIW.

[curoadkill]

Don't be surprised if some sort of make shift band is at these games.
Don't be surprised if there's no band either. I plan on going though. It's a long stretch between home games...

[jy3]

i went up last year for the pair of games but stayed with a friend who had graduated from SLU(T). students will be on break so even the bars will be pretty empty. seeing the campuses is a cool thing to do but i dont know how into that sort of thing you are. there was a track meet that i went to for a bit but that wont be happening that weekend either. I, personally would check out the snowboarding scene. there has to be a small cheap ski area in the viscinity. maybe not though. going over to canadia can be fun too. it might be pretty darn cold but it is right outside the adirondacks which are pretty sweet so i am sure that there is nature stuff to do.
we ate at an italian joint on the main road that links the two towns. cant remember what it was called but i think it is on the hitchhiker guide.
just dont go to the pizza hut!
hope you have fun!
I will look into the best route from albany. I would assume that the best way would be for you to go up the northway and then take 11 south all the way into potsdam (that is what yahoo says). interestingly yahoo says for going to canton you take 90 to 81 to 3 to 11. looks like 4-5hr trip to me. I would suggest that if you are west of albany to go the thruway to syracuse then up 81 and that if you are north of albany to go the northway.
when i drove up to the north country a couple times i did it this way:
from syracuse i took 81 of course
from placid to gloversville NY I took 30 S but from potsdam or canton i do not think that would be a great way to go...
i dont know, see what others say. you have a long drive regardless!

[mha]

I'd love to go, but the crazy Saturday-and-Sunday schedule may make it impossible for me.  (That was done to allow a little cushion time for teams coming back from holiday tourneys; getting the Big Red back from Florida proved a real problem one winter.)

If I'm not flying to California on Monday the 6th, then a slightly skewed away weekend seems like a fine idea. No doubt Potsdam's a hoppin' place on a Sunday night...

[RichS]

surely as "hoppin" as Ithaca...:-D

[cquinn]

Damn, I hadn't noticed the Sat-Sun thing.  Would've been nice if the games were in the afternoon like they are this weekend.