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Zebra mussel: One of Cayuga Lake 's many weedy organisms
Question: What is the invasive zebra mussel doing to Cayuga Lake ? Is it anything like what happened with the cichlids and Nile perch in Lake Victoria? Answer: When zebra mussels first appeared in North American lakes during the early 1990s, all water users were affected.
BUILDER Online: Home Building News, Home Plans, Home Design Ideas and Building Products for Home Builders
BUILDER Online provides home builders with home building news, home plans, home design ideas, and building product information, helping them manage their home building operations efficiently and profitably.
Fitness this week
Green Knights Basketball Camp for boys ages 9 to 15, Monday through July 15 and July 18-22 and 25-29, St. Joseph Regional High School, 40 Chestnut Ridge Road, Montvale. $200 per session; discount for multiple-session registrants. Applications: (201) 391-3300, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays.
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All sorts of boats share the ample waters and many island channels. There is hiking in the surrounding mountains and lots of arts and crafts.
Most towns provide public beaches, boat launches, and watercraft rentals. Weirs Beach is a lively, boardwalked playground, day and night. Wolfeboro captures a classic New England tone. Meredith offers a mix of activities. Squam Lake--the site of the movie On Golden Pond--is more secluded. (Lake tours pass by the setting.)
Other pleasures. Get a scenic overview of Lake Winnipesaukee on tours aboard the M/S Mount Washington and other boats. For a shoreline view, take the railroad run out of Weirs Beach, where Surf Coaster is the region's largest water park. A giant water slide and Funspot (games galore) are nearby. Drive to Castle in the Clouds in the mountains for a spectacular vista and horseback riding.
Cottage rentals. Book early; the region is popular. Also consider lakes other than Winnipesaukee. Choices include small, screened-porch cabins (about $500 a week); simple or fancy digs in wooded solitude ($1,000 or more); one- to four-bedroom resort cottages (averaging $1,400); and exclusive cottage groupings with private beaches (about $700).
Information. The Lakes Region Assoc., Dept. BHG, . Box 1545, Center Harbor, NH 03226-1545; 603/253-8555. The New Hampshire Guidebook, 800/944-1117.
BETWEEN TWO MOUNTAIN CHAINS
Lake Champlain, Vermont
Legend has it that French explorer Samuel de Champlain spotted a wondrous sea monster as he first paddled the pristine waters of Lake Champlain, in 1609. Many of today's residents swear they've seen "Champ" too, popping its head up from time to time. No doubt the monster wants to enjoy the beautiful shores all along this 108-mile waterway between Vermont's Green Mountains and New York's Adirondacks range.
Burlington, Vermont, is an upbeat community bustling with waterfront and other tourist attractions and barely 10 minutes away from the mountains. One good cottage area lies about 30 miles north of town, on the Champlain Islands; weekly rentals range from $500 to $1,000 or so.
Other pleasures. Enjoy the lake on one of three regular ferry crossings, or tour aboard the stern-wheeler, Spirit of Ethan Allen. Visit the Shelburne Museum, one of the nation's truly extraordinary museums of American folk art, and historical buildings. Stroll the pathways of the Vermont Wildflower Farm, with six acres of labeled blooms, and buy local cheese at the 19th-century Shelburne Farms.
Stores and eateries abound in the cobblestoned Church Street Marketplace in town. Enjoy the views and shopping at the refurbished Champlain Mill on the Winooski River, and get free samples at Ben and Jerry's factory tour.
Cottage rental. The Champlain Islands are sleepy, farmland country, with plenty of privacy along the lake's mildly rocky shores. There are three state-park beaches, boat-rental operations, easy cycling terrain, and pleasant church socials and other local events. For city life, Burlington is 30 miles south, Montreal, Canada, 80 miles north.
Information. Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, Dept. BHG, 209 Battery St., Burlington, VT 05401; 802/863-3489 Island Property Management, Dept. BHG, .1, Box 556A, South Hero, VT 05486; 802/372-5436. "Four Season Vacation Rentals 1992," Vermont Travel Division, Dept. BHG, 134 State St., Montpelier, VT 05602; 802/828-3236.
OLYMPICS IN THE ADIRONDACKS
Lake Placid, New York
You'll think you've discovered an Alpine village just five-and-one-half hours north of New York City when you arrive in Lake Placid, at the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Brightly colored flags lend an international air to the main street, as a kayaker paddles silently by on 3-mile-round Mirror Lake (no motors allowed, but you can rent paddle boats). A short walk away, dense woods protect the privacy of cottages on the shores of Lake Placid Lake.
Throughout the area, the Adirondacks' forests, lakes, and streams create a wondrous wilderness for hikers and bikers, trout anglers, and boaters of varying skills. Antiques and crafts lovers will find plenty to browse; don't miss the world renowned Adirondack Museum, in Blue Mountain Lake.
Other pleasures. Flanked by several peaks, Whiteface Mountain caps the horizon 10 miles away, where world-class skiers schussed for the gold in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Recapture some of the spirit by driving up (weather permitting), then taking an elevator for the pinnacle view. For a different perspective, ride the chair lift. Also visit Santa's North Pole workshop in the same area.
Another breathtaking glimpse of Olympian challenge comes at the tops of the 90- and 70-meter ski jumps near Lake Placid. Watch young hopefuls practice on plastic-covered ramps at the Kodak Sports Park. Then visit John Brown's 1850s farm, now a museum, where his bones lie amouldering along with others who took part in his ill-fated raid at Harper's Ferry.
Cottage rentals. Lake cottages--often summer houses--can cost $1,500 a week or more and are booked early. Ask about less expensive cottages near Mirror Lake and Lake Placid Lake instead; you're not far from town, and a handy trolley system helps visitors get around.
Also try other mountain towns, like Schroon, Saranac, Brant, and Silver Lakes, which are within a half-hour or an hour's drive from Lake Placid. Prices run from $400 up, depending on location, size, and amenities.
Information. Pete Wilson, Lake Placid Commerce and Visitors Bureau, Dept. BHG, Olympic Center, Lake Placid, NY 12946, 518/523-2445, 800/447-5224.
DEEP-FOREST LAKES
Minocqua and Eagle River, Wisconsin
Two lake cottage resort areas thrive in the heart of northeast Wisconsin, amid thousands of lakes and ponds and over half a million acres of dense forest, much of it federal and state land. The town of Minocqua, some 200 miles straight north of Madison on Highway 51, straddles an island at the center of five interconnected lakes. Eagle River, 30 miles east, borders a chain of 28 lakes with more than 130 miles of shoreline. Between the two, some 400 resorts--most of them small, family-run enterprises--offer ample access to this northwoods water playground. Two-bedroom cottages average between $300 and $500 a week; larger accommodations cost more.
The lakes are a prime habitat for walleye, northern pike, bass, and muskellunge. Many resorts include the use of a boat with their cottages, and motors rent for about $80 a week. Anglers looking to increase their luck can hire a fishing guide for between $125 and $175 a day.
Other pleasures. Even when the fish aren't biting, the lakes offer fine swimming, waterskiing, and sailing. Gift shops line the main streets, and restaurants serve such traditional north-woods fare as fresh fish, wild blueberries, and local cranberries.
For off-water entertainment, try Sheer's Lumberjack Shows, the Northern Lights Playhouse, Jim Peck's Wildwood (a wildlife park), and the Bearskin Trail for cyclers.
Cottage rentals. One of the area's larger resorts with cottages is the Chanticleer Inn, near Eagle River. Guests may use the tennis courts, restaurant, and lounge. Three-bedroom cottages: $600 to $840 per week (800/752-9193). Fence Lake Lodge Resort, near Minocqua, offers a variety of cottages plus a fine restaurant. Weekly rentals, from $330 to $750, 14-foot boat included (715/588-3255).
Information. Greater Minocqua Chamber, Dept. BHG, . Box 1006, Minocqua, WI 54548; 800/44-NORTH. Eagle River Chamber/Information Bureau, Dept. BHG, . Box 218, Eagle River, WI 54521; 800/359-6315.
INTO THE WILDERNESS
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Along Minnesota's Canadian border lies a pristine network of waterways and heavily wooded islands, where French-Canadian canoeists once moved pelts and trade goods.
Still home to wolves, moose, black bear, beaver, otter, bald eagles, loons, ospreys, and great blue herons, the 219,000-acre wilderness has changed little since. Fishing is bountiful for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. Water temperatures stay reasonably warm for swimming in summer.
You'll need a boat, but most of the area's 60-plus resorts offer rentals (about $200 a week with motor). Get navigational charts from the park's visitors centers.
Other pleasures. Take your boat to explore the tiny settlement of Kettle Falls, once a crossroads for the lumber and commercial fish trades. Park naturalist-guided tours include canoe voyages, nature hikes. boat cruises, star gazing, and visits to beaver ponds. Hiking trails abound.
Cottage rentals. Resort cottages average from $300 to $400 a week for a family of four. Many resorts have their own restaurants, with special rates for guests. Arrowhead Lodge, once a lumber camp, offers cabins and a main lodge, plus children's programs in summer. One- to four-bedroom cottages: $325 to $695 a week, boat included (218/875-2141). For a more luxurious vacation, try Nelson's Resort, $60 to $88 a day per person, kids less (218/993-2295).
Information. The Minnesota Office of Tourism, 250 Skyway Level, Dept. BHG, 375 Jackson St., St. Paul, MN 55101-1810; 800/657-3700. Voyageurs National Park, Box 50, Dept. BHG, International Falls, MN 56649; 218/283-9821.
HILLSIDE LAKES AND COUNTRY TUNES
Branson, Missouri
Spice up your favorite water sports with a taste of Ozark hospitality at Branson, Missouri, just north of Arkansas. In a cozy setting of thickly wooded hills, the town anchors a booming resort community developed around three large lakes: Table Rock, Taneycomo, and Bull Shoals.
A hundred or so small resorts provide access to the lakes, with great trout, bluegill, catfish, and crappie fishing, plus swimming, waterskiing, scuba diving, and sailing. Cottages; for four average $400 to $500 a week; larger units may run $1000 or more.
Other pleasures. Country music is the major attraction in Branson, nicknamed "Little Nashville." Its two dozen music theaters include ones owned by Roy Clark, Moe Bandy, and Christy Lane. Other stars schedule frequent appearances, too. (Traffic can be heavy; get free, alternate-route maps from the Chamber of Commerce.)
The Shepherd of the Hills Homestead and Outdoor Theatre dramatizes life in the Ozarks some 90 years ago. Silver Dollar City re-creates a mountain village, where artisans practice traditional crafts. Live music shows, children's rides, and a cave tour round out a day at the theme park.
Cottage rentals. Big Cedar Lodge, the area's premiere resort, includes private cabins, two lodges, tennis, golf, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities in a serene, rural setting. Cabins range from $89 to $449 a night (417/338-8210). Still Waters Resort offers cabins and condo-style suites, plus boat and ski rentals, a pool, a hot tub, and a swimming beach. One- to three-bedroom cabins cost $59 to $149 per night (417/338-2323).
Information. The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, . Box 220, Dept. BHG, Branson, MO 65616; 417/334-4136. Table Rock Lake/Kimberling City Area Chamber, . Box 495-91, Dept. BHG, Kimberling City, MO 65686; 417/739-2564.
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