A Greek Tragedy: Camping at Lake Placid Act Two

Camping at Lake Placid, Act two.

Readers: please scroll down to the previous post, Act 1, to begin the play.

Scene 1: Sunday afternoon, bikers are done with their second loop, roads open to traffic, it is still pouring rain.

Queen: The coffee shop clerk told us it would rain the rest of the day and thunderstorm all night. What will we do Lowly? How will we stay dry and sleep? We have to be up at 5:30am to get to the 2009 Lake Placid IM registration.

Lowly: We could sleep in the SUV?

Queen: And just where will all our stuff go. Look at the tent, it's a mess. Give me the tablecloth.

The Queen clothespins the tablecloth to the tent. Now there is a beat up sun canopy over the tent, a checkerboard tablecloth on one side and garbage bags around the rest of the tent to try and keep it dry. The tent site is mud and puddles.

Queen: Let's see if there is a motel room, Lowly, please.

Lowly: There aren't any rooms, it's the IM, this area has been sold out for months.

Queen: We have to do something.

Lowly: Okay, get in the SUV, at least we will be dry for awhile.

Lowly and the Queen stop at the first motel, less than a mile from the campground. The Queen goes in while Lowly the servant knows this is futile.

Queen: Lowly, they have a room, Queen bed, it's ...

Before she can finish Lowly is in the office and paying for the room. Someone got hurt and went home a day early, canceling their room. Bad for them, but finally some good fortune for Lowly and the Queen.

Back at the campground, one last time.

Queen: Lowly, what should I do with the canopy and poles?

Lowly: I'll meet you at the dumpster, throw it in and let's get out of here!

Scene 2: Lowly and the Queen in a bar/restaurant next to the motel.

Waitress: Can I take your orders?

Queen and Lowly in unison: Just bring a pitcher of beer and two glasses, maybe hot burgers and some side dishes.

After dinner Queen and Lowly stagger to the nice warm room, with a clean, private shower, and  fall into a deep sleep until the 5:30 alarm.

Scene 3:Lowly and Queen arrive at the Lake Placid skating oval at 6:35. People have been sleeping on the sidewalk all night. There are 3-400 people in line ahead of them.

Lowly: You triathletes are nuts. This is crazy, I can't believe people get in line like this to spend $500 and race for 140 miles. Registration doesn't open until 9am.

Queen: I want to do this race.

Lowly: Yes Queen.

At 7:30 the organizers tease Lowly and Queen,letting everyone into the oval in an orderly fashion. People who volunteered at yesterday's IM get a special line. They get to register first.

At 9:00 the lines begin to move. It goes quickly and by 9:30 everyone is out of there.

Scene 4: Queen and Lowly are back home unloading the SUV.

Queen: Where are we putting the tent so it dries out Lowly?

Lowly doesn't answer, just drags the soggy mess over to the side of the road so the garbage men can pick it up in the morning.

Queen (jumping with joy and clapping): Does this mean we aren't camping again Lowly?

Lowly: No... I don't know. Maybe. But you were right, again, that 23 year old tent should have been tossed years ago. How did we ever fit us and three kids in there?

Later that night the Queen logs on to the IM web site.

Queen: Look at this Lowly, Lake Placid IM sold out on site. If we hadn't have been there I wouldn't have gotten in. Amazing.

Lowly: Well that's just great Queen, should I look for a campground to stay at for next year?

The end.