If you're like me and live in a cold climate, you likely embrace all winter has to offer - skiing, outdoor skating and even snowball fights. This winter though, Mother Nature seems to be in a snit and we've entered a slushy winter purgatory...

With only a few days to recharge the batteries, my husband and I head to the winter retreat of Lake Placid - the lure of a bobsled ride seals the deal.

I'll admit, as we roll into Lake Placid  I wonder if we've booked ourselves into DisneyLand with stick furniture. I expect cartoon moose, cabin kitsch and the Ghost of Olympics Past to haunt every corner. I might be wrong.

Lake Placid doesn't exist for tourists. It thrives in spite of them. Since 9/11, quiet Lake Placid has been a magnet for those seeking an alternative to big city life - despite spotty cell phone service. Sandy Caligiore, the Director of Communications for the Olympic Regional Development Authority lights up when talking about his town. He urges us to visit the Speed Skating oval at night. "You can meet people, take a few laps, work up an appetite or burn off calories," he says.

And the people are friendly; Lake Placid residents love to share. We chat with the owner of The Adirondack Kitchen Store and he tells us how the women's hockey team comes in regularly to stock up on sushi supplies. He's not bragging, just amused that star player, Julie Chu, converted so many teammates. He seems more impressed that world-famous figure skating team, The Protopopov's, drop by than the fact Bruce Springsteen brings his daughter to the annual horse show and Rod Stewart makes regular appearances. He shrugs when he mentions the rock stars, but smiles with affection when telling us how the skaters, now in their 70s, pop in to say hello.

At the local tobacconist, With Pipe and Book, we meet a camera shy dog and an owner who admits her hours are "sporadic." Lake Placid is a lifestyle, not just a way to make a living. Even Candy Man, with a counter full of handmade confections doesn't rush me into a hasty chocolate decision.

And after a few hours wandering the snow-laced streets, the stick furniture is beginning to make sense. No wonder the locals aren't eager to get full-blown cell coverage. They know a good thing when they've go it.

Charmian Christie,
Outdoor Adventure Expert