CyberZahm

After 5 months and 105 messages, the 2023 version of the Saratoga Sweepstakes (aka “The Battle for the Little Horsey”) was called to order on Tuesday, Aug1. This year the participants included two of Al’s cohorts and weekly poker regulars (Billy Olin and Charlie/Chuck Barredo), both old associates/coworkers and Al’s great friends. Guy, representing the Danza boys, and stalwarts Fox, Andy, and your MC, Mags filled out the ticket. Billy and Chuck, as part of their initiation to this special annual event, provided some new activities to wedge into our agenda. More on this as we proceed through the 3-day itinerary:

Day 1 - starting off with the usual late-morning golf at the Hiland Golf Club, first introduced to us by Al, in Queensbury, midway between Saratoga and Lake George. It’s a lovely, laid back course with the added benefit of Senior discounts. Our five-some of Billy, Guy, Andy, Fox, Mags managed to play as a single group without holding up anyone. We were usually waiting for the pack of ladies ahead of us, one of whom was kind enough to take our photo.

This year we played the Senior tees, which presented enough of a challenge for most of us. Al says he would not have let us do that! We managed to finish golf in 4.5 hours and scuttled off to our next planned event, a boat ride with Captain Billy on beautiful Lake George.

Lake George is long (~30 miles) and narrow (1-2 miles) skirting the southern entry to the Adirondack Mountains. It is quite deep and a very popular boating destination. Cap’n Billy arranged for a 3-1/2 hour rental of his favorite boat, an “Unsinkable” Sea Ray 22' Bow Rider. While some of us may have been a little apprehensive about this adventure, it was reassuring to see the Captain reading the safety instructions as we boarded the ship. It also helped that he lured us on with beer, bourbon, and snacks.

Billy proceeded to pilot us out of the small cove into the choppy, deep waters of the lake and headed north. We turned on Pandora radio, listened to classic rock tunes, drank, and just admired the gorgeous scenery as Billy piloted us about halfway up the lake.

It was very relaxing and Discussion topics included depth of the lake, whether or not we could swim to shore, and whether hookers cruised the lake.

We boated all the way to the luxurious Sagamore Hotel on the shores of the lake, where we were turned around for being drunk, rowdy, and poorly dressed.

From there we headed south to the town of Lake George, where we had a very quick pee stop, disturbed a restaurant hostess, and hustled back to the boat at the Captain’s stern orders. With 15 minutes until the boat slip shutdown, the Captain floored the pedal and gave us a fun dash back to the dock. A great way to spend part of the afternoon. From there we wandered to the Adirondack Brewery for beers and light appetizers, and the Captain seemed thrilled to have his Lehman College buddies with him. We then headed back to Saratoga for evening nightcaps.

Day 2 -A day at the races. Charlie, Billy, Andy, and Guy headed into the Saratoga Racetrack early enough to grab a picnic table and setup the handicapping station for the day’s races. Fox and I did some vinyl record shopping and stopped for a quick liquid lunch at The Parting Glass, a traditional watering hole.

Joining the rest at the racetrack table, the handicapping pretty much entailed using playing cards to select a Trifecta and taking turns to pick a horse to Show. These profound methodologies were contributed by “Showdown Charlie”, for which he was later awarded the Four Star Dave trophy.

Remarkably, in between beer drinking and sight-seeing, and with a very lucky last minute Trifecta pick by Chuck, Bill, and Mags as we headed out the gate (this was a $400 winner), we netted as a group just short of $600 for the day’s effort. Fox was heard to say "best day at track ever .. sit, drink beer, watch the plentiful talent, and then people keep coming up to me telling me how much I won".

This paided for a nice family-style Italian dinner and drinks at Augi’s Restaurant in quiet little Ballston Spa and gave us each some spending money for the bars afterward.

We hustled back to Saratoga for Trivia night at Harvey’s Irish Pub, where the “Showdowners” got shut down by competing teams with twice as many team members with a much wider span of ages than our AARP crew. But we moved on with our heads up, strolling up Broadway, then down Caroline St and into the refined martini bar with tables in a side alley so cigars could be smoked. Well-crafted martinis and Manhattans were enjoyed before heading home for the evening. BUT, Fox had to pee again, so he went into Bailey’s to relieve himself and we followed in order to see if the blonde bartender with beautiful eyes was still working. There was a blond, but not the same blond. Another round of beers and we closed the bar down, headed home, just barely before the clock struck 12. Who said we couldn’t do this?

Day 3 - up bright and early for 2nd round of golf; 9:10 tee time at Saratoga State Park.

Chuck replaced Bill in our five-some and he, Andy, and Fox teed off first. Guy and Mags were joined by two singles who turned out to be pretty decent players, so the two of us backed up to the white tees. Course was in fine condition and we finished in 4 hours. Sat down for a nice lunch poolside at the State Park cafe, where Andy proceeded to play his 20 question game with the young waitress, and Chuck and Guy began planning for modifications to next year’s gathering (oh lord, give me a break!). From there we parted ways, dispersing to our home nests or thereabouts, better off for having had a 3-day retreat from the real world with good ol’ friends.

We'll do it again next year! - Mags