James asked as the three friends made their way along the steep, forested ridges of Prospect Mountain. Val stopped on a large flat rock overlooking the valley, adjusting the wide-brimmed Tilley hat she’d purchased at the hotel gift shop earlier that morning. “I’d probably say something like ‘The spectacular view includes the thirty-two-mile-long expanse of crystal-clean, sparkling blue waters of Lake George some two-thousand-plus feet below, along with mile after mile of fragrant evergreens and an assortment of broadleaf trees that shoot from the sides of the surrounding mountains like fireworks.’ ” James removed his own new hat, waving it up and down in front of his face as if it were a fan. “Took the words right out of my mouth.” “It really is spectacular.” Melissa’s eyes scanned the horizon from underneath the rim of her black baseball cap, with its Welcome to the Adirondacks logo emblazoned in red across it. “Although I’m surprised it’s so hot.” “That’s what you get for wearing a black T-shirt,”
