billski
Active member
After Storrs, the next stop on the safari was Northeast Slopes, set along the Waits river, in or near the Northeast Kingdom. Another non-profit, these people put the word into "community" with their deeds and friendliness.
Pearl and her husband, run the snack stand and the equipment respectively. Dennis runs the cat and is generally filled with grease. He owns the cattle farm across the street, sometimes letting his cattle graze on the slopes in the off-season. Dennis builds fences. "any kind, all kind". You want a fence, call Dennis. Rob ran the t-bar. Yep, first name basis comes quick.
Since someone put up a web page for them, they've been getting a lot of folk like me, "from away." Now these folk can call us "flat landers and really mean it"
Two years back they installed a T-bar. They had realized that adults were a bit weary of the rope tow. They would do it a few times, then quit, too much hassle. So they "upgraded" to a T-bar. The adults deluged the place. So, for all you high-speed quad bigots, I challenge you to a day on the ropes and T-bar.
So Getting to chat with Pearl, I buy a ticket, she talked me down to five bucks. Yep, you heard it here first! That is the LEAST I've EVER paid for a ticket. Now, she dug up a 75th anniversary pin for me (yep, 75 year old still running rope tow (I think that is their claim to fame). I bought some raffle tickets for the pair of Praxis boards. I told Pearl I didn't want to win, and if I did, please give them to a local.
Another slow day in paradise:
Pearl told me if I had come earlier she would have made me lunch! My choice of seating at any of the ten benches and four picnic tables. They're planning on pond-skimming in a couple weeks.
The groomed trails were sweet and dry.
I spied a natural trail with three track through the woods. I'll tell you, I've never gotten the snot beat out of me by a 200 foot hill. The snow was about five inches deep, but nobody told me it was still saturated with water. Third turn, bang! binding eject and landed plop! Immediately filling my clothes with wet snow. Ugh!
I took my spill on an East Corinth hill:
Danger! the prettiest ones are the most dangerous!
The hill had the topography of S6, without the collegiate vibe.
They've got a snow cat, and some snow making, it's a very small, but complete community area. Great people, great vibe. Real people, in their Carharts and plaid shirts and rubber waders.
After the tow closed, Dennis and I stood in the very deep mud parking lot and talked about beef cattle farming, how the State of VT made it too expensive for him to continue maple-sugaring (still got a nice sugarbush), how the state made it difficult to sell steaks (but you can buy a "share" of a cow) and his circa 1700s (nobody knows for sure) farm house.
Time for the Safari to move on. Hitched up the doggies and headed north on one of the most beautiful roads in VT - Route 25, replete with legit, real country stores. Not the tourist stores. Onward to Steaux.
Wonderful day of exploring. Total cost, $15.
Get out when you can, they could use the cash!
Pearl and her husband, run the snack stand and the equipment respectively. Dennis runs the cat and is generally filled with grease. He owns the cattle farm across the street, sometimes letting his cattle graze on the slopes in the off-season. Dennis builds fences. "any kind, all kind". You want a fence, call Dennis. Rob ran the t-bar. Yep, first name basis comes quick.
Since someone put up a web page for them, they've been getting a lot of folk like me, "from away." Now these folk can call us "flat landers and really mean it"
Two years back they installed a T-bar. They had realized that adults were a bit weary of the rope tow. They would do it a few times, then quit, too much hassle. So they "upgraded" to a T-bar. The adults deluged the place. So, for all you high-speed quad bigots, I challenge you to a day on the ropes and T-bar.
So Getting to chat with Pearl, I buy a ticket, she talked me down to five bucks. Yep, you heard it here first! That is the LEAST I've EVER paid for a ticket. Now, she dug up a 75th anniversary pin for me (yep, 75 year old still running rope tow (I think that is their claim to fame). I bought some raffle tickets for the pair of Praxis boards. I told Pearl I didn't want to win, and if I did, please give them to a local.
Another slow day in paradise:
Pearl told me if I had come earlier she would have made me lunch! My choice of seating at any of the ten benches and four picnic tables. They're planning on pond-skimming in a couple weeks.
The groomed trails were sweet and dry.
I spied a natural trail with three track through the woods. I'll tell you, I've never gotten the snot beat out of me by a 200 foot hill. The snow was about five inches deep, but nobody told me it was still saturated with water. Third turn, bang! binding eject and landed plop! Immediately filling my clothes with wet snow. Ugh!
I took my spill on an East Corinth hill:
Danger! the prettiest ones are the most dangerous!
The hill had the topography of S6, without the collegiate vibe.
They've got a snow cat, and some snow making, it's a very small, but complete community area. Great people, great vibe. Real people, in their Carharts and plaid shirts and rubber waders.
After the tow closed, Dennis and I stood in the very deep mud parking lot and talked about beef cattle farming, how the State of VT made it too expensive for him to continue maple-sugaring (still got a nice sugarbush), how the state made it difficult to sell steaks (but you can buy a "share" of a cow) and his circa 1700s (nobody knows for sure) farm house.
Time for the Safari to move on. Hitched up the doggies and headed north on one of the most beautiful roads in VT - Route 25, replete with legit, real country stores. Not the tourist stores. Onward to Steaux.
Wonderful day of exploring. Total cost, $15.
Get out when you can, they could use the cash!
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