January 31, 2012
Earlier this month, I got to go on a father-daughter bonding trip with my dad to Vermont. (Basically a high school graduation gift trip taken ten years later). We picked Vermont because we wanted to be able to go skiing (my dad and I were both slalom skiing racers in our high school days) and neither of us had been skiing out east. And maybe because Vermont has enchanted me ever since I saw White Christmas for the first time. Sidenote: To those of you who have not seen this most fabulous of classic movies… what are you waiting for?
When we arrived in Vermont, we too wondered where all the snow was. But soon we had all the snow you would expect from Vermont.
After we found our way to Stowe, we checked out the Vermont Ski Museum and walked around the town for a bit. It was fun to look at all the old style skis. It was especially funny that my dad had owned pairs of most of them. Even more funny was that I had owned skis like the ones in the museum. Yay for getting your skis for $20 at a ski swap! But don’t worry, I have much newer skis now. Unless you don’t count things bought in 2001 as “new.”
Our first full day in Vermont, we decided to hit the slopes. We learned that skiing there is very different from skiing out west. The runs are narrow, and most were very steep. Icy base with powder on top. Made for very sore leg muscles and the need for a hot chocolate break after only two hours of skiing. But the views were gorgeous, and the technology at Stowe Resort was really cool. Everything was automated from the self-serve gondolas to the proxy card lift tickets. I didn’t bring my camera with me skiing though, so I only have camera phone shots of most of that day.
The next day we decided to give our tired bodies a rest and headed out to explore Vermont’s capital city of Montpelier.
And the capital building above was about the most exciting part. Probably because it’s the nation’s smallest capital city. We didn’t stay in Montpelier past the time allowed by putting a couple quarters in the parking meter but realized we weren’t too far away from a grouping of covered bridges, so we journeyed out into the mountainside in search for these landmarks.
The next day we spent sleeping in, catching up on some really old tv shows, and then bundled up to head outside for some snowshoeing. Again, I had no camera other than my phone for this part, so there aren’t any photos of that to share here. You can check my facebook page for more of those photos when I get them uploaded. On a whim, we agreed to take a sleigh ride tour at the Trapp Family Lodge (where we stayed). The Trapp Family Lodge was founded and is still owned by the family whose story was made famous in the movie “The Sound of Music.” I think my favorite images from the trip came from this sleigh ride so I’m really glad I had my camera with that time!
The Trapp Family Lodge is known for some pretty awesome cross-country ski trails. Actually the whole area around Stowe had tons of ski trails. So whether you prefer downhill or uphill (XC) there is plenty of skiing to be had.
The last day of our trip it was super cold out so instead of skiing (yep, I’m a fair-weather skier… aka if it’s below zero I prefer the chalet) we went on a photo safari around Stowe. Up the mountains, and down the mountains. Sometimes driving in circles to get better angles.
This last photo is one of my favorites. It’s a barn that we passed each time we went to or from the resort. Isn’t it cute? All the windows are painted on. Totally fake. Funny right?
Thanks for a fun trip Dad! Lots of memories made.
Plus they looked like celebs with the paparazzi following them around with a camera that afternoon.
