Vermont Travel Notes

Moose Watch

Photo credit: www.central-vt.com/moose "Montpelier, Vermont, the nation's smallest capital city had an unexpected visitor Monday, July 19th as a moose wandered leisurely during the lunch hour. This picture was taken by an administrative assistant at Vermont State Housing Authority on 1 Prospect in the city. A co-worker, Lindsay White, remarked that she loves the ruralness of Vermont, and this was the exclamation point of the day! "

I think the most frequent question we get from guests is "Where's a good place for dinner?" A close second is "Where can we go to see moose?"

Answering the first question is easy because we have dozens of good restaurants in the immediate area.

Answering the second question is tougher because we don't have dozens of moose hanging around nearby. We have one (perhaps more) around the inn that must come through about once a week judging by the fresh tracks we see that often. In fact a guest and his family last week pulled into our driveway one evening to find a moose standing right in front of them just a few yards off Route 100.

Moose are most frequently in remote, rural areas but they are located all over the state and, as seen in the photo above, they can even wander into a city This one was spotted in downtown Montpelier, the state capital. Once in a while deer are seen feeding on the state capitol lawn in the evenings but moose are a very rare sight in the city.

We have more moose road signs I think than actual moose. The last time I saw a statistic, the VT Fish & Wildlife Division estimated our herd between 4,000 and 5,000. In fact, the last two moose hunting seasons, F&W increased the number of permits to help reduce the size of the herd. This year, they reduced the number of permits back to 700 something. About 200 moose are killed by automobiles each year in Vermont. Moose have little or no fear and they will usually not hesitate to step in front of a car.

When I'm asked about where to see a moose, I tell people that you need a lot of luck to see one. For instance, the photo at the top of this blog was taken by a guest a few years ago through the windshield of his car. By the time he got the car pulled over and stopped to get out and take a better quality photo, the moose had already walked across the road (Route 100 between Warren and Granville) and was headed up into the woods. The point is that if he had left from our inn a minute earlier or a minute later, he would have missed the moose entirely.

But having explained that, we suggest the area around Island Pond, VT for good moose watching. Island Pond is a good central location for exploring the most remote part of Vermont known as the Northeast Kingdom (NEK).

The Appalachian Mountain Club website has a little primer on moose watching you might like to read. Note especially the warnings about getting close to these animals. They're not known for being aggressive but they are wild animals and you can never be sure whether they will attack. A mother moose (cow) will almost certainly be aggressive if she is with a calf.

An even better article is on the Island Pond, VT town website .

Route 105 is Vermont's "Moose Alley" but other roads such as 114, 111, 5 and 16 are worth driving as well. The back roads are also worth exploring but make sure you have enough gas in the tank before heading into backcountry.

But I would not go to the NEK just to see moose. I'd go to see the countryside with the idea that seeing a moose would be a special bonus.

Here is an enjoyable double (!) moose sighting video shot in the NEK by jenawesome

Good luck on your moose hunt! And drive carefully, especially at night.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Shelburne Museum Goes to the Dogs Sept 13

TiconderRover, winner of the costume contest in2007, wearing a model of the Ticonderoga steamship which is on display at the museum

Dogs, dogs,dogs. Flying disc dogs, retrieving dogs, pointing dogs, sled dogs, obedience dogs, agility dogs, police dogs, working dogs, dancing dogs, and even fashion show dogs in costume - they'll all be at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne VT Sunday, September 13 starting at 10:00 am and continuing to 4:30.

Shelburne Museum Goes to the Dogs is a fund raiser for area animal welfare groups and an admission of $10 for adults and $5 for children is charged.

The PAWsitively Vogue Fashion Show and Canine Costume Competition is at 1:30.

(c) 2009 (except the photo) Jeff Connor

Killington Hay Bale Festival

If you are traveling around the Killington VT area in the next few weeks, you will see some unusual hay bale sculptures alongside the roadway.

They're part of the Killington Hay Festival, an annual exhibit of clever sculptures made of both round and square hay bales.

Get your camera ready and head out to see giant 30 foot hay bale structures fashioned into whimsical characters. There are 35 of them around the Killington area. The festival's website has a map of them so you can plan your tour. The exhibits are left in place through October. They are made by artists and enthusiastic amateurs.

Cabot Creamery is sponsoring the exhibit and providing free sample of their cheese at the Killington Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center on Rte 4.

You can stop at the Killington Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center on Route 4 to pick up a Hay Festival Scavenger Hunt guide and complete the quiz on Vermont agriculture. Answers are provided at each sculpture. There will be prizes and complimentary Vermont Cabot Cheese at the Welcome Center.

Some more photos are available on the festival's Facebook page.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor (except the photographs) Grunberg Haus Inn

09-09-09

I just found out that Magic Hat Brewing is having a "#9tacular" event tomorrow to celebrate 09-09-09, September 9, 2009. There's no mention of the next one a thousand years from now so it's best to attend this event which will be held on Church Street in Magic Hat's hometown of Burlington VT.

Magic Hat has a special affinity to nines because of one of the brewery's most popular beers is named #9. And if there's anything this company likes almost as much as beer, it's having a good time.

#9tacular starts at 6:00 pm and goes 'till 10:00. That's pm, not the next morning. There will be live karaoke, a performance by The Rubblebucket Orchestra band, a laser light show, a scavanger hunt to benefit the non-profit Burlington City Arts, and a chance to win a very cool #9 cruiser bike (contest ends Sept 18).

If you can't travel to Vermont for this, there will be many other #9tacular events around the country that may be nearer for you.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor (except the Magic Hat artwork) Grunberg Haus Inn

Vermont Moose

Mad River Glen moose population has grown by two this year.

One of the most frequent questions we get here at the inn is "where can we go to see a moose?" There are several areas nearby where the possibility is greater but sighting a moose is a rare occurrence even for people who live and work in the forests.

The moose photo at the top of this Vermont Travel Notes blog is a good example. It was taken by a guest in early November several years ago while he was driving on Route 100 between Warren and Granville VT, a popular place to spot moose because of the swampy areas alongside the road. It's not a particularly good photo because he quickly took the shot through the car windshield. He got some better quality photos after he stopped the car and got out but by then the moose was into the woods and walking away so the angle of the photo does not work well. But he was lucky to see it at all. If he had left here a minute earlier or a minute later he would have missed the moose entirely. That's moose spotting for you (or seeing any unusual wildlife for that matter).

I have seen two moose this year but that is very unusual. Most years I don't see any. We have one walking through our property about once a month but we never see it. He or she comes through late at night and all we see are the footprints the next day.

Last winter, we had a few skier guests tell us of seeing a moose near the trails at Mad River Glen. One of them even hit the moose after coming around a corner and seeing it standing right in front of him. He reacted fast enough to squat down so he only bumped the moose a little bit. It must not have bothered the moose too much because it merely looked at the skier for a moment and then walked slowly into the woods.

The moose above may be the same one and, as you can see, it's a female with two calves it had this year. This moose photo and other Mad River Glen photos can be seen on the Gallery page at the Mad River Glen web site.

So, if you want to go moose spotting, the best area is the most remote part of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom as it's known. Just try the roads around the town of Island Pond. Even if you don't see a moose, it's a beautiful area to do some sight seeing. Stop in some of the local country stores and ask around about where people have seen moose lately.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn except for the moose photo by Deb Steines and Bob Rogers on the Mad River Glen website

Northwest Airlines Logo(s)

I've seen Northwest Airlines planes for many years but I never noticed something peculiar about them until it was pointed out to me a couple of weeks ago.

The logo is obviously a compass marker pointing in the northwest direction when you view the plane from the port (left) side. But if you view the airplane from the starboard side, the logo is suddenly pointing northeast!

Northwest is northwest no matter where it is viewed from. And it is so marked on every compass in the world. Why Northwest Airline chooses to do otherwise on one side of their airplanes is a mystery to me. If anyone knows why, I would appreciate hearing from you. The first one to respond gets a $30 discount voucher toward a stay here.

By the way, Northwest (recently acquired by Delta) flies twice a day between Detroit (DTW) and Burlington VT (BTV). You can see flights from all the airlines into Burlington on the BTV website. There are 45 to 50 flights a day into Burlington from 12 airports in 10 cities.

� 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Learn How To Make Chocolates Workshops in Stowe VT

Photo courtesy of Laughing Moon Chocolates

Laughing Moon Chocolates is a wonderful little store in Stowe VT which makes and sells an extensive line of chocolates using mostly locally produced ingredients.

Laughing Moon is offering workshops this spring and summer on how to make chocolates. These Chocolate Experience Workshops are intended for recreational users who would like to learn how to make their own candy at home. The cost is $150 per person. For more information and to register, contact owner Leigh Williams at (802) 253-9591.

Friday May 1
Chocolate Dipping Experience Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
A two-hour hand-on workshop on how to cook truffles, melt and temper chocolate, and hand-dipping.

Friday, June 26
Marshmallow Making Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
A two-hour workshop on how to make homemade marshmallow, prepare them for dipping, and hand-dip them in milk, dark and white chocolate. How to prepare S�mores or mix it with caramel or truffle centers.

Friday, July 10
Chocolate Dipping Experience Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
Same as the May 1 workshop above.

Friday, August 14
Local Bounty Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
Two-hour workshop highlighting Vermont made specialty foods including Mitzi�s Fresh Mountain Breakfast, Boyden Valley Winery, Rock Art Brewery, Green Mountain Distillers, The Nutty Vermonter & The Sweet Crunch Bake Shop. Thee will be instruction on how to make peanut butter using fresh Virginia-grown peanuts and work with other locally made foods to create chocolate specialties. Prepare homemade centers and hand-dip them in chocolate. Also, how to use fresh local blueberries and raspberries, and how to make make chocolate at home.

Laughing Moon Chocolates has created a niche by incorporating locally produced foods into their chocolates. They make truffles with Boyden Valley Winery Big Barn Red Wine, Green Mountain Distillers Sunshine Vodka and Maple Liquor, Flag Hill Farm Pear and Apple Brandys, and Rock Art Vermonster Beer. The store offers chocolate covered homemade cookies baked by the Sweet Crunch Bake Shop in Hyde Park, and using Mitzi�s Fresh Mountain Breakfast and The Nutty Vermonter�s Triple Nut Butters.

Even if you don't want to attend the workshops, you should visit the store just to see how good it smells! There is a great selection of chocolates to meet every taste. Online ordering is available on the website too if you can't wait to get here and try them.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Cheese Making Classes in VT April 3 and 4

Photo courtesy of River Arts

If you're a cheese lover, perhaps you should look into making it yourself. You may have wondered if it's easy to do. Here's your opportunity to find out.

River Arts in Morrisville VT is holding two days of cheese making classes this coming Friday and Saturday.

You will have the rate opportunity to learn how to make Mozzarella, Cheddar and Ricotta. The cost is just $35 for one day or $55 for two days. You can sign up on the River Arts website or call them at (802) 888-1261.

"River Arts is a nonprofit organization that brings the energy, creativity and experience of the arts to all ages. We serve the Lamoille Valley of Vermont from Hardwick to Cambridge, from Eden to Stowe."

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

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Win the Ultimate Ski Vacation

The Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce (Waitsfield and Warren VT) is sponsoring a drawing for an incredible grand prize.

Some very lucky winner of the Ultimate Ski Vacation will get:

- Cat skiing at Sugarbush- a ride in a luxury cabin Snow Cat to have first tracks in the best terrain before the lifts start running.
- Seven nights lodging in a slope side luxury condo with two outdoor hot tubs, heated outdoor pool, fitness center, game room
- Six day "Ski the Valley" pass good at Mad River Glen and Sugarbush ski areas, plus Ole's Cross Country Ski Center
- Free use of high-end demo equipment
- Four dinners for two people at four of the area's best restaurants
- A lunch for two at the very popular Warren Store Deli
- Fresh flower bouquet from Blue Toad Florist
- 60 minute couples therapeutic massage at Mad River Massage
- Guided naturalist program with your very own experienced environmental educator, taking you on a personalized, guided outing in a unique alpine setting.

I have no idea what a "gold class" vacation like this would cost but I'm sure it's thousands of dollars.

And that is just the Grand Prize Winner. There will also be a First Prize Winner and five Second Prize winners.

Somebody has to win - it might as well be you. It's easy to enter and no purchase is required. Entries must be received by March 8.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Ice Climbing Lessons

There are all manner of things to do in the winter and if you are looking for something different to try, consider ice climbing. It's basically mountain climbing on large, frozen waterfalls.

Sunrise Adventures Climbing School here in Vermont is offering an ice climbing school at the end of this month at Smuggler's Notch near Jeffersonville.

Sunrise is based at Triple Diamond Ski and Sports on Route 108 a couple of hundred yards from the Smugglers Notch Ski Resort.

There will be equipment demonstrations, classes, slide show, and some apres' climbing socializing. The classes are on Saturday January 31 and Sunday February 1. See the schedule on the Ice Bash 2009 web page (scroll down to see the class listings and prices). You can register online or use their email or phone number to get in touch with them.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Learn Outdoor Nordic Skating in Vermont

Nordic skating at Lake Morey VT

Nordic skating is a very old style of Scandinavian outdoor ice skating that many people find is an easy way to learn.

In fact, classes are taught here in Vermont at Lake Morey in the east central part of the state near the border with New Hampshire.

The classes go over selecting the right equipment for each individual, safety, types of ice surfaces, how to use a Nordic skating pole to test the strength of the ice, efficient skating technique, etc. Registration can be done online or by calling (802) 649-3939.

There is a fee of $25 for three hours of instruction, plus equipment rentals.

The website says that Nordic skates are "remarkably simple to learn on" and that Nordic skating poles make the skating easier for people without good balance.

The workshops will be taught January 17 and 18; January 24 and 25; and January 31 and February 1 at Lake Morey. On February 7 there will be an afternoon workshop on City Bay, Lake Champlain.

The longer blade on nordic skates is one of the reasons they help make it easier to learn ice skating

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

A Brew Pub That Serves Tea - How Vermont!

I was poking around some of my links a while back and discovered on the Alchemist Brew Pub blog that they are now serving tea.

Specifically, it's Kombucha tea, a sweet tea that originated in China centuries ago and is alleged to have some medicinal qualities.

According to the Alchemist blog, Kombucha is "fermented black tea that is loaded with antioxidants, amino acids and many different pro-biotic cultures." Whether or not that is good for you is up to you to decide.

The Alchemist Brew Pub opened about five years ago and was an immediate hit. We have had guests from all over the country tell us that a friend or relative recommended it to them as a "must see."

It is easy to find in downtown Waterbury VT. That link will take you to a Google map page that has another link to 20 reviews of the Alchemist.

They have very good food there by the way. They actually have a chef who prepares a short but wonderful menu. The portions are small but so are the prices - about $10 for an entree.

Be prepared for a wait if you arrive there after 6:00 pm most of the time even during off season for tourists. During holiday and fall foliage time, it is virtually impossible to get in unless you get there at the 4:30 pm opening time.

Our inn is only about four miles away so anytime it is too crowded, I can wait a few days or a week to get in without much of a wait. But if you do have to wait, it is well worth it.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Vermont Ski Areas Assoc Online Game

Here's an entertaining time burner. The Vermont Ski Areas Association has a game on their website called "Peg Your Friend."

You upload a picture of a friend which is then pasted into an animated character. When the game starts, the character/friend moves around the scenery while you use your mouse and cursor to follow and throw a snowball. The number of hits is recorded.

This will no doubt be the most meaningless thing you have done so far this year but you might win prizes such as Kombi gloves, Darn Tough socks, Eider apparel, Cabot cheese and other stuff in a random daily drawing.

Have fun!

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Ben & Jerry's Online Halloween Games

One of the games on the Ben & Jerry's Halloween website pages is this "Undead Smackdown" (or ""Whack-A-Ghoul") game that I wasted about ten minutes playing. Use your mouse button to move the shovel and left click to bring the shovel down. Have fun!

I know from experience in talking with our inn's guests that many of them check the Ben & Jerry's website before they travel to Vermont (the company's Waterbury VT factory is about ten minutes from our facility). It is a very entertaining website with a mix of some seriousness thrown in once in a while.

If you go to the website, you can check the Ben & Jerry's Halloween page to find a lot of information including the history of Halloween, seasonal recipes, crafts, coloring book pages, safety tips, and some games. Note: when you go to the page and click on the Jack O Lantern, your pop-up blocker may prevent it from working. On Firefox browsers, click the bar above the web page and then click "Allow Pop-ups from benjerry.com." Then you can click the Jack O Lantern again to get into the website's Halloween section. Look at each page carefully and run your cursor over the various items that will then lead you to other pages.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

University of Vermont Fleming Museum Exhibits

There are two unusual exhibits at the University of Vermont's Fleming Museum you may find interesting.

Buddha in Paradise at the Wolcott Gallery runs through December 19. It is about finding "Pure Lands" or paradise in western terms and is a collection of ancient paintings dating back to the 13th century. Also, during this week, October 15 - 22, Buddhist monks are constructing a circular painting called a mandala made from colored grains of sand to represent the universe. You are welcome to watch the construction and also the eventual destruction when it is cast into a pool of water, a part of the process that "symbolizes the impermanence of existence and the ideal of non-attachment to the material world."

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Architectural Improvisation: A History of Vermont's Design/Build Movement 1964-1977 runs through December 19 in the East Gallery. This unique exhibit looks at a group of architects who formed the Vermont Design/Build movement based on their Bauhaus theory education at Yale School of Architecture and the University of Pennsylvania Architecture program in the 1960s. These students, many of whom are still here in Vermont, set out to explore "radical social, technological, and aesthetic experiments."

I've seen several examples of their work around Waitsfield Vermont. Some are lacking in practicality, grace, ingenuity, creativity, advancement, longevity, or relativity but they are a magnetic curiosity and a great symbol of the futile side of the 60's. It's good that this approach did not go far and it's not surprising but sometimes you have to know what does not work in order to know what does work. This is an excellent body of work for the student of the 60's to know about.

The Yestermorrow school in Waitsfield VT is a product of this movement. It has an intriguing line up of classes.

The Fleming Museum's hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Wednesday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday & Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Closed Mondays.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor

VT Teddy Bear Presidential Poll Shows Surprising Results

The next leaders of the free world. God help us.

In my September 21 entry, I mentioned that the Vermont Teddy Bear Company was selling Obama and McCain teddy bears. Now that the Vice Presidential candidates have been announced, Vermont Teddy Bear has rounded out the ticket with their four bears.

I had mentioned that it would be interesting to know which bear ticket was selling the most. In fact, if you look at the company's website, you will see that several thousand people have cast their "votes." You can do the same.

I was surprised to see that the McCain/Palin ticket was winning handily by about 2:1 over the Obama/Biden team - that certainly goes counter to all the polls I have seen lately.

Visit the company's Vermont stores In Shelburne VT and Waterbury Center VT, or order online the bears of your favorite candidates and don't forget to vote on November 4.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

RIP Paul Newman

I was saddened to hear today that Paul Newman has died. I never met him but our paths crossed, or nearly crossed, a few times.

The first time was when my wife and I took the kids on a driving vacation around New England about 20 years ago. We were on our way north to Quebec and stayed for a night at the North Hero House Inn. The owners had a photo album on display at the front desk. One of the photos showed Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in an old VW beetle convertible at the inn. They had stayed there sometime before we were there but I don't remember how long before.

I know the North Hero House has different owners now but if you ever get to travel there (very nice place by the way), you can ask if they still have that photo album. I doubt they do - I'll bet the previous owners took it with them. But at least you can say you stayed the same place Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward stayed.

The drive up Route 2 through the islands is OK enough. Most people think more of it than I do. The islands looks better from the water I think. Rent a boat while you are there and see for yourself. It seems to me that the islands are like flat farmland most anywhere and they don't compare at all to the mountains a short distance away. Most of the time you are on Route 2 you cannot see the water except for a few exceptions like North Hero House

That's just one person's opinion. Travel to Vermont and look at both the mountains and the islands, and you can then write to tell me I'm right or wrong.

The other times I saw Paul Newman were at sports car races at Watkins Glen NY. My brother was racing and Paul Newman had the pit garage next to my brother's team a couple of times. The last time I saw Newman race was a few years ago when he was in his late 70's. He was an excellent driver and when I was watching practice sessions, I was very impressed with how much speed he was carrying through the corners in his car. It would have been impressive to see anyone going that fast but to see someone almost 80 years old hustling a car that hard was inspiring!

Godspeed, Paul Newman. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Vermont.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor

Vote for the Best Bear for the Job

Did they have to make the ears stick out so much for the bear on the left? At least the bear on the right does not have age spots.

Who is the best bear to take on a bear of a job? You decide '08 . . . vote by purchasing the Obama Bear or the McCain Bear at Vermont Teddy Bear.

I imagine the company is keeping track of which one sells the most but they don't say anything on their website about releasing the results. It would be an interesting poll.

You can stop in their headquarters store in Shelburne VT, a few miles south of Burlington. You can also tour the factory there. The website link has information about tour and store hours.

VT Teddy Bear also has a store in Waterbury Center VT which has a full selection of bears and costumes plus a Pajama Gram outlet store where you can often find some very good bargains.

If you aren't traveling to Vermont before the election, you can order online of course and put your candidate on display for all to see - much more attention-getting than a bumper sticker or lapel pin.

I hope your candidate wins but, if not, you can curl up with your "best candidate" bear to comfort you through the next four years.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

STOMP! in Burlington Tues and Wed

STOMP Out Loud, the famous performing percussion group has made Burlington VT its temporary home for a few weeks as it prepares to go on the road for a long tour.

They're creating and rehearsing new routines that you can be the first to see this Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.

Go to that Flynn website for tickets.

Here is a YouTube.com video - there are many more on the site too:

STOMP started as street performers in the UK. You can read a little background on them on Wikipedia.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Amazing Puppet Shows Sept 12 - 21

Image from Les Sages Fous (Qu�bec)

This is the sixth year for the Puppets in the Green Mountains festival, an collection of amazing puppet shows from around the world.

The festival begins with a two day showing by Animals of Brazil, a musical without words. More than 50 puppets are used during the production to represent the animals found the Brazilian jungle. The first presentation on September 12 is outdoors at Living Memorial Park and the second is indoors at the Bellows Falls Opera House on Sept 14.

On September 17 at 7:30 pm, there is an open symposium called "When Images Speak Louder Than Words: The Power of Visual Theater." It will be held at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center.

The next day, the Carnival of Taiwanese Hand Puppetry (Happy Puppetry Company) will give a noon performance at the Bellows Falls Opera House. At 8:00 pm on the same date, Bulgarian puppeteers will present "Daddy�s Always Right" at the New England Youth Theater in Brattleboro.

The Happy Puppetry Company from Taiwan will perform again at noon on September 19 in the Latchis Theater, Brattleboro. "Family audiences will not want to miss this. Great epics, hilarious clowning, stunning acrobatic and martial arts, are all part of the repertoire of these extraordinary wooden actors."

There are many other performances - too long a list to get into the details here. The best thing to do is to study the online schedule and plan your attendance.

Ticket information is also available on the website.

Image from Grupo Contadores de Estorias(Brazil)

(c) 2008 (except the photos) Jeff Connor

There Really is a Town Named Podunk

And naturally it's in Vermont, world center of tiny towns and villages located in the middle of nowhere.

I have John Hughes to thank for placing this photo on his wonderful Megapickles website. I cropped the sign photo from a much larger photo of a nice looking field in Podunk so click on the link to see a better image.

I have written about his website several times previously because it one of my favorites and is superbly well done I think - a new photograph every day! To see a wonderful series of pastoral Vermont photos, check this month's photos. One great Vermont photograph after another.

Google Maps says there are Podunks in CT, PA, and two in MI. Two! Whoever heard of two towns in the same state with the same name?

Vermont's Podunk is located in the southern part of the state so if you are going to be in the Brattleboro, Bennington, Manchester area, you can take a nice drive in the country to see it. Don't forget to take your camera so you can have bragging rights that you have been everywhere including Podunk.

And finally, there is a website called ePodunk that I have used a few times to do some research. It has good statistics and other information on most every town and city in the US including our beloved Podunk VT.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor (except the photo above by John Hughes,Megapickles )

Dog Sled Rides and Skijouring in Vermont

Photo courtesy of October Siberians

I read today that the famous Alaska Iditarod race is starting this Saturday and it lead me to thinking about all the sled dog activity here in Vermont. (Side note: many participants in the sport prefer the term "sled dog" rather than "dog sled" but you will see both terms used even by the people who run professional operations.)

In fact, if you would like to see a sled dog race and won't be in Alaska this week, there is a race you can watch at Burke Mountain Ski Resort in East Burke VT. There will be races both Saturday and Sunday.

A number of operations around Vermont offer sled dog rides and a couple of them offer skijoring too. Skijoring is done on skis and involves the dog(s) pulling the person via a harness attached to the dog. I've seen skijor racing a couple of times and it's impressive how fast they get going. You certainly don't want to fall down . . . I'm not sure the dogs would stop for a while - they're pretty enthusiastic.

The best one-stop source of information about sled dog rides in on the Vermont Outdoor Guide Association website. Atii is listed as one of the sled dog outfits but they are taking a year off from sled dog rides because they are rebuilding their group of dogs. Many of the current dogs have gotten too old to pull. However, Atii is still offering skijoring this year.

It's a unique adventure. Give it a try.

(c) 2008 [except the October Siberian photo] Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

CNN Article On Stephen Huneck Dog Chapel

I've written Vermont Travel Notes entries about Stephen Huneck's unique dog chapel in St. Johnsbury VT as well as his artwork and galleries around the state (the newest is in Stowe). His whimsical and sometimes touching artwork is very popular with dog owners all over the world. As a result, he has received publicity in a large number of places, the most recent being CNN and its website. The article is entitled "Doggy Disneyland draws animals, owners by the pack" and it's a good description of Stephen, his artwork, and his 175 acre farm with widely known dog chapel. It's quite a structure, requiring an expenditure of several hundred thousand dollars, and well worth a visit if you are a dog lover. From our inn, it is a little over a 45 minute drive to Dog Mountain..

Another great place to visit in the St. Johnsbury area is the Fairbanks Museum. I also recommend a drive north to Lake Willoughby and then over to the area around the town of Island Pond to do some moose spotting.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Cheese Making Classes

Vermont is a mecca for cheese lovers and there is even one farm where you can take cheese making classes. Lazy Lady Farm in Westfield Vermont is a small dairy farm with about 25 alpine goats they call "lazy ladies."

The farm holds cheese making classes during the winter. "The classes are for the curious and for the future cheese makers." To get more information and schedule a class, call Laini Fondiller at 802-744-6365 or laini@sover.net.

To learn more about cheese makers in Vermont, visit the Vermont Cheese Council website.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Here is Something Different To Do: Green Mountain Alpaca Show

Travel to Vermont and you will see the dairy farms that are a large part of the state's image. But from time to time you'll see other animals too, some of them exotic breeds you would not expect.

There are a goodly number of sheep and goat farms now (mainly to support all the small cheese producers here), exotic bovines such as Scottish Highlander Cows that look like Musk-Ox cousins (there are usually some out at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe), buffalo and elk (they're being raised for restaurant consumption), miniature horses and donkeys, and I even know of a camel (it's on Route 2 a little south of Richmond VT, on the west side of the road).

I know of several places with Llamas and Alpacas but I did not know there were so many of them until I read the list of Alpaca farms in VT on the Sponsors page on the Northeast Alpaca Association's Fall Spectacular website.

The public is invited to the show being held at the Champlain Valley Expo this weekend, November 2, 3 and 4, 2007. About 100 Alpaca farms from all over the northeast will be displaying some 500 alpacas.

These are fascinating animals and you can learn more about them at Benefits of Alpacas page on the Log Cabin Farm website.

Alpacas originated in the Andes mountains of South America so it is a breed of animal very much at home in the mountains of the northeast but they adapt well to other environments as well. They are small, easily handled animals known for being intelligent, calm, and clean. They don't need a lot of land, they are disease resistant, and they produce a fiber as soft as cashmere that's also lighter, stronger and warmer than wool. The hair is just cut off them like shearing sheep wool, so the animals are not butchered.

You can even purchase an Alpaca there. "Coco," pictured above, can be yours for just $20,000 for example. Everybody in your neighborhood has a dog or a cat but you can set a new standard with an alpaca in the backyard! Besides Coco (who is owned by Alpacas of Easton ), there others for sale on Alpacas For Sale page on the Association's show website.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

What Do the Tango and Horace Greeley Have in Common? Vermont of course.

There is always a wide range of things to see and do here in VT . . . but usually not this wide.

I got a chuckle of this and thought you might too. And just to give you an idea of the diversity of things to do in VT, here is a weird coupling: the sensuous and dramatic I Tango show and the Horace Greeley Writers Symposium both of which are this weekend.

The I Tango show is in Burlington and and the Horace Greeley Symposium is in Poultney VT. Greeley has a connection to VT because he was a printer's apprentice in Poultney. He is most often thought of as the man who said "Go west young man" and although he did write that in one of his editorials, he was actually the second newspaper writer to do so. A writer from a Terra Haute IN newspaper actually wrote that line first, about 14 years before Greeley did but it was Greeley with a large New York city readership who popularized the term.

Wikipedia has a brief biography of Greeley.

The Symposium is being held at Green Mountain College in the picturesque village of Poultney VT.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Northeast Animal-Power Field Days This Weekend

This Saturday and Sunday, September 28and 29, Animal-Power Field Days is a two day trade fair and conference with panel discussions, vendor exhibits, field demonstrations of animal-powered farming and logging equipment, equipment auction, children's activities, music, food, and farmers market. See the website for a very good .pdf brochure with all the details.

The event is open to anyone, especially farmers, loggers, and landowners who want to learn more and network with others interested in using draft animals to help manage their lands. Discussions of "conservation, stewardship, small farms, healthy forests, and the roles they play in vital rural communities" will be included

Plus you get to see huge draft horses - always the best part for me.

It's being held at the Tunbridge World's Fairgrounds on Route 110 in the east central part of the state.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to Launch Replica 1776 Gunboat

The Philadelphia II Replica 1776 Gunboat

During the American Revolutionary War, Lake Champlain was the scene of much activity with the British moving soldiers and supplies southward from Canada to the fight in the Colonies. The Colonists thought it would be a good idea to stop them there and, as a result, there were some sea battles on Champlain as well as land battles at the British fort at Ticonderoga near the lake shore.

On the water, the rebels and the British used a variety of watercraft. The colonists employed the gunboat whose sole function was to be a platform for a cannon or two. These gunboats were simple affairs, just a bit more than a large raft and often built on the spot. A large, well armed ship could easily defeat one but when the gunboats were used in numbers and spread out, they could inflict serious damage on a larger and more powerful enemy ship.

Archaeologists and re-enactors from the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum will launch this weekend a full-sized replica 1776 gunboat at the Falls Basin in Vergennes. The ceremony begins at 11:00 Saturday the 25th and the public will be invited aboard until mid afternoon. At that time the gunboat will proceed along Otter Creek to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Burlington. There will be viewing opportunities along Otter Creek.

The gunboat, named the Philadelphia II, will take part in Sunday's Rabble in Arms event, a reenactment of American Revolutionary War times. The museum's gunboat will take part in naval maneuvers and gunnery exercises.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor except the photo which is courtesy of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

Learn How to Be a Logger

As summer winds down, it's time to think about firewood for the winter. Actually, here in Vermont and the rest of New England, 12 months of the year is a good time to think about firewood. I have an older neighbor who spends the summer cutting and splitting firewood. He makes up what appears to be about four cords of wood so I assume he must be heating his neat-as-a-pin log cabin with a wood stove.

Like most things, there is a right way to cut trees and a wrong way. The most recent mine disasters notwithstanding, the most dangerous occupation in the world is logging. Unless you know a trained professional who can teach you, you have to figure it out on your own (not a safe way to go about a dangerous job). Or you can take a course but they are not easy to find. Here is a school in Chester, Vermont that can help.

It is run by John Adler and his wife, Mary Beth who own Eagle Forest Improvements Inc, a logging company. They have 15 years experience teaching logging.

They own Northeast Woodland Training, Inc., a school that conducts classes employing a training technique called the Game of Logging. It is a widely known technique developed in the 1960s by Soren Eriksson, a Swedish logger turned training instructor. The Game is a combination of traditional Scandinavian logging and modern safely equipment and techniques.

The first day of the logging course covers chain saw operation and safety as well as basic tree cutting techniques. The second day is devoted to chain saw maintenance and sharpening plus more tree felling. The third and fourth days are devoted to more challenging trees such as leaning trees along with limbing and bucking techniques.

Even if you are just an occasional user of a chain saw around the yard, this course is great way to learn how to do it safely and in an enjoyable environment. You don't have to take all four days. There are classes for homeowners, professional loggers, high school/college, trail crew, etc. The school's website has a list of October classes.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Quechee Scottish Festival August 25

The Catamount Pipe Band at the Quechee Scottish Festival [photo copyright by the St. Andrews Society of Vermont]

The 35th annual Quechee Scottish Festival will be held Saturday, August 25, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Quechee Polo Field.

There will be Scottish music and dancing, arts and crafts, highland athletic competitions, pipe bands, sheepdog herding trials, and Scottish and American food.

The directions on the website show (poorly) how to find Quechee but not the Polo Field for some inexplicable reason. Just drive west on Route 4 from Exit 1 from Interstate 89 and you will probably see it but if not, just ask around. Or stop in and ask at Scotland By The Yard, an interesting store specializing in Scottish goods. It is located on Route 4 in Quechee.

Part of the proceeds benefits a scholarship program by the St. Andrews Society of Vermont.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor except the photo above

The Great Perseids Meteor Shower

Perseids photo courtesy NASA

The Perseids (PURR-see-idz) meteor shower is going on now and is expected to peak between Sunday August 12 and Tuesday August 14 when there will be about a hundred visible meteors per hour.

This year should be an especially good time to view the streaking lights in the night sky because we will be in a New Moon period when there will be no moon visible. The best places to view the meteors are in rural locations where there is little or no light pollution from cities. A place like Vermont for instance, with the added benefit of cleaner, clearer air, plus some high elevations if you would like.

According to NASA scientist Bill Cooke, "It's going to be a great show."

The place to start looking is in a north easterly direction starting around 9:00 pm on Sunday. This is when "Earthgrazer" meteors will be approaching from the horizon and hit a glancing blow (a "grazing" type of hit, thus the name) against the earth's atmosphere. The friction will light them up like a match striking sandpaper. Earthgrazers are slower and more colorful than other types of meteors but they are rarer too.

As the constellation Perseus climbs higher in the night sky, the frequency of the meteors will increase and, at its peak a little before dawn, you will see one or two per minute.

Enjoy the show whether you can make it to Vermont or not

Sky map of the constellation Perseus courtesy of NASA

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus except the photo and map

Highest Altitude Restaurant in Vermont

Stowe gondola near the top of Mount Mansfield

Here is a different idea for lunch: eat at Stowe's Cliff House restaurant on Mount Mansfield, the highest mountain in Vermont. The restaurant is nearly at the top of the mountain. It is open from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm everyday the gondola is running. Reservations are not taken for lunch.

The food is a little pricey but very good. And you get a million dollar view free through floor-to-ceiling windows. You will see the Worcester Range in Vermont and on most days, the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Cliff House underwent a renovation last year and it looks great. There is a new exhibition kitchen where chef Jeff Egan serves an American cuisine menu with rustic Vermont recipes based on locally grown ingredients.

The Cliff House will be open for dinner August 18 and 25; Sept 1, 15, and 29; and Oct 6 for special Summit Series dinners. These are five course dinners that start with a champagne reception. Reservations are required - you can reserve online or by calling 800-253-4754. Space is limited. You can see a schedule and menus for the Summit Series dinners here..

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

1000 Cheese Tastings: American Cheese Society Convention in Burlington

The American Cheese Society Convention is being held this week in Burlington. You have to be a member of the society to attend but there is one event open to the public. Everyone is invited to the Sheraton Burlington on Saturday, August 4th, 2007 from 4:30 - 8:00 pm for a cheese tasting.

This is a rare opportunity to try "more than 1,000 handcrafted artisan and farmstead cheeses, from producers throughout North America . . . entered in the American Cheese Society's Annual Competition . . . there will be wines, beers and specialty foods that complement the stars of this event."

In addition to this event, there is the Vermont Cheese Trail, available year around. The "trail" is made up of cheese producers around the state, many of them open to the public. To find them, go to the Vermont Cheese Council's Cheese Trail page on their website. There are 37 facilities listed here with links to the companies' web sites. The ones open to the public are flagged.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor (except the VT Cheese Council's map above) Grunberg Haus

Drive the Wilds of Vermont at the 4x4 Off Road School

I enjoy writing about all the things to do in Vermont including the mainstream activities such as scenic touring, hiking, canoeing, skiing, and so forth. But I also like finding out-of the-ordinary activities and out-of the-way places. This is one of those activities in one of those places:

The 4x4 Center provides an unusual driving school that teaches off road driving. They use specially prepared Land Rovers. The school's experienced staff teaches driving plus how to use all the equipment needed for off roading such as winches.

The school has access to 3000 acres of terrain "ranging from marshy woods to rocky mountainous terrain, with some desert-like conditions" added in.

There is an optional second day which has greater challenges in a remote part of Vermont where the terrain is "very uncompromising, in fact, some spots will require winching just to get through!" Both days begin at 8:30am and go until 4:30pm

How's that for significant cool factor? You can tell everyone back at work that you went off roading in Vermont. Plus, there is some practical application for improving your driving skills and increasing your understanding of and feel for vehicle dynamics and how that works to help you control a vehicle even in adverse conditions. One other important thing . . . it's a ton of fun.

The 4x4 Center is headquartered in Burlington and they also sell and service Land Rovers. See their 4x4 Center website or call them at 802-864-8565 or toll free at 800-864-9180.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

American Society of Dowsers Convention July 29 - Aug 6

My Uncle Bill was a very likable person whom I recall as having a bemused smile on his face as though life were a mostly silly affair playing out in front of us. He and my aunt owned a women's clothing store in Worcester MA but in the evenings he sat in his favorite chair drinking a few Carling Black Label beers and listening to his police scanner (rare equipment several decades ago and I'm not sure it was technically legal at the time). We would read and talk but when the radio crackled and a voice came over it, he would cock his head and listen while carrying on whatever he was doing. I would ask him what was going on and he would explain.

Bill (I call him Bill now that I'm the age he was when I knew him) introduced me to the American Society of Dowsers . He belonged to it and told me it certainly did work and that our ancestors believed so too. Like anything, it was a skill that some people were born with and other people had to learn. You got better at it by practicing. I joined. I received an occasional newsletter but, like many teenagers, or at least the lot I hung out with, my interests changed from year to year finally focusing most of the time on such modern wonders as internal combustion powered mobile machinery, and girls.

A few years ago, those memories of Bill came back when I discovered (or re-learned) that the American Society of Dowsers is headquartered in Vermont. Danville to be specific. It's near Cabot, Peacham, and St. Johnsbury in the northeast part of the state, and just an hour's drive from where I live.

Dowsing is the ancient (and I mean ancient - thousands of years) art of finding water by walking over a piece of ground holding a dowsing stick which moves when you cross underground water. It's usually water that is sought but it can be other items too if you are really good at it. In rural parts of the world, like VT, it is how people used to find a place to dig a well. Dowsers are still in use today for such purposes.

Like any self respecting group of five or more people living in two or more places, they have an annual convention . This year will be their 47th. It is being held at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, just 20 minutes down the road from us. I should go. It would make Bill smile. In fact, he would get a kick out of it if a bunch of us went so why don't you plan to show up also.

There will be workshops, schools, speakers, vendors, the usual rigmarole you see anywhere but I think this one will be more entertaining and educational than most I can think of.

Have fun, learn some new things, and keep an eye out for people with pleasantly quiet demeanors, slight grins, and a twinkle in their eye - they may be relatives of mine.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Sailing Regatta Looking for Crew Members

Here's something different to do on your trip to Vermont: volunteer to be a crew person on a sailboat at the annual Regatta for Lake Champlain. The regatta is a fun event, not a serious race, that raises money to benefit several organizations working to help the lake. Beginners are welcome.

There is a July 20 Friday adult party from 7:00 pm to midnight (tickets at the door or online) at the ECHO Aquarium in Burlington. The party would be a fun way to wrap up a visit to the Vermont Brewers Festival (see my entry below).

The Regatta is the next day, Saturday July 21.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Solar Fest Alternative Energy Expo

SolarFest 2007 will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15 at the Forget-Me-Not Farm in Tinmouth Vermont (Google map says it's in nearby Middletown Springs VT). Tinmouth is a few minutes north of Rutland in the south central part of the state.

This is an educational and entertainment event that last year attracted about 3800 people from many states. Now in its 13th year, SolarFest focuses on solar and wind energy. There will be dozens of workshops, about 100 vendors, and musical entertainment.

SolarFest Vendor Area

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Vermont Alpine Slides

The Stowe Alpine Slide opens tomorrow. This is a lot of fun for both children and adults. There is a height restriction for children before they can go by themselves but usually by age six children are tall enough to go by themselves. Children under the minimum height or under the age of two can ride double with an adult.

The adventure begins with a ride on a double chair lift to the top of Spruce Peak Mountain. At the top, you will pick up a plastic sled and get on the track for an exhilarating ride that lasts about three minutes if you go down quickly. You control the speed of the sled with a stick. Pull back and the sled slows down. Push the stick forward and you speed up.

There is also an alpine slide at the Pico ski area next to Killington and just a few minutes east of Rutland in central Vermont. The Bromley Thrill Zone near Bennington and Manchester in the southwestern part of the state also has an alpine slide.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Old Cemetary Headstones

Old cemeteries are everywhere in New England and Vermont has its share of course.

Here is the epitaph on a headstone over Anna Hopewell's grave in Enosburg Falls, in northwestern Vermont:

"Here lies the body of our Anna, Done to death by a banana. It wasn't the fruit that laid her low, But the skin of the thing that made her go."

More amusing tombstone epitaphs are at the Onward Bound blog.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Dandelion Festival May 19

In suburbs all over this country, homeowners are gearing up to do battle with lawn weeds this spring. The king of all weeds, the dandelion, is often number one on their hit list. But naturally, here in Vermont, we take a different tact - people here cultivate the darned thing for heaven's sake. And wouldn't you know, there's even a group of Vermonters who have a festival celebrating America's most frustrating weed. To top it off, there is another group of Vermonters who actually show up at the event. Go figure.

You should come out and take a look at these quirky folks. You'll find they are friendly and relaxed. Some of that may have to do with the fact they are drinking white wine that's made from their exalted weed.

So, while the rest of the country digs, cuts, chops, burns, poisons, and generally mutilates the poor plant, you can find a place that celebrates it with raised glass and grateful palates. This festival is a good chance for you to make an entry in your list of goofy but fun stuff you did with your time on this planet.

The festival is Saturday, May 19th at Grandview Winery from 1:00 to 5:00.Admission is free. There will be music along with other types of wines to taste. Grandview Winery is located about 15 minutes north of Montpelier. You can get directions here. It's a very scenic area to drive around exploring. I recommend a drive up through Plainfield and Marshfield over to the town of Peacham and just pick some side roads to explore. It's a lot of fun to see the beautiful vistas and farms back in the hills and you will no doubt find some good places to photograph. The area around Peacham is one of the most photographed in the state of Vermont. Cabot Cheese factory is nearby in the town of Cabot and it's worth a visit for the factory tour and cheese shop.

The dandelion blossom produces a wine that tastes surprisingly good. It is aromatic and lightly sweet. Quantities are limited and the price is about $15 a bottle.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Spring Break in Vermont

This photograph has been emailed around Vermont lately. I think it speaks for itself.

(c) 2007 [except photograph by unknown individual] Jeff Connor

Finding a Vermont Maple Syrup Producer to Visit

I mentioned Two Old Saps maple syrup producers yesterday which is a great place to buy syrup but difficult to visit because of their location. However, there are many maple syrup producers all over Vermont who are well geared up for visitors and in fact welcome them either seasonally or year around.

Our favorite recommendation is Morse Farm located a little north of Montpelier. They even have a small theater set up to show the entire process from tapping the trees to bottling the syrup. They also have a wood fired evaporator boiling down the sap so you can see the process in person. There are guided tours of the sugar house and knowledgable staff on hand to answer questions. And there is a store with all their products plus other Vermont products and souvenirs.

For a list of maple syrup sugar houses open to the public, go to the Vermont Sugar Makers Association website which shows the sugar houses by county.

The way the weather is going, there may be another couple of weeks of good sap flowing. In fact, some Vermont sugar makers are back to getting Grade A Fancy syrup which usually only happens early in the sugaring season. Then they progress through Grade A Medium, then Dark, and then Grade B which has a very heavy, musky maple taste and is usually used for cooking but some folks like it on their pancakes too. Not much Grade C is produced because there is not much demand for it. It's usually sold to flavoring companies who use it for flavoring in manufactured food products. By the way, some "maple syrups" are actually maple flavored corn sweetners like Aunt Jemima's which has just a few percent syrup in its contents. A lof of hard working Vrmonters would prefer that you buy the real thing, of course. And we'd prefer you come here to enjoy our beautiful state and buy your syrup here too. But if you can't visit now, many of the syrup producers are happy to ship.

Here are some interesting facts from the Morse Farms web site History Page :

"On the average, it takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make 1 gallon of pure maple syrup. We drill 1 tap hole in each of our maple trees, which gives 10 gallons of sap in an average year. So, 4 maple trees, 40 to 200 years old, are needed to make one gallon of pure maple syrup.

"Maple sap is 2% sugar and weighs 8.35 lbs. per gallon
Maple syrup is 66.9% sugar and weighs 11 lbs per gallon
One gallon of maple syrup makes 7 lbs of maple sugar
Maple syrup contains 50 calories per Tablespoon
Corn syrup contains 60 calories per Tablespoon"

That history page also explains why producing maple syrup is called "sugaring."

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Vermont Chocolate Show May 26 and 27

I know that I'm way out in front of this May event but I wanted to have it on record for readers who search by category or use the search function. And I will mention it again in this blog closer to the event date.

The 1st Annual Vermont Chocolate Show will be held May 26 and 27 2007 at the Stoweflake Resort in Stowe Vermont. Note on the website that they are looking for volunteers so maybe you can help out and snag some free candy.

Someone has put a lot of thought into this one. Look at these events: chocolate art display; chocolate education programs, including cooking demos and healthful tips; children's chocolate land; chocolate martini bar & beer Lounge; ultimate chocolate breakfast; chocolate spa treatments. Sounds yummy. Don't forget to bring insulin.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

How to get Rich and Famous, and Travel the World

Yes, you too can become rich and famous, and travel the world. Read on to take the first step:

You may have seen and clicked on the Travel Rants link in the left hand column. It's a well done travel blog and, contrary to the name, is not always a rant. Often there are raves and usually there is helpful and interesting news and information.

Darren Cronian, the editor of Travel Rants, is holding his first "Travel Rants Blog-a-thon" which he hopes "will persuade more people to blog and share stories about their travels and unearth future travel writers." So here is your chance to become a paid travel writer. If you win, you will receive not only great wealth and fame (long term of course), but also some nifty immediate rewards.

First place will also win 200 Euros (about $266) worth of Amazon vouchers donated by sponsors SA-venues.com ; second place wins two Lonely Planet guides; and third place receives two Strider Expeditions t-shirts.

A panel of travel experts will judge the entries and choose the winning entries which will then be featured on the Travel Rants Blog (the first step on the road to fame).

The challenge is open to anyone even those who do not own a blog.

"Rules:

� Your blog post most be no more than 350 words
� The blog post must be useful for travellers and travel consumers
� The blog post must be unique [they will be checking]
� You can include links to other travel sites [but not your own!]
� The deadline is midday [GMT] on the 31 May 2007
� The Judges decision is final

Please email your blog posts to editor@travel-rants.com before the deadline."

Have fun. Let me know how you do.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Bag Balm: Probably Vermont's Second Most Famous Brand

When I was in college I worked at a pharmacy. One of the funniest (to a 20 year old) products at the store was something called Bag Balm . The pharmacist told me it was developed to keep the skin on cow udders moist so they would not become so dry and chapped that the cow would find milking painful. And the pharmacist also told me it was the best skin moisturizing product even though it cost far less than the upscale cosmetic creams the pharmacy also carried.

Bag Balm was not that well known back then but it is today, and it is still made in Lyndonville Vermont by The Dairy Association. The Dairy Association founded the business in 1889. Bag Balm became known nationally when famous reporter Charles Kuralt featured it on his television news series �On the Road� and in his 1985 book.

Bag Balm is great for hands dried by winter weather and it helps year around for cuts, scratches, skin irritations. Dog owners, groomers, and veterinarians use it on paw abrasions, and you will usually find it on farms where it is used on all types of animals.

The Dairy Association also makes products for horse hooves and leather goods but they will always be best know for that funny-sounding but great-working product called Bag Balm.

Interesting side note: The Dairy Association has been headed by only three people in its 118 year history and only four secretaries (or administrative assistants, as they are called today).

The Dairy Association's town of Lyndonville is a nice place to visit. It is located in the Northeast section of the state known as the Northeast Kingdom, Vermont's most rural and least populated area.

Lyndonville is one of three villages that comprise Lyndon. The other two are Lyndon and Lyndon Center. Yes, I know it's goofy but that type of arrangement is common in Vermont.

The town of Lyndon had already been organized 75 years before Lyndonville was built in 1866 to serve as a major railroad center, making it Vermont's only railroad-built town. Today the population is about 5,500, not one of whom has dry skin.

Vermont's best known brand? Ben & Jerry's ice cream, naturally!

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Vermont Maple Open House Weekend March 23 - 25, 2007

Rustic buildings you see around Vermont, like the classic example above, are where maple syrup is made (I photographed this one because it's a good example and it had the advantage of being very near our inn.). These sugarhouses are being opened now to begin one of Vermont's longest and most popular traditions, maple sugaring season. It usually starts around March 1 in southern Vermont and works its way north as the days become longer and warmer. The best way to get maple sap flowing is with cold nights and warm days. It's a short season lasting only four to six weeks. And like most agricultural crops, there are good seasons and bad ones.

If you get off the highway and take some of the main two lane roads such as Route 100, you will likely run across a maple sugaring operation underway. But most of them are off the main roads and it's best to do a few minutes research on the internet to find a couple in the area of Vermont you plan to visit. The best website to visit is the Vermont Sugar Makers Association

In ten days, the Vermont Maple Open House Weekend will be held at sugarhouses throughout Vermont. The Sugar Makers web site lists sugarhouses open to the public throughout the state. You can watch maple syrup being made, learn how the process works (it's more technical than you might think), perhaps get a fresh sample and even taste "sugar on snow" candy, a rare treat and something you should make a point to experience if you have not done so. It's made by drizzling hot syrup on packed snow to make a chewy candy, and it is usually accompanied with a bite of cake donut and then a bite of a pickle. Or the other way around - I forget which. Seriously, that's how it's done. Keep in mind that we've been living through long winters here and we have time to think of stuff like this. It's not just a Vermont tradition by the way, you will find it in other maple sugaring states and Canada.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Vermont Ski Furniture

Most likely you have seen those chairs or tables made out of old skis but did you know that there is a company in Vermont that makes those products?

Vermont Ski Recyclers is a 12 year old, Morrisville Vermont company making furniture from outdated ski equipment that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill.

The furntiture is often used indoors but naturally the skis can hold up to many many years of outdoor use.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Mad River Rocket Sled: Well Named

I ran into a friend and fellow innkeeper yesterday who very enthusiastically told me he had just purchased a Mad River Rocket sled. As he said, the product is well named and the emphasis should be on the word "Rocket."

I should explain that this guy is over 50 years old and not what anyone would call a wild man! But he had attended a demo put on by Waitsfield VT outfitter Clearwater Sports and had such a great time, he bought one of the sleds. I've heard of other people doing the same thing. The sled may look like a young person's toy but its appeal is much broader. Its reputation is growing too. I think the product is only a few years old but its popularity in this part of Vermont is strong. Everyone I know who has tried it has had a great time. They are fun to ride and easy to control.

Mad River Rockets sleds come in five models, range in price from $50 to $275, and are made in the USA just down the road a few minutes from me in Warren VT. You can buy on the web site or click a link to one of the retailers listed there.

When you are at the web site, be sure to see The Stash photo gallery for great photos of the sleds at Ranier, Utah, Italy, Germany.

Here is the best way to give this a try. Rent a Mad River Rocket sled at Clearwater Sports in Waitsfield VT for just $12 and have them give you directions to Lincoln Gap Road about 15 minutes drive from the store. This road is closed to car traffic in winter and provides a long, thrilling ride. Take a look at some YouTube video here and here to see how the sleds operate and how much fun they are.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Hammerhead: the Vermont-made High Tech Extreme Sled

It is interesting to see how geography and weather affects life. In a place where there is much snow and many hills, even leisure activities like sledding can get serious after a while.

Evidence of this is the Hammerhead, a full-out sled for those who want to see how far sledding can go. The company is located in the central Vermont town of Ferrisburgh, south of Burlington about midway to Middlebury. The sled is recommended for people at least ten years of age and is really designged with adult size sled drivers in mind. It measures 51" long x 9" tall x 23" wide.

The company has an outstanding quality website loaded with information right down to a link to the website of an industrial design consulting firm that helped develop the Hammerhead.

There is a very good review of the sled by Ken Picard on the Seven Days newspaper. The opening paragraph of that review actually summarizes the sled well: "Combine the operational simplicity of a downhill sled with the 21st-century engineering of a snowboard and the lightweight durability of a modern snowshoe, and what do you get? A sled that handles like a Ferrari and moves with nearly as much speed."

Also see the Find A Hill database submitted by the public at large in different states describing their favorite sledding hills.

The retail price is around $300. Yes, it's a lot for a sled but considering you will be going as fast as a rocket, it's a ton cheaper than rocket fuel. You should also budget a helmet and some protective gear in case your sledding hill has trees.

When you are in Vermont, check some of the local outdoor outfitters to see if you can rent one. I know Umiak Outfitters in Stowe rents them and they can also direct you to some local sledding hills (I like the one behind the Stowe elementary school).

There is another great sled made in Vermont called the Mad River Rocketsled and I'll post an entry about them soon too.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Tree House Building Class

Here is something unusual to do this coming Sunday, March 4 at 11:00 am. It is a tree house building class at the ECHO Aquarium on the lakefront in Burlington. Bill Allen of Forever Young Treehouses will demonstrate the proper construction of a treehouse - good information to have for a spring/summer project.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Dog Sled Rides

Here's something your friends, neighbors, and co-workers probaly haven't done: take a dog sled ride! There are several in our north central Vermont area and no doubt there are others throughout VT. I have not compiled a list of these yet but you can ask the lodging extablishment where you plan to stay.

By way of example, I got an email today from Rob Farley at October Siberians who was excited about the fact that we now have enough snow for him to start up his dog sled rides. He has rides in some great areas including Little River State Park in Waterbury, Mount Mansfield State Forest in Stowe, as well as South Lincoln and Ripton Vermont. Rob has links to detailed trip descriptions on his web site. He's flexible with his trips and is happy to work with you on creating a special trip plan if you wish.

The base rate is $250 for two people on a six to seven mile trip.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Ice Bar at the Stowe Winter Carnival

The Stowe Winter Carnival is this coming weekend, Jan 19 - 21. One of the things you should make a note to see there is the ice bar being built next to Stowe's best known bar/nightclub, The Rusty Nail. It is located on Route 108, also called Mountain Road, the main road from the village out to the ski area.

About 20 tons of ice blocks are being used to build the 25 foot bar plus ice tables and chairs, two person ice throne, and a liquor luge (whatever that is) all inside eight foot tall ice walls. This bar was inspired by the winter carnival ice bars of Quebec, the Canadian province that shares a border with Vermont.

Here is a link to the Stowe Reporter newspaper which last week featured a front page photograph of the ice bar under construction. This link will be outdated in a few days when the next issue of the newspaper comes out. If you would like to see how the Quebecois do it, go to this link about the amazing Ice Hotel in Quebec City.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Free Get Out of Work Letter

From those wonderful folks at Stowe Resort, here is a letter to your employer explaining why you won't be able to come to work. They're so excited at Stowe with all the snow we have received, and how much more is expected, that they've gotten a little giddy I guess.

Today it snowed about three inches and we may get about another 12 inches between now and late Tuesday. This coming weekend should be excellent for skiing and other outdoor activities. Or use the letter to your employer and get here sooner!

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor