Vermont Travel Notes

Okemo's "Timber Ripper" coaster is a few weeks late in opening because it was so complicated to build but it's completed now and scheduled to open tomorrow, Dec 23.

The fastest $13 you'll ever spend! . . .



Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

There is a fun, new YouTube video about Dog Mountain's 2010 fall festival in Saint Johnsbury VT. Stephan Huneck, artist and founder of Dog Mountain and its famous Dog chapel, passed away earlier this year so all the events from now on are in part memorials to his life and work.

Coincidentally, Frog Hollow gallery in Burlington is currently staging a Stephan Huneck exhibit through the end of this month. It features Huneck's prints, sculptures and books including a posthumously printed book entitles "Even Bad Dogs Go To Heaven" and even a replica of Dog Chapel.

Frog Hollow is the Vermont State Craft Center and features works from 250 Vermont artisans. It's located at 85 Church Street in Burlington. Their summer hours are still listed on the website but it should be open most days during winter. You can call (802) 863-6458 for details.

Both Dog Mountain and Frog Hollow also have Facebook pages.

All dog lovers should plan a visit to Dog Mountain located just outside Saint Johnsbury Vermont. It's open seven days a week year around and has festivals each year. For your GPS, plug in the address: 143 Parks Road, Saint Johnsbury, VT, 05819

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Stowe Alpine Slide

This Saturday, June 19, Stowe opens its summer attractions including my favorite, the Alpine Slide.

This adventure starts with a chair lift ride to the top of Spruce Peak Mountain. At the top, you are given a plastic sled on wheels and directed to one of the two parallel fiberglass tracks. The starter, one of the many young people from all over the world who serve as summer interns, holds the people going down and lets them go about every minute or so to allow plenty of separation from other people on the same track. You're not supposed to race the person in the track next to you but the starter sends you both at the same time so who's to say you can't get a little competitive?

The track has curved sides to help hold the cart in. You would have to be going crazy fast to fly off a corner but, of course, a few people have found a way to do that. The ride is very safe if you don't take wild chances. You control the sled with a stick between your legs: push forward to go faster, pull back to slow down and stop at the bottom. The ride down is two or three minutes long.

I recommend you get at least two tickets because when you come down the first time, you will almost certainly want to do do it again.

In addition to the Alpine Slide, Stowe has a gondola ride to the Cliff House restaurant near the top of Mount Mansfield (great views), bungee trampolines, inflated obstacle course, and climbing wall . . . great times for young people and fun watching for the older folks who bring the kids.

Note: the Toll Road to the top of Mount Mansfield is under repair and will open in early July.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

The Inn at the Round Barn is one of my favorite places in Vermont. It's in a beautiful valley a few minutes drive from the village of Waitsfield. It's not only a great place to stay but also the perfect venue for a Vermont country wedding if you're in the market for such a dream event.



Dave Hartshorn, shown in the video, owns a farm and farm stand nearby on Route 100 - - about half way between my inn and the Inn at the Round Barn. He has vegetables, maple syrup, honey, and other goodies on hand most of the summer and early fall. It's worth a stop just to see rural Vermont at work.

I have had the good fortune to sample some of chef Charlie Menard's creations and I am happy to confirm that his work is outstanding.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Shelburne Farms is hosting its 31st Annual Harvest Festival and Energy Fair Saturday, September 19 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. This is a very large event and a great place to take the kids.

There will be about 15 bands performing throughout the day, Spanish Horse demonstration, antique tractors, hands-on cow milking, llamas, wagon rides, wood furniture building demonstrations, puppet making, "bubble magic," cider pressing, face painting, grape vine wreath making, wheat braiding (where else can you learn that?), post and beam demonstration, giant pumpkins, wood bowl making, decoy carving, cheese making and sampling, rug hooking, pellet stove demonstration, solar and wind energy displays, and much, much more. You will have more things to choose than you have time.

Whenever our guests ask us for the best places to visit in Vermont, we always mention Shelburne Farms. It is an amazing facility that Vermont is fortunate to have.

Shelburne Farms is located a few miles south of Burlington VT on Harbor Road.

I highly recommend a visit there anytime.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

MSN has an online video series hosted by Andrew Zimmern in which he travels around the country recording interesting places to visit, usually focused on food. Zimmern was host of the Travel Channel show, "Bizarre Foods" and now hosts Travel Channel's "Bizarre World" in addition to being a chef, writer, and teacher.

Zimmern was recently in my area of Vermont to visit Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, Little River Hotglass Studio, and Cold Hollow Cider Mill. He doesn't just visit though - he gets right into production, creating his own Ben & Jerry's flavor in the test room, blowing a glass jar at Little River Hotglass, and making cider doughnuts at Cold Hollow.

These Appetite for Life. episodes are a good way to get some behind-the-scenes views of popular attractions in Vermont and elsewhere.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn