2018 New England Gathering trip report

[Read Blinn]

More beer?

My friends undertook to sooth me with beer, but since Dave picked up the tab Saturday night, the beer remains to be done. Next season, though. I’ve taken a rain check.

 

[Wilhelmson]

From the map I think it's Sigi's Ripcord under the Heaven's Gate Triple.
I don't remember the bush that well to remember it.
View attachment 42894

Liftline on Castlerock is the one with the cliffs. The local crew would always hit that first.

 

[KevinF]

I love the way the two big bumps in the middle by the blue skier look like eyes!

The Gathermeister has spies.

You can also see an evil sort of grin if you move to the right just a smidge . . .

The Gathermeister has evil spies...

 

[mdf]

Hard to be sure, but I think it is a (relatively) minor muscle tear on the hamstring muscles (about 6 inches above the knee, directly on the back of the leg).
On that big dip going into the side entrance to National, I felt something bad happen in both legs just as I crested the lip.

The left leg was mostly back to normal by the time we finished National, but the right leg hurt all day.
I suppose skiing moguls several times during the day might not have been smart.

After the long drive home, getting out of the car was problematic. This morning, the left leg hurts a little and the right is decidedly unhappy. There is not much swelling and the leg is fully functional (if I grit my teeth) so I am optimistic that a few days rest will fix it up.

It looks worse than I expected. I guess it was a good thing we quit early.


The good news is I can walk semi-normally today.

edit -- cropped photo some more

 

[SKI-3PO]

This thread was better without pictures.

 

[Read Blinn]

I've got one of those nasty hematoma on the back of my knee, but didn't notice until I got home Sunday night. Must have happened one of the times I fell on Middle Earth and my skis came off.

 

[mdf]

This thread was better without pictures.

Just be thankful I cropped the photo before posting!

 

[Pumba]

This thread was better without pictures.

Haha! I was thinking the same thing. @mdf that is almost pornographic!!!

 

[mdf]

Ok, I cropped it a little more.

 

[JohnL]

Ok, I cropped it a little more.

Glad you didn’t strain your butt. And if you did, we trust the diagnosis of your Dr.

 

[JohnL]

Hey I didn’t want to be the first Gathermeister with a fatality!

Now that would go on your permanent record.

In my very first run as a guide years ago, @Old boot went exactly where I told him not to go, and he got stuck upside down, feet caught on the one tree in a half mile, right above a three foot rock ledge. That would have gone on my permanent record.

 

[SKI-3PO]

Now that would go on your permanent record.

In my very first run as a guide years ago, @Old boot went exactly where I told him not to go, and he got stuck upside down, feet caught on the one tree in a half mile, right above a three foot rock ledge. That would have gone on my permanent record.

That is on your permanent record!

 

[Scruffy]

It looks worse than I expected. I guess it was a good thing we quit early.
View attachment 42961

The good news is I can walk semi-normally today.

edit -- cropped photo some more

Wow, Mike, what run did you do that on? Do you know? Hope it's just s flesh wound. Heal quickly.

 

[mdf]

Wow, Mike, what run did you do that on? Do you know? Hope it's just s flesh wound. Heal quickly.

I think it was the side entrance to National at Stowe on the first run of the last day. It had a very large dip with a vertical exit. Best I can reconstruct, I must have been reaching forward (instead of absorbing) as I was coming over the lip, because I was worried about not making it and sliding backwards. It did not seem that big a force when it happened, but I guess those muscles need to be stretched.

Something similar happened to both legs, but only one shows it.

They are sore, both to use and to touch, but getting better every day.

I did have a precursor injury on Friday when I sat down -- knees to chest -- after a fall in the bumps. It was better after a day, but I wonder if it acted as a "starting notch" on the muscle.

Another thing I wonder about: the location of the sore-to-the-touch spot is approximately where the top strap on my knee brace goes. I haven't put it back on to see if it lines up.

 

[ScottB]

To all NE gatherer's:

Sounds like you had a great gathering with some good conditions. I regret not joining the group this year. Hopefully next year things will work out and I will make it. I would like to meet you all and ski some bumps with you (just not every run). I had a chance to demo some skis from a Rep last weekend and I wound up at Wildcat and Sunday River with some of my regular ski buddies. Really good conditions everywhere for New England.

My son is a freshman at UVM and I have been skiing the northern Vt area more than normal for me. It was a good time to hit Mad River and I still haven't had a great day at Sugarbush, which it sounds like you guys were able to do.

I am now well versed in Vt microbrews and that only adds to the enjoyment. (my favorite is Lawson's SIP OF SUNSHINE, followed by Headdy Topper). Well, as a final though, if Saddleback ever gets open again, maybe we can convince TonyS to be a gathermiester next year, it sure sounds like Kevin did a fabulous job this year.

 

[Read Blinn]

Well, as a final though, if Saddleback ever gets open again, maybe we can convince TonyS to be a gathermiester next year, it sure sounds like Kevin did a fabulous job this year.

Kevin has this position nailed down; it's a pretty tough assignment. (And Tony's probably off the hook, anyway, considering Saddleback's prospects.)

 

[JohnL]

Kevin has this position nailed down; it's a pretty tough assignment. (And Tony's probably off the hook, anyway, considering Saddleback's prospects.)

And the last time the NEG was held in Maine, only 3-4 people attended?

 

[KevinF]

If by some miracle Saddleback ever re-opens, I'd love to head back there in some capacity. But I'm not holding my breath. For Massachusetts / New York residents though, Maine makes "Northern Vermont" look positively close. Especially when you let @Tony S do the driving and after 45 minutes on I-95 you hear "oh yeah, we should have taken that exit 15 miles ago". You have been to this place before, yes?

Seriously, Northern Vermont has a great combination of terrain, reliable (for New England) snowfall, plentiful lodging and beer.

@ScottB , hope you can join us next year!

And the last time the NEG was held in Maine, only 3-4 people attended?

Hey now! We had six!

 

[dbostedo]

Finally got my pics in order from the first two days.... here's a bunch....

Mad River Glen


Double Chair


Loading the single chair


Riding the double (@SKI-3PO and @KevinF on the chair)


Blue bumps... got into these a few times


@JohnL , @MarkP , and @mdf


@SKI-3PO , @KevinF , and @Tony S


View from the top of double


They actually do SOME grooming at MRG...


... but a lot of it looks like this


Riding the single chair


Double chair area from the single


Single chair lift line


View from Antelope

Sugarbush


Super Bravo morning line


View from the top


Mrs. @LKLA and @LKLA Jr.


More blue bumps!


@Pumba and Peter on Slide Brook


Slide Brook is loooooonnngggg


Still very wintery at the top of Mt. Ellen


@MarkP , @LKLA , and me


View of Mt. Lincoln side coming back on Slide Brook

 

[JohnL]

If by some miracle Saddleback ever re-opens, I'd love to head back there in some capacity. But I'm not holding my breath. For Massachusetts / New York residents though, Maine makes "Northern Vermont" look positively close. Especially when you let @Tony S do the driving and after 45 minutes on I-95 you hear "oh yeah, we should have taken that exit 15 miles ago". You have been to this place before, yes?

Seriously, Northern Vermont has a great combination of terrain, reliable (for New England) snowfall, plentiful lodging and beer.

@ScottB , hope you can join us next year!



Hey now! We had six!
View attachment 43014

Six? That is clearly a lame photoshop. Tony is taller than KevinF in that pic. Tony is smiling. And MDF has modern boots.