Tag Archives: Laurel Mountain

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“Send It!”

Campfires galore at Adventure Fest.

The two words “Send It’ generally refers to the encouraging words mountain bike riders or skiers use when goading on a friend to do something extraordinary. “Send it!” -when a skier is just about to jump off a cornice at a ski area. Or “Send it!” – when a mountain bike rider rockets down a rock- strewn descent hanging on for dear life. It usually is met with a huge applause if the “sendee” is successful or derision by the crowd when the “sendee” blows the heroic act.

This also happened to be the theme this year for the annual outdoor outing of Christian men called “Adventure Fest.” This is the brainchild of Greg Nass and his band of merry men who work tirelessly to make this weekend operate seamlessly with great outdoor activities like mountain bike riding, Harley rides, fishing, camping, axe throwing, and a host of other outdoor activities. This was the 12th year. But the main events are centered around really talented speakers who communicate the values that Christian fathers, husbands, and brothers all hold dear. A snapshot of this fabulous weekend is as follows”

Friday-


Pete Hilton, Shark, and Roger Evans taking in Laurel Mountain Trails on Friday

A small group of Adventuremen tackled the wild and rocky trails at Laurel Mountain. Followed by a fabulous meal at a real gem of a restaurant in Jennerstown called “The Fat Squirrel”. For those of us who prefer plant- based entrees, this little establishment has it all. Great food, a casual atmosphere, outdoor dining and well…….just a real good place to have a meal, post ride in the Laurel Mountains.

The Fat Squirrel does not disappoint.
Japanese Tofu pancakes with cabbage and radish garnish finished with a real tasty sauce
Vegetable sandwich with onion straws and sweet potato fries. Yum!

As the small group made their way to the Boyer’s Pond Campground, ( a new venue for Adventuremen this year), we set up our tents and campers and made our way to the huge firepit ablaze with many of the Adventuremen who made their way from across several states to be in attendance. The highlight of the evening was the new cross that was built for the new venue which was the centerpiece for the welcoming statements by Greg and some amazing testimonials from several of the men who told their stories. Then, as with the tradition of the Adventuremen cross, they pounded a nail into the cross symbolizing that they are giving their troubles to the Lord, leaving it at the cross,and thankful for what he has done in their lives. Guys talk about overcoming addiction and substance abuse, difficulties with their children, heart wrenching stories that are either a submission by the pounding of the nail, or out of gratitude for the changeover that has occurred in their lives. The faith that was on display and the results are amazing stories that are set with the backdrop of a huge, blazing firepit, and the large wooden cross symbolizing the redemption that is available to all of us if we just place our trust where it belongs.

Pastor Greg with his opening remarks. The guy is a tireless worker.
The new Adventuremen cross that will be permanently installed in the camp ground.

Saturday-

We awoke to a bright, sunny day with lots of activities on hand including our group’s mountain bike ride at Quemahoning Reservoir trails. This facility that was built by the Army Corps of Engineers with a huge lake and surrounding trails is a must ride for anyone coming to Adventurefest. Our group was enthusiastic as we made our way around some of the nicest trails in the region.

Shark, Bob Anderson, Bob Horrell, Paul Barrante, and Roger Evans in the lot at the “Q”
Bob and Paul leading the way.
Yours truly rocking the “Send It” Adventuremen colors.

After a quick shower and jamming a few PB&Js down our throats, we made our way to the main event. First on deck was Steve McGranahan who bills himself as the ” World’s Strongest Redneck.” As the crowd of Adventuremen sat in disbelief in their camp chairs, Steve showed us his strength and skill by tearing phone books in half, decks of cards in half, bending nails, and bending a frying pan into a tube that he billed as the first redneck hot dog cooker. We could not believe some of the stuff he showed us like taking a bite out of a soda can. His humor was apparent but he had a definite message for the group. As he was tearing the phone books and decks of cards, he said, don’t let anyone tear you apart, or tear you down. He said we have a faithful savior who will prevent that if we only give him a chance. He said, as he bent the frying pan and the nails, not to bend our will to anything that would be a dishonor to our faith. In short, he had a message for us with every feat of strength that he showed us. The guys were inspired and in awe all at the same time.

Steve McGranahan- the world’s strongest redneck.

Next on the billing was Pastor Pete Giacalone who is the lead pastor at South Park Assembly of God. Pastor Pete regaled us with tales of his upbringing as an Italian Catholic in Detroit. He told us about his friends who were “connected”, and his family who were devout Catholics and had very strong opinions about everything. He went on to say that when he told his family that he wanted to be a preacher, they disowned him. A sad story of neglect and rejection which had a happy ending when his father, on his death bed, finally accepted Christ and was an avid reader of the Bible thanks to the persistence of Pastor Pete. His message to us was one of conviction and steadfast love for the Gospel no matter what.

Following a session of worship music by the praise band that Greg had assembled, the next speaker on the bill was a Christian comedian named Gordan Douglass. A clean, funny comedian who also happens to be a pastor and has taken many foster children into his home. One of his lines which got a chuckle was that ” two just got out of jail and two should be going.” His humor was aimed at himself but his stories of his foster care for 19 different individuals so far was inspiring. Finally, he recited his own version of “The Night Before Christmas” which was centered around the true meaning of Christmas and the Nativity. He delivered it with such passion that there was not a sound in the audience as he held us spellbound with his delivery.

Finally on the bill was Pastor Jim Balzano – lead pastor of Trans4mation Church in Altoona. Pastor Jim had the last spot of the afternoon and lots of guys were getting tired from an afternoon in the hot sun. But his message got the attention of the crowd with the telling of the tale of how the State Police came to the door one night at bout 1:30 AM and told Pastor Jim and his wife that they had found their 19 year old son dead in the river. He told us about how he had to identify the body and how he actually performed the funeral service for his son. He said that that there are a lot of heartaches in the world, and we must know, in keeping with the theme of the event, that God “sent ” his son to save us, his spirit to heal us, and his prophets to warn us. They ” send it” so that we can go out and be a light to the world in the best way that we can. He talked about forgiveness and how we need to forgive ourselves in our own miseries, and to forgive others. The line that resonated with me was when Pastor Jim says the way you truly know you have forgiven others, is when you have the opportunity to hurt someone back ,and you choose not to. He also encouraged us to move on with the work that we are called to do. As he buried his son in the ground, he looked over and saw his brand, new grand- daughter, and decided to dedicate his future efforts to her and not to look back. There was not a dry eye in the house after that one.

You know, I have said it before when reporting in my blog about Adventuremen, and Adventure Fest, that there are real misnomers out there about Christian men. People think we are right wing rednecks, above it all, condescending and judging. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you hear stories from men at Adventure Fest from all walks of life, telling their stories and about how their faith has saved their lives, it shows you the brokenness of true Christian men who recognize that they are sinners and in need of redemption. These guys are just normal Joes in life who struggle like everyone with substance abuse, addictions, broken homes and broken marriages. Nothing could be further from the truth to say that these guys are judging and condescending. They come to Adventure Fest for fun and a good gathering with other men. But they also come to hear the Good News preached by some of the best Assembly of God Pastors around. They come for healing, fellowship, and a wonderful time camping and doing things in the wilds of Pennsylvania. Then they can “send it” out to the world as well as they can. Come to Adventure Fest next year. It is always the weekend before Father’s Day. Information can be found at http://www.Adventuremen.org and www. Adventurefest.org. Thanks for reading. I am honored to be on the board of directors for Adventuremen. I am hoping that it will be a lifetime position. Thank for reading.

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The Geriatric Ride

Jeff, Darrall, and Steve. Pounding through the rocks at Laurel Mountain

So it was an absolutely beautiful day in the Laurel Highlands this weekend and a fun group of eclectic individuals came out to ride the challenging rocks and roots of Laurel Mountain. These trails are not for the faint of heart but the challenge is always accepted by riders in the Western Pa. area who are up to the task. The interesting thing about this weekend was the conversation and the condition of the participants. One amazing stroke survivor, one guy with a prosthesis ( amazing rider), one guy who just had two cortisone shots in his shoulders the day before, one guy with a pacemaker, and the rest of us reveling in the senior years on the trails. Now with all of this going on, it was fair to say that they all went for it and “sent it” for the whole ride with some of the actors opting to even add more challenging additions to the ride. Outlook Trail, and the whole Black Bear Trail. The rest of us finishing on the Spruce Run Trail which, in our minds, is even more challenging than the popular Wolf Rocks Trail.

Samra on the left had some funny comments for the group.

One of the more amusing comments on the ride came from our pal Samra when she was listening to all the ailments being described and said,” what’s next Pat, a discussion of upcoming colonoscopy appointments?” We all laughed hard at that one and kept riding along the Silvermine Trail to an interesting stop. Now this group is like a lot of mountain bike groups. There are a lot of characters and seeing how they react to certain situations gives one some perspective into how they tick. Take our friend Jeff. He wanted to get up ahead a little bit to get through a rocky section because he still has some peripheral vision issues resulting from his stroke. As we came up behind him, he told all of us to stop because there was a rattle snake crossing the trail. Jeff being Jeff was a little impatient and got a stick to get the rattler moving and when he raised his head in the strike position, he seemed to be looking right at Steve as if to say, ” why are you guys messing with me, man. Don’t you know it is our feeding and mating time?” Steve told Jeff in no uncertain terms to back off, which we did, and the snake went along his carnal way looking for the ladies. Not our ladies on the ride but his ladies in the woods. LOL!!

Rattlers at Wolf Rocks. They are there but if you don’t mess with them, they won’t mess with you.

One of the next more interesting things for the seniors pounding the trails was when our friend Don had a mechanical. Now on these kinds of trails, there tend to be some mechanicals along the way. Mostly with the bikes but Don C had one with his prosthesis. The rocks bent it a little out of shape and Don got his tools, took a time out, and repaired the mechanical ankle with dispatch.

This guy can repair his prosthesis in the field due to rock damage and still outride most people. Amazing.

All in all, you have a very capable ride group with Don O and I giving options along the way. Darrall and I are the most senior of the group with Don C right behind and the rest descending in chronological order. But suffice to say- youth is wasted on the young, and this group tends to squeeze the most out of any challenging conditions with a smile on their face and the attitude of ” give me more.”

Young people who we meet along the way are kind of shocked when they see older riders performing at this level through this kind of challenging terrain. It kind of gives them a peek of their future if they keep riding and stay healthy. With most people our age tending to back off a little bit, this group goes to Laurel Mountain. As we get older, sometimes we have to get out of the comfort zone a little bit and challenge ourselves. That occasional push tends to keep us young not only physically, but mentally with the thought that, ” yes we can still do this.” It is great to hang with a group like this.

Keep Riding the Rocks!

Bottom line, if you are a senior, or one approaching the senior years, keep doing the things you like to do. Challenge yourself. Do it with maturity, but push yourself every once in a while. It keeps you young, vibrant and not ready to throw in the towel just yet. My neighbor always says to me, “Patrick, don’t ever let a number define you.” I agree. Thanks for reading

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Support Your Local……..

Frick Park winter ride with Jeff Chetlin. 

Tired of the limited ski terrain due to terrible weather, and the huge “EPIC” crowds at our local ski resorts for the Holidays, our posse called an audible and met our pal Jeff and his wife Julie for a winter ride in Frick Park in the city of Pittsburgh. We included what I call the Tour de Death through Homewood Cemetery and it was a truly pleasant outing in the city with very little mud. We like to support our friend Jeff who has made nothing short of a miraculous recovery from a stroke. In fact, he bought a new E-Bike and re-assumed his role at the front of the pack, smiling like a butcher’s dog.( Thanks Mike Lange) He has appreciated the support while he has been recovering and is now fully on his way to living his life the way he wants to live it with his ever- energetic wife Julie. The key is support of friends. He would do the same for all of us and it was truly our pleasure to see him relish in the support of all his “outdoor type” friends. 

Bob K up and over the roller in Frick Park. Yes- literally an old cement roller that the local “Slagforce” installed for all of our enjoyment. 

Jeff always says that the mountain bike crowd is the most friendly and supportive group of people whom he knows. That is saying something seeing that he is a skier, mountain biker, snowmobiler, and avid, all -around outdoor sportsman. I would tend to agree. 

Thinking about support, especially locally, our favorite ski area of Laurel Mountain has had a rough start with the weather as well as some mechanical issues due to a power surge which damaged the chair lift motor and the snowmaking pump motors. Not to mention that during a recent storm, RT 30 was closed due to an accident and nobody could get to the resort. Our crowd has made it a mission to support Laurel during this time and show up even if all the terrain is not open. The folks on the staff there work extra hard to make Laurel a viable option during the winter, and it is a shame that they have been dealt a tough hand of cards in this early season. But again, our ski crowd,( many of whom are also in the mountain bike crowd), actively support what is going on in our local little ski area. We want to see it thrive and therefore show up even when conditions are not optimal. Happy to report that Laurel got a nice snowfall New Years Eve. Things are looking up. 

Hoping Laurel Mountain looks like this again soon. 

I think a lot about the slogan- ” Support Your Local…….” Every time I see a police officer, I thank them for their service. They have a tough job “protecting and serving” all of us in these tumultuous times. I thank anyone who has or is currently serving all of us in the military. Lots of local people who selflessly serve all of us. I support our local church as being part of a community of believers is important to me. John Guest, the famous evangelist, always says that you need not go far to support someone in need. The elderly in your neighborhood, local charities, a friend who is down. John says you don’t have to be a missionary overseas. Just look around your local neighborhood, workplace, school, and you will see opportunities to ” support your local…….” Give the local store support instead of spending your money in some big box store. Support the local businesses as they are trying hard to make it in this world today. There are so many opportunities to ” support your local……” I listened to the latest Rich Roll Podcast and his guest, Simon Hill, ( noted Australian health and fitness expert), said a very interesting thing. He was talking about service and serving others and said that one of the number one ways to lower stress and reduce blood pressure markers is to be of service to others. It has been clinically proven in testing individuals for health markers ,( cholesterol, blood pressure, VO2 max, etc.) that lifestyle changes like service can actually improve a number of markers in individuals who are looking to improve their health.

Darrell Porter and Ozanam helping us support Ronald McDonald House Charities. 

As we move towards 2024, Janet and I are trying to make more of an effort to support worthy local causes. Not that the big ones are not important, but keeping it local among business support, church support, charity support, is critical to keeping in touch with the local community. We are all in this together. 

Gretl Dupre restored Camp Soles. An outdoor camp for kids. Locally in our Laurel Highlands. 
The always smiling Gretl at her beloved Camp Soles. A wonderful opportunity for local kids to experience the great outdoors. 

Think about supporting your local friend, neighbor, family member, business, ski area, camp, and so many other opportunities in 2024. My mother always said…..” Happiness is like a perfume that you can’t sprinkle on others without getting a little on yourself.” So true mom. Happy New Years to all and enjoy the outdoors. Thanks for reading. 

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The Last Turns

The Durfees

At the invitation of our dear friends, Helen and Eric Durfee of Incline Village, Nevada, we spent our last week skiing at Beaver Creek out in Colorado. With some fresh new snow and intermittent sunshine, we enjoyed all that BC had to offer. I reluctantly made my last turns for the season last Friday over at Arrowhead and Bachelor Gulch. As I looked over at the majestic Gore Range, I was thankful for a great season locally, in Utah, and finishing out in Colorado. Thinking about big toe, little toe, ( a tip from my pal Eric) and keeping my stance lower and wider, I made a series of GS turns until my legs were toast and I made the last turn at the bottom of Bachelor Gulch. This is always a melancholy time ( the end of my 60th year of skiing) but I reflected on the week and all that it had to offer us.

The always energetic Lynne Hartnett

One of the highlights of the week was to connect with my old pal- Lynne Hartnett. Lynne is one of the most enthusiastic people I know and her infectious attitude towards skiing is always welcome. Sometimes it is hard to connect, but we pulled it off and Lynne, along with another friend from the past, Robin Ouimette, seemed excited to ski with our group of four. A former Vail instructor, Lynne knows the mountain well and took charge much to the delight of our group. She encouraged my wife Janet to jump right in her tracks and as she made her beautiful turns down the mountainside, she really helped Janet and we all said- she upped Jan’s game for sure. Jan got some good pointers last week from Helen and Eric as well as the always affable Lynne Hartnett. Lynne runs women’s clinics at home here in Pa. and she was more than happy to share her experiences with my receptive wife. What a great time we had with Robin and Lynne , culminating with some beverages and hors d’oerves back at our condo which were masterfully prepared by Helen, who along with her husband Eric, are very skilled skiers. Eric, an ex- ski racer- fast and solid, and Helen- great technique who can ski anything and ski it all day long.

Pat, Robin, Lynne, Helen and Janet.
McCoy Park. Beautiful scenery .

I always am a bit sad when the ski season ends. We had a decent season locally although we got a late start. But for me, making turns and riding the chairlift is always a joy. When the last turn comes, I kind of shake my head knowing that another season has come and gone. Jan and I will try to stay healthy and be fit for another season. Hopefully we get many, many more but we are grateful for what we have experienced. As I sat on the plane ride home, I thought about what a great sport skiing is. Not only is it rewarding to make carved arcs on groomers, and skiing the uncut of a new fallen snow, but I thought of the wonderful social aspects of skiing. I think of all the fun we have had with the Durfees, the Birsics and the Flying Smittys from Philadelphia, and the always enthusiastic wonderful skier and friend- Mark Hutchinson. I think about my local group at Laurel Mountain and Seven Springs. Shark and Tina, Jon Brady, Melissa and Jaime, Dixon, Bob Potter, George Skylling, Daryl, Porter, Johnny Mac, Monty, Angelo Ross, Jamie Edson, Paul Barrante, Race Jace, and Dave “everyday” Gault, and a host of others who make the local scene exciting even in the worst of weather conditions. Finally, we all look forward to the weekly “Chair Report” by Jason Eshleman! Skiing fosters lifetime friendships and I am hoping that I have a lot more seasons to come. More runs, chairlift rides, , and more good times with those with whom I have skied for years. My mountain bike friends laugh when I talk about skiing all summer (most of them are skiers and boarders too). But in reality, I ride a bike to keep in shape for skiing. As much as I like the change of the seasons and the move from skis to wheels, I always look forward to the changing leaves and the first flakes, which will usher in more good times with all my winter friends. Thanks for reading and here is to spring!!!

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Benchmarks

Tussey Mountain Trail at Rothrock State Forest

I think we all try to assess our fitness in the beginning of the season with a series of ” benchmarks” which are tests to see where we are. Personally, I have several hills on many of my mountain bike rides that I use as tests, and if I can ride them with no issue and not get off my bike, I know that I am still in the game. It takes some effort but they loom ahead as a reminder and they are there so that I can see how well I am doing at different points of the season. Usually in the spring these benchmarks are harder because I am just getting over my winter maintenance mode. This year I am backing off a bit. I don’t need to race anymore and I can ride at my own pace. But I still like to see where I am and if these benchmarks become easier as the spring and summer evolve.

Wet Rocks Define the Benchmark

Sometimes the conditions of the tests make them particularly difficult. Like now in the springtime with all the rain in the east, the slimy rocks and roots make for a particular challenge and you have the choice to either back off and ride around the challenge, or get off and walk, or ……..get it in gear and take the test. See how you do with a weather affected benchmark. Can you still ride it no matter what? It takes effort to do the latter but that is the criteria for assessing fitness and a sense of self satisfaction that you can still do this!

In today’s world, you have Garmin devices or apps on your phone that can also give you information on where you are. Time of a ride, distance, vertical feet of climbing, speed, etc are all measured and visible to you after and during each ride. There are also the competitive apps like Strava that can measure your effort against someone else or a group of riders on the same trail. I would have jumped on this years ago but now, I ride to ride another day.

Rainstorms Adding to the Difficulty of Benchmarks.

Some days, you just don’t feel like challenging yourself. The weather is bad, your motivation is lax or you just plain don’t feel like it. No one is watching and really the personal challenge is always up to you. There are always roadblocks to getting in shape or maintaining fitness but you have the choice. Either accept the challenge or not. Maybe not today but tomorrow? Your call. Kind of like the benchmarks we set for ourselves in life too? The challenge is always there to do the right thing. Help out a neighbor in need. Thinking of other people and what they are going through. My mother always said ” to have a friend is to be a friend.” It is so true and some days, we are not really motivated but we ” put it in gear” and do the right thing even if we don’t feel like it. Kind of like hitting that benchmark hill in full gear even though your motivation is not there at the moment.

My dad always had a saying for doing things that you may not like to do at the moment. He said it was like ” hitting yourself in the head with a hammer because it feels so good when you stop.” I laugh when I think of that but really, there are times when you have to reach for that higher gear and go for it. Help that neighbor battling a life threatening disease. Or the friend who is going through a personal struggle. I keep a legal pad on my counter in the kitchen that reminds me to pray for people whose names are on that list. But also, to remind me to do something for them. No matter what the weather is, no matter how tired I am, no matter how inconvenient. When you hit that higher gear and challenge that benchmark of kindness and civility, you feel so good. It is not the food that you brought them, or the flowers, candy, treats or whatever. I am sure they are appreciated. But the real appreciation lies in the fact that you thought of them and no matter what- you are there for them.

As we get older, complacency can settle in. But just like the hill challenge on a mountain bike ride, there are daunting challenges out there for you to tackle. Be up for the challenge and help your friends and even people who you may not know. Volunteer, donate, give your time and resources, and hit that higher gear. You will feel a sense of purpose and a calling that is highly rewarding. Thanks for reading.

Wolf Rocks. Laurel Mountain , Pa.

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Younger Next Year

I learn something new every ski season. I like to think other people do as well like my buddy Bill Yalch, seen here with his eyes closed. He and Brady Cunningham asked me how to smooth out their turns and I gave them a tip that always works that basically says…”don’t be in a hurry to finish the turn and engage the new downhill edge early and ride it out- flexing the ankles along the way”. Ankles are the key. I followed them down the trails at Arapaho Basin and called out when to engage the edge and when to flex the ankle. They did it and were very happy. John and Richard Nicolette are two childhood friends of mine who are great skiers. They ski in a very efficient, traditional way, but were interested in the new method of engaging edges and widening their stance. Bottom line- good skiers like Richard and John get it done for sure, but there is always something to be learned with new technique.

Fast forward a day and I made my way to Reno to meet up with our annual gathering of F.O.E.D.( Friends of Eric Durfee).

This group comes from all over the country to ski with Eric due to his generosity and we all represent different phases of his life. Mark Hutchinson and Proctor Reid are his childhood friends from Vermont. Hutch was a race coach at Stowe and coached Erik Schlopy who was a U.S. Ski Team member. Proctor raced with them as juniors and eventually raced for Dartmouth. John Ingwersen and Bart Smith raced for Cornell with Eric, and I came on the scene after Eric was married to my friend Helen from Seven Springs. This group skis hard and for a bunch of 60+ guys, we go from the first chair to the last chair. This year we had a little addition to our usual hard core gathering. My friend Jeff Mihalsky, a snowboarder- splitboarder to be exact( he has great prowess in the back country), came up from Sacramento to ski with us at Mt. Rose. It was funny- he kept calling us “old dudes” but we all learned a bit about snowboarding and my friend Eric said no doubt that snowboarding saved the ski industry. It was a great vision to see a bunch of old hard core skiers having a blast with a young snowboarder. We all get down the hill hard and fast and it was a great day and a mutual learning experience.

So one day at Mammoth, Eric says to Hutch ( a seasoned PSIA Ski Instructor as well as race coach), ” Hutch- give us all a tip for us to work on this trip.” He thought about it for a while and after telling me to lower my center of gravity and look more ahead, telling Eric and Ing to follow the turns with their center of mass instead of being so countered in the typical race position, and telling Proctor practically nothing because he bends the skis so well and gets them out from under his body that there isn’t much improvement there. We all learned something from those suggestions and even though we all are seasoned skiers, we all can learn something every season. Thanks Hutch.

After a series of shoulder surgeries, hip replacements, and other corrected maladies with this group, the skiing is still pretty high level and I asked Eric how long did he think we could pound it like this. He remarked that as long as nothing catastrophic happened, he didn’t see any reason why we wouldn’t have at least another ten years of high level skiing. That is the premise behind one of my favorite books,” Younger Next Year” by Chris Crowley. Keep doing what you enjoy, stay in shape, and don’t let anyone tell you that you are too old. Chris is now in his eighties and skis and rides a bike everyday……everyday!!

I actually get a little depressed at the end of the ski season. I think about the year and how much fun it is to rip GS turns on a perfectly groomed slope. The thrill of skiing the steeps with the chalky smooth snow peeling from beneath my sharpened edges. The sun, the mountains, and the ability and the opportunity to enjoy them is something I treasure with my friends. As I nodded off on the plane after looking at the Rockies one last time this season, I daydreamed about the year and the laughs, the learnings, the fun, and the benefits of skiing. From the Laurel Highlands, to the Adirondacks, to the Rockies, to the Sierras, this season has been fun. Skiing is a lifetime sport and as we all move into another season, we have our motto…..” Younger Next Year”. Thanks Eric, Ing, Proctor, Bart, Richard, John, Bill, Brian U, McClean,Jeff L, Porter, John, Tim, Monty, Alan,Tom, Chris, Judy, Mike,Mike S, and my lovely wife and Holimont ski pal Janet, for a great 2016-2017 season. Thanks for reading and now it’s time to haul out the mountain bike.