From the 15th hole on Rutland Country Club looking towards Pico taken last week. 

The last couple of days at Killington have been rather damp with moderate rain being experienced across the region. Hard to believe given the winter snow we had, but this is the first serious precipitation event we have had in the area in April. And its a good thing.

I had the opportunity late last week to get out and chase the little white ball around the fairways of both Rutland Country Club and Proctor Pittsford Golf Course. My swing was in pretty good shape, but as is usually the case on early rounds, my short game was, to be polite, not good. It did not really matter, however, as it was just nice to be out in the spring sunshine walking down green fairways.

Both courses were in excellent shape. The relatively mild (from a temperature standpoint) winter did not do any visible damage to the greens on either course. Both had dried out nicely from the snow melt. The rain this week will go a long way to getting them, and other local courses, into great shape for the summer golf season.

Until the next time, hit them straight and keep the ball in the fairway!

The weapons of winter being banished for summer storage. 

That was fast. What happened to winter??? Last week, seven days ago to be precise, there was 11 inches of snow at the snow stake behind the inn. From November 16th to April 19th, the ground around the inn has been continuously covered with natural snow. Now we have temperatures flirting with 80. The snow that was in the back yard the last 5 months has poured into the Roaring Brook, on it's way to the Connecticut River and the Atlantic Ocean...Look out below!...So it goes!

Living in Vermont, you have to adjust the weapons in your quiver to quickly adapt to changes in the season. Today is a classic example. The skis and poles that have served me well over the winter months were taken out of the trunk of my car, to be replaced this evening with an appropriate arsenal for summer life in Vermont....golf clubs.

Gone for a while, but not forgotten, are days of screaming down cruisers; hopping down bumps; careening over terrain park features. Instead, we will soon be off in search of pars, birdies, and eagles, although most of the time our card will be posted with bogies. We just hope the dreaded "Snowman" does not visit too many times as we stroll down the lush fairways of golf courses in Vermont. For 'Snowmen" don't belong in the summer...it's just not right.

Around Vermont, golf courses are opening up. Green Mountain National Golf Course opens for the summer season this Saturday, with play on the front nine. The full course is set to open on May 3rd.

Right across the street from the inn, I can look from my office window out over the 4th and 5th holes of the Killington Resort Golf Course. The snow has pretty much cleared the course, except for areas in the shadows just like around the inn. Killington's web site is accepting tee times for the Killington course starting on May 9th.

Assuming the weather holds, I will probably get out this weekend to start chasing the little white ball around the Vermont countryside...Of course, that assumes it's still summer...you never know!

So where ever you may be, dig out the sun screen, find your clubs, and keep the ball in the fairway!

Killington Peak on the last day of
the 07/08 ski season 

Under blue skies intermixed with wispy clouds and unseasonably warm temperatures, the 2007/2008 ski season at Killington is coming to a close today. A respectable crowd made the journey to the mountain to participate in the last day. Many locals, like myself, have made the pilgrimage to the mountain today to pay our final respects for the season.

Around town, snow cover is rapidly melting. The snow stake at the inn, which as late as Friday had 6 1/2 inches of snow surrounding it, is now down to bare ground with spring crocus blooming. Yesterdays temperatures, which flirted with 80 around the inn, was just to much for the snow pack to take. Golf season is clearly just around the corner.

So it goes....

Still plenty of snow in the yard behind the inn. 

When I woke up this morning, the sun was shining brightly and the temperature outside the inn was a balmy 67 degrees. Clearly this was the day to break out the shorts!

I am sorry for the pasty white chicken legs. I am not one for a tanning booth, so they have to make an appearance some time. I am definitely getting into the mood for some summer!

Where ever you may be this weekend, keep it in the snow..er..fairway, and try to find some sunscreen.

Mary working in the kitchen 

The ski season at Killington is not quite over yet, as the resort does not officially close until this Sunday, but the clean up at the inn has already begun. It is a ritual we go through every year to prepare for the next season.

With our restaurant closing last Saturday night, we began the spring tradition of dismantling the kitchen for cleaning and repair. Every piece of equipment, every cabinet, every table...everything gets stripped out so we can completely clean the floor and wash all the walls and ceiling. And then of course the reverse has to happen. Everything that came out of the kitchen some how has to fit back in, after being cleaned or refurbished, depending on the item.

It's not as sexy as skiing a bump line down Superstar, or as seductive as that first round of golf for the season (I was invited to play today...ugh...it's 70 outside...it must be great!), but the work has to get done so we can play later. So it goes.

Salute! 

It 3:30 AM. The restaurant staff has all headed home. Inn guests are off to bed. Mary is sound asleep. It's just me, "Captain Kangaroo", and a toast to great customers and good friends with a snifter of Courvoisier.

Tonight was our last restaurant night of the 2007-2008 season. While the inn will still be receiving guests for another couple of weeks, it's time to close down the kitchen and hopefully catch a few sunny days of skiing before the resort closes next weekend. After some refurbishment, not as major as last year, the restaurant at the Birch Ridge Inn will reopen for the 2008-2009 season with dinner service on Friday June 27th. If you are planning on visiting Killington this summer, keep these dates in mind: Sunday June 29 - "Team Killington Brunch" to benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation; Saturday July 19 - "Killington Wine Festival" Dinner at Birch Ridge; Sunday July 20 - "Killington Wine Festival" "Bubbly Brunch" at Birch Ridge.

In the meantime...here is a toast to all who have helped make our restaurant a success....to "Frizzie", Merissa, Gwen, Mick, Kathie, Reggie, Heather, John D, Annie, Heidi and Mickalyn,...and to our great guests... many of you have become good friends (and you know who you are!). Salute!

Goodnight from Killington....or is it good morning?

Freestyle park moved to Highline 

With Killington closing off terrain at the end of the season, one of there more interesting constructions in a new Terrain Park on Lower Highline, right in front of the K1 base lodge. The Terrain Park features a collection or ramps, boxes, and rails; all set up starting about 3/4ths of the way down Highline.

Whether you use the Queens spelling "Proboscis" or the slang version "Probiscus", one of the more curious features of the park is a giant pipe sticking out of the snow.

Large elevated pipe in the new Highline Terrain Park. (Click to enlarge.)

Like the barrel of a cannon pointed right at the K1 Base Lodge, the pipe extends about 8 to 10 feet out from a ramp. At the end, it drops the rider 7 or 8 feet to the ground, that is of courses assuming they make it all the way out to the end.

Temperatures this morning started out on the chilly side with heavy overcast. As the day has progressed, the overcast has come and gone several times, revealing bright blue skies. Temperatures have climbed into the low 50's. Around the inn, the snow pack is fairly stable, loosing about an inch a day on ground surfaces. It will be a while before Mary can get out into the yard to plant flowers for the summer. So it goes...