Terry Barbour teaches SRC powder skiing

Snow conditions caused cancellation of the Feb 8 races, but the disappointment was eased when Sugarbush Ski & Ride School Director Terry Barbour treated 14 SRC members to a free lesson on skiing in powder. Tom “TBone” Powers assisted Terry.  Terry instructed the group and demonstrated techniques. The group followed Terry down the trails, and TBone served as safety sweep and cheer leader for those of us whose bodies failed to follow instructions.

Terry demonstrated fundamentals and took the group down Snowball for practice. Then the group moved to Murphy’s Glades to apply their new skills to more challenging conditions. Some of the older skiers found conditions on Glades more challenging than they liked, so they returned to Snowball for more practice on fundamentals. Terry and TBone took the group back to Glades, and later to Moonshine as their skills developed. Everyone ended the day feeling they had fulfilled the Sugarbush motto: “Be better here.”

The Feb 8 race day mixer was held at the 1824 House on Route 100, one of two family businesses Dean and Connie Mendell operate. Their other business, Occasions Catering, provided the food for the event and operated the bar under the Occasions Catering liquor license. This was a return to a favorite venue for SRC members Don and Dinah Simonini, who held Dinah’s birthday party there and had Occasions cater their daughter’s wedding.

Chef Emily Mendell, Dean and Connie’s daughter, prepared creative and delicious appetizers. One favorite was crispy butternut squash ravioli with pickled kale and spicy almond brittle. Another was the Hot spinach artichoke dip as part of the Build your own Crostini presentation.

Some very appreciative members asked if they could stay for dinner, but the 1824 House is an event venue, not a restaurant. Occasions Catering handles events from 20 to 200 guests, and SRC may have enough members interested to have a dinner event there after next year’s mixer.

The forecast weather should allow the Sugarbush Race Department to set a course as planned for the February 15 race*. The race will be back on Racer’s Edge, and it will be interesting to see if the different results between the Racer’s Edge and the Legends courses are repeated. The mixer afterward will begin at 4:30 pm in Rumble’s Kitchen. The Kitchen will be open for dining after the mixer, and we hope to continue socializing over a meal.

      *NOTE the February 15 race was subsequently cancelled

The Sugarbush Race Department is offering a Race Clinic Friday morning from 9 to 11 am on the Racer’s Edge trail. Registration begins at 8:00 am in the Gate House. The Clinic is suitable for all levels of skiers and costs $35 for SRC members, $45 for non-members.

SRC will not race Feb 22 due to the President’s week holidays, but NASTAR Races take place at Sugarbush each Friday, Saturday and Sunday and on holidays, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, conditions permitting. Call the Sugarbush Race Department at 802-583-6818 for registration or more information.