3rd Annual VFTT Adirondack BBQ and Gathering August 18th thru August 21st

[bubba]

One heck of a good time!! Spence and Matti keep the smiles on their faces and host nearly 30 tents and many more inhabitants that party, joke, testify, converse... and drink a bit (or a bit more... no names here)

Spence and Brian took a day away from the Mtns to gear up the fire and cook a beef roast! Lawns had all been mowed, fields cut for parking, EZup tents in place -- this didn't happen in a few hours. You guys really have this BBQ hosting figured out!

The beef was excellent - WOW! Love the "share a local beer" deal - very cool, especially figuring the quantity that's comes/goes on hand.

Great to see everybody again and meet bunches of new friends. Best of all is sharing the ADK's with this band of NE hikers.

Thanks loads our generous hosts ...and to everyone for the happening!! I come to be badly influenced ...but am always greatly influenced by the knowledge base we assemble and share!!

Note of special thanks: BigMoose for the great banner, unknown under-writer(s) of the port-a-potties, MichaelJ for his camera skills and willingness, TeeJay for coffee duties, Ward for bathroom detail (right...), Kathleen and Doc for skillfully taking my into the brush, FF/Neil/Matt for the entertainment and Pete for his own special entertainment (and also playing guitar/singing), for most of the Rainer gang for coming back to their senses and hiking real mountains where you can breath and party the night before a hike and not have to climb into craters on top (etc., etc.), all the pots of luck and ever smiling faces of all who attend!

 

[coldfeet]

I'm still tired.. ...Taylor and I had a greart time...thx..Maddie and Spence...to much to talk about and I have to get to camp soon...the last day

Freddy forgot to mention how we had to avoid a flying boxspring/mattress on the thruway going home...you should see how a box spring explodes when a car in front of you hits it

Don't think i'll come back up as an "oompa-loompa-la" next time...got lots of weird looks in the mens room...guess it was my remark about "ever peeded next to an oompa-loompa-la before?"

Warning...never drink the "Dr." at 6:30...thx Prino for telling me to eat quickly ...went to sleep at 10 Sat night...but I heard the flute it was nice Neil..

Oh yea...Taylor and I hiked..Hurricane (cloudy) Phelps (really really cloudy) and Cascade before going home on Sunday (finally some views!...glad for her)

Going to Hershey park, Wed and Thurs then packing for Arcadia and leaving Sat...long drive ..500 miles...will go 1/2 way sleep somewhere then get there Sunday...

Great meeting people and listening to stories....will post about trips later...have a nice week..

 

[Mark]

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

I'll get in line and add my thanks to our hosts for letting us invade their backyard. Every year, the summer gathering is scheduled during my family's vacations, so I have never made it. Luckily, we had to reschedule it this year so I got to go! Now I know what I have been missing.

I had a great time hiking Table Top and Phelps on Saturday. (We almost had some views!). The cold showers at the hostel across from the Noonmark were invigorating. (I've never had heatstroke and hypothermia on the same day, but this came close!) Thanks to Funky Freddy for the Noonmark milk shakes! Mmmm! Dinner on Saturday night was awesome! I did my best to rehydrate too after the day's hot hike.

It was fun to meet lots of new friends and catch up with the old ones. (Yeah - you, SK). Next time, I will have to get some extra time off and make it a long weekend. See you on the trails!

THANKS!

 

[Doc McPeak]

Great meeting people and listening to stories....will post about trips later...have a nice week..

And just imagine the stories you would have had if you followed me and bubba on the "shortcut" we tried to lure you into taking!

I hear them bangos twanging!

______________________________________________________________

 

[Neil]

In my picture, it's definitely Little Bear; however, Momma Bear was also at the BBQ.

Oh.
So which one is which?

 

[Seeker]

Great pics Michael J! Dang, sorry I had to miss all the fun. Thank goodness thsi crazy VFTT gang gets together at least once a season!

Freddy forgot to mention how we had to avoid a flying boxspring/mattress on the thruway going home...you should see how a box spring explodes when a car in front of you hits it

Wow, you know I have actually seen this before. Two years ago on Rt. 24 headed to the Cape. It's more excitement than I really care to have in a car. Glad you are OK coldfeet!

 

[mavs00]

I'm almost POSITIVE I was at the gathering, but the details are a little fuzzy at this point . Seriously, we had a friggin ball. I even let my daughter hike RPR with harryk (and the Sikes).

Oddly, events conspired against us and Sunday's planned killer bushwhack into the Sawteeth Range turned into a mellow whack up Morgan and Wilmington (Cooper Kiln) peaks. Due to the gratiousness of our hosts, we stayed a bonus night (Sunday) and were able to redo (in much nicer weather) the stunning open ridge of Jay Peak (at Neil's urging). We got some great -PICTURES- of that hike too.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed talking and hanging out with likes of Big Moose, Neil, Doc, Sherpa, harryk, michaelJ, arm, bubba, FF, Christine, Audrey, Pat, Can'tdog, BoB, Carol, JayH, teejay...................... and the rest of the 63 others there (we counted). You guys are an amazing group, you really are.

I was thinking about this on the way home and it is mindboggling to me how attending a function with 60-70 people, many of whom I've never met or (outside a few) met only briefly before, that I (and all of us) would feel at ease and totally COMFORTABLE wirth each other immediatly. VFTT really is one big family, and I thank you all for including us in it.

Spence and Maddie (and Brian), you have know idea how much you mean to our family. You guy are the best, to hang with, to hike with and everything that goes with it. We can't begin to ever repay you. Thanks for the party and for letting us hang on an extra day. Dinner was great on Sunday too .

Thanks as well to the Sikes and harryk for taking care of "my little girl" on Sunday up on RPR. She had a ball. Harry, your one "class act".

 

[Neil]

I'd like to comment on the Gathering photographer, MichaelJ. After looking at the (90 or so) pics he posted on his site I was amazed.


This is what I observed:

1- He caught pretty well everybody in a flattering, positive way. (I guess he went to bed early on Saturday night, eh fellas?)

2- He must have been everywhere snapping pics but he was not in the least bit obtrusive.

3- He was fast and in focus. In and out.

4- His pics do a great job of summing up the event.

Thanks Michael for doing such a high quality job.

 

[MichaelJ]

Neil -

LittleBear is Kris.

MamaBear I don't have a specific picture of.

Dang - thanks for the kind words, Neil!!!

 

[mavs00]

1- He caught pretty well everybody in a flattering, positive way. (I guess he went to bed early on Saturday night, eh fellas?)

Trust me, that wasn't always easy either.

Thanks Michael for doing such a high quality job.

DITTO, without question. Thanks again. Also Michael, if you have that image as "the little slugger" attempting to play baseball that you showed me, could you forward it along. Thanks and great job.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Well, except for one, I love MichealJ's photography. Especially the faces. He seems to capture.. well, something... something real... a piece of the person. Some real talented eyes.

 

[LindaLu]

Just got home last night at midnight (3 am Wed East Coast time). What a fantastic time! Thanks to our hosts Spence and Maddi, thanks to MichaelJ for the ride from the airport, thanks to TeeJay and Little Bear for hanging with me on my slow retreat out of Marshall (and congrats to Pat and Audrey on their 46/115!), thanks to SherpaK and JohnS for the great time at the Leanto, and thanks to anyone else I forgot!

I'll post some pictures later, when I get back from camping with my sister.

I will definitely be back!

 

[Mark]

Missing Pot

Cook pot, that is.

Did anyone find a lost cook pot at the Gathering? I left it near the cook stove last weekend. It's an Evernew titanium 1 Liter pot with cover. If you found it, please PM or email me. Thanks!

 

[peak_bgr]

Mark-
Sherpa's got your cook pot.

 

[Mark]

Sweet - thanks!

 

[bubba]

Spence,
You have my cooler.

 

[funkyfreddy]

as requested.....

one of my hiking buddies from the gathering asked me if I had any photos to share. Hope you enjoy them and once again I want to thank everyone for such a great time! Fred

EDIT: sorry.... I'm currently trying to fix the link and webshots doesn't seem to be cooperating...... #!!#*

 

[funkyfreddy]

OK, let's try that again...... these are my hiking photos from the ADK gathering. I hope you enjoy them. Thanks, Fred

http://community.webshots.com/album/445250111boXAUd

 

[prino]

Nice Pictures Freddy! I've been trying to get the link to mine working but not sure if it does http://community.webshots.com/user/prinoski

 

[HIATIS]

Bubba-your cooler is safe in my basement. Do you want me to send it to you?