Winter Gathering

[cbcbd]

That was a great time!! UFC, thanks a bunch for letting us make base at your place, it was perfect! And seriously... just seeing you twist around in midair in your kitchen just might've convinced me to get into yoga.

The band... you guys are all amazing musicians and libraries of music - awesome job. Sherpa... a pleasure, you just rock, man!!

And the food was all very good, thanks to all! The rice balls (Suebiscuit) were amazing, and I reeeally liked those tan cookies that were in a big rectangular container on the table (Bunchberry, was that you?) - they were gone by Sunday!! I should've stashed some for later. Ken, the spicyness on the venison chilly was just perfect, you saw my teary eyes.

Bubba, KenG (What?)... good times at Killington - it was perfect bumping into basically everyone on that trail... couldn't have worked out better. Bubba, you are one crazy dude, thanks for the tips.

Playing was great (Chip, thanks for the use of your amp, made my guitar sound much better than I remembered)... and as for the AC/DC... next time I'll bring some vise-grips for my nuts and Drano for my vocal chords. And I know many of you that knew lyrics were holding out on me, next time I'll pull you out myself (be ready, Sueb!) - Len, that was some classic Eddie Vedder

Hey Prino, thanks for opening my beers!

DougPaul, good talking to you, man, and letting me check out your ice stuff. The knowledge that pours out of you is unstoppable!

BunchB - slide show... next one - and btw, nice car. Were those aftermarket rims I spotted?

7summits - did you get out ok with those stock tires? I was slipping around... but on purpose!

E para a minha amiga de Madeira (Jen) e seu namorado (roadtripper), mando um abraco

As to everyone I met or re-met (not too many of those, just you two, Bob and Lendawg), it was good to finally do that and I hope to see you guys again. For those of you who I didn't meet or didn't get to introduce myself... next time

One of the best moments: Standing in front of the fire and looking up seeing snow coming down... aaaaahh, fire and ice

So, when's the next one!?!?!

 

[MEB]

Thanks Caveman for hosting this years winter gathering! What an awesome time indeed. It was so nice to see everyone. Super yummy food Saturday night...I think I sampled just about everything. Suebiscuit, those riceballs were my favorite. Great music Saturday night too....I wish I had stayed up to hear the second set. Anyway, I had a wicked fun time and can't wait for the next one.

-MEB

 

[HuiYeng]

Good time! UFC thanks for hosting the gathering, it was great meeting all of you, and really enjoy all your musical talents. Here are couple of pictures and clips I took, unfortunately I arrived too late to watch the Grey Knob and the Bluffs band perform (only got to watch ~10 min of them playing from the stair).

cbcbd, I got out of the FrozenCave fine, BTW, if you need to get new tires, my friend recommended tirerack (after I spent almost $600 from a local store )

 

[Hollywood]

UCM, thanks again for hosting a great event!

I enjoyed the Saturday hike up Ascutney with a great cast of characters

See you all on the trail!

 

[Seeker]

As always, a great time! Thanks UFC for hosting and firemaking--the fire alone was well worth the drive! You are a brave soul for inviting such a crazy crowd into your home. OH--and the midnight roast beast was fantastic!

Rider.Steve survived his first Gathering and even managed to enjoy himself. But with such a friendly group it was no surprise.

And what a band! Who knew that such talent existed on this Web site? You certainly got me up and moving!

So wonderful to see old friends and meet some new ones!

 

[donna]

Great VFTT Gathering

I had a great time. Thank you Steve for hosting a real cool VTFF gathering. Your house is perfect for parties. You rule on the best fires!

It was great to see everyone and you are all fun to party with.

Thanks to everyone who took pictures...I love them all.

Great food, fun people, cool place to party and crush, good hiking and the best fires...

Sean, thanks for letting me and Dani sleep with you...was it as good for you?

Happy hiking...hope to see you all on the trails.

A big thanks to the band who did a great job, Liser, Dani, let's sing it up again...that was so much fun.

 

[alpinista]

Wow! My first gathering was a memorable one. A huge thank you to Unfrozencaveman for hosting all of us.

I didn't get in any hiking but I had a blast hanging out at the most massive bonfire I've ever seen, meeting so many folks whom I'd only gotten to know by reading their posts _ and then getting a chance to play Bluffette with the greatest band mates around!

 

[DougPaul]

Took a few pics at the Friday night bonfire and on the Sat Mt. Ascutney Hike. http://mysite.verizon.net/dbpwebjunk/gathering-9.5/index.html.

Doug

 

[SherpaKroto]

UFC: Can't thank you enough! I'm sitting here at home in the recliner resting the legs - wouldn't have made it through without the bedroom to rest in. No worries about cleaning the house - I lit the front, Mad Townie lit the back. Then we went to Okemo to watch Not quite as big as your bonfire, but we gave it a shot! Well, at least now we've found the source of the unseasonably warm temperatures!

So good to see so many old friends, and meet so many new ones! Big thanks to cbcbd for bringing up his drumset! No way I could have fit it, the PA, and the guitar and amp in my Outback! With all I had loaded, I needed to up my tire pressure before heading up! Ther was barely any room for the Doctor!

Was great to see the folks who were brave enough to get up and entertain us! ToeCozy' husband Chip can really play some mean AC/DC (and others). Cbcbd likely can't speak today after playing and singing. He also plays a mean guitar! Sadly, we couldn't get KenG up, but there is some serious talent waiting to be unleashed there also! I think we'll be seeing BunchBerry hanging out at the local Guitar Center salivating over a new Axe. Once she was plugged in, here ever present smile got about a mile wider! Maybe we can get a new side project started "BB and the Bluffettes" . And I would be remiss without mentioning LenDawg's rendition of Pearl Jam's "Black". Rock on Dude! A definite crowd pleasure! Sorry if I missed anyone!

We REALLY missed having our Southern Gentleman rocker with us. Gris, you weren't there, but are DEFINITELY not forgotten, and were sorely missed by everyone! I needed a sign to let everyone know that you couldn't make it. Besides, what's "Grey Knob and the Bluffs" without Grey Knob?

Thanks to all the Bluffs and Bluffettes! Always so much fun playing (and watching) all of you! I can't tell you how cool it is to connect with everyone while the (sometimes) sweet sounds flow! Who needs any other form of therapy?

BTW, for all of you who wonder if I'm ever sober... Got pulled over after leaving Christopher's after the Pats game (yeah!). Passed the Breathalizer with flying colors! So now I know that I can safely have 2 beers with no (legal) worries! Burnt headlight was replaced by the spare I always keep in the back. No harm, no foul!

Now about LenDawg and his love of the Pats. ChinookTrail nearly gave him a Gatorade shower after the final points were scored. My idea, but she caved at the last minute . My bet is he would have loved it! Thanks again for the in depth, and accurate play-by-play commentary (seriously - I was cracking up!). "First Down!"

Lastly, Grand Poo-Bah Darren called in from the Aloha Isles last night. We piped my cell phone through the PA and all had a great talk with him. More than a few rounds of the Doctor were enjoyed together by all over those many miles last evening! Nothing like shots, courtesy of Ma Bell! A bit surrela though as it was us trying to coax Shixxmac (unsuccessfully! ) to have a few with us! Darren even requested that we play a song for him - fortunately he asked for "Rocking in the Free World" I hope he liked it!

Only one problem for you now Steve: we know where you live! Be afraid, be VERY afraid!

 

[bubba]

Rocking good times in VT!! Agreed with the above – great host, great food, great music, great fun… and yeah, great hiking, great weather (all considered – never got wet)… suck ski/riding and of course…

Bubba, you are one crazy dude...

what's the matter with that???

Ascutney (Friday) – very pretty hike with nice forests changing from hardwood to hemlock and then mixed. Plenty cold on top with a coating of frozen snow to play on. Fine company to hike with. As always Audrey picked a nice hike, good to see Pat out there in front again. LittleBear, Freddy, coldfeet, teejay and bunchberry – all provided a nice mix. Overhead clouds and dark sky, but the views were not kept away. Okemo seemed to be in the sun’s spotlight all morning. There’s a fine waterfalls tucked back in there… gotta be sweet in warm weather!!

Fri night was fun getting the campfire blasting, lounging in the upstairs lounge, MichaelJ’s digital piano fired up as well. bunchberry plays from memory… something I never got to, as well as can barely do anymore!! The assortment of pizzas seemed plenty, but, you eastern NE’rs have some serious trouble with Chicken Wings!!! Get over here for a lesson!!!!! Wings

Killington (Saturday) was so fine – MichaelJ’s directions and suggestion of the Bucklin Trail were head on. Fun “ravine-less” hike all the way up. KenG, cbcbd and I all took gear to ski/board down. When we loaded for the TH – we had all bases covered: tele, ski and board!! Excellent hike up – little ice and even less snow. Ran into Abster and Mad Townie on the trail, and after changing into gear at the Cooper Hut – as if timed perfectly another Gathering crew doing Mendon, Killington and Pico (Spence, Bushwhacker, Suebiscuit, Mimi, Gail… I’m missing some…) converged!! We summitted together and my personal vftt ****-list is bulging at this point!! (BTW – climbing in snowboarding boots is really painful on the calves!!) M-K-P’rs headed down with grippers in place and we headed down to the slopes. Wacky weird coming down staircases to the top of the lifts and all of the skiers, mtn management and clusters of buildings, signage, etc!! Ken led us down and hated the conditions (if not the crowds), but cbcbd and I had some runs to grab on the mid-lifts. Gee, with our hiking gear and backpacks you’d have thought we looked like we weren’t lift paying public. Yee-ha!!! grabba couple of free ones for the climbing effort!!! Ended up spitting distance from the car (thanks Doug) – it’s all in the planning!!

We got back to the TH to pick up the spotted van – and the M-K-P crew is coming down the last 10 feet of trail – like nobody could have planned this!! I think Spence/Bushwhacker and the bubba must gather special powers when we are on mountains together!!! Ain’t it???

The rest is Gathering history!! What a great night. Food never stopped, my brownies were policed for “special” ingredients!! The campfire dried out the clouds. The band rocked… more talent that is humanly imaginable. cbcbd is a maniac!! I’m really not certain what’s going to happen next!!! KenG rocks, but I was just leaving when he was getting ready. The Bluffettes sounded great - Lisa's got some lungs to belt it out. Donna... a fine example of ADK mtn woman - Forever Wild!!

Lastly – it’s a huge slumber party . UFC’s place rocks as much as the dude himself. You’re the man, bud. So many thanks. Wear that sweatshirt with pride!! Sherpa's right. I'll be over next week!!

So great to see so many friends and cement new ones. This is a hugging group where apologies of “sorry I smell” are greeted with a squeeze and “Don’t worry, I was out today and haven’t showered!!”

If you weren’t there, you shoulda been!! It’s the only way to know what really happens, ‘cause, like Vegas.... WHAGs…. SAG’s!!

Teejay – where’s the apron??? Totaled 877.3 miles door-to-door-to-TH-to-door.

 

[timmus]

I'm devastated ! I'm so sorry I missed this gathering, I'll be there next one, that's for sure.

 

[Neil]

Maybe I should have gone. I read pretty well all the posts, I was going to go and bring my downhill gear, then I wasn't, then my wife was coming, then she wasn't, etc. etc. I hemmed and I hahed and... finally, me and my flute stayed home so I could go hiking this thursday. My wife said to me, "are you sure?" Talk about a tough call. I'm going to quit reading this thread right now.

 

[Frodo]

Fun gathering, I had a blast! It was awesome seeing the “usual suspects again”, and meeting many new people.

UFC is “The Man” for allowing all of us whacko’s to gather at his place for the weekend. What a cave he has! I hope he adds a picture of his “Burning Man” like bonfire to his "Wall of Bonfire's" portfolio. They could probably see that fire from the International Space Station. At one point it was so hot that I thought we might have a “China Syndrome” on our hands. Nothing like being able to heat one’s home from 50 yards away… That was awesome!

The live music was also fantastic! Watching Gray Knob & The Bluffs was cool. Nothing like seeing many of your friends rocking out to great tunes… They sounded awesome! You guys have to perform more often, and should make it part of ALL future gatherings.

After their 2 set, the musical improv also rocked the house with cbcbd (which must stand for notes), Chip and others jamming Zepplin and AC/DC. One of the highlights of the night goes to LenDawg for getting up there and singing Pearl Jam’s “Black”, when the rest of us backed down. This dude has more balls than the Harlem Globetrotters. Well done!

Another personal highlight was hanging out by the “lava dome” (remnants of the bonfire) at the “wee” hours of the morning with UFC, KenG, and Fen. We had some wild conversations and laughed our a$$’s off. Hope we didn’t keep anyone up... We went to bed just as MEB and others were getting up to hike

Another memorable gathering… Til’ the next one…

 

[roadtripper]

Just look at this thing!

Good times, good times.....

 

[cbcbd]

pictures

cbcbd, I got out of the FrozenCave fine, BTW, if you need to get new tires, my friend recommended tirerack (after I spent almost $600 from a local store )

Good deal! Oh yeah, I'm familiar with tirerack goodness... got my Yohokama ES100 summer tires from them, which ended up being around $400 mounted/balanced at the end of it all.

Awesome - I see you got LenDawg's performance on video, that is sooo cool!!

Killington (Saturday) was so fine – MichaelJ’s directions and suggestion of the Bucklin Trail were head on. Fun “ravine-less” hike all the way up. KenG, cbcbd and I all took gear to ski/board down. When we loaded for the TH – we had all bases covered: tele, ski and board!! Excellent hike up – little ice and even less snow. Ran into Abster and Mad Townie on the trail, and after changing into gear at the Cooper Hut – as if timed perfectly another Gathering crew doing Mendon, Killington and Pico (Spence, Bushwhacker, Suebiscuit, Mimi, Gail… I’m missing some…) converged!!

Ain't nothing wrong with that!
Not too many, but here are the pics

Good times, folks.

 

[cbcbd]

One of the highlights of the night goes to LenDawg for getting up there and singing Pearl Jam’s “Black”, when the rest of us backed down. This dude has more balls than the Harlem Globetrotters. Well done!

And I would be remiss without mentioning LenDawg's rendition of Pearl Jam's "Black". Rock on Dude! A definite crowd pleasure!

Oh yeah

Courtesy of 7summits

 

[David Metsky]

unfortunately I arrived too late to watch the Grey Knob and the Bluffs band perform

You didn't mention where you were earlier in the day. Looks like it was a worthy side trip.

-dave-

 

[bubba]

Ain't nothing wrong with that!
Not too many, but here are the pics

Good times, folks.

Nice - you should have given me the camera once or twice!! Nice signage - just where were we hanging out???

I forgot to mention that I proved it easy to do face-plants going both uphill as well as down!! One got the mud on the face, the other scrapped it off

 

[coldfeet]

Great weekend, big thx to Steve for hosting, long drive home...will post pics later this week...

 

[MichaelJ]

I had an awesome time! It was fun to meet three new people and visit with so many old friends.

Special thanks of course to UFC for hosting. I hope the EPA didn't need to come in and declare the house a superfund site afterward. Thanks also to GKatBs for performing, all the pot luck contributors, the porta-pottie company, and to the neighbors for nobody complaining about the size of that bonfire so close to those enormous propane tanks.

Thanks for letting me play Friday night; that piano is a beast to transport so I was glad to have the opportunity to do a little performing. Sorry, Sherp, most of what I know is mellow!

I have to rush off to work, lest I would regale you all with stories of 6 hours of skiing at Killington on Saturday in rain, sleet, snow, dense fog, sunshine, fine granular, loose granular, mashed potatoes, ice, packed ... except for Rams Head, Snowshed, the terrain parks, one mogul field, Cascade, PowerLine, and a few connectors, I skied *everything* that was open. I am still paying for it today, ouch.

And here we go ... the photo album from Saturday night!