CRAFTSBURY COMMONS VT
January 9-12, 2009
I could write about how 28 people were in attendance at the winter 2009 New
England Regional 3-day event at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. I could wax
poetic about the picture-postcard scenery of snow laden trees, fresh snow
on the ground against a backdrop of a blue sky and ample sunshine. The
abundant and delicious food, the casual homey ambience, the many moments of
laughter and sharing – these too are all topics worthy of many paragraphs.
Anecdotes could be told of old friends and new as 3 new guides and 2 new
blind skiers were in attendance.
Then again. . . I could let some of those who were part of the amazing
group speak for themselves. Truly, these excerpted quotes are more
eloquent than any narration that a single reporter could provide.
For example ...
- What a beautiful, bucolic setting. Great camaraderie.
-Monique-
- I feel NERSFL gave me an opportunity to try something new.
- I have improved my ski skills. It is wonderful to get up in the morning and the only thing on the schedule is get out on the trails and enjoy the snow.’
-Anthony-
- This was my first regional SFL and I really enjoyed the informality and comradery. I hope to return to NERSFL and am now motivated to attend all regional SFLs in the future.
-Bob-
- I enjoy getting caught up with everyone, all the good food, and yes, even the snowshoeing! The snow was great this year, and my favorite was when (we) went off trail on Monday. ..
-Donna-
- I had a wonderful time at the Craftsbury event! This was my first regional SFL event. On the Saturday and Sunday, I skied farther than I've ever skied before. I enjoyed having a different guide each day. Each guide brings a different perspective. Some like to coach on technique, and some just like to ski. I got different tips from different guides. I also really enjoyed the trails. There's lots of terrain variety! The weekend also allowed me to meet new people and make new friends.
-Dave-
- I was apprehensive about my capabilities of becoming a guide. But excellent on-the-job training took care of most of my issues.After a while I forgot about the VIP status of the blind skiers I guided and we just became friends skiing along with me giving pointers about what was coming up.
-Ferdinand-
- For me, the best part of the weekend is what I like most about athletic activities: working as a team for a common goal and the connection that develops between the individuals in doing so. This group is what I found to be a textbook case of a collaborative group. . . . overall, it felt almost effortless to find a high degree of connectivity with virtually everyone.
-Mike-
There will be a Craftsbury 2010: it will be held on January 8-11, 2010. I hope to see you there!
Written by Cindy Wentz
Recent Trips