OFFICIAL THREAD: 2009 SOV 2nd ANNUAL FALL REUNION!!!!!!!!

[ctyanky]

Greetings Scenes of Vermont Foliage Friends!

I have received the blessing from the Foliage King himself, Mr. PWT, to start this thread and invite you all to the 2nd Annual SOV Fall Reunion for October, 2009!!!!!!!!!

With Lewis Pond in the NEK as a “most coveted” caravan destination this autumn under PWT’s guidance and expertise , we are looking at the first weekend in October. Primarily, because the foliage is better up in the northern tier of the state earlier in the month, and because the second weekend is Columbus Day Weekend, and that tends to be a bit insane!

The dates available to pick could be Friday or Saturday, October 2nd or 3rd, whichever meets the wishes of the majority. Saturday would be the most convenient for us but we are flexible. This year we might start out on Thursday, October 1st and do a four day weekend. We hope to be staying two days in the NEK and two days in the North Central part of the state.

Over the following months (9 according to Abby’s Happy New Year countdown), we will once again toss around the following: dates, times, meet and greet location (meaning food ) and foliage hot spot desires in case Lewis Pond is unavailable (washouts, etc.)

Now that PWT is a free man (as of 1/31/09 retirement date - Go PWT! ), perhaps he will succumb to 1 ½ days of reunion events? This way, those of you who can’t make the longer Saturday journey can perhaps do a ½ day tour of another location that PWT has prepared! (Of course, he has no idea of this latest brilliant suggestion until he reads this post, but I KNOW he had a blast last year and can’t resist the crazy group from 2008). Perhaps Tim will grace us this year with his presence???

What say ye PWT?

Nonetheless, PLEASE join us this fall! It was an amazing experience, and just meeting PWT and bm, well, you just have to be there to get the picture! Who wouldn't want to meet the SOV Foliage King in person?

Abby and hubby have, I think, stated they would be able to go the first weekend. Abby has a new amazing camera to show off and PWT will have more energy than ever, seeing that he will soon be retired and have more time to plan some crazy routes from dawn till dusk!

Bring lots of energy and your love for Vermont and fall foliage!

Here’s to the next SOV Fall Reunion 2009!!!!!!!!!! See you in October!

CTYANKY

[ctyanky]

Hi Carol! Thank you for your reply! Well, now the SOV reunion group is definately growing! Please try to convince your hubby to return to Lewis Pond with us; he was so accommodating last year and never complained while we were running him and PWT ragged until dark!

On another note, how long does it take to drive into Lewis Pond? I know the end result is well worth it..... Will we make it out of there by dusk? I don't want to get marooned in the deep, dark woods of Vermont with all the wildlife!

May you and PWT can give some more details about the location as well as some pictures you might have stored away?

Again, thanks for answering the post. CT

[pwt54]

It's never too early to start planning. I'm up for anything. Right now I'm researching lense for my canon rebel and practicing with it. I want to be ready for the spring wildflowers. I'll have to keep an eye on the roads to the Lewis Pond Overlook. They weren't great last year and with the budget cuts, who knows what they will be like. With all of this free time I will have I'll be scouting other areas.

[ctyanky]

PWT: just a thought. In case Lewis Pond doesn't pan out because of the circumstances you mentioned, what about Fairfield, Bakersfield, Fairfax and Belvidere Center areas? Would this be a 1/2 day or whole day adventure? I've never been to these places and they are on my "VT To Do List" for next fall...... I want to return to Belvidere Pond. What a place!

Any highlights of the above areas worth mentioning? Maybe we can do the 1/2 day tour here on Friday if Lewis Pond does work out for the Saturday event?

Anyways, I think we are staying at a B&B in Morrisville, so you can pick us up in your little Subaru and we'll pay for your gas again and food!

CT

[ctyanky]

Hi Carol: these pictures gave me the chills! Wow!

Having never been there before, if I can say anything about Lewis Pond, then it has to be considered one of the "Ten Places in Vermont You Have to Visit" before you.... well... you get the point!

I think this is the sort of the place that would bring me to tears upon arrival. (I sometimes get emotional when stumbling upon some of Vermont's unexpected vistas! )

We can only hope that is where our reunion day will take us. The ride in sounds very long indeed. I would say we better "hit the road" so to speak, right after lunch.

This looks even more overpowering than Willoughby! Thanks for these photos!

[pwt54]

First of all, I won't have this Subaru when we have the reunion. Those other areas have some great photo opportunities as does the Craftsbury,Albany, and Greensboro area. I should know by the end of June if we can do Lewis Pond.

[ctyanky]

Hi PWT: I'm going to look on my Jimapco and check out where Albany and Greensboro are. Isn't Greensboro where that huge country store is? I haven't been there yet and would love to check it out. It was on my agenda for last fall but we had no time to spare - were so darn close. My problem is I pack too much into the schedule as usual!

I know the Craftsbury area. Does Stannard Mountain Road come in or out of there somewhere?

We are getting incredible amounts of snow here in northern CT and got dumped on yesterday evening until early this morning. So I had to laugh about your comment about becoming one with the snowblower! Luckily, my neighbor takes care of the larger snowfalls for me with his industrial strength snowblower!

Here's to all of us getting through the artic blast coming the end of the week and through the weekend with 0 and below (not wind chills) the norm for a few nights and days in the single digits! Eeek!

[pwt54]

The Stannard Mtn. Road comes out in Greensboro Bend. You are thinking of Willey's Store In Greensboro. I wouldn't call it huge, but it is a good place to shop.

[autzig]

I would be interested in attending. I am usually able to arrange a business trip to New England at that time of the year. I can't commit for certain as October is a long way away, but I'll put it on my calendar and if everything falls into place I'll come. My wife hates flying, especially if we have to change planes in Detroit, so I'll probably be coming alone.

Lewis Pond sounds great. My biggest complaint about Vermont has been that I haven't been able to find any place that is in the middle of nowhere. I thought Job's Pond was going to be in the middle of nowhere but there is a house right at the entrance.

The photos that Carol posted are very inviting, reminding me a lot of the view from Owl's Head Mountain.

I live in Minnesota and we're forecast to have 20 below zero tonight so all you Yankees better prepare, it will be there for the weekend.

Al

[Andy]

Al: Can't say I blame her. I cannot think of ANYTHING you have to do in Detroit that can be a good thing (except maybe attend a Red Wings game )

[ctyanky]

Hi Autzig: I truly hope you can make it! Tim (admin) said he is also planning on attending this time around. I think we may pick up a few more foliage enthusiasts in October.

Like pwt said, it's never too early to start planning!

[ctyanky]

Hi everyone! Hope all of you can make it to the reunion! I was out just now walking the dog and there are crocuses popping through the snow already! AND there are buds on some of the trees! Just think, these buds are the forerunners of our glorious leaves of fall, just waiting for us in the wings!

Six months and counting! We're at the halfway mark when hints of autumn (mid-September) begin to burst in the northern tiers of Vermont! Just thought I'd get some momentum going!

We're making our Vermont reservations the end of March/early April for October 1, 2, 3 and 4 and this year we will be able to go to the Autumn on the Green in Danville!

With this warm weather this weekend, all our snow is leaving and we can think of entering the next season. Thank goodness! What a winter!

[pwt54]

The snow banks took a big hit this weekend. The deer are coming out to feed on the Hogback Road right now. I counted 92 between 5:30 and 7 Pm last Sunday.

[oregonhealthy]

Well! Looks like I have some time on my hands to go through the forum today. I would love to join you for the driving around the wilderness, but I don't know when I'll be out there. I'm in Oregon, so planning ahead is a good thing.... A lot of the planning depends on when my kids have soccer games that are miss-able, whether I bring them with me to VT this year despite school, etc., etc., etc.

I'll have a rental car and won't mind testing it over the hours of dirt roads and will be able to fit others in the car, in case anyone wants to carpool.

[oregonhealthy]

By the way, Carol, your pictures are amazing and beautiful and what made me start counting the months until I can be out there again....