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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

5000 miles of Vermont's Magical Winter Highway...New England's Best Snowmobiling is in Northern Vermont and New Hampshire!!!


Over ten years ago, I moved to Northern Vermont. My children were young and collectively we were happy to be back in New England (home of the three time World Champion...NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS...but I digress). We moved here in the spring and experienced a glorious Vermont spring, summer, and fall. As winter approached, we became concerned when the first snow fell in early October. My wife and I didn't ski at the time and were not sure how we would adjust to the long winter season. Having grown up in southern New England, I was use to snow but not to the extreme that the locals described. The first winter started snowing in early November and didn't stop until mid-April. For the first time in my life, I experienced what hundreds of inches of snow was like. We were introduced to the sport of snowmobiling early that year and it wasn't long before we owned our own "sled" (you'll need to speak language). If you have never been...you have no idea what you are missing!

The "Vermont Association of Snow Travelers" aka VAST maintains 5000 miles of groomed snowmobiling trails across privately owned land. Over the years, I have taken hundreds of friends and family members snowmobiling that have never been before. Amazing day trips into the Northeast Kingdom for winter picnics, wildlife viewing and breath taking scenery. Every person has made a point of saying that the experience is one they will remember for a lifetime. Be forewarned that it is an extremely addicting hobby and not particularly inexpensive. If you are interested in trying it for a day or a weekend, a local company All Around Rental will deliver sleds and helmets directly to the hotel. You can rent their equipment for several hours or days. The trail system is mapped out in amazing detail and allows riders to navigate the backwoods of Vermont with ease. The Comfort Inn and Suites, St. Johnsbury, Vermont is "home away from home" to thousands of snowmobilers annually. They snowmobilers arrive in mid-December and are here until the end of March. The trail system connects to the back of the hotel which allows guests to ride directly from the hotel. Snowmobiles are parked in the front circles of the hotel and make for quite a scene when everyone is warming up their engines. A two stroke fog bank hovers over the hotel each morning. It's a sight to be seen.

We now have a snowmobile access trail out of my Hampton Inn, Littleton, New Hampshire. Riders can leave the hotel for the day and ride over to Franconia Notch State Park. Once there, plan to take the aerial tram to the top of Cannon Mountain for lunch. It'll make for one memorable day.

Snowmobiling can be dangerous. Never drink and ride. Always stay right and use proper hand signals when encountering fellow snowmobilers. One last piece of advice...dress appropriately. Skiing gear is designed to allow for the evaporation of sweat produced while skiing. When riding a snowmobile, such gear would result in frost bite in a short period of time. Snowmobiling gear blocks the cold out and keeps your body heat trapped inside. Trust me when I say there is a huge difference and that the two should not be confused.
The snowmobiling trails will open around December 15th. Email vermonttajmahal@aol.com or call (802) 748-1500 for trail conditions. We'll hope to see you soon!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Two FREE Lift Tickets!?!?!?


Ok, so I've come to grips with the fact that it is only mid-October and has snowed three times. I just need to accept that winter is already here...I don't have to like it! Living in northern Vermont you either embrace Mother Nature or go completely stir crazy. Some would say I've chosen the latter of the two...

If you ski or snowboard, take five minutes and do some "vacation math"...award winning accommodations, hot breakfast, and TWO FREE lift tickets included with every ski and stay package. What would you expect to pay? You learned growing up that "nothing is free" and while that maybe so...our ski and stay packages will make you wonder. There's no smoke and mirrors involved here, just a great vacation deal.

My four hotels offer the best value in ski and stay packages on the entire east coast. We work in conjunction with SEVEN mountains offering New England's best value in family winter vacations. For ten years, my Comfort Inn & Suites and Fairbanks Inn, St. Johnsbury, Vermont (2 hours and 45 minutes from Boston) have been hosting skiers and boarders visiting Vermont's majestic "Northeast Kingdom". Families discovered Vermont's best kept secret at Burke Mountain and fell in love with the amazing skiing at Jay Peak. After opening the Hampton Inn, Littleton, New Hampshire, (2 and a 1/2 hours from Boston) I developed relationships with Bretton Woods and Cannon Mountain. This past summer, I accepted responsibility for the incredible Hampton Inn, Burlington, Vermont (3 and a 1/2 hours from Boston). As a result, I was able to form new relationships with STOWE, SMUGGS, and BOLTON VALLEY!

ROOM + HOT BREAKFAST + TWO LIFT TICKETS =
Bolton Valley $159.99 Ski and Stay Package
Bretton Woods $199.99 Ski and Stay Package
Burke Mountain $179.99 Ski and Stay Package
Cannon Mountain $179.99 Ski and Stay Package
Jay Peak $179.99 Ski and Stay Package
Smugglers' Notch $159.99 Ski and Stay Package
Stowe $179.99 Ski and Stay Package

So what's so special about our ski and stay packages...the overall value you and your family will get when staying with us. At the three franchised hotels you will get overnight accommodation, hot breakfast, and TWO lift tickets to the mountain of your choice. There are no strings attached to this offer...the price is per night not per person. Our offer is good mid-week and weekends throughout the 2009/2010 season. The only time the package price climbs is during Christmas Week, Martin Luther King, Jr Weekend, and Presidents Week. Book now for the holiday periods as all the hotels fill up three to four weeks in advance.

Ok...I can hear some of you..."we don't need all the bells and whistles...the free breakfast, indoor heated pool, and whirlpool are nice but we're all about the skiing". To you I say...check out my Fairbanks Inn Ski and Stay Packages! Spacious modern rooms that offer all the comforts of home and of course TWO lift tickets with each night of your stay. ONLY $139.99 A NIGHT AT THE FAIRBANKS INN...SKI EITHER BURKE OR JAY PEAK!!!

Hope to ski ya' soon!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Economics 101 meets the "Wheeler"

I'm always proud of my kids. I'm proud of them on many levels but this summer my two boys really impressed me. Over the past few months, they learned the value of a hard earned dollar. The best part was watching them learn it...more specifically, watching them learn it two different ways.

For the past few years, my oldest, Matthew, has been working for me on the hotel's maintenance staff. He's always been eager to learn and loves getting his hands dirty.

At the beginning of the summer, Cass, my youngest son approached me and asked if he could work at one of the inns. After speaking with the managers, the only position we were hiring for was housekeeping. I wasn't sure how he would respond but was pleasantly surprised when he jumped at the opportunity. He knew that I had started in the industry "cleaning toilets and making beds". He also knows that everyone pays their dues in life...one way or another. Cass was the target of some serious ribbing from his older brother and friends. He took it all in stride..."you're going to look so cute in a skirt and waving a feather duster". Cass wanted to work and was determined to make the most of it. From day one...he loved working! He loved his team members, he loved the sense of accomplishment, and he REALLY loved pay day.

In no time, our entire family had to endure the nightly squabbles at the dinner table, who's job was harder...who's job was more important...it got old quickly. With their new found wealth, discussions quickly turned to what they would spend the money on. The decision was made, both would be purchasing four wheelers. They grew up driving mine and I was confident that they were more than capable of having their own "wheelers" (ya' have to know the lingo). Each boy had a plan...Cass was paying cash and getting an older "fixer upper". Matthew was going for the newer high-end model...as well as securing a loan to make the purchase.

Both love riding their wheelers. Trail riding is abundant around our home situated on top of a mountain. A few short miles through the woods and the "Top of the World" ATV club in Concord, Vermont offers an amazing trail system. Riders from all over New England converge on northern New Hampshire and Vermont for the regions amazing ATV trail riding. New Hampshire's ATV trail system is just 15-30 minutes away. They offer four completely different trails systems ranging from 20 to 120 miles long. The trails are mapped out and allow for amazing day trips into the rugged wilderness.

As summer drew to a close, Cass, a high school freshman, explained to me that he planned to do his part to stimulate our nation's economy. I watched as he made one purchase after another. First a ridiculously huge TV showed up in his room, next an Xbox 360, and by the start of the school year...a quality laptop.

Matthew on the other hand...is still making payments and can barely afford gas for his truck never mind his four wheeler.

Cass is now given up on the economy and is saving towards his first vehicle. The moral of the story...life lessons don't always come cheap or easy.

Oh, and by the way, in my humble opinion...neither job is "easy" but housekeeping is SIGNIFICANTLY harder than maintenance!




COMFORT INN & SUITES - ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT http://www.vermontvacationland.com/

HAMPTON INN - LITTLETON, NEW HAMPSHIRE http://www.littletonhotel.com/

HAMPTON INN & SUITES - BURLINGTON, VERMONT http://www.burlingtonvt.hamptoninn.com/

FAIRBANKS INN - ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT http://www.stjay.com/