News

Club members returned as volunteers at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank on March 10, 2022. We had members that are now experienced volunteers and newcomers for our third event.  A small group was sent to a secured locked down cereal packaging room, and the rest of the team formed an assembly line to fill boxes to be distributed. It was a very productive afternoon supporting needs in our community. We packed over 350 boxes.

We then rewarded ourselves with cocktails and dinner, where additional members joined us for the after social.

Submitted by volunteer event coordinator and VP, Lulu Copeland, with support of Barb Wise, Club's Chief Fun Officer :-)

For those that did not get to visit Mt. Bachelor, we are very sorry!  It was a beautiful location and the ski mountain was wonderful!  The weather had been mild up until our arrival and we were “credited” with bringing much snow and cold weather with us. The area had been unusually warm and low on snow, so the cold temperatures and snow storm we got beginning Monday was very welcomed for the skiing and winter adventures but also to sustain their summer activities as well.

Given what happened with the prior United trip, I was checking the flight schedule daily to make sure the Chattanooga-to-Chicago United flight had not been cancelled as happened to the Snowmass trip.  But all concerns were for naught as we left bright and very early Saturday morning. Our next flight from Chicago to Denver was also without any issues. Our plane to Redmond Saturday evening was packed and we were all praying that all the luggage was somewhere in that little, yet full, jet!  Again, the United team did not fail as we arrived in Redmond at 1:30 PM PST.  We were met by two shuttle buses.  Brian, the owner, and his employee in the other shuttle texted me they were there and came into the airport to get our luggage.  They worked non-stop from that time until we all received our many bags and they were loaded on the shuttle.  While enroute to the hotel, both drivers provided ideas of what to do (or not to do) during the week.  At the hotel, we didn’t need a porter (good thing since the hotel didn’t have one) because our shuttle drivers unloaded all our luggage and brought it to the sidewalk of the hotel or into the hotel for us.

The Doubletree Hotel sponsored the wine and cheese party Saturday afternoon so that everyone could have the information before beginning their week there. The Mt. Bachelor rep brought our lift tickets and mountain information. The Wanderlust Tours owner provided information on the non-ski activities.  Mt. Bachelor arranged Ambassador tours of the mountain for Sunday morning to those interested.  We had several that did not ski the first day so they arranged a second tour on Monday.

The Doubletree Hotel was about 30 minutes from Mt. Bachelor, so we had another private shuttle (large passenger bus) dedicated to our group with trips at 8:15 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to the mountain and 2:00 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. from the mountain.  This shuttle was provided by the hotel and was nice because we were the only ones on this bus. The bus schedule allowed all day on the slopes or a leisurely morning or afternoon.

Mt. Bachelor is a unique ski resort in that it is not developed around the slopes.  It is within a National Forest and cannot be developed.  Thus, there are no large hotels next to it and there are no ski-in and ski-out condos or homes on the slopes either.  There were restaurants at the base with a separate bar for those over 21 and other facilities around the mountain.  The management did allow small independently-owned food trucks at the base where folks could also purchase a quick lunch.  All the CSC skiers received a 20% discount on ski rental and the ski storage at the end of the day.  The ski storage was well worth the $20 for the week!

The mountain has a varied terrain with blues, blacks, and some greens, with blue access to the volcano summit.  We did have a good bit of snow Monday that continued all night which provided fresh powder skiing on Tuesday.  We had clear beautiful weather Wednesday – Friday with cold mornings and pleasant afternoons.  The clear weather provided wonderful views from the summit.  One of the Mt. Bachelor ski Ambassadors told us that we had the best snow of any ski club trip this year. 

Unfortunately, we did have one injury on the trip that required an early exit to return to Chattanooga for medical attention and schedule surgery.   

Our ski club dinner was Wednesday night at the hotel's Mt. Bachelor room which was spacious and allowed socializing of all the attendees.  We pre-ordered pizza for delivery to the hotel and asked the hotel to provide plates/cups/napkins which they willingly obliged. They allowed us to bring in soft drinks but required alcohol to be purchased at their bar which seemed to be no problem for those attending!  It was a good time with the members of our group getting to know each other better.

The hotel and staff were another highlight of the trip as they did everything they could do to meet/greet, check us in expeditiously, and get us whatever we needed. The rooms were nice and most of us were on the same floor. The hotel is located at the corner of the town with great access to the many restaurants, brew pubs, and shops within a short walk.  

The hotel provided a hot buffet breakfast every morning and on the morning that we departed, they surprised us with a “brown bag” breakfast of yogurt, orange juice, muffin, and an orange.  That was perfect for the early shuttle ride to the airport. The daily morning breakfast was also a good opportunity for those on the ski trip to get to know each other better.  Of course, the daily hot cookie that Doubletree provides to their customers was a special treat that everyone enjoyed!  

The Wanderlust tours included snowshoeing to Crater Lake National Park, snowmobile rides, and a night snowshoe tour with a large bonfire and warm drinks. These non-skiing options were great for those that joined us but did not elect to go snow skiing. The Crater Lake NP tour offered a spectacular view of the amazing blue lake.  Some of those on the trip slid/rolled down a steep hill for the fun of it and then got to snowshoe back up the hill!  Ask Janet Gill to see the video!

We had 22 people on this trip and several made their own flight arrangements to meet us at Redmond and take advantage of the shuttle with the main group while others met us at the hotel. We also had others that departed for other parts of the country after the ski trip.  With all the various flight arrangements and arrival/departure times, we all met as planned and there were no “hiccups” in the schedules. 

In summary, the club arrangements for the flights and airport shuttle, the arrival party, the shuttle to the slopes, the welcome and the pizza parties, the hot breakfast and the selection of the hotel all worked as planned and the weather cooperated for a great week of skiing at the beautiful and unique Mt. Bachelor ski area.   

The ages of the group varied from late teen to senior citizens. All bonded with the skiing and non-skiing activities, food and drinks. It was a great group to have the pleasure of joining them on the trip! 

For those that didn’t have the opportunity to go with us on this trip or one of the others the CSC had, please consider joining one of the great trips planned in 2023.

After hibernating in January and February, our monthly membership meetings are back, starting on Tuesday March 1^st.  The business meeting will begin at 7:00 pm, but come as early as 6 pm if you want to visit, swap tall tales, and/or bring your own dinner/drinks.  You won’t want to miss this meeting because we will be announcing the destinations and dates for our 2023 western ski trips (sign-ups will start later, possibly at the April meeting).  We will be meeting at Willis & Hilda Jones’ Flat Duck Event Barn (7742 Three Notch Rd., Ringgold, GA 30736).  We also will have reports on the three just completed western trips this year.

At the April membership meeting, we will have elections of officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary) for the 2022-2023 year.  Jim Bates has agreed to be the Nominating Committee Chair for the election.  If you are interested in running for one of these offices, please contact Jim at (706)-537-6331 or jimbates18@gmail.com 

Our three western ski trips for 2022 are now complete.  I personally got to enjoy the trips to Breckenridge and Mt. Bachelor and I heard great things about the Snowmass trip as well.   Mt. Bachelor was a new destination for our club, but I think I can speak for everyone on the trip that it is a place we will return to in the future.  The mountain had terrain for every ability.  The people at the resort made us feel very welcome (including have two mountain ambassadors for each group of four skiers for a long orientation tour, as well as an individual ambassador for a person who wanted to see specific terrain).  We stayed at an excellent hotel in the heart of Bend (several restaurants and breweries were withing three blocks), with hot buffet breakfast every morning (and a bag breakfast the morning of our departure), a private bus taking us to and from the mountain twice a day, and a cookie every afternoon.

A couple of years ago we did a survey to see what our membership wanted concerning ski trips.  One thing that got a lot of requests was flying out of Chattanooga (as opposed to Atlanta or Nashville).   This year we did that exclusively on one trip (Mt. Bachelor) and as an alternate on another trip (Snowmass).  While the Mt. Bachelor trip went off without any problems (except for having a very long day on the return trip (leaving the hotel at 3:15 am PST and landing in Chattanooga at 9:15 pm EST), the Snowmass trip wasn’t as fortunate.  Flying out of Chattanooga comes with two problems.  First, we usually can’t get very many seats on the flights leaving Chattanooga since the planes are so small (the reason we had two groups of people leaving for Snowmass from different airports was we could only get 28 seats from Chattanooga, and we usually take many more people that that on a trip).    Second, flying out of Chattanooga is always a risky proposition, especially in the winter.  There will be at least two and usually three different flights to get to the final destination.  That increases the probability of lost luggage, and cancelled/delayed flights, especially in the winter with bad weather possible both in Chattanooga and the destination for the first leg (Chicago and Dallas can be especially tricky).  So, while we will continue to explore various options for flights, in the near future I would not be expecting trips to depart from Chattanooga.

Last, some of our members will be volunteering at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank on Thursday afternoon March 10^th from 1 to 4. All openings are currently filled. The work we will do is not strenuous and we will be helping people in our community.  When we are done, we will be going to Stevarinos Italian Eatery and Pub at 325 Cherokee Blvd.  If you can’t work at the Food Bank, we still want you to come to Stevarinos for this social activity.

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

Event Listing   

March Membership Meeting @ Flat Duck Event Venue (7742 Three Notch Rd., Ringgold, GA 30736) – March 1, 2022 7pm             https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4718786

Volunteering at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank – March 10, 2022 1-4pm  https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4672133

Happy Hour Social & Fellowship @ Stevarinos Italian Eatery and Pub (325 Cherokee Blvd, https://stevarinos.com/) – March 10, 2022 4:30pm  - ?             https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4711441

Chamonix/Lyon/Paris Skiing & Touring Trip- March 5-18, 2022 - cancelled

April Membership Meeting and Election of Officers @ TBD – April 5, 2022

Crescent Ski Council Spring Conference @ Myrtle Beach, Kingston Plantation – April 21-24, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4670718

May Membership Meeting @ TBD – May 3, 2022

Virginia Creeper Bike Ride – May 5-7, 2022    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3168543

June Membership Meeting @ TBD – June 7, 2022

Lake Party (& July Membership meeting) @ TBD – TBD (Saturday in July)

August Membership Meeting @ TBD – August 2, 2022

Hiwassee Raft Trip @ Webb Brothers Float Service  – August 7,2022 noon – 6pm             https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3933037

SUP / Kayak Party Trail @ TBD – TBD (Sunday in August)

September Membership Meeting @ TBD – September 6, 2022

Bourbon Trail @ TBD - TBD

October Membership Meeting @ TBD – October 4, 2022

Len Foote Hike – October 21-22, 2022    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3235020

Crescent Ski Council Fall Convention @ Gatlinburg, Glenstone Lodge – October 28-30, 2022  

November Membership Meeting @ TBD – November 1, 2022

Christmas Party (& December Membership meeting) @ TBD – TBD

Well, the trip is in the books, and what an adventure it turned out to be.  There were so many noteworthy stories that I hope I don’t leave anything out.

We started the trip a day early with nearly 40% of the trip checking into the Drury Inn (Atlanta airport).  A festive evening with the Drury’s evening buffet and complimentary drinks was just the thing to get the trip started off right.  Jerry and Becca Hicks provided plenty of levity and conversation while Bill Coolidge unwittingly provided the evening entertainment.  A check-list which included “bathing suit” was provided to everyone, but this became a game of scavenger hunt for Bill.  Bill gave us a play-by-play of the streets of Atlanta as he frantically searched for something not commonly stocked in February.  The following morning we had a brisk Drury breakfast and departed for Denver.  That evening’s wine and cheese welcoming party was very nice and everyone had a good time.               

Alas, altitude sickness struck the Cleeks, so our first planned ski day we were a no-show. So far as I know, we were the only ones affected.  This was practically the only time it snowed while skiing.  During the week we had fantastic blue skies, excellent snow coverage and great skiing with fantastic friends.  The injury bug struck early and often, but I’m happy to report that Suzanne Grueser had a crutch-free trip.  Doug Werth proved his knee replacement was a success, but added his shoulder to a future list.  Bill Coolidge and Gene Shokes also suffered some rib injuries and provided a bit of controversy for the Board of Directors to iron out at a future meeting.  As it stands right now, helping injured ski clubbers to get in and out of their pants is NOT on the list of trip leader responsibilities.  Tradition has it that this falls to the injured party’s roommate.  What goes on in Breckenridge stays in Breckenridge.     

Scott and Penny Kramer provided some quality entertainment.  Scott decided Penny was ready for a double-black and off we went to the Imperial lift - the highest chair lift in North America.  Penny, undaunted, went straight down the Imperial bowl.  Straight-lining it.  She did not attempt to make a single turn.  Furthermore, she made it clear she would run over anyone that didn’t get out of her way.  The rest of us slowly worked our way down, picking up her gear.  Kudos to Tom Hale for running her down and applying the brakes.  Not to be outdone, Kelly Braden attempted the same maneuver on the next run. 

Glen Urey and Randy Dehart were the iron men of the trip.  From what I understand they were logging close to 30 miles per day.  The only way I came close to that was to include shuttle rides and chair-lifts.  As is normal, Scott Kramer continues to be the bump-run King.

Our traditional midweek group meal was somewhat modified to something of an everyone-for-themselves at Mi Casa restaurant.  There were some variations, but the largest contingency took over the bar dining area and I thought it turned out wonderfully.  I had a great time socializing and we had a full menu to choose from, as opposed to the limited menu available to large groups.  We repeated this endeavor on Friday at the Brewery and again it worked out well for everyone to socialize.

Of our non-skiers, Janet Gill seems to have lived large.  I heard tales of snowmobiling and dog-sledding.  I even heard of an out of dog-sled experience, but I didn’t get that first-hand.  I also heard tales of shuttle-trauma where so far as I can tell the object of the game is to throw large amounts of money at the bus driver in order to go 15 miles in under 2 hours.  Janet will have to tell this tale, though.

And as is usual with a (me) trip out west, the weather has a cruel sense of humor.  I LOVE to ski while it is snowing.  But I have a history of battling blizzards to get home after a week of blinding sunshine.  This year’s version of great snow started while we were in the hot tub Friday evening and by the time we were working our way downtown to the Brewery, it was downright brutal.

But alas, a darned good week ended on a sour note as our bus showed up with not enough seats and cargo room.  I personally want to thank everyone that chipped in to load luggage and come up with the Uber solution.  I was profoundly embarrassed to find myself in that situation and have let the vendors know of our displeasure with that turn of events, but somehow with everyone pitching in we made it.  And for that I say thank you.

The ski club is presently looking for trip leaders for next year’s trips.  I just want to add that while time-consuming, I had a lot of fun.  I may have ended up with the best of the best of the best ski clubbers, but everyone was very helpful and hardly anyone caused any unnecessary misery.  I am, by nature, somewhat shy and kind of stick with my clique, but this experience had me meeting everyone on the trip and I can’t begin to say how much fun it was getting to know everyone.  I had help and advice and good vibes coming from everywhere.  Past trip leaders were helping out, and the BOD and really everyone that I asked was willing to chip in and help out.  It was an overall great experience.

The Good:  Twenty-nine (29) club members attended our Snowmass Ski Trip during the week of Jan 8 - 15.  We stayed at the Top of the Village resort which provided us with ski-in ski-out accommodations.  We enjoyed a terrific snow base, minimal crowds, and perfect weather all week, which made for an awesome week of skiing.  Most of our members skied at Snowmass the whole week, but several people ventured over to Aspen, Aspen Highlands and/or Buttermilk to experience a variety of terrain.

Lisa Jennings with Aspen/Snowmass Tourism provided our club with 20+ appetizer dishes during Happy Hour on Monday afternoon at the New Belgium Ranger Station.  This was a great treat, and really the only time that we were all together to socialize as a club.

A few of us discovered that both Snowmass and Aspen were offering free Nastar racing, and took advantage of the opportunity to hone our skills through the gates.

The not as good:  There were two groups traveling to Snowmass.  The group flying to Denver and busing to Snowmass enjoyed an easy trip without any disruptions or issues, notwithstanding heavy snow for the last 30 miles of their bus ride into town.  The return home was mostly uneventful, save for a delay on their first flight, but they were still able to catch their connecting flight.  The other group, however, endured two canceled flights, and had to spend the night in Denver … finally arriving to Snowmass on Sunday evening.

Due to Covid, the Top of the Village resort banned all group gatherings, and thus canceled our Welcome Party (each room, however, was provided with two bottles of wine and a meat and cheese snack tray instead), and cancelled the Group Dinner in their clubhouse.  However, we did not let this stop our fun, and we were able to enjoy our catered group bar-b-que dinner in our own rooms on Tuesday evening.

All-in-all, it was a fun week, and I believe everyone had a great time.

A.B. Maynard

Ski season is in full swing as 29 members of our club just returned from Aspen/Snowmass. On February 5^th our next group leaves for Breckenridge, Colorado. Then on the 19^th our last ski trip of the year leaves for Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. Think SNOW.

Note that there will NOT be a membership meeting in February (since we have been meeting outside at the Flat Duck for the last few months, it might be a bit cool). We will keep you posted on our plans for March.

As you are probably aware, the 2022 Winter Olympics are about to start, running from February 4^th to the 20^th.  This will be the first Winter Olympics in China, and the first time the Winter Olympics will be hosted by a city that previously hosted the Summer Olympics (four indoor venues as well as the Beijing National Stadium (hosting the opening and closing ceremonies) which were originally constructed for the 2008 Games, will be re-used). The events will be spread over three “zones”, the Beijing zone (including hockey, skating, curling and some snowboarding), the Yanqing zone, 56 miles away (alpine skiing, bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton), and the Zhangjiakou zone, 140 miles from Beijing (ski jumping, Nordic combined, biathlon, cross-country, and other snowboarding). One interesting fact, the Yanqing zone will be using artificial snow since it rarely snows in this region of China.

Here’s a trivia question for you – Where and what is the highest chairlift in North America? Here’s a hint: about 50 members of our club will be skiing there in a couple of weeks.  That’s right, Breckenridge and the lift is the Imperial Express.  It tops out at 12,840 feet, 158 vertical feet below the top of Peak 8.  Who is going to get a picture from there for our webpage and Facebook?

In the past, the Chattanooga Ski Club has had a booth at the Lookout Wild Film Festival (https://lookoutfilmfestival.org/).  On December 11, our Publicity Chair, Suzanne Grueser, sent an email asking for volunteers to staff our booth to answer questions about our organization.  Unfortunately, the event organizers moved the dates from January 14-16 to February 4-6. The new dates coincide with our large Breckenridge trip. Since we didn’t think we’d have enough volunteers to staff the booth, we cancelled our participation for this year.

An administrative note: For many years, the Ski Club has maintained a Post Office box (# 1007) at the downtown post office (on Georgia Ave. across from Miller Park).  The cost of that box has increased each year for the past several years.  Since we rarely receive any mail there, the board has decided to not renew it (saving the club over $200/year) and instead, our Treasurer, Tom DuBose, and newsletter editor, Susan DuBose, have graciously offered to use their address for the club’s official snail mail address (which as a 501c7 non-profit corporation we are required to have).  The website (at bottom of the home page) has already been updated to show the new address: 1204 Hanover Street Chattanooga, TN 37405.

Plans are underway for the 2022 Crescent Ski Council’s Spring Convention and Fall Conference. Due to Covid these were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, but we hope 2022 will be different.  Any and all members of the Chattanooga Ski Club are welcome to attend. The Spring Convention is scheduled for April 21-24, 2022 at Kingston Plantation in Myrtle Beach. The plan is to have all of the usual activities including the vendor show, Beach Olympics, and DJ party with a Roaring 20's theme. The Fall Conference is scheduled for October 28-30, 2022 at the Glenstone in Gatlinburg, TN. Mark these dates on your calendar and more information will be forthcoming.

We have six new members to report: Donna Harvey, Mary McNeal, Larry Shears, Boris Budik, Sandra Calhoun, and James Hobbs.  Let’s be sure we make them feel welcome.

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

February Membership Meeting @ TBD – February 1, 2022 – Cancelled

Volunteering at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank – TBD   (working w/ Food Bank to determine date)

Booth at the Lookout Wild Film Festival – February 4-6, 2022 – Our participation cancelled

Breckenridge Ski Trip – February 5-12, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4241705  (Full)

Mt. Bachelor Ski Trip – February 19-26, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4254580 (Full)

March Membership Meeting @ TBD – March 1, 2022

Chamonix/Lyon/Paris Skiing & Touring Trip- March 5-18, 2022 - cancelled

April Membership Meeting @ TBD – April 5, 2022

Virginia Creeper Bike Ride – Spring 2022

Len Foote Hike – October 21-22, 2022    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3235020

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! On Thursday night December 16^th we held our annual Christmas Party.  After everything we have been through in the past 20 months or so, wasn’t it great to get together again?  For those of you that missed it, Hilda, Bobbi, Jinksie and others planned and executed a fantastic evening.  The venue (Hilda & Willis’ Flat Duck) was beautifully decorated, the main course (from Susan & Van Chambers) was delicious, the member-supplied desserts were scrumptious, and the entertainment (by Bobbi and DJ Stacey VanPelt) was joyous.

Note that there will NOT be a membership meeting in January (since we have been meeting outside at the Flat Duck for the last few months, it might be a bit cool).  We will keep you posted on our plans for February.

Since this is the season for giving, Lulu is planning an opportunity for us to give sometime in January.  We are looking at volunteering at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank again.  The Food Bank primarily distributes food to those in need through partner agencies located in 20-counties across Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia.  Be looking for more information in the coming days, and if you can, join us.  We will only work a few hours and it isn’t hard, but you will be helping people in our community.

The 2021-2022 ski season is officially underway as 17 members of the Chattanooga Ski Club joined 200+ members of other Crescent Ski Council clubs for a week at Steamboat.  I understand everyone had a good time despite the less-than-ideal conditions (is it true that there was a scavenger hunt where one item was snow?).  In just a few days (January 8^th to be precise) the first of three Chattanooga Ski Club trips will be underway as we return to Aspen/Snowmass, probably our most popular destination.

While our club is running three western trips this season (two more than last year), we have had to cancel the European trip for the second year in a row.  I wish this wasn’t necessary, and our Trip Coordinator, Scott Kramer, and the Trip Leader, Lulu Copeland, worked very hard to make the trip work.  Unfortunately, there are several reasons that made this decision necessary.  First, we only had 20 participants who were paid up, but to prevent a significant cost to the club, we needed a minimum of 25 participants.  Second, due to the increasing COVID numbers, the US and France are implementing travel requirements including negative PCMR tests 48 hours before returning to the US; vaccine passports required in France to visit tourist attractions, go into bars, cafes, restaurants, and shared areas in hotel; etc.  These were causing, with good reason, some of our participants to consider dropping the trip. Third, the air fare was over $1000, which was a bit pricey for some participants.  Had only one of these factors been in play we might have still run the trip, but not with all three. The good news is that Scott is already working on trips for 2023 and a European trip is planned.

We have five new members to report: William Cesan, Autumn Friday, Natalie Gill, Marie Holland, and Grant McAlpin.  Let’s be sure we make them feel welcome.

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

 

Event Listing   

Membership Meeting January – cancelled

Snowmass Ski Trip – January 8-15, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4231819  (Full)

Membership Meeting @ TBD – February 1, 2022

Breckenridge Ski Trip – February 5-12, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4241705  (Full)

Mt. Bachelor Ski Trip – February 19-26, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4254580

Membership Meeting @ TBD – March 1, 2022

Chamonix/Lyon/Paris Skiing & Touring Trip- cancelled

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. After you indulge in the holiday festivities, it will be time to prepare for the upcoming ski season. In just a few days (December 4^th to be exact), we’ll have a number of people going to Steamboat as part of the Crescent Ski Council’s Race and Ski Camp.  Then we’ll have our three western trips (Breckenridge and Snowmass are sold out, but we might be able get some more people on the Mt. Bachelor trip).  We are finalizing the air component of the Europe trip.

I know everyone is looking forward to the Christmas party at the Flat Duck Event Venue on Thursday, December 16^th, starting at 6 pm.  If you are planning on attending (and why wouldn’t you?) you must register by December 12^th so Susan and Van will know how much food to prepare.  In addition to the food, there will be a DJ providing music.  The cost for members is only $5, which will be donated to charity.  For non-members, we must charge $20 (and since it is only $30 for an individual membership or $45 for a family, it would make sense for them to join the club instead and get all the benefits for about the same cost).

Note that there will NOT be a membership meeting in January.  We will keep you posted on our plans for February.

If you weren’t on the Len Foote hike a few weeks ago, you missed a beautiful trip.  The weather was cool, which was perfect for hiking, the Inn’s food was excellent as always, and everyone had a good time playing games Friday evening.  Barb is already planning next year's trip so be watching for more information and sign up early.

There was an interesting article in the Washington Post recently titled “A Beginner’s Guide to Ski Photography” ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/ski-photography-beginner-tips-guide/2021/11/11/81fbd27e-3e73-11ec-a493-51b0252dea0c_story.html ).  There is some good information there for both advanced photographers as well as those that just use their cell phones.

We have three new members to report: Kelly Braden, Mary Buckner, and Patrick Howe.  Let’s be sure we make them feel welcome.

On a personal note, I want to thank everyone for the cards, prayers, and calls as I have dealt with the care of my father and brother over the past year and their deaths this past month.  You have truly helped me during this time and I’m thankful to be a member of a club made up of such caring people.

Stay safe everyone,
Bob

Event Listing   

Crescent Ski Council’s Steamboat Ski Trip – December 4-11, 2021  (registration closed) https://www.crescentskicouncil.org/TripFlyers/2021_Steamboat%20Trip_Information.pdf

Christmas Party @ Flat Duck Event Venue, 7742 Three Notch Rd., Ringgold, GA 30736  –    December 16     https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4562484    

Membership Meeting January – cancelled

Snowmass Ski Trip – January 8-15, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4231819  (Full)

Membership Meeting @ TBD – February 1, 2022

Breckenridge Ski Trip – February 5-12, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4241705  (Full)

Mt. Bachelor Ski Trip – February 19-26, 2022  2022 Mt. Bachelor Ski Trip

Membership Meeting @ TBD – March 1, 2022

Chamonix/Lyon/Paris Skiing & Touring Trip- March 5-18, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4284148 

“The Len Foote Hike Inn Trail and Appalachian Approach Trail Loop is a 9.6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Marble Hill, Georgia that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking.

"The easy-to-moderate trail takes between two and four hours to complete, crossing small streams, traversing mild ridges and ambling past the hickory, pine and oak trees of North Georgia. [The point is you'll survive the trek and you'll love the end of the trail.]

"Rustic guest rooms, hot showers, family-style dining and stunning views offer the rare gift of enjoying nature in the company of wonderfully friendly folks.”

The above describes Len Foote Hike Inn; what it doesn’t tell you is once CSC arrives, this trip becomes an “adult sleepover”! We have so much fun!

Words from CSC members that went on the November 5-6 2021 trip:

Faith Young said, “The Inn has great food and it’s a beautiful hike! I enjoyed our game time with the ski club members.”

Ernie Holsopple wrote, “So many good things. The hike itself was awesome; the shared friendship and fellowship; AND GAMES!!!! Also the food was great.”

A.B. Maynard wrote, “Spending time with friends! AND hiking a beautiful trail with gorgeous fall weather.”

In other words, the trip is like an adult sleepover, with no TV, radio, or cell service. It is so nice to laugh, talk and play games. We were having so much fun playing games that other guests at the Inn came into the dining room to see what all the laughing was about and to ask, “What kind of club are ya’ll in?”

We did recruit one new member. No, Jim Bates, we didn’t clear it with you; he was just standing in the lobby and we gave him a CSC T-shirt and made him our newest member.

This overnight trip is so much fun and we would love for you to go with us next time.

One thing really bad happened on the trail up this time, our dear long time member Cindy Dees lost her “sole” on the trek up the mountain.  It was a great loss. 

This October 1-2, 2021 was the fifth (5^th) year in a row for CSC to make a bourbon trip to the bourbon capital of Bardstown, KY. We did go one of these years to Louisville, but by far Bardstown is our favorite. We even went last year in 2020 amid COVID; we used and practiced extreme caution and no one was infected. 

What makes this trip so popular? What makes some of my favorite people go back every year?  Let’s get to the root right away….fellowship, fellowship, fellowship. You get to spend a seven hour day in a bus with your fellow CSC friends, you tour as a group at the distilleries, you enjoy meals together, and let’s face it, after about 18 shots of bourbon, you seem to get really close and personal.  It is so much fun.

This year for the first time in Bardstown we took a mixology class at The Bardstown Bourbon Company called "Shaken and Stirred." It was so much fun and the bar was attached to the rickhouse.  We learned to make a Kentucky Mule (shaken) and an Old Fashioned (stirred). 

What is a Kentucky Mule? It's the same as a Moscow Mule; you just substitute bourbon for the vodka.  (Note: I do not like “Moscow Mules” however the Kentucky Mule is awesome!)

The name was eventually decided to be Moscow Mule, which is said to be a random pick. Apparently Moscow was used because of Americans' tendency to associate vodka with Russia and mule was added to the name because the ginger beer gave a 'kick' of flavor.

I have already had a group ask when we will do the 2022 bourbon trip; I will let you know the date as soon as possible.

Go with us next time,
Barb