Home is the place where...

Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in.  - Robert Frost


Except sometimes they just miss you!


I had a great visit in Vermont and no place else is like it.  I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see, but sleeping in at home that one day in a "I'm allergic to my cat, Huggins, and took benedryl" coma was kind of nice.  I have all these license plates in my room and I was just thinking about how I finally got to see some of those places.  However, there is nothing like the feeling of going home, and knowing this is home.  Vermont- I will return. 


Thank you all my friends and family for Family Night on Monday. Did anyone take pictures????   I didn't see my whole family, but I was blessed to be there after my Grandma had her pacemaker put in, and I got to hear my Dad sing Christmas songs with choir since I'm missing Christmas at home.


Thanks to the ORS Crew and Amanda, James, and Miles for shuffling me around in my Montpelier visit and taking me skiing (thanks Kip and Jen for the skis, and Phlip for picking my ass up).  I will improve and impress next time we ski. I have to!  Glad I got to go to 3 Penny and have beer with ORS people and Kathryn W!  Cheryl and Sarah I will see you sometime. Kudos for last minute visiting at Barnes and Noble with Heather and Chris (you guys are adorable) and Amanda and Ava for taking me to the plane- can you believe we've known each other since 5th grade? 


Thanks to Shannon M, Katherine M, and Michelle  J for Girl's Night! Sorry we were missing a few people. At least I got to see the VT Bachelor- the one and only Shane Meaney!


In the midst Sarah and Tristan moved to a new home in Plainfield where I got to stay! It's beautiful! Congratulations. 


I also now have 5 women (cousins and friends) who are due to have babies between July and September. Whoa! Congratulations!!!


Glad I at least emailed and talked to people on the phone I couldn't see in person.


I have to checkout of Circus Circus in 10 minutes so I better go.  And I just checked. My Grafton smoked cheddar still tastes good. 

Kip, Phlip and I skinned up MRG

View from Worcester early AM

My Oma's house (now Bob's!!!)

But Last Sunday was a good day

Must listen it this song while viewing photos. Thanks Sarah for enjoying Ice Cube and our adventures this summer! 

Mammoth bluebird day. November 28th, 2010. 

 

off of Chair 14. Santiago Bowl.

ORS-sick... it happens(the dictionary definition and then some)

Word: ORS-sick
Pronunciation: /O-R-S sik/
Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition: nostalgic for Onion River Sports; missing former lifestyle, community, and way of life; pining for home, friends, family and familiar mountains; in a nostalgic condition
Synonyms: homesick, hankering, pining, heartsick, lonely, longing for home, missing, wistful, yearning
Antonyms: California,West Coast
Usage Examples:
-The girl from Vermont was so ORS-sick that she couldn't sleep at Circus Circus due to sheer excitement of her homecoming.
-She was ORS-sick because close-knit friends and communities are hard to come by.
-She was ORS-sick before she even packed her car for California.
-Inevitably everyone one gets ORS-sick from time to time.
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Birthday Stove

So I had some of the greastest friends ever teach me how to make an alcohol beer can stove back in Montpelier (thanks T and Sarah- good times and good food).

We have a friend here in Mammoth who is a beer can stove expert! Greg! So Greg offered as a parting treat to Allison and maybe a birthday treat to me to do a clinic for all us seasonals in Mammoth. And it was fun. Surprise cake and all. I couldn't blow out the third candle though.

But most of our stoves turned out well.

Thanks all!

oh and I forgot to say

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Last week.
Hopefully this photo works! Our Mammoth Halloween Pub Crawl!

Bicycle Commuter Act

I should be memorizing AT and Tele gear for my new job...
But I've been thinking a lot about the Bicycle Commuter Act, and how the League of American Cyclists doesn't promote it enough (my opinion) or have a handout for employees to give employers about it. I think ALL bike shops and local/government organizations should do this. Why don't they? Because its hard to understand and there's no Toolkit to understand it.

I had asked about getting it going more in Montpelier, but it just seems like the organizations in Montpelier had a lot more they needed to focus on, but imagine if all bicycle commuters in that very freethinking state capitol of mine, we applauded nationwide for being the first capitol to reward its bicycle commuters town-wide. I think it's something Montpelier can do. I have a few ideas whirling on how I can help with that... when I move back that is... (I have no set date yet, but fear not).

The benefits of this Act (which is a Law and has been for a few years) are that bicycle commuters get money toward their expenses. There is one organization that helps companies enact this, or smaller businesses have to read up on Fringe Benefits on the IRS page, which is kind of a pain in the ass, and I can see why more small businsses haven't taken advantage of this act to up moral, or show they value their employees ethics and choices. In bigger cities there are fees cyclists have and this helps cover part of that. Everywhere cyclists have wear and tear expenses. It's not fair to just reward commuters of mass transit or carpooling. So this is bringing the fairness there, but why don't any people know about this? GOSH!

Maybe they do in Oregon, since they had a big play in this Act becoming law. Wouldn't it be fun (Montpelier people...) to have a town-wide Commuter Bike Challenge? Or even State-Wide competition? I know there is the Bike to Work week and things like that, but honestly, who really fully does that? In Mammoth this summer there was a Commuter Bike Challenge. You would get a little business card and go to the 5 or 6 participating businesses and get a stamp. At the last business you went to you'd get a prize, and entered into a contest to win a Trek Glob, I mean Globe. Nice motivation and fun? And gets people exploring town. You had to be on a biek to do it. I know I need some nice, friendly competition to motivate. So lets do this people! The coupons for discounts on lights, etc are great incentives too, but we need more.

I just REALLY think this Bicycle Commuter Act is not getting the attention it deserves.

And oh my God, how fun with this type of Be Seen, Be Safe event be?

And check out Kidical Mass!
Maybe I should move to Oregon... and I'll someday be this mom.
This dude is serious. He wants your employer to sign up for the Bicycle Commuter Act benefits!

Bikes on the Mind

Daydreams of bikes:
Signal Cycles
Pedal Pushers
Bike Hugger

In the meantime... I should do a nightride, then buy some SKIS !!!