January 12 – 18, 2023
Rhoda and Eli Baker arrived at Alan’s Friday noon, Jan 10, from a week at Killington. Friday night Elizabeth and Jess came for supper. Saturday we went up to Glens Falls and had lunch at the Olive Garden. Saturday night was the big poker game with Eli and Rhoda, Ron, Jay, Bob and Phyllis. Uncle Jay was the big donator.
Sunday we headed north for Val David and got there in midafternoon to find E and R already checked in at the Chalet Beaumont hostel. Had our usual double room with bath and great view of the hills.
Monday was cloudy with light snow. Nonetheless we went to Gray Rocks for downhill skiing. Lots of soft new snow and poor visibility made the day a challenge. So was the drive home, on which we passed several cars off the road. Glad to have Eli’s VW all wheel drive.
Tuesday clear and cold (-4). Alan and I drove to Mt. Tremblent National Park to the XC Center at Lake Monroe and skied 2 hours in snowy tracks. Followed wolf and deer tracks. E and R skied every day at Grey Rocks. Dinner at Le Vieux Foyer …all you can eat mussels with great sauce choices.
Wednesday again clear and cold. We skied Far Hills Resort in nearby Val Morin – a large well groomed area where AMC groups often go and one was there. Skied 2 hours on more ups and downs than Mt.
Tremblent.
Thursday skied trails at Chalet Beaumont – Le Balade – 2½ times around in the hilly woods above the chalet. Afternoon went down to Val David town trails across the main road – Les Meandres and Belle
Etoile. Dramatic Cliffside views.
Friday a difficult drive to Montreal because of sun in our eyes and constantly dirtied windshield. Found the Espresso store where E and R took their espresso machine to be repaired (Faena) and then on to the Montreal Youth Hostel. Had a fine dinner at nearby Vietnamese restaurant with soup, salad, entrée and desert for about $10 US each.
Saturday we went to Chinatown where the Bakers found a great Dim Sum restaurant – our first experience with all the little courses including snails, crispy shrimp, broccoli rabi and many stuffed noodles ending with soup, all very reasonable. Ran into a big Peace March on our way up St. Catherine Street. Took home deli salad and rolls for supper.
Sunday the Bakers went back to St. Jovite for their week of skiing at Mt. Tremblant with the GST Ski Club and we went cast and then south to Carol and Len’s. Monday was a good ski day at the Bartlett Bear Notch Center, along the Saco and up in the hills. Tuesday and Wednesday were so windy we did not venture out except to take my friend Loraine out to lunch. Thursday was calm so we snowshoed up behind the old Madison house on our way back to Exeter – dismayed to find snowmobiles have made a highway of our old ski trail there – but went off on the Bliss’s boundary trails to get into the untrammeled woods.
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