The Tyler Place Family Resort

Located in Vermont on the shores of Lake Champlain

Great Summer Vacations: Part One

I am not quite sure where to start when it comes to the Tyler Place Family Resort. But, I can tell you this, after 16 consecutive years of family vacations with my husbands clan, the Tyler Place is the only resort that we repeated....five times!!!

Why?

In a Boston Parents Magazine review on the Tyler Place Family Resort, they state "It is how to take a vacation with a really young child and really enjoy it"

If you are a parent, especially of very young children, sometimes your family vacation is not really a vacation for you. But all that is about to change...at the Tyler Place Family Resort, you can have your cake and eat it too. There is no need to feel guilty. Rest assured your children will be having the time of their life as you enjoy a little alone time or quality time with your spouse.

With every feasible activity available to adults such as sailing, tennis, mountain biking and Yoga(to mention a few), there are endless possibilities for creating the ultimate morning adventure. But don't neglect the opportunity to just sit and relax with a good book as well. You choose...will it be the pool side today or the Adirondack chair overlooking Lake Champlain? My favorite was a quick swim out to the trampoline raft to soak up the heat on the warm top. What about the kids you ask? Your kids, they will be off on their own adventure in the award winning children's program that has set the Tyler Place Family Resort apart from other inclusive family resorts. I am sorry to inform you, but by the end of the week your kids will gladly trade you in for one of their camp counselors, no regrets, no looking back!

And as much as the Tyler Place has perfected the art of entertaining and caring for small children, they have also managed not to neglect addressing the number one kill joy to a great family vacation....the teenager. On all five of our stays at the Tyler Place, one of the nine offspring in the Reifsteck clan was in that teenage sulk stage. And although the nieces whined a bit about the overnight camping on an island, secretly they pined for the handsome counselor that crooned folksongs while strumming the guitar, as they all sat around the campfire.

Probably the biggest factor in our repeat trips to The Tyler Place Family Resort, was their approach to dining. With nine children ranging in age from 3 months to 16 years of age the adults in our group never seemed to have an opportunity to actually sit down and enjoy a meal together. You know the drill... in between cleaning up spilled milk, trying to coax a ten year old to eat more than just the cookies and preventing the boys from throwing food at each other, adults don't have a chance. With two camp sessions a day( one in the morning until after lunch, the other for several hours in the evening) not only do the parents get to enjoy a meal talking with one another, they can even get in a romantic moonlight walk down to the shoreline. The food at the Tyler Place is outstanding. The only downside...withdrawal when you arrive home and realize that you do not have five different dessert choices.

If you are looking for a great, relaxing vacation this summer, The Tyler Place Family Resort should be at the top of your list. With many of the children in our group on the verge of adulthood, we are looking forward to a new generation of Tyler Kids!

Look for Part Two in the series on the Outer Banks by subscribing below.

Summer is almost here...start planning!
Medelise

Three Great Summer Vacation Ideas

So are you thinking about the summer and what to do with the family, yet? Well, I am hoping to make your dilemma a bit easier with a Summer Vacation Series sure to spark some interest and get your summer vacation planning kicked into high gear!

As stated in previous posts, My husbands parents plan a great summer vacation every year for my husbands whole family...all twenty of us(at the latest count)! We have been to each of these three destinations and loved each one. From the shores of Lake Champlain and the Tyler Place Family Resort, to the beautiful sandy beaches of the Outer Banks and finally the glorious green countryside surrounding Keuka Lake of New York, each trip offers a little bit of something for everyone.

Wake Boarding Keuka Lake
Finger Lakes, New York








The Outer Banks...Corolla Beach, North Carolina






The Wall
Photo Courtesy
The Tyler Place Family Resort









Look for part one in the series highlighting The Tyler Place Resort located on the shores of Lake Champlain just north of Burlington. Better yet subscribe at the bottom of this page to be e-mailed the most recent posts.

Start Planning...summer is almost here!
Medelise

Marty's 1st Stop

Danville, Vermont
Rt 2


So I am almost embarrassed to admit that one of my favorite places in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is a convenience store. So enamored by this establishment that when we decided to sell our Danville house that even our children would check a potential property off the list if it's proximity to Marty's was not close enough (no joke). Aah, but Marty's 1st Stop is so much more than a convenience store, in fact we like to call it a gold mine.

Located on Rt 2 Between the town of St. Johnsbury and the center of Danville, Marty's has positioned itself as a first stop and a last stop for many a hunter, camper, skier and leaf peeper alike. But don't be mistaken, this is not a tourist trap as the locals seem just as fond of this small grocery/gas establishment as the tourists. And as well they should.

Marty's, and yes there is a Marty, provides its shoppers with the perfect alternative to the grocery store. The deli and meat department is quite possibly the best stocked meat counter I have ever encountered. It is regular part of our weekend routine to stop by Marty's and pick up some marinated beef tips and marinated chicken breast for cooking out on the grill. but you can also get rosemary encrusted lamb roast, salmon steaks and yes even fresh lobster! If you are looking for a sandwich to go, their deli subs and grinders are delicious with a generous helping of cold cuts and vegetables.


After you move on from the meat counter you realize that you might have been hasty in your choice as you notice the huge crocks of homemade soup. On this particular day I actually found the chef himself stirring the pots, Marty! Although he was hesitant to have me take a picture of just him alone claiming that it takes a whole lot of folks to make this business run. Soup of the day....shrimp and scallop bisque and pot roast and potato stew...not too shabby for a small town convenience store.

Along with the soup, you will find fresh made egg sandwiches in the morning, Pizza throughout the day and a variety of other comfort foods that change daily. Need a bottle of wine to go with dinner, Marty's has got you covered. Located next to the produce is a nice selection of wines to please every palette.




But there is even more! For all you coffee lovers, there is an entire counter filled with fresh brewed Green Mountain coffee (baked goods to the left) Hot summer evening, stop in for some ice cream at the ice cream shop out front, need some food for the livestock, yes there is even a feed store. According to Marty, you will even be able to do your banking soon as a local bank will be setting up two tellers. Oh yeah and did I mention that it was a gas station and on the VAST trail!

As I said earlier, we often call Marty's a gold mine. Undoubtedly it is busy every moment of the day four seasons out of the year. But the store is well equipped and experienced to handle the love fest with several registers ready and manned. Many of the customers and employees seem to know one another and take a few minutes to say hello and catch up at the counter.

The down side of Marty's, well I haven't actually found one yet...even the bathrooms are nice and clean!

Medelise

An Unfortunate Change In Plans

Due to health issues, I will not be covering the 2008 TD Banknorth Craftsbury 27th Annual Race and Tour on February 2nd. If there is anyone who would like to take over the coverage as a guest writer, I would be so appreciative.
Look for my coming posts on two great places in the Northeast Kingdom, Marty' 1st Stop in Danville Vermont and the Village Sports Shop in Lyndonville. I am behind but hope to be back writing shortly.
Thanks for your patience
Medelise

Stowe Derby

"Crazy....but a helluva lot of fun" were the words used by my husband to describe his first experience at the Stowe Derby.

Dubbed one of the oldest and most unique ski races in North America, it was voted the top sports event in the state by readers of Vermont Sports Magazine.

This years event is scheduled to take place on February 24, 2008. And what an event it will be! Hundreds of competitors will participate racing from the top of Mt. Mansfield(Stowe Mountain) to the finish line in the Stowe Village...10 miles of challenging terrain. The course has a total vertical drop of around 3,000 feet. Just imagine bright Lycra racing outfits flying past on thin Nordic Skis down an alpine ski slope...Crazy... as my husband said. The spectators provide half the fun lining the trail while taking a break from schussing down their own trial in the more traditional alpine fashion.

Race Course Details

Registration Details

The race was originally a personal challenge set back in 1945 between two great skiers; Austrian Sepp Ruschp hired to head the new ski team at Stowe and world famous mountaineer Erling Strom. Ruschp prevailed and a tradition was born.

Read more about the race at Mt Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club who now host the race along with their sponsors.

The race is broken down into four divisions: Long Course freestyle, Long Course classical, Short Course, Derby Meister

Short Course: Designed for kids ages 6 to 13 or those who prefer to avoid the rigors of a long and sustained descent. This race is approximately 6km. The course begins in a mass start at the Stowe Recreation Path Parking Lot at 9:00 A.M. next to the Alpenrose Motel and follows the final leg of the Long Course. Course subject to change.

Long Course Races: 16 km course. We offer two separate divisions- skating and classical. The Skating race starts at 10 A.M. with five racers every 30 seconds. The Classical race starts at 12 NOON with the same starting format. The track will be set all the way to the finish line for classical racers. Computer timing stops at 2 P.M. If you are caught skating in the classical division you will be disqualified! If you are unsure of which course to sign up for, most likely you will want to enter the Skating (Freestyle) course. Please contact MMSC if you have further questions.

Derby Meister: Derby Meister participants compete in back-to-back Skating and Classical races and are included in the individual Skating and Classical results in addition to Derby Meister results. Racers do not have to use the same pair of skis for the Classical and Skating races but must use the same pair to complete each of those individual races. The Derby Meister is for experts only and limited to the first 100 entrants.

Photo courtesy of the Mt. Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club

New Lodge at Craftsbury Nordic Center

We just returned from Vermont after the long Martin Luther King holiday weekend. As usual we split our days between Burke Mountain and the Craftsbury Nordic Center. I justed wanted to post some pictures of the Craftsbury Nordic Center's new Nordic Lodge. We witnessed the work in progress this summer and have been anxious to see the interior. Although a few conveniences and finishing touches need to be added, such as more cubbies for stuffing bags, hooks to hang things on and a bench or two in front of the Wood Stove, the new lodge is open, sunny and bright. It also boasts a second floor with a large table for eating and plenty of seating.

2005




































2008

Burkie Bear

Hey Burkie!!!

I finally got to meet Burkie Bear. After five years of skiing at Burke Mountain, I managed to track down the elusive bear and snap a quick photo with him. I am sure that he is off hibernating once again as the temperatures have dropped since this picture. Maybe you too can be photographed with the famous Bear. So drive on up to Burke Mountain.... you are sure to have a great day of skiing or snowboarding and you just might find my furry friend.

Head North!!!

Medelise

2008 TD Banknorth Craftsbury 27th Annual Race and Tour

February 2, 2008

I remember five years back I signed my husband up for the 25k cross-country Nordic Ski Marathon at The Craftsbury Nordic Center. I was helping him make good on a New Years resolution to start racing again after a twenty-five year hiatus. A 25k marathon was not exactly what he had in mind at the time of verbalizing his New Year's resolution several weeks earlier, but I had complete faith that he could handle it!!!

That is how it began. Not only did Dan handle the 25k marathon but placed a respectable ninth in his age group. He has been participating every year since. And this year, yours truly is entering the tour portion of the race!!! The date for this years event is February 2, 2008

The Banknorth Craftsbury Annual Race and Tour is
"a point to point cross-country ski adventure traversing Vermont's Northeast kingdom presented by the Craftsbury Outdoor Center."

Read More

Although the race is in its 27th year, It has just been in the last seven years that the tour segment of the race has been added to combine skiing with gourmet food. And for the first time, this year the food stations will be competing with one another to be the most creative.

"Seven years ago John Brodhead, the Craftsbury Outdoor Center's Director of Skiing, proposed a partnership among several Craftsbury and Greensboro inns to produce a marathon with special food stations along a linear course stretching 25 kilometers from Greensboro to Craftsbury, Vermont. To his surprise they eagerly agreed and participation has since increased almost 700% to 1000 participants including racers and tourers."
Read more

If you are interested in joining me or participating in this event, please go to The Craftsbury Nordic Center site and register. Below is a list of the food station participants and a map of the course and food stations.

Note, You can see the location of the stations on a course map and a course profile at http://www.craftsbury.com/skiing/marathon/course_map.htm

Food Stations:

Highland Lodge Willie Smith, highlandlodge@verizon.net, 802-533-2647 (1^st station before start).
Craftsbury Inn, Bill Maire, cburyinn@together.net 802-586-2848 (5^th station in Craftsbury Village).
Craftsbury General Store, Dave Stember, dstember@aol.com, 802-596-2893 (2^nd-4^th stations, Skunk Hollow, Rocking Rock, and Craftsbury Road Stations between
Highland Lodge and Craftsbury Village).
Craftsbury Outdoor Center, John Brodhead, johnbrod@craftsbury.com 802-586-7767x26, (6^th-8^th stations for the last 25 kilometers).

Look for complete coverage of this event in February. Let's pray for nice weather! I hope to see you on February 2nd!!!

Howard Frank Mosher

Years ago, long before I even knew of the existence of a place called the Northeast Kingdom, my book group introduced a short novel called Northern Borders by Howard Frank Mosher. I fell in love with it. Little did I know that Mosher's piece of heaven would become mine. I have recommended this book to many friends over the years, but it was just recently that my brother Geoff reminded me of the book again. He found it on our shelf in Vermont on a recent visit and I told him, "take it... you'll love it". We talked the other day and he said "by the way that book was great", so great in fact, his daughter is now reading it and he has moved onto another one of Mosher's books....and there are plenty to choose from. Last count, I believe he was up to ten books written. Many of his books are set in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont with the most strikingly unique set of characters you could possible image. In Northern Borders, Mosher's storytelling about the life of a small boy sent to live with his grandparents in the wilds of Northern Vermont are so incredibly fascinating and twisted you can't help but to hope that they are actually based in some truth from Mosher's own experience. Each chapter reads like a short story as a collaboration to recount one grand tale.

You will not be disappointed by Northern Borders or any of Mosher's books for that matter.

Burke Mountain

View From Burke











From the warm waters of Costa Rica to the snowy mountain tops of Vermont....that is the life we have been living this past month!!! Living the Dream as we like to say, and what a dream it has been. If you have been following along, you know that we have just arrived back in the states from a great surfing and language trip to Costa Rica. This past weekend we put the waves behind us and headed up to one of our favorite winter destinations, Burke Mountain, in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

New England has had a much needed dump of snow this December and the owners of ski areas across the six states are praising mother earth for her generosity. The past few years have had minimal snow fall in the months of December and January. So little snow in fact that this year we went to Costa Rica instead of Vermont for Christmas!!!

Here are a few snapshots of our first ski of the season at Burke Mountain, located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The snow was incredible and with mild temperatures in the high twenties we had a fabulous day.

Although Burke is on the smaller side, it does not lack for diversity or challenge. We discovered this gem about five years ago and have been coming back ever since.

From Burke Mountain's website:
Renowned for its breathtaking views and ski racing heritage, Burke Mountain is the best kept secret in the Northeast. Home of the Burke Mountain Academy, the preeminent ski academy in the country with 40 Olympians to its credit, Burke Mountain features sweeping, winding trails, an average of 248 inches of snowfall each year, 45 trails and glades on 250 acres of terrain, and a vertical drop of 2,011 feet. A unique blend of friendly, genuine staff and traditional terrain define the character of one of the last remaining Vermont ski classics. With major upgrades to its snowmaking system in recent years, Burke Mountain features 80% coverage on a variety of trails accommodating skiers of every level with 25% novice, 45% intermediate, and 30% expert trails. Burke also has four terrain parks to keep the freestylists in your family busy all day long..

We thought that we were in pretty good shape after the battled we waged against the barrels and tubes of Costa Rica, but much to our dismay, as good as the snow was we didn't make it past three. Our quads were screaming for us to stop.

Get out and ski!!!
Medelise

Craftsbury Nordic Center

Ringing in the New Year

As we drove through the Commons, we noticed a street named Auld Lang Syne. At that moment it became clear that we had made the right decision. This New Years Day, determined not to wallow in the post holiday blues, we packed the car with skies, sleds and kids and hit the dusty trail or rather the snowy one! We were headed to the quintessential Vermont town of Craftsbury Commons, our final destination: Craftsbury Outdoor Center.

Know originally for its superb sculling program, Craftsbury Outdoor Center is a thriving four season resort that allows you a peaceful and down to earth setting while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities such as cross-country skiing, running and sculling, just to name a few. For years, my husband and I have been enjoying the freshly groomed cross-country trails of this long established business, located in the heart of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, but we were about to discover that the Craftsbury Outdoor Center is much more than a cross-country ski area, it is a virtual winter playground for families.

As we pulled into the parking lot we noticed that it was full. It seemed that others too might be making good on their New Years resolutions: spending more time with the family, getting more exercise, returning to the great outdoors. Crowded as it appeared, it was far from the overloaded, highly fashionable parking lots of the nearby downhill ski areas. We quickly found a spot, unloaded the gear and headed towards the touring center.

We paused briefly as we approached the ski center(warming hut) to allow a line of children, imprinted to their instructor like ducklings to their mother, to glide by on their skies. The group was heading towards the teaching area which was embellished with a variety of snow structures to serve as an obstacle course. Although we all knew how to ski we couldn't help to imagine how fun that lesson would be.

One of the wonderful things about Craftsbury Nordic Center is that to spend a day there with your children won't break the bank. Adult tickets for a full day start at $16 without rentals and $30 with rentals. Kids under 12 can ski for about $8 without rentals and $18 with the full rental package. What can you do now days anywhere that will only cost you $8? The beauty of it all is that skiing is not the only thing to do!!!

Just when our kids had had enough of being bribed with m&m's for one last ski run, we sent them off to the sledding hill. Despite my shrieks of be careful, gaining air off the makeshift snow jumps remained a popular theme of the afternoon. fortunately, everyone managed to escape any real injuries.

And if the skiing and the sledding does not quite exhaust and/or exhilarate you enough, it is only a step(literally) from the touring center to the skating pond. If you have your own skates by all means pack them. However half the fun of the skating at the Center is stepping into the skate room and looking for a pair of skates that will fit you. In the skate room you will find, arranged in no particular order, a collection of skates that may very well contain a pair of skates as old as your grandfather. Just tell the kids that uncomfortable skates are prerequisite for a true ice skating experience! Once you have found the golden pair, grab a hockey stick and get out on the ice. There is always a pickup game of hockey between adults and their kids in full gear. Just don't shoot the messenger the next day when you have difficulty rolling out of bed.

Well... we certainly made good on our New Years resolution this New Year's Day. Grabbing one last hot chocolate for the ride home we packed the skis, sleds, skates and kids back into the car. We drove off just as the sun settled behind the hills and cast a beautiful orange glow across the snowy trails of the Craftsbury Nordic Center.

Beautiful Starlight Meadow

Aah...love at first sight!!! We couldn't help but to fall in love with this little gem as we motored up the long dirt driveway surrounded by glorious green fields. I know the cardinal rule is never let the real estate agent know how much you love the house...but it was hard to contain our excitement.

It all started back in 2003 when we purchased our first house, a small little place, off the grid, in a quaint little town in the Northeast Kingdom. Oddly enough the town was called Danville. We loved our little house despite the fact that it had no electricity. But after three years of candles and gas lamps, not to mention only one bathroom, we decided to start the search for a retreat a bit more.... guest friendly.

Having inherited the knack for perusing real estate magazines and Internet real estate sites from my mother, it was not long before I stumbled upon Starlight Meadows on the MSL listing on the Internet. Immediately, I put a call into my favorite Realtor, Barb Machell, and we booked our appointment to see it. We never imagined it would surpass all of our expectations.

Starlight Meadows, named surely for the unobstructed nightly show of the heavens above, is located on forty open acres of rolling hills and meadows. It is in a small town called Walden just west of St. Johnsbury. Although its location made it a longer drive to our ski mountain, Burke, it was closer to Craftsbury Nordic Center and two other ski areas we enjoy, Jay Peak and Stowe, both within an hours drive from the new house.










The house is beautifully constructed of timbers. The interior has all wood floors, one woodstove and pme gas stpve, three bedrooms, two baths, a dining area, kitchen and living room. Each bedroom is equipped with a double or full bed, one of the upstairs bedrooms also has one twin bed in it. The basement includes an unfinished area with a ping pong table and a laundry room. The outside of the house is spectacular. Surrounded by perennial gardens and rolling hills, the house boast three different decks to enjoy the view from. And our favorite part, the 100 gallon water trough is exquisite for late night baths(and hot showers) under the stars.

In addition to skiing in the winter, Starlight Meadows is ideally situated for summer recreation being within 40 minutes to the Kingdom Trails in Burke Vermont and several lakes including Caspian and Joe's Pond. The Kingdom Trails are renowned as some of the best mountain biking trails on the east coast. The town of Burke and Lyndon are overflowing with great restaurants and intriguing shops. Stowe Village and Mountain are also within an hours drive with a vast array of summer, fall and winter activities.

However, you might simply enjoy hanging out on the hammock under the Butternut tree or watching the sunset from the top of the hill with a glass of wine and cheese and crackers. You may just find it hard to drag yourself away from the peacefulness and beauty of Starlight Meadows.

Rates
Christmas and Holiday Weeks $225per night
Weekends and non holidays $175per night

House can accommodates up 6-8
special note: There is no TV or Dishwasher

















Enjoy
Medelise and Dan