It's been a while! But we are back... Like most fun and eventful trips, this one started on a whim. Spur of the moment, free skiing tickets and lodging at Stowe, VT, as a gift from Conner's sister, got us packing. Thanks again, Kaitlyn and Tanner! The crew consisted of 4 people and two dogs: Xenon (a German Shepard) and Hazey
After a late Friday, 3-4 hour caravan, we arrive around 11 PM at the Innsbruck Inn. The Innsbruck Inn is the perfect place to bring a group of friends to visit Stowe. They are well known for offering an exceptional "hearty" breakfast every morning; and hot tubs. Unfortunately, due to a mix-up with the reservation, we were short by one bedroom and had to search for a nearby accommodation quickly. The only other dog-friendly place nearby is Topnotch Resort. They had one room left. Topnotch was very modern; the amenities were terrific: an outdoor heated pool and hot tub, an indoor heated pool, sauna, multiple outdoor firepit areas, a restaurant, and a lively bar. The food was five stars. Bright and early the next morning, we headed out to ski, and the dogs spent the day exploring the town of Stowe with Kaitlyn!
This was my first time skiing in 5 years, although I was a very avid skier for most of my life... this was the first time skiing since my knee surgery in 2017. It was LIBERATING.
Between my relationship with Conner and wanting to spend time with him for his birthday, a newfound confidence in myself emerged, something I had lost for a while.
We spent the whole day exploring the mountain and tended to stay on the blues, but like every good story, we had to push the envelope just a little bit (by accident).
After exploring, we found a spot with a great view to sit and relax. The issue arose when the map showed that one black diamond was the only way back to the central part of the mountain.
So, begrudgingly, we pushed our luck and went for it. Let's just say we don't have any pictures because we fought for our lives the entire time down the mountain.
It felt like a full mile of constant challenging moguls and steep, steep drops.
We were resilient...after about 45min, we made it to safety.
It was funny because Conner was slightly frustrated with me and Tanner for making him go down this hill. About halfway down, we caught another couple who had a similar dynamic between themselves (this man's girlfriend was NOT happy with him).
That helped us quickly laugh it off, and then it was time to find food. We quickly found an awesome place that allowed dogs indoors called Alfie's Wild Ride - AMAZING FOOD.
It was super fun inside, with a bar and many yard games...they had a great local sparkling cider which was much appreciated because Conner and I don't drink alcohol. After all that, we returned to our respective accommodations for a nap and met up later that evening for a hilariously fun game of cards against humanity. The following morning I made it a point to get into the hot tub and outdoor heated swimming pool at the Topnotch Resort before checking out.
Yvonne-spiration: If there is ever an opportunity to swim or go in a hot tub when it is snowing...you sure as heck better take that opportunity. After a full day of skiing, it was much needed to relax the muscles before a long drive home. And that was Sunday...on that drive home, I felt a new-found lust for life. I had just overcome a huge fear (skiing after surgery), spent a great weekend with my fiance and future in-laws, and to top it all off...I had just started a new job that I LOVE (that is also why this post is so delayed). I can honestly say that Sunday was the first time (potentially ever) I felt energized to get to work that Monday...mostly so we can afford to return next year!
“The other side of every fear is freedom.” Marilyn Ferguson
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Fantastic post, very interesting! An explosion of positive energy, wonderful photos. Cool that you are posting again