This year's trip to Inlet and the condos at Rocky Point was one for the record book.

Early arrivals including the Stines, Glenn Pickering, Cecelia Cook and the Champions did a warm-up ski at Fern Park.  After cleaning up we headed out for the traditional Friday night dinner at the Old Mill restaurant in Old Forge.  It seemed that nearly everyone of the 23 attendees was at the restaurant for the first record of the trip!

Saturday was clear and beautiful.  Fred left with one group for a relaxing day of picturesque, easy trails while trip leader, Bill Pickering, decided to try a new (to the Kick 'n Gliders) trail to Tioga Pond.  This is an in-out ski, about five-and-a-half miles each way, that terminates at a point on a beautiful, remote pond.  The route is a multi-use trail, meaning that snowmobiles use it.  But, its out-of-the-way location means that it doesn't get much use by anyone.  We found the trail head and began the day's adventure.  The trail turned out to be delightful, narrow with short, sometimes steep, hills through a mix of hard woods and evergreen forest.  The downside was that, though there was plenty of snow, it was hard and a bit icy on the south facing hills.  Even the limited snowmobile traffic that the trail had seen failed to chop up the surface enough for good control on the downhills and therein lay the basis of the second record for the trip … injuries!

We had three of the injuries within a mile of the beginning of the trail.  First, Mike fell, dislocating his shoulder.  Now that may sound devastating, but it had happened to him before and he simply snapped it back into place (ouch!) and continued to ski for a while.  Then both Sandy and Mary performed face plants on the same short downhill, suffering small ice cuts on their faces and a sore shoulder for Sandy.  Sandy and Mike decided to call it a day at that point, opting to drive back to Inlet to look for tamer stuff.  The rest of us continued along the trail, enjoying the view and the camaraderie, but struggling on some of the short, steep hills.

About four miles in several of our number decided to call it a day and formed a group to ski back to the trail head.  The rest of us continued gamely on with Glenn in the lead.  In the end, only Glenn made it to the point on the pond, while the rest of us ate our trail lunches on the ice-covered pond about half a mile short of the point.  Wanda entertained us all during lunch by building a tiny snowman and decorating it with tiny pine cones and needles.

After lunch we headed back with Dave and Nancy, Bill Pickering and Nan skiing the sweep position.  Then it happened … Dave fell on a small, innocent hill.  Dave injured his ribs (later diagnosed as a "floating" rib), rendering him unable to take deep breaths or to ski.  This, about four-and-one-half miles back in the woods.  Oops!  As it tuned out, Nan skied ahead to get help while Nancy and the two Bills walked with Dave, carrying his gear and offering words of encouragement.  We were eventually met by two snowmobiles about a mile from the trail head.  They loaded Dave and Nancy onto their sleds and took them out while the two Bills continued under muscle power.  Dave and Nancy drove off in their van, eventually ending up in Utica for x-rays and a diagnosis.

Back at Rocky Point we learned that Fred's group had a marvelous day.  Many of those who had returned early enjoyed the indoor hot tub and swimming pool.  Then, we all buried our faces in Kay's marvelous hors 'd oeuvres, drinks and conversation, while mourning Dave and Nancy's temporary absence.  The conversation included references to snow that was to be headed our way which promised excellent skiing conditions for the rest of the trip.  We then split up into our two dinner groups for excellent meals and early bed times.

By Sunday morning the media was full of stories about the storm of the century (which was only 63 days old) that was to slam into the area by that evening.  Debate about what to do ended in another record … this would be the shortest Inlet trip on record.  We decided to abandon the trip. Only a die-hard few spent the morning skiing at Fern park in excellent conditions, questioning why we were leaving.  By one o'clock, though, all the condos were empty.

Of course, you all know about the fourth record … for a sensational forecast that didn't quite come true.  And, we really wanted to believe those silly weathermen!  However, the storm slowed down and the trip could have continued as originally planned, though driving would have been difficult for part of the trip home.  Oh, well, better safe than sorry?  Nah!  We'll be back.

Attendees: Bill & Sandy Stine, Beth & Dennis Major, Cecelia Cook, Dave LeRoy, Nancy Kauhl, Fred Wilcox, Carol Lentz, Mike McMullen, Mary Lutz, Nan Reisinger, Wanda Pritluski, Tom & Kathy O'Donnell, Ed & Carole Rockland, Bill & Kay Pickering, Marci & Glenn Pickering, Chris & Cindy Champion.