Mr. Cranky Pants
As if warmth and moisture were not enough to create havoc on Morse Farm trails, we now have: a post-holing pair of hikers on Sugar Loop, four inch deep ski ruts, snowmobiles (yes, that’s what they’re called in the dictionary) and a camp fire. The last two items were one event.

I fully expected water holes, thin cover and debris after last weekend’s bad weather. I also expect a few people to ski on wet trails even though I’ve asked them nicely not to on the snow report, the main web page, the phone message, the trail condition sign AND the multiple posts with “Trail Closed,” and “Do Not Enter” signs attached. It’s not that I’m a mean person. It’s because I hate to waste my staff’s time, burn extra fuel, and yes, I really want to give skiers good trails.

I’ve heard the so-called “word on the street” about how Morse Farm’s reputation is taking a dive. Well, if anyone bothered to check the local area Nordic centers’ web sites, they all reported debris, water, emerging grass and less than ideal conditions. Most also advised snow shoes over skis. Some closed. We’re lower and warmer than the rest, making our lives maintaining trails more challenging. I’ve changed things a bit (the things I can control) and I’m committed to better trail conditions.

Meanwhile, nature throws us plenty of curve balls. But people throw screw balls. Just when we make adjustments to combat natural conditions, they strike. While clearing Harry’s Heaven of wind blown debris today, John and Eric saw where people had driven their snowmobiles over the ski trails, repeatedly, and then parked on the side of the ski trail and had a nice little camp fire. I don’t even like the fact that we have to use a snowmobile as a tool for grooming – they, like lawn mowers, pollute more than automobiles. And I smell like an exhaust pipe after riding it. So when they are used for the sake of recreation while ruining our ski trails, I really get angry. But what can I do …

Skiing on wet trails and leaving deep, deep grooves is equally bad, but at least the perps ain’t blowin’ poisonous fumes.

Walking on wet trails and leaving post holes – also unforgivable. Unless you broke both your skis.

Go ahead, call me Mr. Cranky Pants. Just don’t cuss in front of the kids. It’s maddening at times, dealing with variables. Kinda like losing 50 percent of your Roth IRA in one day. Or getting screwed by astronomical heating fuel rates last August. Or job cuts. There are now many more important things to worry about beside ski trails. No wonder tolerances are so low. Including mine.

We’re working on better trails for people to escape all that, even if it’s just for an hour or two. Think, Happy Pants!





Created by Dave on 12/29/08 at 05:35pm.

Wax on. Wax off. Make Paint-the-Fence
The quest to improve our trails has taken a new turn. Waxable skis. Yes folks, I've invested $500 of my own money (well, it used to be yours ... ) on brand-spankin' new Fischer Aircore SCS Classics and Rossi X9's. I went for the budget line - one can certainly run up the hefty bill at Onion River Sports.

Well after today's test run with straight blue over thawed, re-frozen and debris-littered trails, I heartily admit I have to re-learn how to ski on these new sticks. So my first, first-hand wax report is: use blue on the powder-covered sections for tractor grip; use something else on the icy surfaces. Whatever that something else is, is outside my current knowledge portfolio. Outside the powder and on the hard pack I was flying so darn fast I could barely stay upright let alone ponder which gooey combination might make the ride more pleasant. In time, grasshopper ...

Don't believe, however, that I will eliminate "waxless" from my vocabulary. Some days time constraints and trail conditions call for scales and I'll be the first to recommend them for Morse Farm Trails. And I'm keeping my Alpina Cross Terrains with cable bindings, 75mm boots and backpack full of food and gear. There's way too much wild country to explore beyond the boundaries of Morse Farm, or any other groomed network in Vermont.


Created by Dave on 12/26/08 at 10:37am.

What, no tracks?


In order to set classic tracks there must be a base. Right now our base is still falling out of the sky. We're capturing it, packing it and avoiding churning up any debris before we attempt to skate widen and track set. According to the experts at TidTech, "whether you use a conventional roller, or simply run around on the snowmobile, DO wait for enough snow so that you are not churning up dirt, leaves and other stuff into your snow. These foreign objects will simply absorb solar radiation later and melt snow faster."

But wait, there's more, "your snow will always last longer if you compress it into a base. The very best way to pack early season snow is to roll it BEFORE grooming with a drag type implement. A roller will pack snow directly into the trail without displacing (plowing) any to the side. Your snowmobile is a roller, too – it is just a narrow one. You can do an acceptable job of pre-packing by running your snowmobile around without pulling anything. The main advantage of a roller, packing snow into the trail without displacing any to the side, is also ultimately a disadvantage. A roller does not level the trail at all. Every undulation remains when rolled. Eventually these build into dips and moguls that lower the quality of the trail. A drag type implement will knock off the high points and deposit snow in the low points. A roller is best used in conjunction with a finish tool like the Trail Tenderizer."

The Morse Farm roller bounces around more than a 7-year-old loaded with Pepsi at Chuckie Cheese. So instead we use either the plain old SkiDoo, or unloaded TidTech. But what about that PB070 sitting out there and why aren't you using it, you may ask. Well, re-read that first graph. The Bully's tiller will churn up tons of junk if you run it through soft snow. Stuff like dirt, leaves, twigs, etc. So that beast has to wait a few more days.



Created by Dave on 12/21/08 at 02:43pm.

Work in Progress


Please be careful on Frog Run. As you can see in the photo, pallets and hay serve as a bridge over the River Frog and a means to catch and retain the new snow, above the water. We expect this repair will keep Frog dry throughout winter. Until it's groomed solid, ski to the left of the tree. Thank you.


Created by Dave on 12/21/08 at 01:07pm.

Aaron Weed - Stowe Superhero
What would opening day be without a panic moment. Certainly not a day at Morse Farm. It all started at 0900hrs (that's 9 a.m. civilian time). John, the grooming director arrived at the shop and said the right ski wouldn't turn on the Skandic. Great, the first hour of the season and we're dead in the water. Never mind that we had our machine checked and serviced two months earlier. Metal fatigue is not on that maintenance checklist. Part #M5244182, "Arm, Steering," as it is known, cracked. With the biggest snow storming looming just 24 hours over the horizon we reacted with appriopriate response: $&^*$%^&*$! I believe around here that translates to, "Jeezum Crow." Most of the afternoon was spent with phone in one hand and customer service in the other, selling passes while scouring the northeast for said part. The earliest delivery date was Wednesday. Not good enough. Further calls gave hope. One service center showed a used part in stock and the owner just happened to be driving from Newport to Barre that afternoon and would be happy to deliver it. Double checking the physical inventory revealed an empty space. Jeezum Crow! Many phone calls and a couple hours later with hope slowly giving way to despair, a clue emerged. "Check Stowe," said Bill, Morse Farm Touring LLC Chief Operations Officer. "I believe they have a Skandic boneyard full of spare parts." A call to Jess at the Stowe touring center yielded a contact point at the vehicle maintenance shop. So I called, but got the answering machine. Panic resumed. More customers came and I wrote off that option. But then I got the call back. Hope sank when I heard that all the spare parts sleds had been sold. "But," said Aaron Weed, vehicle maintenance supervisor, "we may have a new part. Let me check." A few moments later ... yes he did! Already mentally driving up I-89, I estimateed how long it would be until we got there. No need he said. He would be driving home at 1600 hrs (4 p.m.) and could meet one of us at the Middlesex park and ride and give us the part. All he wanted in return is the replacement part, which was already on order. Bonus! There was some discussion about other machines and the distant future, but I won't make any predictions. We still have to get through this winter. By 1830hrs (6:30 p.m.), the machine steered well with two skis instead of badly with just one. Now it's Sunday and we can barely see out the window there's so much snow falling. Eric, assistant director of grooming operations, is out grooming. How nice.


Created by Dave on 12/21/08 at 10:29am.