Ski Bus Trip Feb 21st, 2025

By Phil Caracci

I’ve been a part of Miramar since 1997. Still the anticipation of the trip ahead gripped me as I met the group on West 23rd Street in NYC. I looked around – there were MANY new faces.  I learned this trip included 17 first time guests… G1’s as we call them. That’s a lot!

Saturday followed the traditional schedule… breakfast, skiing at Sugarbush, happy hour, dinner, dancing and chats by the fireplace. As I type this sentence it sounds outstanding without hearing any details. But the details make it even better!

We have a new chef who recently celebrated his one year anniversary with the club. Chef Mathew is amazing, turning out French Toast, eggs, bacon along with yogurt, muffins, fresh fruit and so much more. When you hear that breakfast is included, you don’t necessarily expect this!

Now let’s talk about skiing.  Vermont is experiencing one of it’s best winters in a very long time.  No giant blizzards but instead frequent snowfalls and more importantly no thaws. Freeze/thaw is what produces ice and I think it’s been below freezing for 6 consecutive weeks.  However, Saturday was also a day of total sunshine and no wind from start to end! And if you stuck to the singles line, no waits for the lifts either. If you didn’t enjoy a day like this you are probably in the wrong sport.

When I’m on a trip I always offer what is often called the “Uncle Phil Tour”. After skiing I take first time guests to Bridge Street to see the shops and I tell a few stories along the way. About a dozen trippers signed up for the 20-minute walk with me through the historic covered bridge with some returning with purchases from the Artisan Gallery or the beer cave (awesome craft beer selection in the gas station!)

At 6PM we kicked off the evening’s activities with the Happy Hour featuring some more of the chef’s creations and open bar. It’s a LOUD room!  More than 40 people riding a high from our sunny day on the slopes and meeting people for the first time. As an old-timer in the club, I often go to one corner of the room and just soak in the scene and it warms my heart to see the interaction.  It’s a warm welcoming community.  Nobody is staring at a cell phone!

I doubt I’ve ever ordered cauliflower soup before but I wasn’t surprised at how good it was.  Everything that comes out of our commercial kitchen has been top notch.  The Salmon Florentine was killer!!!

The Miramar  lodge setup is really ideal.  Nobody is going out into the cold night. No driving anywhere.  After dinner you join the party downstairs by the fire or on the dance floor until fatigue tells you it’s time to get some sleep because tomorrow is another day of skiing or riding.

On Day 2 at Killington, I decided to ski with two G1’s which eventually expanded to a group of 6. I enjoy taking photos on the slopes and I found a group on the same wavelength.  One benefit of group trips is that you can probably find a compatible partner regardless of how you choose to attack the mountain; fast, slow, steep, mellow, breaks, no-breaks, bumps, trees, etc….

I was sipping cocktails on the bus ride home, enjoying a tasty meal from Panera Bread and chatting with all my new friends and feeling so happy.  It was an amazing weekend.  This is why the Miramar Ski Club has been part of my adult life for this long and hopefully for many more years to come.

If you have never been on a Miramar trip, what are you waiting for???