Ride Delaware ?

I don't think our zones are too much different regardless of growing season. On average, you will get berries starting in year two. However, the crop is usually small and it is worth it to pluck the flowers and allow the plant to put the energy into new growth. You will have a decent crop in year three. However, I recently bought plants from Dimeo Farms in NJ, and you can buy 3 year plants for $10 (absolute steal). They come flowering, but once you plant them you'll probably want to pluck the flowers so that the root structure can adapt to its new home. Those will produce well in year 2. Unfortunately, blueberries do require a PH from 4.5-5. If the PH is above that, then the roots basically stop sucking up nutrients and starve the plant. We have a fairly neutral sandy ish soil down here, so I am able to remedy that problem by using Holly Tone acidic fertilizer a couple times a year and pine bark mulch to lower the PH enough to help the plant grow. I have also had to treat my water with vinegar to lower the PH immediately. My plants don't thrive, but I get decent growth and they are large enough to produce a decent crop.

Sugarbush took $20 mil from the EB-5 program and appears to have done it completely above board. They needed it for all the new base facilities to make it a viable mountain. They didn't have the skier visits and infrastructure to justify bank financing, so that was their only option. The new base area condos/townhouses (Rice Brook & Gadd Brook) have been going to pay off those 40 EB-5 investors, not into Win's pocket. He has always been very open about his business. He recently stated that 18 have been paid off and that more will be when the Gadd Brook residences begin to sell.

I only participate in fruit gardening at this time. I've had blueberry bushes for 5/6 years at this point. I currently have 14 plants and I separated an errant sucker from another plant, which would make 15. I would estimate 8-9 fruiting plants this year. I have 13 of them in a fenced in area to protect from deer, and I will add a net later in the season when they begin to fruit. I also have 2 peach trees and 2 plum trees in their 3rd years, but they are in a different plot without ready access to water, so they have struggled.

He crushed me. I think he was at 50 when I was in the mid 20s. I was way under last year, but it wasn't a bad year to miss out on some sub par days.

I do some quick edge tuning if I recently had a tune done, but if it has been awhile, then I have the board get a stone grind, edges sharpened, and a wax so that they are ready for the season when I need them. If I can't get them to my buddy who has a full set of tuning equipment, then I'll just put on a summer wax and throw the board in the closet.

This doesn't surprise me at all. It all seemed to good to be true. While it has increased tourism to the NEK, there is a right and wrong way to do things. This was the wrong way. The ends don't justify the means. I'm glad they figured it out when they did.

Sounds well worth the $25 even if the vert was so short. Glad you got out and got it.

I love the moose signs that say "avoid moose or you will die" or something along those lines...

Just got back to the Bush last night. Closing out Sugarbush North tomorrow.

Sweet Inversion at north today...

Mad peeps to go with your sweet n low?

Aren't their best years about 100 days? Doesn't Elk guarantee 100 days? I can see how they equate it to skiing in Vermont...

He must be butter, cuz he's on a roll.

And I guess that answers my question. They had to have done better than 69 days, right?

This year it has basically been pointless to free ride, so I've spent most of my days patrolling. The patrol is my Blue Crue. Makes riding much more fun and rewarding. I find Mt. Ellen much more enjoyable to patrol at, so that's why I spend the majority of my time there. It's also much less crowded than South on any given day. I wanted to get up there for a day or two. I'm headed home shortly and will probably return for Good Friday. If they are still open, I'll give them a shot.

It's ugly up here. Coverage is thin. Sugarbush North will be lucky to make it to next weekend. South is in much better shape. Almost no snow on natural terrain. MRG is hosed.

Looks like I'm not taking the total days crown this year...

I just went to Slidebrook for the first time last week and it's a sweet little joint for some drinks. Hole in the wall locals place. Menu is still limited due to kitchen sizing. I think there are 5 menu items including a burger and mozz sticks...

Did I post a trip report on it last year? Edit: I did post a trip report from 2/22/15. Very cool little mountain. Super rocky so make sure there is a good base before you head off piste. I went in a good snow year and still beat up my gear. Some very technical stuff. Weird lift setup. Old school Swiss style lodge. Crazy access road, especially if it's snowing.

Patrolling at every mountain is different. Every mountain has different policies and every person in the patrol hierarchy (PD, APD, Supervisors, and foreman) all have different ideas on what should be marked. I can't tell you the amount of times I marked something just to come down one run later and it already be removed. At Sugarbush, we are very conservative with our marking. As a general rule (there are always exceptions), we don't mark stuff on natural terrain, things off the skiable surface, or things the public can see from above. We obviously can't mark something if we can't see it. One of the greatest patrol credos is consistency. That's likely what he meant when he said you would have to mark them all over the mountain. We like to mark everything exactly the same. Everything we do is to prevent injury and prevent lawsuits. If we prevent your injury, we prevent your lawsuit. However, if they mark one hazard, and then someone else hits another of the same hazard which is unmarked, then they have a much more arguable case in court. I didn't see the obstacle, so I personally couldn't have told you if I would have marked it or not. I am just trying to give you a little insight into how patrollers think. Regardless, I am glad you were not seriously injured RR. Sounds like a 6-8 week heal time injury. You should be out there by mid March I would imagine. Hope you feel better.

Not a problem. I wish work wasn't calling...

Over here at Mt. Ellen it's similar. Upslope aided snowfall. Still coming down.

We were forecasted for 2-4" up here at the Bush and it ended up over performing. We've picked up a solid 6-8" with it still coming down, albeit lighter and windier. They are expecting more tomorrow on my drive home.

I'm headed back to DE Tuesday and then I've got to man the ship for a bit. I might make it up for one week in February, but that is yet to be determined.

Temps are looking borderline, so it will probably be another elevation dependent accumulation. The tops of the mountains have fared well, but the stuff down low has struggled. 1-3" is a far cry from earlier estimations, but it looks like more coming Sunday night. These little inch storms add up...