and it’s time to start planning our annual Pre-Foliage Season Meet-ups for the summer months! These meetups take about 4-5 months to organize so here we go again! Last year I started the thread the first week in March but this winter has been so insane here in New England that I'm getting a head-start! I'm almost ready to put the snow shovels away but that is considered bad luck, so they stand sentinel against the house, eagerly awaiting the next blast! 
It is great to touch base with the gang before the foliage season and we have quite a few laughs about past reunions and share ideas for fall planning and adventures in Vermont for the coming season. We have until mid-June to set a firm date, place and time (weekends obviously and weather permitting). We’d love to meet new SOV members!
There is so much going on in Vermont in the summer months. Last year's wonderful meetup was in Southern Vermont where Charles (ixl) was the road king with Phil, his brother, bm and myself in tow. Some of the places we visited were amazing and our road tours were the best! Every meetup has been graced with gorgeous weather! This will be our fourth year and each one has been so memorable! Here are some of the highlights from the last pre-season meetup.
1. Mt. Snow ski lift ride and full view of Somerset Reservoir and beyond! We all agreed this was the ultimate!
2. Dover Hill Road and Cooper Hill Road overlook.
3. Grout Pond and picnic at the water's edge. (Lots and lots of food).
4. Kelly Stand Road (WOW), Roaring Branch River.
5. Covered bridge in East Arlington
6. Blueberry Picking to end a perfectly fantastic excursion!
bm and I have been tossing around this next meetup idea since last fall. We are going kayaking and canoeing on either the Somerset or Harriman Reservoirs in June/July timeframe. We will be meeting in Wilmington and then caravaning up to the reservoir. bm has two kayaks and Charles has volunteered his canoe. Phil is even interested in this one! (If he ever returns from the beaches in Florida).
If you are the least bit intrigued, follow this thread through the upcoming months. We hope to fit in another meetup in August before foliage season appears once again. You never know what crazy scenarios we are capable of conjuring up!
STAY TUNED!!!!
Happy Sugaring Season and Happy Mud Season!
