Summertime

It's been a beautiful, and busy, couple of weeks here in the Mad River Valley. Not only did the annual 4th of July parade go off without a hitch (or raindrop); two days later the Mad Marathon sent 4,598,927 footprints up and down the world's most beautiful route. Hats off to all the people who braved the steep up hills and downhills. We are very proud and impressed with your effors! And congratulations and thanks to Dori & Ian and the crew at the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce who work tirelessly to make sure visitors and residents have a great time.

My own saga of 4 million footprints was the 50- foot path beaten by me and my family between our front door and our pickup trucks, as we packed up our ski house. Our new house is not quite ready yet, so we have all of our possessions under tarps there while we bunk out in our good (and generous) friend's condo until The Bundy is fit for habitation.

The buyers of our ski house represent how so many of us come to the Valley. We're drawn in by the skiing, probably by friends or relatives who are fanatic about the place. We stay at their house a couple of times. Soon we are looking into a seasonal rental. That lasts a couple of seasons. Then a house pops up on our radar. After that, we come up for fourth of July and if you throw in one perfect afternoon at a) Warren Falls b) the Bobbin Mill or c) a summer dinner at American Flatbread, we are goners.