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Vermont Semester
A 600 Mile Journey By Ski and Canoe (January-June 2004)

2 February, 2004

Dear friends, family and interested members of the community,

Another incredibly busy week has passed, and we are rapidly approaching our imminent departure. The week was spent in frenzied preparation; packing our food for the next two months, sewing the tent and fly, skiing, packing gear, and cleaning up camp. Through long days of hard work, we began to understand the enormity of our journey.

Monday was a tropically warm day, and we were unable to stay indoors. We watched cumulus clouds build in the sky as we rode the chair lift up Stratton Mountain. Again, the experience was amazing; we focused on telemark turns, a flowing dance on skis. By the time we grew hungry for lunch, our legs felt wobbly, our hearts happy, and our noses runny.

We concluded our ski training on Tuesday morning. The trails at Grafton were icy, a challenge that proved exhilarating; we found the true meaning of skate-skiing as we flew over the snow. In the afternoon, Saul and Stefan dutifully continued work on the tent. We said goodbye to Rebecca on Tuesday night. She is going back to her usual winter job teaching college student s on a traditionally rigged schooner. We wish her safe sailing and fair winds.

Nine hours of Wednesday were spent on packing our expedition food. Evan organized the pack out very efficiently, and we managed to complete it in one long day. As we sat down to dinner almost two hours later than scheduled, the feeling of satisfaction made all our work enjoyable.

Thursday was a day of many small projects; half the group worked at Putney to complete our tent and fly, while Jane, Chris, and Em cut meat and apples for dehydration. The yurt filled up with food hanging to dry another tangible marker of our progress.

Friday was spent preparing for the trail and getting ready for Saturday¹s parent visit. We set our tent for the first time; it was exciting to finally see our hard work put to use. Our expedition gear list was created, and we reviewed effective packing techniques. Our simplified life took on new meaning as we listed off the twenty -two items of personal gear on our list. Headlamp, ski pants, sweater‹each one a bare essential for our life.

The week culminated in a parent visit and send-off. We attempted to provide our families with a taste of the past month. They helped us with chores, ate communal meals, and toured camp. At the end of the day, we gave a mock ski clinic for comic relief. After we shoed the many cars from the driveway, everyone collapsed from exhaustion. A day of visiting tired us more than a day of skiing!

Our departure is in sight, and we are excited to get out on the trail. In many ways, it will be a relief to live a simplified life, unhindered by other commitments. Three hundred miles of trail are waiting for us, unbroken snow calling for our tracks. We will listen.

From the Vermont Semester Program,
Jane Larsen, scribe