>I went to Stratton today, hooked up with my buddy Al (Garfunkle) and vaulted to Lower VT. We made record time in his ’05 Audi S4.

It was nice not having to drive, or worry about what speed we were going. The new V8 hauls ass, AWD and around 350hp but doesn’t look like it. From the outside it doesn’t attract much attention. He’s got a Passport 8500 radar dectector, and it’s damn good — it detected K band from over a mile and a half away. Laser is another thing, but only got to see it in action at the MA/VT border when we were coming home. A VT Trooper was waiting at the state line. I don’t think MA still uses K-Band. At least, every time I got hit on the highway it said laser on the ticket. =]~

So right, snowboarding — most of the moutain was open, few ice chunks and rocks here and there — certainly pre-season condition, but they were making snow up the wazoo… almost too much in places where it was 12-20″ deep, ice in others.

I like how their lifts are set up, they have covered ones that go all the way to the top, you can get off half-way… a real class-act, but it’s running about $46/day. Smugglers has more snow, is quite a bit colder, is cheaper (but not by much), but it’s lower tech, not by much… so I suppose that adds up :]

I liked the enclosed lifts, that was a big plus — just like on SSX Tricky 😉

I was doing well, but could have done much better if my bindings were actually the right size. The toe clips kept popping up — so I’d lose my stability at speed. Size 8 bindings holding in a size 12 boot — go fig.

I fell down a lot because of the wobbling, but still managed to shoosh and do OK, considering, and made for wonderful practice for the few times when my boot actually stayed clipped.

Oh yeah — need to bring more then ankle socks next time. It was OK for 2 hours, but any more and I think I’d have damaged my calves’ sweat glands =]

So Stratton is much better for it’s distance (2nd exit off 91 in VT, then rt 30N — about an hour and a half away). I’m partial to Smuggler’s because it’s where the family is, and with my pass it’s a $20 ticket, whenever.