Wednesay and Thursday

Rain, sleet, ice, snow, a brief burst of sunshine. . . we saw it all on Wednesday -- and skied/ rode it all! Many of the more intrepid braved the elements in the morning and came into the lodge at lunchtime dripping like wet dogs. Most continued on in the afternoon when conditions improved. Leander and Brandon, both skiing for the first time on Tuesday, made great progress, and by day's end Thursday were enjoying the incredible panoramic view from the summit of Stratton Mountain, and skiing down! Conditions Thursday were ideal -- sunny and warm -- and though the world was coated with ice, making for some wondrous scenes, the snow softened up nicely beneath the warm rays. Led by Zack, Max, and Ryan, the boys found many jumps and rails, glades, bumps, and steeps, on which to hone their skills. Another posse, which included Hank, Roberto, Cole, Chris, and Ricky, seemed more intent on exploring the mountain than risking their mortality. Marcus, Lorenzo, Luke, and Lucas also had a great time. Most importantly, they all looked after each other, stayed in groups, and encouraged each other every step of the way. The only bad news is that Ricky sprained his wrist and will probably take tomorrow, our last day in Vermont, off. The fine Thursday weather also allowed Dr. Liao to lead everyone through their on-mountain physics experiments. At various spots on the mountain, three groups of boys tested the speed of snowboards vs. skis, how to gain maximum air-time when jumping, how slope steepness affects acceleration, and how wax reduces friction and thus increases speed. All is well on Stratton Mountain.