Chicks on Sticks 2006

by Terri-Lynn Pellegri

It was exactly 5:30 am when my alarm clock went off. Ray Charles woke me from my slumber. For me, there are very few things in life worth waking up for in the wee hours of the morning. This January day was the exception. This was no ordinary day, but the one we had been planning for months. It was the Alpine Sports Shop’s “Chicks on Sticks” all women’s ski trip.

By 6:30 am, my ski gear loaded in my car, I was driving into the parking lot of the Alpine Sport Shop in Saratoga Springs. In anticipation of the others that would follow, Jack Hay, the shop co-owner, and the guys were ready to park cars and help with the gear. Upon entering the shop, I was greeted by the smell of coffee and doughnuts, and the friendly smiles and warm embrace of co-owner Cathy Hay and her daughter (and my co-worker) Julia.

The women began arriving in pairs and in groups of three and four. The women met each other with hugs and laughter. The energy was electric. We surprised them all with goody bags. The pink T-shirts that we gave them were donated by the Adirondack Trust Company bank in memory of Laurie Schmidt. There were skiers of all levels and ages, some fairly new to the sport, and those whose earliest childhood memories were on the slopes.

This women’s ski trip has grown in popularity and numbers, from 32 women four years ago to 110 women this year. Our enthusiastic bunch known as Chicks on Sticks filled two buses with skiers, snowboarders, equipment and anticipation. Collectively we shared a passion and our day of skiing was part of a larger plan. Our destination was Bromley Mountain in Manchester, Vt., for “Moms’ Day Off” a yearly event wherein all of the proceeds from our lift ticket sales, as well as other women that participated, were donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a not-for-profit organization raising money for breast cancer education and research.

Among our eclectic mix of skiers were survivors, women undergoing treatment and one friend who had just been diagnosed. It was a daunting fact that most all of the women there either had a mother, a sister, an aunt or a friend that had been through a battle with breast cancer. Being a breast cancer survivor myself, I felt empowered by the energy of our group of women and our intentions. Our mission was to celebrate the day, raise some money for a really great cause — and ski like crazy!

During our bus ride, the weather looked very promising with crystal clear blue skies, after many gray days. A ski movie was playing, with no sound of course, because there was much conversation and catching up to do. We were on our way!

At about 9:20 am, we had already passed through Manchester Center and we were making our way up the last stretch before reaching the ski area. Sitting in the front seat of the bus, I caught the first glimpse of the mountain and it looked beautiful. “Vermont’s Sun Mountain” was shining!

Bromley Mountain is a classic ski area. With its southern exposure, comfortable environment and over 70 years of hospitality, it is a must ski for anyone that has not had the pleasure. It is one of my personal favorites.

As we entered the base lodge, there was a welcoming fire in the fieldstone fireplace. Our larger group morphed into smaller more intimate couplings as the skiers performed the ritual of getting geared up to hit the slopes.

There was a good crowd for the Mom’s Day Off event. I was certain that we were the largest group there. Peter Dee, the marketing director at Bromley later informed me that 336 women participated this year. We located our skis and headed for the Sun Mountain Express high-speed quad, which efficiently transported us to higher ground. Though the sunshine was omnipresent, the wind joined in at the summit — we were in winter wonderland. Turn-by-turn our clan of eight skied the first run of the day on “Upper Twister” down the face of the mountain. Call it hero snow, perfect packed powder or groomed corduroy — it was the snow that you dream of. It was like carving into butter.

As we romped all over the mountain it was euphoric, exhilarating and joyful. It was a great day to be skiing and a great day to celebrate life. From the chairlift we could easily spot the other “chicks” on the slopes. We had distributed pink fluorescent ribbons that the women had streaming from their ski poles, trailing from their helmets and whirling in the wind. The Chicks on Sticks were ubiquitous which created an ever-present sense of unity — and a sense of purpose — with every turn. Each run was fresh and new, and with the ebb and flow of skiers, the snow dance stayed alive.

“Time flies when you’re having fun” is an understatement when it pertains to a day of skiing and our day seemed to be on high-speed. We agreed to eat lunch at noon and we gathered as many people as we could in the upstairs lodge. As I greeted Kris Wilson, the co-owner of Willard Mountain in Easton, she smiled and said “I am having such a great time — I’m already looking forward to next year!” The large bright room was very accommodating to our sunny spirits. After feeling sufficiently “refueled” we headed back outside to the brilliant day to savor all that it offered.

I did say that we were a group of 110 women but I failed to mention there was one male in our midst, Michael Martin, a friend and talented videographer, who was always just a few turns away diligently documenting our day. With finesse and style he skied backwards with camera in hand. Michael said, “It was a perfect day for shooting and judging by what I’ve captured on tape all of the chicks had fun.”

As the sun lowered in the sky, the skiers made their way back to the lodge. Rosy cheeked and satisfied, they clamored back inside content with the time that they had shared with one another on the mountain. Lee Burns of Saratoga Springs, who has joined us every year, exclaimed “What a terrific day together! The skiing conditions were just the icing on the cake.” She added, “It’s a wonderful experience to share with an interesting and diverse group of women.”

At the day’s close, we all joined together for a delicious meal at Laney’s Restaurant in Manchester. There was plenty of laughter and food. Cathy, Julia and I did the best we could to be heard over the group’s excited chatter. We had an abundance of gifts to give away that were generously donated by our sport shop suppliers and Saratoga Springs businesses in support of the event.

Our ride back home was much quieter than our morning ride. We had a movie playing so we chuckled at the antics of Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton in “Something’s Gotta Give.” As Chicks on Sticks 2006 rolled into the parking lot of the Alpine Sport Shop, 110 exhausted but happy women knew that lasting memories had been made and countless stories would be shared.

Days later at the Alpine Sport Shop, we were wondering “How will we ever top this year’s trip?” Then we realized, we won’t, YOU WILL! We invite you to join us next year for Chicks on Sticks and Mom’s Day Off at Bromley Mountain. So gather your friends and put a bus trip together from your favorite ski shop or as a member of a club. Whether you are “wild woman of winter” or “sassy skier at seventy,” we will all share the experience of skiing together for a really good cause.

Terri-Lynn Pellegri is a freelance photographer and resides in Saratoga Springs. She is employed at the Alpine Sport Shop and is passionate about skiing, hiking and traveling.

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