Mount Washington Valley News Brought To You By Horsefeathers

FRYEBURG MAINE - This annual event is held at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds and is one of the largest shows of its kind with more than 62,000 square feet of indoor home and garden related products and six acres of outdoor exhibits. From kitchens and all things related to the home to garden centers selling zone hardy perennials, annuals, vegetable seedlings, garden artists and other related businesses.
Meet the Chefs Cooking Series, Miniature train display by Maine Garden and Railroad Society, Seminars by home and garden experts and more. Experience hands on demonstrations for adults and children. Show Hours are 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.  General admission tickets are $8, seniors are $4, children six and under are free.  Info:  800-359-2033 or www.homegardenflowershow.com

2nd Annual Rally in the Valley: June 19-25, 2009 - Presented by White Mountain Harley Davidson and just 50 miles from the annual Laconia Bike week, enjoy a week of events geared entirely for motorcycle enthusiasts.  Surrounded on all sides by roads meant for motorcycles, Mt. Washington  Valley’s communities offer bikers the ultimate rally experience. Motorcyclists looking for lakes, mountains, hills, curves and beautiful country roads with breathtaking views will find it in Mt Washington Valley. This  official event of the Laconia Motorcycle Week features live music, cookouts, Poker Run, bike show, “Ride to the Sky” up Mt. Washington, special lodging packages and other activities for bikers in the valley. Click here for an event schedule or call 1-800-367-3364 for more information.

NORTH CONWAY — Conway Scenic Railroad will be opened weekends beginning April 18th starting with the The “Chocolate Puddin’ Express”, in addition to providing scenic train rides for its 35th season.  The 135-year-old beautifully restored Victorian Station is located in the Heart of North Conway Village in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire.  All trains arrive and depart from the North Conway Station.

On Saturday, April 18h ride the “Chocolate Puddin’ Express” to Whitaker Woods and then onto the North-South Road to Puddin’ Pond where Chris Lewey will give a talk on the natural history of our area-the Redstone Quarry, and the various plants and animals native to the area.  This train excursion will highlight the importance of preserving the beauty of the pond and its environs.   Departure time for this event is 11:30am to Redstone.   Proceeds from this event will benefit the North Conway Community Center and Carroll County Retired & Senior Volunteer Program.  Ticket Sales on sale on the web at  www.conwayscenic.com or by phone at 603-356-5251.  Walk-in sales commence Friday, April 17, 2009 from 10:00am until 2:00pm.  Saturday sales will be walk in only.

Join us on Sunday, April 19thth for a relaxing train rides along the countryside of the Mt. Washington Valley on the “Valley Train”.  Departures are at 11:30am to Bartlett an hour and three quarter roundtrip train excursion and at 1:30pm for a nostalgic 55-minute roundtrip train ride to Conway.

The weekends of April 25/26, May 2/3/9/10, Conway Scenic Railroad will be offering “Valley Train” rides to Conway and Bartlett.  Bartlett departures are at 11:30am while Conway train departs at 1:30pm.

Ticket Sales may be done for any event or train ride on line at  www.conwayscenic.com or by phone at 603-356-5251.

Ticket Office and Gift Shop open at 10:30 on Saturday April 18th, and at 10:30am on April 19th.  For more information call Conway Scenic Railroad at 603-356-5251.

By Tom Eastman - The Valley Voice - The Conway Daily Sun
JACKSON NH — Jonathan Sarty reports that the White Mountain Boys — house band at the Wildcat Tavern — had a great tour of Nashville in March and that they are looking forward to returning to the country music capital of the world in June.

The White Mountain Boys consist of Sarty, bassist Pinkerton and guitarist Josh Ramsey. Sarty also hosts the Wildcat’s Tuesday Night Hoot Nights.
“The trip went fantastic! We were very well received in Nashville by both audiences and our fellow musicians,” says Jonathan, adding, “We played several stages and had the great pleasure of playing with one of Loretta Lynn’s steel players and Ray Price’s newest guitar man, as well as many other fantastic players. We networked with a great deal of people in the biz and there are quite a few exciting things on our horizon. We have been invited back to town and hope to team up with some of the talent we met along the way for events in the north and in the south. This has been an awesome thing for the White Mountain Boys and has given us the boost we needed to take our band to another level. We are getting to work on our new video and audio projects and look forward to their release. We owe a great deal of thanks to all of our supporters who made it possible for us to give Nashville a shot and produce these upcoming projects. We will keep you posted,” he added.

NORTH CONWAY, NH — The Girls Scouts of the Green and White Mountains are planning another fun-filled vacation week at Cranmore Family Fitness Center , April 20- 23. 2009.  Girl Scout troops in the Mount Washington Valley, NH and area schools have been notified about this wonderful opportunity for girls to participate in a Healthy Bodies /Healthy Minds activities workshop during April vacation.  All girls are invited; those who are not currently in the scouting program can also register for the week.
The cost for the program is $15 per day. There is a one-time registration fee of $10 for girls not already in the Girl Scout program. To register, call Becky Wallace at 603-444-0038 no later than April 13, 2009.

The entire program, which began during February vacation week, is supported in part by a grant from the Kendall C. and Anna Ham Charitable Foundation to promote healthy activities for girls in the region.  The program will run Monday, April 20 and Wednesday April 22 for grades K-3 and Tuesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 23 for grades 4-6.
The program topics range from physical fitness activities and nutrition for healthy bodies to self-defense and self-esteem issues for healthy minds.  Girls will arrive at 12:30pm and participate in a series of 60-90 minute sessions throughout the day ending at 5:30pm.  Included in the activities are: tennis, swimming, a dance party, strength training, yoga, climbing on the rock wall and age appropriate games and physical challenges.  This is a perfect opportunity for girls to complete some of the requirements for physical fitness badges within the Girl Scout program.
Recent studies by the Girl Scout Research Institute found that “girls define their health in holistic terms and consider emotional and physical well-being equally important.”  This program at Cranmore is designed to help make girls healthier by helping them feel better about themselves.  The grant will be completed this summer as girls gather for a week of outdoor activities.
The Girl Scout council of the Green and White Mountains serves over 16,000 girls with 6,000 adult volunteers and staff dedicated to the Girl Scout mission as stated in their literature.  “Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.”Cranmore Family Fitness Center was excited to enter into this partnership with the Girl Scouts to provide the facility and trained staff to help girls achieve to their highest potential.

For more information on the Cranmore Family Fitness Center, visit us online at www.cranmorefitness.com or call 603-356-6301.

Looking for an exceptional adventure while raising funds for a great outdoor cause? The ninth annual Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon returns to Mount Washington Valley, NH Saturday, April 18, presented by the non-profit Friends of Tuckerman Ravine organization. New this year, Friends of Tuckerman Ravine is also concurrently presenting the recreational and less challenging Wildcat Wildfire Pentathlon, which will begin an hour later than the Inferno. Both events raise funds for the organization’s efforts to promote wise use of the backcountry and the preservation of the year-round Tuckerman experience. Both pentathlons are open to teams of five as well as solo female and male competitors, the latter of whom compete as TuckerWomen and TuckerMen. Individuals — Wildmen and Wildwomen — may also compete in the Wildcat Wildfire event.

Info: 603-356-0131 or www.friendsoftuckerman.org.

Is there interest in a community bike path? Over one hundred people showed up at The Moat Smoke House and Brewing Company on March 19 to show there is. The Mount Washington Valley Bike Path Committee hosted a “launch “event to present their vision of a nonmotorized, multiuse bike path linking the communities of the Mount Washington Valley . The first phase of this plan is to establish a corridor to connect Conway and North Conway . The long range goal of the committee is to establish a bike way from Madison to Bartlett .

Larry Garland, AMC cartographer and committee chairperson,  and Rob Adair, President of White Mountain NEMBA and Vice Chair of the Conway Conservation Commission and bike path committee member, started the presentation with comments about the vision and the proposed corridor.  They were followed by media presentations by Steve Swenson and Sally McMurdo showing bike paths in Europe and New England .  Earl Sires, Conway Town Manager, offered the town’s support of the project by suggesting numerous ways the community could get behind this venture.  Dave Kinsman, President of the Mountain Division Alliance, presented information about the development of a 52 mile rail-with-trail from Fryeburg to Portland , Maine .

Using a grant from the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund and donations from Moat Mountain Smoke House and Brewing Company, MWV Ski Touring, and Staples, the Mount Washington Valley Bike Path Committee was able to offer free skiing before the event, free appetizers, and brochures about the project.   Following the presentations, the overflow crowd joined in a lively question-and-answer session that showed their enthusiastic support for this project that would promote healthier lifestyles, instill a sense of community, and increase the quality of life for residents, visitors, and business in the valley.

If you missed the event or want to view and hear the presentations again, there will be a video aired on Valley Vision Channel 3 in April.  Contact committee members for the exact dates and times.

The next step is to form subcommittees to tackle tasks needed to make a bike path a reality. Volunteers are needed for: Public Relations and Media, Landowner Outreach, Fundraising, and Planning and Design. To sign up for a committee or to get more information, call local committee members: Lisa Holcomb (603-447-3443), Steve Swenson (603-356-9021), or Rob Adair (603-356-5214), or write them at info@mwvbikepath.org.  Visit the web page at http://mwvbikepath.org to learn more about the project and progress. Donations can be made by making checks payable to “Carroll County Conservation District”, Fiscal Agent for the MWVBP, putting MWVBP in the memo line, and mailing them to Carroll County Conservation District, PO Box 533, Conway, NH 03818.

The Mount Washington Valley Bike Path Committee members represent various agencies and groups in the Mount Washington Valley.  Nels Liljedahl and Debra Eddison from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services, as well as Joan Richardson, District manager of Carroll County Conservation District have contributed their expertise as well as office services to the group.  Rick Demark, USDA Coordinator of North Country Resource Conservation and Development Area, serves as a consultant to the committee.  Rob Adair, President of White Mountain chapter of NEMBA and Vice Chair of the Conway Conservation Commission, and Larry Garland, AMC cartographer, have contributed their technical skills and knowledge of the area.  Steve Swenson, Sally McMurdo, and Lisa Holcomb, members of local biking, skiing and running clubs, have added their enthusiasm and experience as cyclists to the group.

Picture (BikePath1edit.JPG): Mount Washington Valley Bike Path members at the event March 19. From left to right are Steve Swenson, Sally McMurdo, Larry Garland, Rob Adair, Debra Eddison, Nels Liljedahl, Joan Richardson, and Lisa Holcomb.

By Tom Eastman - Conway Daily Sun

CONWAY — No. 21 was definitely in the arena Saturday, March 28 — and in everyone’s hearts.
The community day held March 28 at the Ham Arena to honor the late William “Lumpa” Brett, 34, was a poignant celebration of the life of the fallen hockey player and all-around athlete, according to arena executive director Darrell Umlah, who said approximately 350 people attended the day’s events.
Brett, 34, a gifted hockey player and all-around athlete who loved skiing, golf and softball in addition to hockey, died from an apparent allergic reaction to shellfish while on a snowmobile trip with friends to northern New Hampshire Feb. 13.
Friends organized Saturday’s events to remember Brett.
“It was an amazing tribute,” said Umlah, who knew and loved Brett for his years of dedication to local sports, especially to young athletes whom he outfitted with sports equipment in his days of managing the former Play It Again Sports.
A team comprised of Brett’s former teammates from the original Play It Again Sports team lost to an all-star team of local legends, 7-6. The buzzer to end the scrimmage went off with 21 seconds left to go, in honor of Brett, who wore No. 21 throughout his career.
Players from both teams wore No. 21, Umlah said, who said the day began with a free community skate at 4 p.m., followed by a ceremony in which players from both teams appeared on the ice to take a lap or two in honor of Brett, after which Brett’s No. 21 jersey was retired and raised to the rafters.
Brett’s family was on hand, including his parents, Judy and Wayne, and his and Paige Carrier Wales’ 5-year-old daughter, Tatum.
“Lumpa’s original No. 21 Play It Again Sports jersey was framed and given to Tatum, and Lumpa’s parents and Tatum as well as a few other family members were given No. 21 jerseys as well from the game,” said Umlah.
Brett’s jersey joined the three other jerseys retired to the rafters in the arena’s 10-year history: late assistant director Dave Dore, late Notre Dame Arena pro shop manager and legend Roland “Mr. Hockey” Chabot of Gorham Hardware, and Alex Mitchell, a local hockey player who died at a young age.
Even though the event was not billed as a fund-raiser, Umlah says the day’s take in donations from well-wishers toward the newly-formed Lumpa Brett Memorial Scholarship Fund was approximately $8,200.
“It launched the memorial fund in a very big way, even though the purpose of the day was not to raise funds but to honor Lumpa and all he did for the community,” said Umlah, who was one of the day’s three speakers, along with Judy Brett and friend Mike Simone.
A moving moment occurred at the start of the game for the opening faceoff, when only four members of the Play It Again Team gathered for the dropping of the puck at center ice. “No. 21 was shining down on them from above, but there was no center for the opening faceoff,” said Umlah.
With the festivities concluded, Umlah said now the committee of friends which has gathered to form the scholarship committee for local athletes can formalize their intentions and get down to work.
“The idea is to award a scholarship to be given to a deserving Kennett High athlete,” said Umlah.
For more information about the fund, call Umlah at 447-5888 or Justin Frechette at 447-5538.
• • •
ARENA’S FINAL MONTH: The March 28 Brett tribute marked the start of a busy final month for the Ham, notes Umlah.
On tap this weekend is a “It’s Great to Skate: A Spring Skating Spectacular,” presented by the Mount Washington Valley Skating Club Saturday, April 4, at 7 p.m.
The spring tourney schedule gets under way this weekend, April 4-5, with the fifth annual Co-Ed Tournament, featuring 12 teams from throughout New England.
The 14-team Presidential Cup returns April 17-19, followed by the the Old Man of the Mountains Tourney April 24-26.
The arena will offer public skating during April Vacation Week, April 18-25, and will close April 26.
Looking ahead, the arena will host a steel drum festival May 3, and a Mount Washington Valley WMWV-FM Home Show May 8-9.
The arena is to present a jump rope festival June 7.
The arena is to re-open its ice sheet June 29 and will feature three hockey camps this summer, including one taught by former Boston Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek.
For more information, call 447-5886 or visit www.hamarena.com.

Photo by STEVE MCKINNEY/BIGDAWG.SMUGMUG.COM

Tom Eastman  - The Conway Daily Sun
April 3, 2009

CONWAY NH — SPRING, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS THE BEST TIME of the year to hit the slopes, whether for skiing or snowboarding — or for apres ski dancing.
Last Saturday afternoon, as part of its continuing spring fest, Attitash’s base area was turned into a scene from “Saturday Night Fever,” minus the disco glow ball (or John Travolta). Taking center stage at the base of Grandstand was the ultimate disco band, Motor Booty Affair, and from such classics as “I’m Just a Love Machine” to “Staying Alive,” it was a blast from the twirling disco era past for musicians and dancers of all ages alike. The highlight? I kid you not: Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” a song which is, well, just not cool — but an astonishingly refreshing and time-tested hit nonetheless, a guilty hit, if you will:
(And admit it, as you read this, your mind is already filling your ears with that catchy melody and words — you’re probably even singing along, just as the throng there at Attitash was, somewhat sheepishly, but loving it all the same as they glissaded with their dance partners across the snow as the afternoon sun bathed everyone in a warm glow):
“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only 17
Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen.”
•••
I know, it’s unbelievable now, and it was unbelievable last Saturday, too. Motor Booty Affair, dressed in their Afro wigs and disco platform heels and bell-bottomed shiny pants and rayon silk shirts, were stunning.Matching their audacity were members of the audience, who obviously came prepared for the ultimate outdoor spring apres ski disco party. I asked one literally (pink) wigged-out guy who had all the moves if it was OK to run his picture, and he said, “Oh my! I hope I don’t embarrass myself. I’m from England, and when I heard they were going to be here, we all went out and got wigs and costumes. They are truly terrific!” A blond dancing woman with a figure skater’s figure and the silky short dress to complement it and her dancing partner took the limelight at center stage as the personification of the Dancing Queen herself. It was like a time warp from the old days of dancing under the stars at Jackson Square (before the roof was covered over, and before the illuminated dance floor was taken out for Flatbread).
“Youre a teaser, you turn em on
Leave them burning and then you’re gone
Looking out for another, anyone will do
You’re in the mood for a dance
And when you get the chance … You are the dancing queen.”
•••
I walked into the men’s room after the show, across the street at Matty B’s, and ran into a 6-foot, 5-inch friend who we’ll just call Pete, and there he was, singing, “See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen.” “Hey, you gotta admit,” Pete said over his shoulder to me as I passed by, surprised by his enthusiastic singing, “it’s a GREAT song.” Some people gotta have more cowbell; for Pete and the dancers at Attitash, you gotta have more Abba and spring. Who knew?
•••
Carrying on the spring fun this weekend, April 4 and 5, Attitash presents its Spring Bash: Live music both days, wacky competitions, and lots of soft snow. On Saturday, pond skimming and music by Adam Ezra will be featured; on Sunday, there will be Attitash’s first ever Speed Bump Slalom with music by Sandy Money. On both days, marketing director Frank Guerriero invites all to try playing volleyball in your ski boots or hunting for treasure on the mountain and through the base lodges. Wildcat, meanwhile, keeps the spring fun going with a pond skimming contest Saturday, April 4.  Hosting spring splash parties last weekend on their final weekend were Black and Cranmore on Saturday, and King Pine on Sunday (the latter was in the rain, but no one seemed to care as they were all getting wet anyway). Shawnee Peak called it a season after hosting its American Mattress Race Saturday.
Looking ahead, Attitash is shooting for an April 12 closing, while Wildcat hosts the Yahoo Weekend and the Wildcat Wildifre Pentathlon as part of the Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon Saturday, April 18. Call 466-3326 or Al Risch at 367-4417 for details about these Friends of Tuckerman Ravine (www.friendsoftuckerman.org) fund-raising events.
Enjoy spring — and keep on dancing!
CAPTION
Motor Booty Affair lets off a little disco energy at Attitash as part of the spring fun in Mount Washington Valley (TOM EASTMAN PHOTO)