I haven't been in touch with Jan yet, but I'm sure the fest is once again to be held MLK weekend. I'm not sure of the date, my calendar doesn't show holidays. I'd kind of like to hear some input from the regular attendee's here. Would you be interested in a "informal" type dinner on the Sat. nite? I'd like to start lining things up, and thought I would get some estimates from some local restaurants for a buffet type dinner, if people would be interested in this type gathering. Then, cough, cough, our generous purveyors of ripstop will have a place to send their swag for the raffle? BTW, what would be the best cause for the raffle? Any suggestions there? With most of our accessible land being agricultural, I was thinking the County AgSociety Scholarship fund as a thanks to the farmer's who support our addiction, but I'm open to suggestions there, also. Sorry for the long post, Light rain, low wind....

Here's more 2012 info. Theres a great video on the site showing the terrain.
Jan 14-14 2012
http://tughillsnowkiting.com/

Nice site, big to the Masskiters for putting that together.

The saturday night dinner is always a fun event to attend. Just let me know where to go. I'll be there...

I met with Jan and Jackie today to talk about the festival, have some lunch, and assess the sites for wind direction. We also stopped at the probable location for our dinner, which will be The Ridge View Inn, which is a new restaurant just built next door to the Ridge View Lodge, where some folks stay during the festival. We will likely not be doing a buffet style dinner, but an order off the menu/pay as you go type meal. I looked at their menu, it looked like they have fine dining as well as sandwiches/bar type food, and prices seemed reasonable. They have several large screen tv's throughout the place, and it might be possible to hook in to their system, and put up digital video and pictures of the event, which I think will be fun. There is also talk of a raffle, with swag provided by some kite manafacturers as well as local businesses. Please register early for the event by filling out the registration form here. http://lewiscountyrecreation.com/departmentofrecreationaltra...
It makes the organizers job much easier and the chamber of commerce much happier to see early registrations, so please register, even if you are only just thinking about attending at this point.(it's FREE!) Bob

I'm sorry, I thought you could register over the computer, but apparently you can just download the form, and fill it out ahead of time. It will still make the registration process quicker, but I dont see how the chamber will benefit. I'll see if we can change that, to make pre registration by computer an option. Bob

It starts! (Let's hope it STAYS!!!) http://www.northernchateau.com/webcam.html

.... getting my gear ready .....lol

.

Can't wait to get up to the tug!!! Hopefully I can get there before MLK weekend and tear up lake Oneida and sandy pond. I hope to see you riding the neo this year Bob.

I seem to have caught whatever csa has... http://countdowndays.com/47864/

I see you have some snow. How much depth do you have? Shall we start planning a Christmas/New Years trip?

I wouldn't just yet... They had about 6" up on the hill at last check, but the forecast for this week shows most days in the 40's, and dropping only to upper 20's over night. We can only hope our Northern neighbors send us some cold air in an alberta clipper!

Small ponds are freezing around here but the one next door the kids got it covered with stones. They liked the sounds it made.

Did anyone reserve hotel/motel already ...... Where you are staying ??? room rate ????

I havent reserved my room yet. Need to make that call. Curious about conditions up there though... Any word on that?

Ridgeview Lodge reservations made , lake effect machine starting to kick in.

I checked the Hanno lot this afternoon before work, there is about 6-8" of snow on the ground there. Jan expects to ride somewhere in the morning, but I have to work in the afternoon, so I don't think I'll be there. Predicted rain on Sat. into Sun., then more snow. Soon...

Hey Bob,
It looks like Chris and Kevin from HQ Kites, and Jesse and I will be there Friday evening.
Not sure where we are lodging or hanging out.
Just happy to be at Tug Hill.

Looking forward to seeing you all! Only 8 days to go! Small chance of rain late Fri.-early Sat., then more cold and snow! C'mon Zephyrus!

Shaping up nicely for this saturday. Epic next saturday!

OK- so getting to be time to book a room. Looks like Kober and I are heading up together.

Where is everyone staying? I noticed that all the lodges on the TugHill event website are south east of the riding areas- but the "Base Camp" for this year is to the far North-West. Seems like Watertown is a lot closer to the main riding spots and has lots of accommodations available for 80-$100 per night or so plus tax.

There's a Hampton Inn, and a Hilton Garden Inn that both look pretty nice for around $100. You can do better than that at some other spots nearby. Anyone planning on staying in that area?

I'll be staying in Pulaski.

Oh- that's far... friends there?

How 'bout everyone else?

The HQ Team found a great lodge in the middle of the Tug Hill in Barnes Corner. Looking forward to seeing everybody!

Thanks for sharing Chris- details? What's the name of the place?

Well, it's a house really. But I've discovered that what they call 'em in the upstate NY. :tumble:

Chris.... this time party is in yours room.......

Well, today I met Jan, Jackie and Cesar, another kiter from up Jan's way, at a new location on the Tug Hill, actually just up the road from the Hanno lot. We hoped to get a session in, in the rapidly melting snow. This lot is really a couple of farms, whose owners also stopped by to chat. These lots together comprise about 1,100 acres of rolling hayfields interspersed with woodlots, hedgerows, and yes the occasional fenceposts/ barbed wire that you would typically find on a farm, but the wind (SW at about 15) was quite smooth and seemed to funnel through one of the dips, which we decided to call the 'tunnel'(for wind tunnel) Jan and Cesar got a pretty good ride in, quickly flying over the first ridge. I did my usual 2 fifty to one hundred yard runs, the second ended with me falling on my arse in a great puddle of slush, which somehow 'dampened' my enthusiasm for riding soaked, so I switched off to my Rush Pro, looping it to get scudding in the slush. If you google the area, it's just West of the Beetle road on the North side of 177. Since the State Troopers won't like us to park along 177, we will likely have to park along Beetle Road, and hoof it the .2 miles to the main event site. We are trying to figure an alternative, and will advise when I know more.
We talked about the conditions, and the forecast. This season has sucked for all of us that like to play in the snow, and although the long term forecast is a little sketchy, we are determined to hold this event. I will continue to post conditions, and if you use the NOAA, or other websites for weather, you can determine if it is worth the trip. I certainly will be hoping and praying for snow/wind, and request you all do the same. So we hope you will join us at the "Tunnel on the Tug" and bring as much snow/wind with you as you can carry!

EDIT: The new site is posted as site #6 on the map found here.
http://tughillsnowkiting.com/

This winter is disturbing , most of my kiting is done on ice and snow and I'm starting to get a little freaked out. Starting tomorrow and every day next week I'm putting on my big winter boots and clicking my heels together "there's no place like snow" "there's no place like snow"..........!

Hey Pat, I don't know if you checked the site #6 map yet, but I think with 5-6" of snow your snowspider will be a blast there. BTW, we were walking the Porter Road, and talking about how with a west wind and no snow, you could blast down that road in your buggy! :wee: