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Schenectady Wintersports Club

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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  • 9 Mar 2024 2:00 PM | Dorie Valenti (Administrator)

    We are excited to announce that the SWC picnic will again be held in beautiful Thacher Park, Horseshoe II pavilion in the town of New Scotland.  For more information see the Summer Picnic Event listing on the website.

    Submitted by Ellen Bidell



  • 9 Mar 2024 1:03 PM | Dorie Valenti (Administrator)

    The club had a successful Special Meeting on February 21, 2024 to vote on proposed revisions to the SWC Constitution and Bylaws.  The revisions were approved by a unanimous vote. 


    Board Member Bill Romania had prepared and presented a Powerpoint review of the proposed revisions to the SWC Constitution and Bylaws, which were last changed in January 2006.  Many of the changes were to bring us into the electronic age allowing online meetings and voting, and to conform to state laws regarding those updates.  Some updates were to reflect changes in SWC operations, such as making the Clubhouse Chair an elected position, reflecting its overall importance to SWC. And so-called “poison pill” provisions were added so that some outside group could not steal our club and its assets out from under us. The final vote was 55 for approval, 0 disapproval.


    Submitted by By Brenda Streed



  • 9 Mar 2024 12:59 PM | Dorie Valenti (Administrator)

    Great news! SWC is implementing WebRezPro, new reservation software replacing the BEDS24 platform during the months of April and May 2024.  The change will improve the user experience in making reservations, and improve the process for the volunteers who monitor bookings. The implementation is being led by Brenda Streed and Rick Cobello.

    WebRezPro will allow our members to enter their requests more easily, and also be able to modify or cancel their bookings on their own.

    The current BEDS24 booking form will not be shut down until 4/16/24 in order to minimize the impact to members booking the clubhouse during the ski season.  After 4/16, Rick Cobello will be the point of contact for all emails related to bookings and requests for new reservations. More information will be shared in April on how to connect with Rick.

    Rest assured that as part of the transition to new software, we will convert any prior existing reservations into WebRezPro. We will also plan to hold User Training Sessions via ZOOM to help members see how the system works, guiding them through reservations and how to make changes.

    We expect the project to be completed by May 31, 2024. Stay tuned for more info.

    Submitted by Brenda Streed



  • 21 Jan 2024 4:08 PM | Dorie Valenti (Administrator)

    To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Snow Trains, Wolf Hollow Brewing located on Route 5 in West Glenville, is developing a special brew aptly named “Snow Train ‘34”.  Owner Pete Bednarek promises there will not be a lack of supply for the new brew, a special cream ale that all deep powder ski enthusiasts should especially enjoy with a healthy head start.   Bednarek noted customers had been pleased with the success of “Ski ‘37” ale named for the nearby Wolf Hollow Ski Venture area, and we cannot wait for the new draft!


  • 6 Dec 2023 12:27 PM | Dorie Valenti (Administrator)

    TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SKI COUNCIL DISCOUNT DAYS, MOUNTAINS MAY REQUIRE THAT YOU SHOW YOUR DISCOUNT STICKER.  STICKERS ARE SENT OUT VIA SNAIL MAIL SO PLEASE PLAN AHEAD.   More information about Discounts HERE.

    On the Menu bar near the top of the Home page, click on the three bars next to the Directory, and select MEMBERS ONLY from the dropdown menu. Click the Discount Sticker button that will open the instructions for requesting your sticker(s).  

    Please note: if you are part of a family membership, check to make sure all family members are listed in the membership; we send stickers based on the number in the family.






  • 7 Sep 2023 1:18 PM | Brenda Streed (Administrator)

    Our trip to Telluride has met the minimum number of participants but we do have one room left...will not last long.

    Ski resorts want money in the bank.Our planning is now out almost 2 years!

    So...here is the question....

    As we start to look at trips for 2025, what are your top 3 choices?

    Your help is greatly appreciated!

    Thanks,

    Rick Cobello


  • 7 Sep 2023 1:04 PM | Brenda Streed (Administrator)

    Big Sky, Montana

    March 9 - 16, 2024  $1779 plus Air

    Big Sky Resort is truly one of the biggest skiing resorts in America!  Home to 5,850 skiable acres with 4,350 vertical drop, 34 chairlifts and surface lifts, and the Lone Peak Tram to 11,166 feet in elevation.  This resort has something for everyone!

    Book your own air, or take group air.  Air prices beginning to come down!  Expected cost $800 to $1000 for air r/t at this time.

    Package includes:

    • Seven (7) nights at the base of Big Sky Resort
    • QQ Hotel rooms at Huntley Lodge 
    • Daily hot breakfast
    • Slopeside Ski Valet
    • Optional Discounted Group Tickets at Big Sky Resort 
    • Choice of ski days or Ikon Passholders Access 
    • Optional Round-trip airport transfers between Bozeman & Big Sky Lodging

        Trip Leader:  Rick Cobello              

        Info:  Albany Ski Club


      • 22 Aug 2023 12:42 PM | Brenda Streed (Administrator)

        Updates on Summer Bike Rides

        So far this summer, SWC hosted three casual bike rides for members and friends, and all thus far have outsmarted the rainy weather!

        We have explored Zim Smith Trail (Round Lake),  Ashuwillticook Trail (Adams, MA) and on this last weekend the Erie Canal Trail section between Amsterdam and Fultonville, with 23 riders joining in!

          

        One major challenge in the first mile was a medium-sized tree that completely blocked the trail. We all worked as a team to get all bikes across, one volunteer sat on the tree as everyone pulled their bikes over it!

        We also stopped at the Schoharie Crossing Historic site and did a little exploring.

          

        These Saturday rides are organized for about a 20 mile route with side stops for snacks and refreshment, for all levels of riders.  This is a great way to make connections with other members, and friends outside the club.

        Our final summer ride is planned for Saturday September 16, 2023, location is TBD, and will be announced in the next week.


      • 4 Aug 2023 5:43 PM | Dorie Valenti (Administrator)

        Tips on Finding Bike Routes

        By Bill Romania

        My second favorite thing to do when I’m at the SWC house, after alpine skiing, is road cycling. In the springtime afternoons when the snow can get almost too dense to ski and the sky stays light until late, I like to head out on my road bike for a short ride. There are so many choices around the house, it really boils down to what route is best for the time available, my fitness level and how hard I’m willing to go. So selecting a route is the first thing. I learned the hard way that just heading up Route 100 is not especially enjoyable: Too much traffic moving too fast and the views leave a lot to be desired. I thought I had escaped those unpleasantries by taking a random turn to the south but managed to get myself and my skinny tires into a dirt road in the middle of mud season. It was not pretty.

        Since I don’t know the Stowe-Waterbury area as well as my home riding turf, I’ve had to seek out other means of identifying routes. Thankfully there are a few tools that help in this process. Google Maps makes finding suitable roads, and making sure they don’t dead end, easy but it isn’t always clear if the road is paved or not. There also is no way to specify and download a route to my phone other than the point-point shortest route. Map My Ride and Ride with GPS both allow you to create routes and download them to your phone and to a GPS-enabled bike computer. I can’t speak to the intricacies of Map My Ride as I use Ride With GPS almost exclusively. What I find even more valuable than creating a route is the ability to search for routes that start near the SWC house. I can then filter those to avoid dirt roads, rides too short or long for my needs and even climbing elevation. Thus I get the benefit of someone else’s experience and knowledge.

        There is another way to find routes via Strava. For those unfamiliar, Strava is a cloud-based social media platform for athletes of all stripes. You can find pros and your friends alike on Strava and see their latest athletic exploits. Strava has a feature that has garnered some infamy in that it tracks fastest time on segments of road. This has led to some pretty intense (some would say insane) competition to be King of The Road with the fastest time, especially on the downhills. But Strava has a feature that anyone can use to find routes. When you follow someone on Strava, you can see the routes they ride. You can copy the route to your account and download it to your phone. I’ve not done this yet but everyone tells me it is easy.

        If you don’t want to deal with technology and just want to go out and ride, I’ve accumulated a few basic tricks of the trade to avoid unpleasant surprises.           

        -If the road has hill in the name, believe them. It will be hilly.

        -Rivers carve out valleys which if not flat tend to be less hilly than the valley walls. Roads that follow the valley almost always are flat or near-flat with the additional pleasure of seeing and hearing i t running water. 

        -Railroad tracks also tend to be flat or on gentle inclines because the trains simply can’t climb well with a string of heavy cars attached. Thus roads that follow the tracks tend to be flat.

        -Bike paths are a mixed bag. When they are sparsely populated, they can be a delight. When crowded with pedestrians, dogs and children, they can be downright dangerous. I’ve been taken out by a rollerblader, a kid with training wheels and my own wife (ok, that one was really my fault) on bike paths so I avoid them.

        -If you end up on a very steep climb, intentionally or not, there is no embarrassment in turning around or getting off and walking up. Just be sure to make that decision before you are going so slow that you fall over. That is embarrassing. 

      • 4 Aug 2023 5:40 PM | Dorie Valenti (Administrator)

        Back from the Rough 

        By John Bidell 


        Ellen and I are enjoying our new found golf opportunities. Funny, with more play you would expect a more consistent and better round. Well, sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Golf season is like my snowboard season, by the last day I have finally figured out what I want to do and of course, have moved on to the next season. 

        We are up in Chestertown every weekend and I wanted to share some nice reasonable hikes that we think are great. Stewart mountain is a nice easy climb and is located off of White Schoolhouse road in Chestertown. Great view of Gore from the top as you look down on Loon Lake. When you get back to the car, you are ready for the next short hike. Kipp mountain is another great little hike and is about 1.5 miles north, taking the first right back on White Schoolhouse. 

        Now you have two mountains of the Chester challenge down. If you plan these hikes on a Friday afternoon, at 5, you can head to the food trucks at Brant Lake. Try the double cheeseburger on french toast. If the ride down the Northway doesn’t suit you, check out the camping on one of Schroon Lakes three state campgrounds.  

        Schroon Lake has some great spots for breakfast, and after homemade corned beef hash at Pitkins, head to the day use area over at Paradox State Campground for some kayaking. 

        Wow, all this activity has made you thirsty, so a stop at Paradox Brewery is in order. As I write this article a pop up oyster bar is taking place. Check the website, but the pizza is always good.

        One of my favorite beers in addition to Beaver Bite is, Get Off My Lawn. 

        Ok, time for an early night back at the campsite or if you are a day tripper, back down 87. 

        The last hike I like is the Hoffmans Wilderness Area accessed off of route 9, south of exit 29. 

        Nice walk not to steep, and easy to get back to Schroon Lake to stop at Flannigans for a beverage. 



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      "Schenectady Wintersports Club Inc." is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization. P.O. Box 2072, Wilton New York 12831

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