A memorial to a Views From the Top Tradition that has fallen by the wayside
Although Darren our founder continues to have birthdays, the long tradition of the Fall VFTT Gatherings originally scheduled the weekend closest to Darren’s birthday appears to have fallen by the wayside this year.
With input from Teejay, I have come up with the list of past events. I haven’t heard from Stan yet so I expect we can fill in the missing events as Stan was the only one that I am aware of to have attended all of the scheduled gatherings
Gathering 1 - Eustis - Cathedral Pines
Gathering 2 - NH (Crawford notch?)
Gathering 3 - Vermont (Gifford woods SP)
Gathering 4 - NH - White Birches Campground (thanks Audrey)
Gathering 5 - NY - ADK Whispering Pines
Gathering 6 - Eustis - Cathedral Pines
Gathering 7 - Catskills
Gathering 8 - Stowe VT (gold brook campground)
Gathering 9 - North Adams Mass
Gathering 9.9999 - NH (White Birches Shelburne)
Gathering 10- Banff
Gathering 11- Eustis
The history of the first event was that Ridgerunner suggested a fall event when the woods were a bit quieter and Darren was in the mood to celebrate a birthday. Prior to the first gathering, folks in general didn’t meet in person, they were just posters on a website. From the beginning, this was not an official VFTT activity, it was rather something that a lot of folks would attend and therefore it continued on morphing along from year to year. In addition to the primary fall events there were .5 events that were usually held in the winter.
During the original event it was decided by the group attending, that the event should rotate around New England hiking areas to give everyone that wanted to, a chance to participate. In addition to the primary gatherings, the concept spun off many sub-gatherings including the ADK barbeque, Pat and Audrey’s events, Sherpa Fests, UFC’s event and probably many others.
Over the years, faces would change at the events, but the format was pretty standard, early birds would arrive on Thursday and hike Friday, most would show up Friday evening and probably stay up too late, Saturday would be a day of hikes of various lengths including some epic ones, Saturday night would be the pot luck dinner where all sorts of food and a fair share of libations were consumed well into the evening with the inevitable debate over if and when some of the hikers on epic hikes would make it back to camp, Sunday would be a late breakfast at a local restaurant then a long drive home.
One of the more interesting things was the diverse group that would attend. The ages have ranged from 10 to 70. I always found it interesting to line up a face and a personality with a member that I had read their posts for years. I expect many a long term friendship was formed around the fireplaces and firepits. I could go on about leather aprons, peter millers brownies, melted hiking boots, but at this point, here’s my speculations on why it went away
There are a lot more hiking activities these days in the fall. The flags on the 48 event that many VFTT’s participate in is normally the weekend before the gatherings.
This year there is another major activity that is occurring the weekend after.
The typical VFTT member has gotten older, there are less new faces coming into the site and the longer term participants have probably been to all the areas the events are held.
The shift in media to Facebook means that a lot of group activities that would be arranged on VFTT are being arranged elsewhere.
A lot of newer hikers are participating in Meetup events where they used to participate in VFTT.
For whatever the reasons, it was a good run while it lasted and maybe someday it will be repeated.
Although Darren our founder continues to have birthdays, the long tradition of the Fall VFTT Gatherings originally scheduled the weekend closest to Darren’s birthday appears to have fallen by the wayside this year.
With input from Teejay, I have come up with the list of past events. I haven’t heard from Stan yet so I expect we can fill in the missing events as Stan was the only one that I am aware of to have attended all of the scheduled gatherings
Gathering 1 - Eustis - Cathedral Pines
Gathering 2 - NH (Crawford notch?)
Gathering 3 - Vermont (Gifford woods SP)
Gathering 4 - NH - White Birches Campground (thanks Audrey)
Gathering 5 - NY - ADK Whispering Pines
Gathering 6 - Eustis - Cathedral Pines
Gathering 7 - Catskills
Gathering 8 - Stowe VT (gold brook campground)
Gathering 9 - North Adams Mass
Gathering 9.9999 - NH (White Birches Shelburne)
Gathering 10- Banff
Gathering 11- Eustis
The history of the first event was that Ridgerunner suggested a fall event when the woods were a bit quieter and Darren was in the mood to celebrate a birthday. Prior to the first gathering, folks in general didn’t meet in person, they were just posters on a website. From the beginning, this was not an official VFTT activity, it was rather something that a lot of folks would attend and therefore it continued on morphing along from year to year. In addition to the primary fall events there were .5 events that were usually held in the winter.
During the original event it was decided by the group attending, that the event should rotate around New England hiking areas to give everyone that wanted to, a chance to participate. In addition to the primary gatherings, the concept spun off many sub-gatherings including the ADK barbeque, Pat and Audrey’s events, Sherpa Fests, UFC’s event and probably many others.
Over the years, faces would change at the events, but the format was pretty standard, early birds would arrive on Thursday and hike Friday, most would show up Friday evening and probably stay up too late, Saturday would be a day of hikes of various lengths including some epic ones, Saturday night would be the pot luck dinner where all sorts of food and a fair share of libations were consumed well into the evening with the inevitable debate over if and when some of the hikers on epic hikes would make it back to camp, Sunday would be a late breakfast at a local restaurant then a long drive home.
One of the more interesting things was the diverse group that would attend. The ages have ranged from 10 to 70. I always found it interesting to line up a face and a personality with a member that I had read their posts for years. I expect many a long term friendship was formed around the fireplaces and firepits. I could go on about leather aprons, peter millers brownies, melted hiking boots, but at this point, here’s my speculations on why it went away
There are a lot more hiking activities these days in the fall. The flags on the 48 event that many VFTT’s participate in is normally the weekend before the gatherings.
This year there is another major activity that is occurring the weekend after.
The typical VFTT member has gotten older, there are less new faces coming into the site and the longer term participants have probably been to all the areas the events are held.
The shift in media to Facebook means that a lot of group activities that would be arranged on VFTT are being arranged elsewhere.
A lot of newer hikers are participating in Meetup events where they used to participate in VFTT.
For whatever the reasons, it was a good run while it lasted and maybe someday it will be repeated.
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