May's Newsletter

MAY’S NEWSLETTER ATA’s 2015 season begins May 22nd through October 12th Appalachian Trail Adventures (ATA) offers a distinctive adventure vacation with guided daily hiking, kayaking, and caving in the Green Mountains of Vermont that targets families and individuals who are adventurers, families, and those seeking an active vacation, including hikers who do not feel comfortable hitting the trails alone. ATA provides an affordable all-inclusive hiking or fitness vacation giving a real Vermont outdoor adventure. That’s why it has the best hiking vacation at the lowest possible prices, starting at $232.00 per night, per person, including taxes and gratuities. Unlike most spas, ATA’s owner John Keough is engaged daily with the guests, encouraging them on the trail and kayaking. ATA offers a variety of options to help customize one’s vacation. The most common is the Hiking Vacation that consists of an air-conditioned room with three daily spa meals, snacks, a guided novice, intermediate or advanced hike and an afternoon of kayaking, an excursion or caving. Massages, yoga classes and tennis lessons are available a la carte. 2015 Hiking Vacation Rates Nightly rates are per person, including taxes and gratuity. The Hiking Vacation consists of an air conditioned room at the Summit Lodge with three daily spa meals; snacks; guided novice, intermediate or advanced hike; and an afternoon of kayaking, caving or an excursion. Massages ($75.00+), yoga classes ($30.00), tennis lessons ($70.00) are available a la carte. Single Occupancy Double Occupancy 1-2 NIGHTS $270.00 $245.00 3-6 NIGHTS $265.00 $241.00 7+ NIGHTS $259.00 $232.00 The Summit Lodge Long considered Killington’s classic four-season resort hotel, the Summit Lodge is an ideal destination for your Vermont vacation that is why ATA has chosen it for their home base. Located in the heart of Killington, the lodge is situated high on a private knoll with magnificent views of Vermont’s second highest mountain and the surrounding Green Mountains. With eleven acres and forty-five comfortable rooms, the facilities and grounds are extensive including an outdoor heated pool, Jacuzzi whirlpool, saunas, weight room, five tennis courts, massage therapy, a library, two restaurants and bars, duck pond, game room, a bocci court, horseshoes and shuffleboard. A sit down breakfast and a bag lunch are supplied by the Summits chef, while dinner is served at the Foundry Restaurant. The Foundry Restaurant The Foundry Restaurant’s Executive Chef Sean Miller has created a delicious spa menu for ATA hikers who are seeking healthier meals. The menu is able to cater to special dietary restrictions such as vegan, low sugar, sodium-, wheat- and dairy-free options. This enables ATA to accommodate couples, athletes, weight loss vacationers, as well as all those with no dietary restrictions who seek to eat healthily. Located on the banks of the Summit Pond, The Foundry offers a distinct year-round dining experience. In addition to the ATA hikers’ menu, The Foundry offers two menu options: an American Bistro-Style menu in its formal dining room, as well as a more casual Tavern menu in the bar. Their impeccable chef-driven cuisine provides guests the finest cuts of prime meats, fresh seafood, homemade pastas and much more. They use the freshest ingredients to create mouthwatering appetizers, flavorful side dishes and irresistible desserts, designed to engage all of your senses. The Foundry experience focuses on providing un-paralleled hospitality in a warm and relaxing setting. In addition to its dining options, The Foundry offers live entertainment regularly and is host to many of the area’s events. Aeolus the beagle update: Aeolus was very excited earlier this month when the temperature hit 70 degrees and most of the snow melted. He was running around the yard like a rabid dog except for his tail wagging in pure joy. He was dashing all over zigging and zagging around snow piles, trees, car, etcetera. I think he knows that hiking season is coming soon. When I get ready in the morning to leave, he sits by the door as if he is expecting to go hiking with me. With the joys of spring came AeolusÆ first roll in a mud puddle. What a simple pleasure, winter brought with no mud for him to roll in. Here comes another season of him seeking out any puddle while hiking, he really enjoys rolling in them. The dog parks are all open, and Aeolus had 15 dogs to play with the other day. He is so funny to watch playing with other dogs. We also have one appointment left with veterinarian, he just needs to get one more vaccination for season. Aeolus is named after a cave where myself and a friend dug open a blocked passage discovering the largest cave in New England back in 2000. The cave is located just north of Manchester, VT and named after the mountain, Mount Aeolus. Aeolus or Eolus (Greek: Aiolos [jjolos]), was the Custodian of the winds in Greek mythology. A minor deity, he is the son of a king called Hippotes, and lived on one of the rocky Lipara islands, close to Sicily. In the caves on this island were imprisoned the winds, and Aeolus, directed by the higher gods, let out these winds as soft breezes, gales, or whatever the higher gods wished. Being visited by the Greek hero Odysseus, Aeolus received him favorably, and on the hero’s departure presented Odysseus with a bag containing all the adverse winds, so that his friend might reach Ithaca with a fair wind. Odysseus did as Aeolus bid, but in sight of his homeland, having been untroubled by foul weather, he fell asleep and his men, curious, opened the bag, thus releasing all the fierce winds, which blew their ship far off course (Odyssey X, 2; Vigil I, 52). Hiking Tip: After Any Hike: Clean Those Boots Cleaning Tips: Be diligent in cleaning hiking boots. You say you’re too tired after a hike to clean your boots? Then clean ’em the following day. Why bother? With every flexing motion, particles of dirt, grit or sand can creep deeper into a boot’s leather or fabric upper and grind away like sandpaper. Mud can suck moisture from leather as it dries, leaving leather less pliable and vulnerable to accelerated aging. Removable sock liners (found in some boots) or insoles are potentially machine washable. Check manufacturer instructions before attempting this. Always remove liners or insoles and let them air out. Tip: Never put hiking footwear in a washing machine. Use a brush to gently remove dust and dirt. Choose a specialized tool or an old vegetable brush or toothbrush. For maximum thoroughness, remove laces prior to cleaning. Add running water and a specialized boot cleaner, saddle soap or, if no other options exist, a mild dishwashing soap. Do not use bar soap or detergents; they typically contain surfactants that attract water; detergents may also include fabric brighteners that can leave residues. Mold on the boots? Brush in a mixture of 80% water and 20% vinegar. If needed, wash off the outsole, too. A tread cleaner can extract stones and other stubborn gunk that plug your traction-boosting lugs. If mud is really caked on, soak the outsoles (not the uppers) in a shallow pan of water for several hours. Then hose away the sludge. ATA’s Dvd Recommendation: More Than Honey More Than Honey aims to understand why the world’s bees are disappearing, and in the process provides an abundance of mind-blowing facts about the insects. For example, one-third of what we eat wouldn’t exist without bees. That figure alone should make getting stung seem like much less of a big deal. 2012, 95 min Healthful Living Tips: What are vitamins, and why are they important? There are six basic types of nutrients that are considered essential to life: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. These nutrients are needed for your body to function properly, and your diet is the source of them. Vitamins and minerals are considered micronutrients because they are needed in smaller quantities than the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat). Micronutrients do not provide calories. When your body does not absorb an adequate amount of any of the micronutrients, diseases can occur. It’s important to understand what your nutritional needs are and how to reach them. Vitamins are broken down into two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover amounts are not stored and will leave your body through your urine. For this reason, you must consume them on a continuous basis. The water-soluble vitamins are the B vitamins and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat, not water. These vitamins need dietary fat in order to be better absorbed in the small intestines. They are then stored in the liver and fatty tissues (adipose tissues) and can accumulate to toxic levels when consumed in excess quantities. The fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K. Recommendations for essential nutrients are provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) developed by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes is the general term for a set of reference values used for planning and assessing nutrient intake for healthy people. There are three important types of DRI reference values; Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), Adequate Intakes (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL). The RDA is set to meet the nutrient requirements for the average daily intake of nearly all (97% to 98%) healthy individuals in each age and gender group. When there is insufficient data to set an RDA for a nutrient, an AI is set. AIs meet or exceed the amount needed to maintain an adequate nutritional state in nearly every one of a specific age and gender group. Some nutrients can cause health problems when consumed in excessive quantities. The UL was set to provide the maximum daily intake that is unlikely to result in adverse health effects. Numerous health conditions, however, can impact your nutritional needs. A registered dietitian or physician can help you better determine your needs based upon your overall health and condition. Healthful Living Recipe: Broccoli & Feta Pasta Salad This vegetarian pasta salad recipe is perfect for your next potluck or as an easy side dish. The broccoli keeps it nice and crunchy and the chickpeas add protein. For the best flavor, combine the pasta salad with the dressing about 1 hour before serving. Makes: 6 servings Serving Size: about 1 1/3 cups each Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Dressing 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise 3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar Pasta Salad 8 ounces (about 3 cups) whole-wheat fusilli 2 cups chopped broccoli 1 3/4 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese Freshly ground pepper to taste Preparation: To prepare dressing: Mash garlic and salt in a medium bowl with the back of a spoon into a chunky paste. Add buttermilk, mayonnaise, oregano and vinegar; whisk until combined. To prepare pasta salad: Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and let cool. Add broccoli, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, pepper and the dressing; toss to coat. Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate, without dressing, for up to 1 day. Toss with the dressing about 1 hour before serving. Nutrition: Per serving: 264 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 14 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 6 g fiber; 457 mg sodium; 367 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (42% daily value), Folate (20% dv), Vitamin A (19% dv), Magnesium (15% dv) Carbohydrate Servings: 3 Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 medium fat meat, 1/2 fat. ATA’s Recent Press Release Vermont’s premier hiking spa Appalachian Trail Adventures announces an affordable hiking and kayaking vacation for the spring, summer and fall, please visit PRWEB to read the release ATA’s Facebook & YouTube Links ATA’s Facebook page helps guests keep in touch and recommend us to their friends. Check out ATA’s Facebook Page for weekly photos, videos and our YouTube Page.