Bennington Triumph Bash

Hey Mark,

I really could use your help with a Vermont lodging issue (not related to the BTB.) I'm looking for a place around central VT to host a small group for a long weekend in June. If not Mark, anyone else with good knowledge of the unique, out-of-the-way lodging places in that are in that area is invited to help.

Ping me via e-mail please, as we don't seem to have Private Messaging on this board. kp.mitchell at verizon dot net

Central Vermont lodging? No idea, I'm afraid. Too close to home for me to ever look for lodging there, but too far for me to be familiar with the businesses in the area.

I'd recommend figuring out a town or two you'd like to stay in/near, then Google to see what's there.

That said, if you don't mind heading a little further north, I highly recommend The Gables Inn in Stowe. The owner, Randy, is a friend of mine, and he rides. He also cooks a thoroughly delicious breakfast.

--mark

What's your budget/idea of lodging?

Mountaintop Inn is outside of Rutland but up in the hills of Chittenden, VT. It's a place for destination weddings, etc. but they also have lodging ($$$). Half Moon Pond is an awesome state campground, quiet, near not much but pretty ($). Middlebury VT has a lot of options, from inns to B&Bs to motels to commercial options (Marriott) and you can walk to where you want to eat or drink from many of them. Ripton VT has a couple small inns/B&Bs as well if you want to be up in the mountains.

Mark's idea of looking where you want to ride and checking out the area is a solid one. My suggestions are based on living between Middlebury and Rutland on the west side of the state, FWIW.

- Spad

P.S. Oh, and happy new year to all!

Back a few years ago we stayed at Camp Meade in Middlesex and it was the PERFECT place for groups of motorcyclists. Little individual 1 and 2-bed cabins, being an ex Civilian Conservation Corps camp, a central location, a campfire pit and a decent, homey breakfast restaurant. Long gone.

We don't know how many might show up for this rebirth of what was an annual event, but let's say a dozen or so anyhow. We try to keep together in one place and it would be nice to have an outdoor gathering place (fire) for evening post-ride fun & games. We also need rates that the average broke rider can afford. so high end B&B's usually don't have enough room and are too expensive. A few of the people might like to camp, but it's a small minority and those folks had always caved in to the affordable accommodations at Camp Mead because of the overwhelming fun factor of all partying a bit together at night.

I'll look around using Google, I was just hoping some locals might have a "secret place" they'd be willing to share.

Thanks!
Ken M.

Cabins, or at least roofs, for twelve; a fire pit; and not overrun with other folks right next door. Check. No place I can think of off the top of my head, but it sounds like a great time. I'll repost if I can think of somewhere that fits.

- Spad

Yeah, I can't think of anything either, without camping at least. Especially nothing inexpensive. That's the biggest problem -- Vermont is such a popular tourist destination that accommodations are pricey.

I reiterate my suggestion of checking out The Gables Inn in Stowe. If you book far enough in advance, maybe Randy would be willing to put together a package of some sort for you. He's very motorcycle-friendly.

If that's too far north for you (though it's really not far from Middlesex), check out the Grey Ghost Inn in West Dover -- also very motorcycle-friendly, but pretty far south.

--mark

Makes me wish I had a piece of land, like an off-the-main-road pasture or hayfield, to put a handful of cabins onto. It would be perfect for this sort of thing and there really isn't anything like it around.

I wonder if any of the summer camps in VT consider renting out to groups during their off-seasons for the same reason. The infrastructure would be there. There's one that used to exist on Lake Champlain not far from me, but the cabins are piles of rotten wood on the ground while the lodge is a chimney. There's another in a nearby town that was in better shape (at least until the fires) but I suspect it's either closed too or put back in use for juvenile offenders. In any case, the time frame in this discussion wouldn't work for summer camps since June is when they'd either be opening or getting ready for the season.

- Spad

If you aren't tied to VT, you might look across the border in the Adirondacks. I hosted a rally in Wilmington at a combination motel/campground that worked very well. Lots of epic riding and easy loops from there, and food within walking distance. Also, the western side of the Adirondacks has some great, less traveled roads as well, and it would be pretty easy to find good and reasonable accommodations I think.

Sevy makes a good point. The Adirondacks would be a great location, with a lot more options along the lines you're looking for and awesome riding.

--mark

We're a group of Triumph riders who have a long history of riding loops around the central part of VT for a Saturday ride, then a big loop around the Northeast Kingdom for Sunday. We dip south from Derby into NH and run along the border, then back into VT around St.Johnsbury. With a member who has tragically passed in mind, we like to at least swing by one spot between Middlesex and Montpeculiar where we cast some of his ashes into the Winooski river in 2006. So there's some sentimental reason for wanting to center ourselves in VT.

I'll find something.

Thanks for the input though, I'll keep Adirondacks in mind for another time. I've rocked a lot of the roads around Lake Placid and I know there's equally good stuff over there.

Actually, given the locations you mention, The Gables in Stowe would be a great choice.

--mark