Stick A Fork In It...

...the 2013 Ice Holes Pond Hockey Experience is done.  Sad, but every great journey must come to a close.  Although, I'm getting some pressure to start planning 2014 already.

As with any great experience in life, there are lessons to be learned.  So, what, you may ask, did we learn on this trip?  Here's some thoughts:

• Vermont is a beautiful, slightly hippy-ish, a little-bit redneckish, eccentric, windy, cold, colder, frigid (at times), friendly, gorgeous sunset-filled state that I'd be happy to visit again sometime.
• "Tuques" is pronounced "tooks", not "tookus" and is a type of hat, as opposed to the other thing.
• Burlington has some very good meatloaf.
• Poutine, a dish consisting of French fries covered in brown gravy and cheese, must be consumed within five minutes or it will set up like concrete.  Which doesn't bode well for what it does having gained access to your GI tract.
• No matter what your record is in a tournament, or what the tournament officials tell you, always, always check the playoff schedule to see if your team made it.
• A Jello shot must be properly "loosened" in the cup before tipping it up - otherwise you just look foolish.  If you are in doubt as how to best free the gelatinous inebriant, consult with someone under the age of 24 (but preferably over 21).
• No one call pull off the look of tying a scarf around your head, Rambo-style.  However, if you are on Social Security and resemble Colonel Sanders, this behavior can be excused.
• You should always keep your anger bottled up inside and never, never let it out.
• It is advisable to not duck under barrier ropes when you have something attached to the top of your head.
• If the airline loses your luggage with all your hockey gear, make sure you talk about that loudly in the bar bathroom.  You never know when a cast member of Slap Shot is within ear shot.
• Pizza, burgers, nachos, beer, and other bar food consumed on a hockey trip hold zero points on the Weight Watchers Diet, especially if you eat at least one salad during the trip.
• When skiing, don't ever trust those signs that say, "Easiest Route".  They are lying and enjoy a good laugh watching the suckers climb back out of the woods, skies under their arm.
• Tosslecap Karma is a b*tch.

I'm sure there are many more nuggets of wisdom I'm missing, but if you've learned anything from these, I've done my job.

Finally, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to OS and Linda for sharing their family, their family's stuff, and their old stomping grounds with us.

So, until next time, I'd like to say, "I don't always play hockey, but when I do, I prefer to play with Ice Holes.  Stay thirsty, my friends."