Stephen, Joy and the kitchen staff were very good to us. Meals in particular were well prepared and presented beautifully. An evening lecture on the history of Quebec separatism filled many gaps in this American's knowledge of Canadian history. Hikes were strenuous as advertised but the walking alternatives were active enough to be satisfying. Ed Machak

I understand our host suggested initiating a program for single older adults and this was rejected. I strongly wish Road Scholar would reconsidr such requests. I am not suggesting this in some vaque hope of finding a mate, but it is clear that singles are somewhat a different breed, so to speak, and would welcome the the company of others with a similar lifestyle, i.e., being single, for whatever reason that is. I will seek out other programs that provide is experience, before signing on again with Road Scholar. Thanks for listening. P.A. Hawk

I enjoyed this program very much. There were two options daily: walking or the more rugged hiking (uphill, as I understand, having chosen the easier walking). I would suggest taking walking sticks if you have them, or borrowing some from the Lodge. Even on walking days there can be rocks and roots plus uphill and downhill places where the sticks are very helpful. After one day's walk we went into the charming town of Sutton. There are nice local shops, and a great gourmet food store. The food at the Outdoor Lodge is amazing! It is nutritious, filling, delicious and beautifully presented. I thought we were in an upscale restaurant. For our last dessert we were treated to a selection of local Quebecois cheeses, tiny champagne grapes and walnuts. That evening we celebrated my friend's birthday with the traditional "Happy Birthday” plus the staff singing a song in French. The Outdoor Lodge staff was very helpful, cheerful, and accommodating. There were several other highlights for me. The whole group did a day trip to Stowe Vermont where we spent a little time at the Von Trapp Family Lodge and then either hiked a cross-country ski trail or hiked a mountain trail. Another day, we walked from the Outdoor Lodge and had a wonderful 7mile (round trip) walk along the Missisquoi River with mountains in the distance. We learned about local history (houses, floods and interesting people); we saw butterflies, caterpillars, and birds (herons, kingfisher, goldfinches); walked through a few brief rain showers; and ate lunch behind the US boarder crossing facility. We then enjoyed an afternoon visit to two ice-cider facilities. Ice-cider is similar to ice-wine. Note: Read the directions to the Outdoor Lodge very carefully. There isn't a sign outside (to discourage casual drop-ins) and we drove by it twice.

This program is superb in every way. The hikes are beautiful and the program accommodates to both hikers and walkers. The setting in Quebec is rural, yet it is a cultural oasis in the Green Mountains. We crossed back and forth between northern Vermont and Quebec, which was fun. Joy and Steve are welcoming, well-organized and generous. The food is fabulous and healthy too. If you like to live in green settings with a river at your doorstep, eat healthy food, and hike, then this is the place for you.

This program was excellent from all aspects. The educatiomal portions were interesting and well done. The accomodations were very nice and comfortable. The meals were excellent, the best food I've had on an Elderhostel program. The walks/hikes were well organized and structured to accomodate the various levels of abilities of the participants. Lastly, our hosts, Stephen and Joy, were wonderful, and made the experience all the better.

We really enjoyed this trip. We saw beautiful scenery on the hikes. The accommodations were great! The Inn is a charming place to stay. All the staff members were exceptional. They'd do whatever they could to meet the needs and requests of the participants. The meals were delicious, like dining out at the finest restaurants. We felt well cared for on this trip!

I loved the hike. The idea of having several choices in degree of difficulty was great as my wife did not wish to do the hiking. She preferred to walk. Everything was extremely well planned. The food and accomodations were excellent. I thought the leaders were especially good . All three were well prepared and knowledgeable. we had quite a few laughs. I especially enjoyed the lectures and evening programs. They added a lot to a great hiking trip.