TRUCKING SNOW TO BOSTON

Must have been January 1980 – Les Otten called Sunday evening to say they were going to take a truck load of snow to Boston and dump it on the Common. Would I go? Not knowing what would happen Monday I hesitated but then said yes. Monday’s caravan to Boston consisted of Les, Dick Rasor, the Sunday River truck driver and me. Our contribution was a tarp to cover the load of snow. We drove to the Hill Top Steak House on the Newburyport Turnpike in Saugus. There we met a party from the Boston Ski Club who led the way in.

We, people and truck load of snow, landed in front of the JFK Federal Building and Les took off with the ski club people to get final clearance to drive into the Common. Meanwhile Dick Rasor and I handed out Bethel, Bethel Inn and Sunday River brochures to anyone walking by and in and out of the JFK building. A lot of interested takers but then some came back to ask if a Bethel vacation was free? When they heard No, some returned the brochures. After noon we headed for the Common with our load of snow. On a slightly sloping part of the Common in sight of the John Hancock building we waited. Some media people drifted in. About 3 p.m. the sun went behind the Hancock tower putting us in the shade so we waited for the sun to move. Fifteen minutes later, the sun shone on our part of the Common. The truck dumped its load of snow, cameras clicked and TV cameras rolled. We headed back to the Hill Top to get cars; the truck driver and I ate at McDonalds and three hours later arrived home.

Lessons learned: stunts work to a degree but for Boston skiers to come to Maine skiing they want to see snow on the ground in Boston.

Donald G Bennett

Bethel