A famous ski trail and a famous church supper made the perfect combination yesterday for 13 members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club.

After skiing the famous Ellis River Trail, the crown jewel of Jackson Ski Tourng, we capped that nordic adventure by chowing down at 2007's final Famous February Supper at the Bartlett (NH) Union Congregational Church.

Members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club pose for the Ski Bum's camera before starting down the Ellis River Trail at Jackson Ski Touring
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

I carpooled from Portland with Cliff Krolick, owner of Back Country Excursions, a mountain bike company in Parsonsfield.

Everything was perfect at Jackson Ski Touring: snow, grooming and weather. Jackson is the biggest and busiest nordic center in the East.

After buying our tickets and changing into our boots, we set up a car shuttle and skied a three-mile one-way warmup trip. We began at Black Mountain, then skied south down the Betty Whitney trail, The Wave and the Yodel before returning to the touring center for lunch.

After lunch we set up another shuttle, and skied the famous Ellis River Trail one-way southbound, about six miles from Dana Place to the touring center. The Ellis is perhaps the most popular trail at Jackson, and it's been written up in dozens of guidebooks and newspaper articles, including a few penned by the Ski Bum.

Bonnie Farrand demonstrates her downhill snowplow technique yesterday at Jackson Ski Touring
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Heather Chandler, publisher of The Sunrise Guide, ponders the bountiful sunshine yesterday at Jackson Ski Touring
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Kathy Kinch and Dave Benham pause along the Ellis River Trail
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Nearing the end: Members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club pose by the covered bridge over the Ellis River yesterday
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Nadya Pearson pauses before crossing the Ellis River covered bridge
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Doug Malcomb was one of three in our group using old wooden skis
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For most of our group, yesterday was a first visit to Jackson. The MOAC skiers were wowed by Jackson's extensive trail system, which begins in the village and radiates into the surrounding hills and river valleys.

Following our skiing adventure, we motored down the road for a gustatory adventure at the Bartlett Union Congregational Church, which has been putting on its Famous February Suppers for 47 years. Held on the four Saturdays of February, these downhome dinners are very popular with skiers, both downhillers and nordic enthusiasts.

After skiing the famous Ellis River Trail, the MOAC group moved down the road to the Famous February Supper held at the Bartlett Union Congregational Church, a favorite with skiers for 47 years!
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It's all you can eat for the ridiculously low price of $7.

Patti Janums relishes her cheesecake dessert
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It was definitely one of the best trips I've ever led for MOAC, so I think I'll make this famous-trail-plus-Famous-Supper an annual cross-country adventure.

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