In two more days the Ski Museum of Maine will open its doors in Farmington, and all are invited to attend its open house.

The initial exhibit focuses on gear and apparel made in Maine, much of it drawn from the personal collection of ski maven Glenn Parkinson of Freeport.

Much of the initial exhibit has been drawn from the personal collection of ski maven Glenn Parkinson of Freeport
ALL PHOTOS SCOTT ANDREWS

Farmington ski activist Megan Roberts serves as SMOM's consulting curator.

Megan Roberts and Greg Sweetser hold a 50-year-old banner that has been donated to the Ski Museum of Maine

SMOM president John Christie and board member Peter Hussey check out a pair of Peter's old skis

The Ski Museum of Maine is located at Church Street Commons, 109 Church St. in Farmington. It's about 150 feet from Route 4, the main route to Sugarloaf/USA and Saddleback.

The open house is scheduled from 4-7 p.m. All are welcome. If you show up, it's likely you'll see your picture on this very blog! This Ski Bum, who proudly serves on SMOM's board, will be there with his digital camera.

SMOM doesn't have a regular website, but its Hall of Fame page on the Ski Maine website can be visited by clicking here.

Phone number of the museum is 207-491-5481.

The Down East Ski Club's Annual Sale was the focus of my Saturday activities, and I came home with a new pair of Rossignol cross-country skis and Salomon boots.

I bought these skis and boots at the Down East Ski Club's annual sale from Sarah Carter, daughter of David and Anne Carter
ALL PHOTOS SCOTT ANDREWS

My very knowledgeable salesperson was Sarah Carter, lovely daughter of David and Anne Carter, proprietors of cross-country ski shops and touring centers in Oxford and Bethel.

I was one of the many hundreds who bought gear at the sale, which was held at the Portland Expo for the second consecutive year. When the doors opened at 8 a.m., the line stretched down Park Avenue to the Sea Dogs' ticket office.

Arriving just about 8 a.m. was the Gervais family of Portland -- Joe and Linda and their two kids, four-year old daughter Eliza and son Owen, "almost eight."

The Gervais family arrives at the ski sale yesterday

The Gervais family with purchases

About two hours later the Gervais family emerged from the sale, gear in hand. Four pair of skis and boots! Linda told me that this will be little Eliza's first year on the slopes, and she wants to schuss on Elan's Barbie model skis. The pink graphics match Eliza's pink parka. You go, girl!

The floor of the Portland Expo resembled a sea of ski and snowboard gear yesterday

Lots of information was also available. Ski Maine Association was pushing its new Winter Activities book, which primarily emphasizes cross-country.

Saddleback and Black Mountain of Maine represented up-and-coming resorts that offer both downhill and nordic. Both have benefited enormously over the past few years from new owners with fresh ideas about enlarging and enhancing the ski experiences that they offer. The Ski Bum plans to visit both this season, so stay tuned for first-person reports.

Greg Sweetser of Ski Maine Association and Craig Zurhorst of Black Mountain of Maine check out children's gear

Joanne Taylor of Saddleback and Bo Bigelow of Ski Maine Association talk about children's programs

The day after Thanksgiving is the traditional start to the ski season, and there's no way I'm going to go shopping and battle the mobs in malls and big boxes.

I'd rather go skiing.

Although last week's mild wet weather put a temporary kibosh on snowmaking at most resorts, a few are now open in New England:

Maine: Sunday River and Sugarloaf/USA
New Hampshire: Bretton Woods
Vermont: Five Green Mountain resorts are open as of this morning. Check Ski Vermont's summary slope report page by clicking here.

In Vermont's oddity department, Okemo reports that you can golf and ski on the same day.

As for shopping, the big deals come tomorrow when the Down East Ski Club holds its 45th annual Ski Sale.

It's held at the Portland Expo Building (next to Hadlock Field/Sea Dogs) and the hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Down East Ski Club's 45th annual sale, to be held Saturday at the Portland Expo, is where the shopping action is! (Photos from last year's event)
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Most ski and snowboard gear is unsold new inventory from shops in the region

Count on about 10,000 items of ski gear. Primarily skis and snowboards and boots, but some poles, goggles and other accessories too.

Although the sale originated as a "ski swap," today most equipment is unsold new inventory from shops in the region. Less than half is used. But whichever you choose, the bargains are great.

Also some resorts will have info booths, and check out Ski Maine, which will be promoting its ever-popular statewide pass books and its new winter activity discount book.

Two officers of the Down East Ski Club: Gail Platts and Cheryl Ransom

Former Governor Angus King, a Sugarloaf regular, shopped for ski gear last year

The Down East Ski Club was founded shortly after World War II and has long been prominent on the Maine ski scene. The club owns a lodge at the base of Shawnee Peak and promotes skiing via trips and other events.

Yesterday was Sunday River's first full day of operation, and the Ski Bum was there to launch his own 2006-2007 season.

Carpenters and painters were still at work at South Ridge Lodge, where I picked up my All-For-One Gold Pass. Ditto over at Barker Mountain Lodge, base for skiing and riding. There are a bunch of cosmetic improvements to both base lodges this year, but it may be a day or two before the work is finished.

Two lifts, the Barker Mountain quad and the Locke Mountain triple, were running. The skiing was entirely ungroomed snowmaking whales on about four trails. Tons of fun, but for experts only!

Check the snow report for what's been groomed from today on.

A bunch of freeskiers and snowboarders found some interesting hits up near the summit of Locke Mountain. Talk about jumping for joy!

Jumping for joy near the summit of Locke Mountain on Sunday River's first full day of operation
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Young skier hits a jump on Locke Mountain

Practice makes perfect, and this boarder hasn't quite achieved perfection in his landings. But he's heading back up to try again

Both Sugarloaf/USA (which opened on Monday) and Sunday River will be open today. They're the only two ski areas currently open in the Maine-New Hampshire region.

Reminds me of our state motto: Dirigo means "I lead." Yup.

Give thanks for snowmaking as ski resorts start to open this Thanksgiving week. First in our region to runs its lifts is Sugarloaf/USA, which opened Tote Road from the top of the SuperQuad yesterday.

First to ride up, then ride down was snowboard rider Seth Wescott, a Sugarloafer who won the inaugural Olympic Gold Medal in Snowboard Cross last winter.

Olympic Gold Medalist Seth Wescott, a Sugarloaf snowboarder, opened the season yesterday with a ride up the SuperQuad and a run down Tote Road
Sugarloaf courtesy photo

The announcement was made yesterday afternoon by Sugarloaf's Bill Swain. He's pictured below with Olympic Silver Medalist Billy Kidd -- who's now with Steamboat Mountain Resort -- at the Boston Ski Show a couple of years ago.

Silver Medalist skier Billy Kidd (left) and Bill Swain, of Sugarloaf/USA, pose at the Boston Ski Show a couple of years ago
Scott Andrews photo

Give thanks for snowmaking this Thanksgiving week. Sugarloaf/USA is now open for the season
Sugarloaf courtesy photo

The SuperQuad will run 8:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.; early season tix are $29.

SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer will be coming to Sugarloaf, Sunday River and Attitash this winter, and they made a surprise visit to the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo last night.

SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer will be coming to American Skiing Company mountains this winter, and they made a surprise appearance at the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo last night
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American Skiing Company, owner of those three resorts, and Nickelodeon, the big kiddie entertainment network, have teamed up to offer a series of Family Winter Festivals plus some skis, snowboards and helmets -- all featuring the popular cartoon characters.

Hal Snik, a vice president of Nickelodeon, and Chip Carey, a vice president of American Skiing Company, pose with new kiddie ski and snowboard products that the two firms have jointly developed

The Family Festivals will begin in December. They'll feature music and family activities, plus of course, skiing and snowboarding. And live appearances by SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.

Hal Snik, a Nickelodeon vice president, and Chip Carey, an American Skiing Company vice president, noted that the partnership is a natural: It boosts ASC's stature in the family market, and it gives Nick an entree into winter sports resorts and gear.

Elsewhere at the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo, Ski Market was selling tons of gear and most of the resorts in New England were handing out information and taking vacation reservations.

Ski Market was selling tons of gear last night

Bonnie MacPherson of Okemo Mountain Resort explains what's new at her mountain to a young customer

Diane Dickerman, of Mountain Top Inn, and Jennifer Vincent, of Trapp Family Lodge, represent two of Vermont's tiptop Nordic skiing experiences

The Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo runs through Sunday. Click here for info, including a printable $3-off discount coupon.

The warm weather may have postponed the opening at Sunday River last weekend and could put off Sugarloaf's first day, scheduled for this Friday. Bummer, but skiers can still get psyched with the new Warren Miller movie, which plays Merrill Auditorium twice on Friday evening.

"Off the Grid" follows the usual off-the-cliff formula of super skiers making sick jumps in incredible places.

"Off the Grid," the new Warren Miller movie, follows the usual formula: super skiers making sick jumps off incredible cliffs.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF WARREN MILLER ENTERTAINMENT

And if the $20 price tag seems at first a bit incredible for a movie, do note that each ticketholder gets a free midweek lift pass to Attitash, Sugarloaf and Sunday River, plus a $25 off coupon at Arlberg Ski Shops.

Two screenings are scheduled: 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets available by calling 207-842-0800.

The Ski Museum of Maine is opening its doors for the first time on Dec. 1 with an exhibit that highlights ski gear that was made in the Pine Tree State.

Most of the stuff being shown for this first-ever exhibit belongs to board member Glenn Parkinson, a Freeport man who's also the president of the New England Ski Museum and the author of First Tracks, a book on the early years of Maine skiing.

The museum will be located in the Church Street Commons building in the center of Farmington, directed by Megan Roberts, a local ski activist.

Four members of SMOM's exhibits committee -- including Megan, Greg Sweetser and myself -- met with Glenn in Freeport to select and pick up the gear.

Megan and Glenn examine two items made in Maine, an early 20th-century ski pole (basket up) and a toy skate-ski
ALL PHOTOS SCOTT ANDREWS

Megan feels the leather toe strap on a ski that's about 80 years old

The shelf of historical ski waxes in Glenn's basement

The Ski Museum of Maine doesn't currently have a website of its own, but its Maine Ski Hall of Fame can be visited online by clicking here.

SMOM's online historical exhibit of photos of skiing Pleasant Mountain in the 1950s and 1960s, published last winter through the Maine Historical Society, can be viewed by clicking here.

Stay tuned to the Ski Bum blog for more info as SMOM's opening day approaches.