Courtesy of brian mohr / emberphoto.com
!BARBARA THOMKE, 62, JERICHO
Public Relations, Smuggler’s Notch Resort
In 1969, I came to Vermont from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, to be a ski bum at Stowe. I ended up
marrying a fellow, Horst Thomke, whom I had met my first night as a cocktail waitress at the Grand
Motor Inn. I didn’t have a car and he invited me skiing for my birthday—how could I refuse? We
both taught at the Stowe Ski School while Horst moonlighted at night, playing the piano. Then we
ran a lodge and restaurant in Jeffersonville—L’Auberge Chez Moustache, named after a café in Irma La
Douce- and Horst’s mustache. Horst was on the ski patrol and one day we were sweeping on Sterling
and I couldn’t see him at our usual spot. He had had a slight stroke and died 10 days later.
After running the restaurant and working at the homeowners’ association, I started working in PR for
Smuggler’s Notch in 1990. The rural life has gotten into my blood. I learned to ride horses here; I’ve
kayaked, canoed, hiked and learned how to cross-country ski. If you have an adventuresome spirit, even
a little one, it gets awakened here. Plus all the culture in Burlington and all the artisans—Vermont is so
rich in so many ways.
ToP TrAiL: Well, Thomke’s Trail at Smugg’s, named after Horst. Plus Black Bear, a narrow little scooty
trail that comes down Sterling. And the glades—I love our glades.
APrèS SPo T: For lunch, Green Pepper’s Pub (at Smugg’s). I have a lot of great memories from there.
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