With snow banks piled high outside her office window, Penny Pitou took a brief moment to reflect on hiking as a child growing up in New Hampshire as well as to talk about her upcoming summer hiking trip through Austria and Switzerland.

Pitou, famous for being a two-time silver medalist in skiing at the l960 Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, CA, hikes during the summer to keep in shape for winter skiing, both here and abroad.

She is very proud to have grown up in Gilford and, as a child, remembers the town as being a very peaceful place in which to live.

"I remember heading out first thing in the morning and not returning home in the evening until I got hungry. We would hike all over, but there weren't many trails then. There were no cleared hiking trails past Piper Mountain," she said.

Today, she hikes all over the mountains in Alton and Gilford. She said, "Hal Graham and the people that work with him have created so many wonderful trails across our mountains right here in town. The views are just magnificent. It's unfortunate that not many people know that these trails exist."

For more than 30 years, Pitou has escorted winter skiing and summertime hiking trips through the Alps in Austria and Switzerland. This year is no different; her annual hiking trip is scheduled for July 17 through July 28, 2008.

What motivates her to do this trip year after year?

"One of the women who went on one of my trips said that you get to just live in the moment. Our lives are so hectic these days; these trips allow you to slow down completely and forget about the usual daily stresses," she said.

She added, "When we hike, it isn't a race to get anywhere. The guides are just great and they take the time to describe the history, the scenery; the flowers. You really feel like part of the community."

Pitou, a delightful storyteller in her own right, is sure to add to this hiking adventure. Her extremely high percentage of repeat business proves that she makes her European trips completely memorable for all the participants.

For more information about this upcoming trip with Penny Pitou, please contact Kim Terrio of Penny Pitou Travel at: kimtpennypitoutravel.com. Registration deadline is April 1.