Get Out

Spent yesterday skiing at Pine Knob with my buddy Josh. He took up snowboarding last year and the bug has now thoroughly taken hold. Every chance he gets, he's out slidin'. Pretty cool for a guy who used to not like Winter very much.

Recently I've talked to a couple of different people who were bemoaning Winter. After some discussion, they both admitted that it was likely influenced by the fact that they'd never found any Winter activities they enjoyed to pass the long, cold, dark days.

Do you love or loathe Winter? If you loathe it, have you considered some activity that would make you look forward to it? Is there something you always wanted to try but held back for some reason? There's so much you can do outside when it snows. Whether it's ice fishing, skiing, fly fishing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, or even sledding, I think there's something for everyone. An activity like this can make your heart soar when snow's in the forecast.

Key to success is comfort. Nothing will make you miserable and sap the enjoyment out of outdoor fun than being cold and/or wet (the two are usually strongly linked). I frequently see this problem in two areas: footwear and headgear. When over 70% of your body's heat loss happens through your noggin', a proper hat is a must. I'm a big fan of the classic knit cap -- I like hats from both Simms and Ibex. A word of caution here, plain fleece is a no-no as it's completely useless when there is any wind. Wool is warmest, but poly knits, or fleece with Gore Windstopper is great stuff. Now on to your feet. It's cold out, so good insulation is a must -- Thinsulate or wool are solid choices. And what is snow? Yup, frozen water. So look for waterproof construction. And style's not really the point here. It's about warm, dry, and comfortable.

So gear up and get out there!

-Sean-