The Weather

This has been a very snowy winter. More than 175 inches of the fluff has fallen already this winter. As a snowboarder this is bliss. The cross country trails are getting filled in, as are the roads, driveways, and rooftops. It is remarkable, really. The snowbanks are massive. The tourists are shocked. Our snow shovels are getting a lot of mileage. We went from stepping down off of our porch to throwing snow over huge piles of snow. I get obsessive/compulsive about the shoveling our driveway. I like to sculpt the walls and make sure everything is clear and smooth.

Being outside in a storm is one of my favorite things to do in the winter. The wind and snow swirling around and a well-layered outfit insulating me against the cold. When I am snowboarding in the thick of a storm, the insulated gear, goggles, and locomotion makes me feel like I am just along for a crazy ride. Of course I am mindful of where I am going, but looking through the tinted lens and driving through snow that I have sprayed into the air makes for a surreal experience. With the storms rolling through this winter there has been a lot of surreality.

This is no good for training, mind you. But, C'est la vie.

Katie went out for a cross country ski today while Kai and I rallied on the sled. That is, I dragged him around the 'hood. On the way down the hill I was arching turns for Kai and he was fully laying over the side dragging his hands in the fresh. At one point I got him in a little too deep and he got his first face shot. Usually that is a call for joy, but he was none too pleased to have the tiny amount of face exposed to the elements covered with a thick blanket of snow. He got over it pretty quick once I wiped him down and was giggling as soon as we started rallying again.

So fun.