Mountain Winter

 I wrote a lot about Winter last year, because it was right in my face for months.  It was so cold and debilitating - freezing our driveway, caking up on my car, piling on the sidewalk, and breaking one of our pipes.  I was not a fan.

Having Winter stay in the mountains, is one of the most wonderful aspects of living in Bend.  I don't want to speak too soon, because it can certainly creep into our valley location as well, but for now, it is in the mountains.  We went for a jog today on the clear sidewalks.  I can take the dog to the park where there is grass and we can throw the ball.  There is a lack of 20 foot high piles of snow in the parking lots or muddy slush on the sides of the streets.  All of it is sitting in the mountains where we can visit it and then go home.  

The other day, I think I actually began to enjoy Winter.  Winter sports have never been a part of my life; I grew up without skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, snowshoeing, etc.  My extent of Winter athletics consisted of me sledding down the hill in our front yard.  Staying outside felt like survival of the fittest before we could finally head indoors for hot chocolate.  We would push through to make snow forts or tunnels, but then spend the rest of the day recovering and letting our sopping wet snowsuit, socks, mittens, and hats dry out by the fire while our faces defrosted.  Enjoying Winter felt like a great effort both physically and financially: the gear, the stamina, and the ambition.

I have often heard in the West, when discussing winter warmth, "Well, if you have the right gear, you'll be fine."  I have been very curious to see how this opinion holds up.  In the Northeast, Winter seems to seep right into your bones, no matter how many layers of cutting edge outdoor gear you may be wearing - whether the sun is out or not.  I pretty much never feel warm when outside, unless I have loaded my boots with foot warmers.

However, Monday on Mt. Bachelor was blue skies and sunny.  I was so warm - in fact, sweaty - as I learned to snowboard for the first time.  It was tough and fun, but mostly hard.  Partaking of Winter culture was new for me - the lodge, the lift ticket, the people in their snow gear.  It was a whole new world.  And concerning the weather, from what I can tell, it may be true - if you have the right gear, you will be warm.  But we'll see.  There's still a lot more Winter to feel here.

I like you, Mountain Winter.