Date: 2008-01-01
To: Snowshoes: gear of the month
Miles today: 0.0

Its New Year's Day. The second storm is blanketing the drifts that blew in over the last few days. I have had an unprecedented 5 days off in a row, to visit Tom's Mom in MA and to see our kids off to Montana and San Francisco. We closed on the sale of the building on Dec. 21st, and I think we are still in a bit of shock about that. It means that I have the capital to make the trip possible. It also means that I have significantly less to pay out every month. That's a huge relief.On Christmas day Tom and the guys and I took the same trail that Jan and I did a week or so ago. Tom outfitted both of the kids with boots and windbreakers and gloves, and off we went. I loved being able to see the three of them all along the path, watching their gaits and gestures and remembering the earliest days in which we, as family members, were together. Like when they were boys, our sons tended to take the lead, and lobbed the occasional snowball at one another. Because the trip is looming, I felt a new excitement about being out there as a group, and felt some heightened sense of connection with these men and with the journey upcoming. Many of the hikers will be the same ages as they are, and because I love my sons, I tend to automatically feel a certain deep fondness for people their ages. I am sure you have all been waiting with baited breath: did she or didn't she buck up and give the snowshoes another try? Well. Here's what happened. Yesterday we had the most beautiful snow covered fields, around our house and across the stone wall as well. And the snow was fresh and soft and deep. So, I took Jan's advice, that same advice I so petulantly rejected a couple of weeks ago, and made a trail with my snowshoes all around the perimeter of this two acre field. The first round took 10 minutes, and I had to catch my breath indoors for a bit before heading back out. The field slopes significantly down toward the southeast corner, thus creating a quarter mile track with built in elevations and descents. On the second round, I did it in 8 minutes. Took another little indoor break. Now I was noticing that my legs and lungs were recovering faster as I tramped down the trailway. So out I went for three more rounds, all of which I was able to do in 6 minutes each, and no sit down breaks. YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! I was psyched. Every time I experience a slight increase in stamina or strength, I am beyond thrilled. In my last 10 years or so I was pretty sedentary, so to actually experience a rekindling of my flexibility, and physical capability, makes me super happy and very, very encouraged. Pan to a shot of a tree lined hillside field running uphill from the roadside at about a 40 degree angle. Its snowing out. The skies have that leaden cast that prededes a blizzard just the same as it precedes a summer thundershower. Tom, Jody and I walked up the road to the edge of the field and strapped on our snowshoes. We headed up the tree lined expanse, following a rough path Tom had created earlier this week. It took us up rapidly, and turning around at the top, I could feel the spaciousness of the surrounding area, even without a view to speak of. We angled into the woods, and began another ascent on a winding path through shrub pines and beeches, over barely discernable stream beds and over almost obliterated stone walls. I usually like Tom to lead, because otherwise he rides pretty close to my heels and I get irritated. As he wound his way upward, I stopped for a brief breather a few times, but without sitting down or lingering. The trail takes a steeper upward climb through boulder strewn woods, and emerges into a more level area where a woods road once ran. I took a mouthful of snow off a branch overhead, letting it melt slowly, and savoring the sky-like flavor and the intense chill. It was only a few drops in the end, but it was refreshing. After close to an hour of moving upwards, I turned around to head down. Tom went on to a landmark where the trail met another road, before turning around and rejoining us.Jody was just amazing. I expected her to do a sit down strike, since the snow, though packed, was still soft. She was post-holing to a depth of 3", which, relative to her leg length, is formidable. Au contraire: she bounded uphill between us with enthusiasm. Reminded me of those wolf scenes in arctic adventure films, as they clambor their way across the tundra, all muscle and life. I noticed that she slowed down a bit at one point, and seemed to be waddling and hopping awkwardly. As I came up behind her, i could see what looked like a a cluster of fuzzy golf balls clinging and swinging from her abundant underbelly fur. I scooped her up and pulled off as much of the icy wad as I could, given that some of them were stuck like glue to her downy undercoat. We made it down with a couple more assists so that she could walk, and Tom tucked her under his arm for the time it took to get back to the house.It was growing dark by then, although only going on 3:00. I took the dog in to shower off the snowballs in the tub, and she scooted under the woodstove to a her spot on the brickwork where its protected and exceedingly warm.Tom and I did some extra clearing of deck and van and walkways, anticipating another good foot of snow by morning. As inconvenient as heavy snow falls can be, they are spectacular events to experience. I still have that, "School's out and we can go sliding!" feeling, whenever we really get socked with it. I love having that same joy after 50 years, and from just a turn in the weather.