The Flakes Just Keep On Coming

We've had many chances to enjoy our new x-c ski equipment.

Sometimes we ski in the rear of the Romeo house as Kathy is here.

And we've been to Stony Creek Metropark on their groomed ski trails.  We will stay on the easy ones for a while until we get better and more comfortable.

We restrict our skiing to temperatures above about 20 degrees, perhaps lower if sunny.  Our snowfall total for January is near a record.  And for the season we have had over 62 inches--last season the total was about 69 inches--according to one neighbor who measures each snowfall before he clears his driveway.

Hoping to get out this weekend... 

Weather or Not, We Ski

Twelve inches of snow a couple weeks ago, then a week of temperatures in the teens with an additional inch or so each day.  Follow that with rain and you have difficult conditions cross country skiing.  But we did that Thursday trying out our new skis.  Those  poor conditions gave way to above-freezing temperatures through today when 30 mph winds with gusts to 50 mph kept us watching the sky for falling tree limbs and branches and the melting snow.

When did it change?

Our three local television stations each devoted twenty minutes to the Valentine's Day snowstorm. Seems to me there are more important events to cover. Hope they know this is Michigan, it is February, temperatures in winter do get to single digits, and snow does fall, sometimes in great quantities. What would we ever do without the talking heads telling us to bundle up; cover our mouths, noses, ears; wear gloves? They treat us as though we just moved here from warmer climes to get work (we have a net emigration from the state). Condescending also comes to mind. But it must work for them financially.

The snowfall was magnificent. The new coating in brilliant sunshine begged to be skied. So out along the road one day--not good skiing because some of the road surface was uncovered with snow. Then on to the Macomb Orchard Trail. A rail-to-trail conversion, it passes through Washington Township, Romeo, and Bruce Township before turning generally east to Armada and Richmond. Only a part in Washington Township is open for recreationers so we skied a portion of that. Very cold but a vigorous workout nonetheless.

Finally winter

has come to Michigan. One of the reasons we enjoy Michigan is the four distinct seasons.

The first couple months of winter were atypical--10 degrees above normal, precipitation as rain if any, overcast making days dreary. In the last week our weather has returned to normal for late January--temperatures from single digits to mid-20s, snow at times that has finally accumulated to 6 or so inches on the ground, sunny and clear days mixed with occasional overcast.

Winter and snow means cross country skiing--our first of the season. With near-perfect conditions of sun and mid-20s temperatures, the snow crunched beneath the skis providing ample traction going uphill and adequate compression for downhill slides. Skiing requires using muscles in addition to ones normally used so later in the day a dull soreness set in reminding us to take it easy in our initial skiing periods.

The next week will continue with cold, sunny weather. Will get out for additional skiing sessions, hopefully on some trails so we can have views of different surroundings.