Wotta great season to spend in the north country. The weather was very forgiving generally – we often had days where we did not light the fireplace and not much snow.
Good news and no so good news that – unable to have a rink this year and a very poor season for sledders and downhillers. But for cross-country skiers and snowshoers it was fine.
Christy and I continued our cross-country ski improvement program. We took “classic” lessons every Saturday in January and “skate” lessons in February. These at Arrowhead via the local ski club which operates out of there. Great use of funds and time. Our form is good (Christy is a natch) and my skis are slooooooow – waxing did not seem to help. That’s my excuse anyway.
Just for fun we entered the famous Arrowhead Loppet race though we just did the 5K. Next year (with faster skis) we’ll do the 15K or 27K. Great fun.
Only one misadventure (so far) this winter. One Friday night when the girls got together the boys went to town for a burger and a beer. That turned into a burger, 2 beers and 4 bottles of wine. One the way back to the neighbours (for a final final of course) I was helping Marcel as he was staggering and I didn’t want him to fall and get hurt. Well he did fall, he took me down with him and I landed on my back on the sharp edge of a landscaping rock with Marcel on top of me. He walked away unscathed, I couldn’t even move for 10 minutes. 2 weeks of agony and 6 weeks later I still suffer. Idiot.
(Note here added in March after Christy read this. The idiot I am referring to above is me.)
Did one of two winter adventures I have been planning – not too late for the second maybe, weather will be a factor. Sunday the 4th of Feb we snowshoed to Glen and Beth’s place via Robinson Lake and the two ponds that are upstream of Robinson. Had to bushwhack through the swamp areas as none of the creeks were frozen enough to cross. All kinds of animal evidence but no sightings. Still a good trip but probably won’t be repeated, especially since we annoyed some landowners with our unannounced arrival.
Saturday night the 18th of February I heard wolves or coyotes on the island. Sounded very excited so I thought perhaps they had made a kill. On Sunday, a beautiful sunny -10 C day we snowshoed over to investigate. Tons of tracks but nothing more. C went back but I continued across the top of Big Island just cuz. Saw this beauty pileated woodpecker on my way to the lookout on the SW side of the island.
