SNOW!!!!!! Finale....

Well, the last couple of days was a twofer. It was the first time we've been up to Vermont this winter and the first time I'd been able to get out in some real snow. Wednesday we got up to the cabin around 4:00 and besides unpacking, playing in the snow was number one on our things to do list. Jaedyn and I played in the snow till the sun went down and we couldn't dig anymore. We tried making some snow tunnels in the pile at the end of the drive way but it was frozen solid. Needless to say we didn't get too far. The remainder of the night we spent playing "trouble" and relaxing in front of the fire after a nice hearty dinner.

Thursday Jaedyn and I woke up early and had a protein filled breakfast and headed off to the woods for some snow shoeing. She seemed really into it at first but after about an hour she was pooped and bored. A little break was in order and luckily I'd brought just the thing, a comfy seat and some psittacosis. The break was short lived because she was still bored and wanted to go back to the cabin. Oh well, when it comes to kids in the outdoors you have to be flexible. Sometimes they can go forever but you also need to be prepared for them to be unenthusiastic and just want to do their own thing.

Friday was a snowy paradise that beckoned. After Autumn woke up I took off across the road and through the field. I followed the logging trail on the other side of the field down towards the river in town. Of course, when I have the perfect setting for pictures I forget the camera. I'll try to paint the imaginary picture for you... Frozen river, snowy morning, animal tracks to and from the river, snow covered trees and an old train bridge in the background. Yeah, that good.

So after taking in all mother nature had to show me I started to head back. Only I didn't want to take the same way back and miss calculated. So instead of coming out on the other end of the field I came out in between the two Fairbanks houses, three fields up the hill.


This is what time in Vermont is all about. Play hard during the day and relax well at night. Its hard to describe in a word or phrase but there is something that calms and recharges the soul when I've spent time there, whether its been a week or just a couple of days.

Cold Water Kayaking

Today started like most of my days do. Jaedyn wakes me up and we both struggle to get ready and get out the door by 8:30 to get her to school. On a rare occasion I'll I have time to actually put barrettes in her hair or pull it back into pig tails or something. Not today. It was "here, put this hat on, lets go!"

So after dropping her off I left the YMCA parking lot on my five mile run down towards the beach and back. It was approximately 24 degrees when I started and I think that might have contributed to me getting a 38.59, a personal best time. I figured the faster I run the warmer I'll get, and it worked. I just kept the pace going after that. My best time up until today was a 40.50 and that was the Thanksgiving day turkey trot race.

Now ever since I received a new kayak for Christmas I've been using my dad's 7mm wet suit to get in some cold water kayaking this winter. Needless to say it's too big and really warm. So I've been looking for a suit of my own that would not only keep me warm but not restrict the movement of paddling. I found that in the NRS Farmer John 3mm wet suit. Today had to be my coldest day out yet and the suit held up beautifully. I wish that I could have been paddling all day but I feel that if I was out on the water longer than 3 hours I would have gotten really cold. I don't say this because of the wet suit but because of the jacket I was wearing. The columbia wind breaker just doesn't have the water proofing abilities of a paddling splash jacket. (next on my wish list) Although the search for the perfect jacket is still a W.I.P. (work in progress)

Air Temp: 24 degrees
Water Temp: 33 degrees
Water conditions: Calm ocean waves
Trip type: Day

Although I know Autumn would never allow it but I found the cutest little wet suit for Jaedyn so she could come with me. O.k. maybe not when its this cold but in the spring or fall when its still cool it might be a good idea. I figure if I start working on her now, Jaedyn will have one by spring time.