THE BIG ONE

The last couple of winters we hadn't really seen that big snow like you usually do. Last weekend, however, Mother Nature decided it was time unload a good one on us. For us it meant a healthy 10 inches of the stuff. As you already know I'm the adventurous type so you know I would be the one to take a long walk in the storm. I layered up with my Mt. Washington gear complete with down coat, down mittens, and even goggles to keep the eyes from being poked out by the snow being pushed by 30 mph wind gusts. I grabbed my hiking poles, stuffed my camera under my coat and stepped out in my 25 below Wildcat boots for a 4-mile walk to the interstate and back.

The storm was actually a two-day affair beginning Friday morning. It didn't leave a lot then but by afternoon had picked up considerably. There was a lull during the late afternoon then that night the sky unloaded. By morning we were up to about six inches on the ground. The winds picked up as well and drifts began forming. During the early part of my walk the snow came down heavily and needless to say there was very little traffic. What traffic there was was kept to a snail's pace with the road being just one lane. At one point I stopped and looked for a mile in each direction and there was nobody to be seen (that's the top picture). I have to admit it was kind of cool being there and hearing nothing but the wind blowing and the snow bouncing off your coat. Though I was out there in the cold by myself (but still feeling warm on the inside) I didn't feel in any danger.

By the time I got halfway back the snow began to slow down and people began the process of digging out. People were also doing a little more of getting out on the main road as highway dept. trucks worked to clean it off. And I did have a few of those people stop to ask me if I was okay along the way. I guess they're not used to seeing somebody hiking down the road in a near blizzard. (Of course I knew some of them thought I was completely looney toons too...which is okay. I've got a reputation I have to keep up with.) But it was a good workout for me. With some other big hikes coming up later this year those workouts will mean a lot when the time comes.

By the way, if you want to see more pictures from the snow storm you can go to our newspaper website at www.clarionnews.net. Go to the left column and click on Photo Galleries and just look for the word 'Snow'. I got a lot of pictures in those four miles.