Need for Speed

Happy winter everybody!

I feel quite sorry for anyone who doesn't have seasons--or those who fail to appreciate it when they do. Is it a pain in the ass to drive on crappy roads and scrape your windshield? Yes. It also sucks to have to bundle up like an Arctic explorer just to grab the newspaper.

But honestly, I'm having a hard time even sympathizing with these woes, because AWESOME.

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live

This guy says, "What? Hard to travel in the snow you say? I can't hear you through the sound of awesome!"

I'm no pro when it comes to skiing, but I do love it. And anyway, you don't have to love hurtling at deadly speeds down extremely angled slopes to enjoy the wintertime. Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing are just as enjoyable in their own way. If none of these interest you, then. . . well, you and I don't have much in common, but at least you can enjoy a hot mug of tea indoors while watching the snow fall outside.

Turns out, even the wussiest person who is highly susceptible to cold temperatures (read: me) can adjust to the cold. I have found out that the human body is sturdier than I ever would've imagined. It may not be beautiful, but dammit, it's resilient.

I only lost 3 toes to frostbite on this trip. Win!

This winter, I have backpacked overnight in -20 degrees F perfectly comfortably. Hiking out the next morning, condensation froze my eyelashes solid, and my hair was white with frost--but I felt just fine. I have skied in -13 F with formidable windchill, and still managed to have an amazing day on the slopes. I have gone for long walks and runs in the cold, and where my lungs once ached to receive that frigid air, now they handle it. The human body is an amazing thing after all.

It's easy to forget when you don't hold up to society's ideal, or even your own ideal. It really isn't about how your body looks. It's about what it can do.

Enjoy your winter :)