One of the many reasons that I love living in California is that I no longer have to endure the long, cold, torturous, and numbing winters of the Midwest. Despite growing up there, it was simply not part of my DNA.
Sunny, 70 degree January’s are more my speed (Silver Lining). Sorry. I’m just sayin’….
Now that said, it appears as if the cold DNA skipped a generation because Finally Five is Jonesing for snow. In a big way. This is the year that we are going to take her skiing for the first time. Spring skiing, that is.
I’m not a skier. First of all, I’m terrified of heights. Secondly, every time I have ever been on skis, I have felt like I was taking my life in my hands. The last time I went…well, let’s just say that it was a complete disaster and I promised myself (and ever other skier whom I nearly killed) that I would never make myself do it again. Boy, that was sure was a big Silver Lining!
In addition to the practical Silver Lining of saving my own life (and the life of any people skiing around me), I found a second Silver Lining: Snowshoeing! The first time I did it, I was hooked. I mean hooked. Snowshoeing is an amazing aerobic activity. It tones your entire body while providing an excellent cardiovascular workout; it strengthens leg and heart muscles and improves delivery of oxygen to muscles. At moderate speeds, snowshoeing burns between 400-500 calories per hour. And the best part of snowshoeing? There is après-snowshoeing (i.e, hot toddies fireside snuggled next to the HOTY!).
To add to my Gift Guide, I found these FABULOUS snowshoes at Kaufmann Mercantile! They are made of ash wood frames and hand-laced with rawhide. Though they are a little spendy at $326, they will last forever.
Handmade in Shingleton, Michigan, these wooden snowshoes are made to float silently over soft powdery snow. Rather than sinking deep into a fresh fall, snowshoes distribute your weight over a larger area, so you stay on the surface of the snow rather than fighting your way out of it. I actually like to run in snowshoes (call it the back bowl double black diamond of snowshoeing!). These sound quite perfect for such an endeavor!
The frames of these shoes are rounded in the back and the front for maneuverability so you can walk between the trees in a forest, then across open fields or up and down gentle hills. And unlike aluminum snowshoes, the wood that these are made of is silent, so you can see all the rabbits, partridges and deer that you didn’t just scare away.
According to the website, the Bearpaw Showshoes are made by Iverson, the last wooden shoe company it the U.S. For 50 years, Iverson has operated out of a tiny town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, near Lake Superior. In the winter, winds blowing over the lake drop 400 inches of snow on the town, so they definitely know what they are talking about!
I think that one of the best gifts you can give a person is something that is both fun and enhances physical fitness, so these snowshoes are a real Silver Lining. Enjoy!
Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.
~Carol Welch
Love the snow shoes! I swear kids just don't feel the cold like we do! FF will love spring skiing… warm, sunny and less wind! I get it!!
Being from Vancouver, Canada, I love the winter season. I don't think it's quite as tortuous as the midwest. Most of our snow falls in the mountains which are minutes from the city. In summer, the Pacific Ocean and city beaches are beautiful too. I love Vancouver so much and I'm glad you're finally living where the climate suits you best! For you, everyday is Vitamin D day 🙂
Kim
Maybe THAT'S it…kids don't feel the cold like we do! I haven't been to Vancouver yet, but it sounds beautiful! Yes, I do love Vitamin D!