Have you ever seen the slender branches of a tree completely encased in ice? Some of the winter scenes in the Northeast US can be breathtaking which is why winter is still a great time to get outside. There are beautiful scenes of nature to behold and challenging physical activities to get that winter blood moving. I haven’t gotten to try out my snowshoeing or cross-country skiing yet, but hopefully this year we’ll have a good, deep snow again.
Our local Rail-Trail council hosts snowshoe and cross-country ski events with equipment available to rent. If you want to try these activities before you invest in the gear, you should look up your local council to see if they have similar events.
There are beautiful scenes of nature to behold and challenging physical activities to get that winter blood moving.
Although we make the best effort to get out on winter days, the time is short. At the time of this post, sunset is before 5 PM. What to do with all these long winter nights? In our last post we suggested that you start planning your summer trips now. That is a great way to pass the time.
Another great way to enjoy long winter evenings is go snuggle up with a good book. Don’t just read any old thing, though. You can still cultivate the TRAIL FAMILY lifestyle while you kick back with a hot coffee and fuzzy blanket.
There are guidebooks to help you brush up on your survival knowledge. Even though we hope you’ll never need those skills, it’s good to have them stowed away in your memory. As the Scouts say, “Be prepared.”
If you are unfamiliar with Falcon Guides, I suggest starting with a few of these. They have books on just about every outdoor subject concerning the outdoors. We have a few about survival, and guide books about local flora and fauna.
Walking a lovely rail-trail in full bloom is much more enjoyable when you know what you are looking at. We took a guided nature walk last summer that was amazing. It prompted us to want to learn more for ourselves. Using the winter months to study on these subjects can enhance those experiences.
Winter reading doesn’t have to feel like going back to school though. There are many inspiring stories such as The Kid Who Climbed Everest by Bear Grylls and 127 Hours Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston. Reading about their adventures and hardships and inspire and teach. Nestled in a great story are many facts that will come in handy out on the trail.
You can also read fiction or poetry as well. Robert Frost’s poems frequently feature beautiful outdoor scenes. The girls and I memorized “Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening” last year. The words have come to mind on many occasions since. Perhaps you want a telling of a harrowing quest such as The Call of the Wild by Jack London. These will animate your spirit of adventure.
With so much to choose from, you will be enjoying trail and outdoor related reading all winter long. What will you choose? What subject interests you the most? What would you add to our list?
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