After Thursday’s short 4.35-mile snowshoe that felt like 20 from breaking trail through fresh snow, I knew I needed to return on Friday with a new plan and a better attitude.
Not that my attitude was bad on Thursday, but after I was done, I felt beat down and winter weary. That will happen in time, usually around late January, but right now it’s way too early not to make some adjustments to find more enjoyment. You know, sort of like life.
I took the day off from lumbering on Wednesday due to overnight snow, the need to shovel out a driveway, and a strong desire to not leave the house after I was finished.
So, today I was off like a herd of turtles at daybreak (two full hours after I woke), and eager to be in the snowy woods. Until I got to the snowy woods.
Lola (the dog), or should I say, Lola the Hairy Food Slut, was up around 4:45 AM this morning, WAY before my 5:20 alarm, wanting food. She was denied, but once you hear a, shall we say, “robustly built” bulldog rambling down the steps like a herd of cattle to do whatever a hungry bulldog does alone in a dark living room, you never really fall back to sleep. However, I stayed in bed just to prove a point—I will not be bullied by my bulldog!!
When I did finally get up at 5:20, Lola excitedly chased me around the kitchen and then ran outside into the dark and cold to do her business, completely oblivious to the two deer standing roughly 20 yards away from her. This was on the heels of a 25-minute growling stare down with a large block of suet my neighbor had put in his yard for the critters two days ago. Deer? Who cares! Block of suet? I’LL KILL YOU DEAD!! Or at least relentlessly growl from a distance, while looking out the door window, safely inside my human’s house.
Tuesday, 7:25 AM
I was up at my customary 5:20 AM to feed Lola and coffee up before getting ready for my lumber. Sadly, Ma Nature would throw me a snowy curveball.
4.25 miles, packed frozen snow, ice, and a “Real Feel” temperature in the single digits was all that stood between me and a W.C.A. [Winter Contingency Act] approved 25-Mile/5-Day Week.
Come early Black Friday morning, I was in the dark, frozen woods with my camera, happy and content with our Thanksgiving holiday (see below for more on that). There were no Door Buster Specials, no adults fighting for crap toys, and no signs of capitalism’s evil grip on society. Just crunching leaves, crisp air, critters, and miles to lumber.
The week of lumbering has been “good enough” so far, with 15.75 in thus far. However, I did break from tradition today and skip an early morning Turkey Day lumber due to blustery conditions and the need to go super early so as to finish before the annual Turkey Trot trail race. Having said that, as I type, Wifey is out doing a 3-mile training run in town for her upcoming Jingle Bell 5K. Chapeau my love.
Oh, that weekend! It was a good weekend, but to be honest, it had no right being so.
As I mentioned in the last post, Saturday morning, I was up at 5:20 to coffee up, and get down in the Not So Stankment to put a second coat of paint on the walls of B’s bedroom. I have to say it turned out pretty sweet.
Overall, my week of lumbering was good. There wasn’t a ton of photos taken, but I felt good and ended my goal-shortened week with 26.41 miles in my feetz.
Just as I was about to pull into the trailhead lot on Thursday, a large owl swooped out of the pines and off into the darkness. I was hoping that was a good omen for critter sighting during the morning’s lumber. Sadly, it was not.