A few favourite cold weather things
This morning I tried to defy the reality of the approaching winter season.
At 5:55am, I could be found driving my car down a black street pretending that I didn't really need to get out and scrape the frost off the windshield. With the windshield wipers slipping furiously back and forth over the icy coating, about 100 metres down the road, I gave in. That ice wasn’t going anywhere fast and I could run over a comrade in early morning exercising, if I didn’t stop to remove the blinding layer.
Too bad my ice scraper was buried somewhere in the “winter” cartons in my basement. I was reduced to using my fingernails to scratch away a viewing hole.
Tonight, I will have to face the harsh realities of the weather, take stock of all cold weather necessities, and remove them from storage - ready for action.
Here’s my initial list. If you have anything to add, please join the discussion:
Ice scraper for car windows!
Hooded layer for the first 10 minutes of warming up.
Gloves/mittens.
Vaseline for skin protection.
Clear glass inserts for sunglasses to protect eyes in the dark from cold and winds.
Layers for legs.
Layers for upper body.
Layers for head.
Layers for hands.
Neck warmer
Yaktrax.
Reflective vest (especially for dark, rainy nights…there are a lot of boomers out there driving the roads who have little/no night vision – and no night vision when it rains!)
And I’m going to get out the oats, too. There’s nothing like cooked oatmeal for breakfast on these cold mornings. Last winter I discovered maple sugar as a topping and I now consider it a partner-for-life to oatmeal.
Winter tips welcome here!
Lee
Labels: Thoughts on walking
posted by Wow Power Walking Founder @ 8:41 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Two questions, actually - what are YakTrax and how do you keep from slipping on the ice (or maybe that's what YakTrax are for?)
I nearly killed myself on 5k of black ice yesterday.
Darlene
Porridge.....yummmmmmm...question. What is maple sugar and where do you get it? We have maple syrup and brown sugar that we use but maple sugar sounds yummy. Nothing like a brisk, fresh walk in these winter temperatures that gives you rosy cheeks and a good sweat and then have it all 'fixed' with a hot shower and a green tea or latte or hot chocolate or great soup depending on the time of day I worked out. Yes, if you have all the 'seasonal' stuff ready to go, it really is not any different getting ready than the summer except may take longer.
Yes Darlene, Yaktrax keep us from slipping on the snow. They are a rubber lattice work item that fits on the sole of training shoes and up over the top of the shoe. The rubber is covered in wire coil that grips the snow and ice as you walk.
They work better than shoes wth spikes. They should be inspeced reguarly since the rubber can break down. And, NEVER wear them indoors - especially on tile. Your feet will slide out from under you in 0 seconds.
This is to be remembered when entering a Tim Horton's for a bathroom break on long walks!
Lee
Just read a tip for winter walking if you encounter 'ice' or the possibility of it - carry a small baggy of sand in your coat.
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