winter wonderland!

jessica and i moved to maine for many reasons, not the least of which was the promise of reliable snowfall, and all of the winter-time activities that require it. snow-shoeing, downhill and xc skiing, winter hiking, fatbiking, endurance shoveling, and the age-old pastime of betting on when the plow will come to the rescue.. and boy howdy, did we land up here in time to experience a winter to remember! bangor, me, our nearest metropolitan neighbor, had it's second snowiest season on record with 132.7 inches, thus far.

i write this, now officially spring, looking out my window at shoulder high snow on the lawns of our property. not where the plow shoved it, mind you, just as it fell. it's getting hard to tell where the snow berms end and the dirt begins on the shoulders. by most local's accounts, the soon-to-be mud season should all but dry out just in time to get ready for next winter's first snows..

while it's here, might as well enjoy it, right? i intended to. i got out as much as i was able, but not as much as i'd like to have, and not in as many ways as i'd hoped. a few aborted hiking trips in the whites and a stalled ski project, as well as all the times that i was just lazy..  now that the temps are rising, the snow receding, and folks are talking about, and prepping for, spring events and activities, i feel a sense of loss at the missed opportunities, though in a lot of ways, this winter was a crash-course in maine winters for the both of us, and we'll be better prepared for the next. in tribute to personal winter exploration and new experiences, i will continue this post with two of my most memorable local activities: the (unexpectedly) longest xc ski trek i've ever done and my first fatbike ride.

the frye mountain ridge.