Step 18. Embrace the Cold.

So today it was -38, -43 with windchill. That is cold. That was so cold that it felt like my car had pebbles and corn syrup running through it. I thought it would be hard to get used to such shockingly low temperatures, but it turns out to be just fine, as long as you can find the silver lining. The cold turns out not to be a hindrance to adventure, so much as a catalyst to new types of adventure.

At -10 degrees it is life as usual. And so we are going to skip to the temperatures that actually turn heads.

At -20, you can begin to count on a clear sky. This is a good time to drive around with friends in search of the northern lights. Whether or not you will find them is another matter. Perhaps you'll see other celestial happenings, like snow angels.

"Hey Roman, you should make a snow angel! All Canadians do it!"

"Ja? Okay, zo here I goh!"

*physically challenging attempt at making an angel in 3 feet of snow*

"Ja like that Kate? You vill make one?"

"Do I look stupid?"

"I am going back to Juh-many now."

At -25 (-29 with wind chill), outdoor ice skating still counts as a (kind of) good idea. The windchill can really get to the face, however. After a while you cannot stop your nose from running, nor can you feel it. Please note, these were not our beer bottles.

At -30 (-35 w.c.), you can still go skiing. At this temperature, you can typically count on a clear sky. Frostbite on the cheeks is not unusual. Who doesn't love living 10 minutes from the trails?

At -35, you are still good for a solo hike, though you are better off to keep it short. At this temperature, you really don't want to expend a huge amount of energy or get your heart rate up. Breathing in hurts. If you don't want to get stuck “catching” your fiery breathe, you better not lose it in the first place. Sometimes the sunrise view is worth it.

As always, the camera fails to capture the beauty of it. It is just awesome.

As the cautionary tale goes, a young woman who was new to town went for a hike in these temperatures. She didn't understand the cold or hypothermia. After a little bit, she started to feel quite fatigued, so she sat down for a minute. That is where they found her body the next day. So I am careful.

At -40 (-45 w.c) you can barely hold the bolt long enough to lock the door without your fingers sticking to it. Nose hairs freeze between the car and the door. You have to run your car over lunch hour so it doesn't freeze up. The heat doesn't get warm till you've been driving for almost an hour. Your fingers burn. The metal of your earrings freeze while they are in your ears.

At -45 (WITHOUT WIND CHILL!!), you remind yourself you have nothing to prove, and hit up Starbucks.