Snow Rain Sleet, Repeat

For color, part of our vintage snowboard collection

And don't forget the fog.....I think that is the recipe for November.  We always remark every year that November is the worst month on the mountain.  There is not enough snow to go full out in winter activities, but just enough to make running, cycling, dirt biking, hiking, even walking the dog just a miserable or impossible task.  Though this week twice now I have risen to the occasion and gone out for two adventures.

You've seen this before?  Ya, I think I need new running clothes!

The first was a hike up my usual route to the beer can and then along the road and eventually just going straight up the ski slope through the area that slid a few years ago.  By then it was foggy .  The footing was about two inches of crusty snow which honestly, provided some traction.  Except for the spot that looked good but turned out to be a snow covered, ice covered boulder!  I fell down, like a clown....But it was fun! I made my way back through the slide , bushwhacking for a bit to the access road and managed to have some sort of workout for over an hour.

Yesterday, I kept waiting for the rain to end or change over but finally just went out.  I headed down the rail trail, which in winter is a groomed xc ski trail.  Once I got past the section where the local kids had been driving their lifted trucks the night before, it evened out and wasn't too bad.  No, I wasn't on skis.  I was running, like I was wearing army boots in sand....It was a blast!  So tiring though that I had to only run part of every minute, counting off the steps, lifting my legs high and then stepping where the snow crust was smooth.  I saw Bobcat tracks.  LOVE to see animal tracks....as long as they are small.

Anyway, that's November.  You have to either fly to Hawaii and forget the month or go out and make the best of it.