Just Life | Steve Tilford

It not a great week to be in upper Wisconsin now. Or anywhere around here. That is pretty much the overwhelming topic where I’m at. And it should be. There is a huge difference between 30 degrees skiing and -4. That is what the difference was between two days ago and yesterday morning. I went over to OO yesterday morning and tried to do a ski clinic with Yuriy. I left the warming hut and just skied a kilometer or so. Then we started going up and down a small climb. Maybe the third time up the climb, Yuriy told me I had an icicle hanging from my nose. Then he said I had frostbite. He took a picture and showed it to me. Man, the tip of my nose was leathery white.

I rushed back to the warming hut and took a couple selfies myself. I was mildly horrified. I’ve been in way colder temperatures that -4. I’ve skied a ton in colder temperatures. But for some reason yesterday, my nose didn’t have much circulation, so it froze up in less than 10 minutes. When I got back to the warming hut, it thawed out pretty quickly. I was worried all the skin was going to fall off, but so far, it’s all still there.

So, I came back to the cabin and sat around, moping about not being able to ski when it’s below zero. Because, it is going to be below zero a lot the next week. Late afternoon, Bill and I decided to put on snowshoes and go trail break. It is amazing how much easier it is walking where someone else has already walked. The snow is maybe 3 feet deep, but you only sink in less than a foot. If I had bigger snowshoes, then it would be shallower, I’d imagine.

Last night sleeping, the Kansas Garage was cold. Like less than 40 maybe. Our little propane stove didn’t hack it. This morning we could almost see our breath. Bill and I turned on the electric baseboard heaters. I haven’t gone back over there, but I’d hope that it is warmer there now.

It is supposed to be a high of close to 0 or maybe just -1. It is supposed to be 46 in Topeka today. That is 72 warmer than the current temperature here. Wow, that is a lot. I’ll get off this weather update posts after today. I’m sure we’ll come up with some entertaining outdoor activities that doesn’t involve freezing body appendages.

A selfie of the frostbite on my nose.

Over the shoulder shot of Bill following me snowshoeing.

The Kansas Garage. Notice my van is plugged in. It started right up at -28.

We had a few Kansas beers for the Bears vs. Packers game last night.

Current temperatures right now. Burrrrr.

I started a post a few hours ago about Dave LeDuc and the stupidity of a 62 year old dude doping. But, what a bad way to end the year. So, that will have to wait. Not that 2013 has been all that kind to me. I’ve been hurt and ill more than my share this past year. Hopefully, 2014 will be better. Anyway, I got my post interrupted by someone commenting on Strava that I had 9999.9 miles for the year. I thought that I was well into the five digits, but I think that Strava added in the miles I walked back in February when I was winged. Anyway, I agreed that 9999.9 was a pretty cool number to end the season with, but I “needed” that last push to 10,000. So I decided to throw on some wind pants and put on my MTB shoes and ride to Cable to meet up with Dennis, Trudi and Bill at the coffee shop. (Strava Ride Details)

It is less than a four mile ride, but the temperature outside was -15 ish. I was a bit worried about the frost bite issue I had on Sunday, but I figured I could cover up all my exposed skin. It wasn’t that big a deal as it ended up. It took awhile for my Garmin to find enough satellites to figure out where it was. Plus, the temperature was all wrong at 30 degrees. As I rode, it figured out where it was and the temperature got adjusted. My fingers got pretty cold, but it was such a short jaunt. Only about 3 or 4 people passed me in cars on the way in. They all looked at me like I was crazy.

Pulling into Cable, there is Gary Crandall, the director of the Chequamegon Fat Tire, riding his city bike through town. That was a little depressing. But, I got over it quickly. I rode up to Gary and said Happy New Year. We rode over to the Fat Tire office and took a selfie at -16. It is great seeing Gary. I meant to go back over and visit more properly, but got caught up with others, and by the time I was ready to head back, I was ready to head back.

At the Brick House, Trudi, Bill and Dennis were already pretty deep into some cinnamon rolls and coffee. They had a box from the post office that Michael Fatka had sent up from Ames, Iowa. It was full of Christmas presents. For all of us, plus Pete Caron. Just right then, Pete came walking in, which is just like Pete and me.

I’ve known Pete since I was a junior. I used to stay at his house in Western Springs, outside Chicago, when I raced up there. He was at KU when I did the one semester of college, then he did a stint as a Levis mechanic afterwards. He’s been up here since late 80’s and never left. He is doing carpentry out on Lake Owen now. A perfect job for him.

Anyway, we opened our presents and everyone got some FIT socks. It is weird, I’ve never heard of those socks before Christmas, now I see them everywhere. So, those guys took off, I caught up with Pete for a while, then suited back up and headed back to Dennis’ compound. I wasn’t nearly as cold heading back. I’m not sure what that is all about. My hands were pretty cold on the way over, but not at all coming back.

Tonight, we don’t have any big plans. We’re probably going to just eat, then snowshoe out into the woods and celebrate the New Year on a ridge a few miles out. It has always been great and is sort of a tradition at this point. The year is ending pretty great, I got a short ride in on the last day of the year. I should probably start out the year, in 10 hours with a little ride too. I can’t think of a better way to start out the New Year. Okay, last post of 2013. Hope you all have a Happy New Year and great 2014!