Urban adventure: Exploring the first big snow

We had our first big snow of the winter here. It started out as rain on New Year’s Day, until a fierce afternoon wind brought cold, turning the rain to fluffy snow. This morning I woke to 8-10 inches of snow and temperatures that had dropped 20 degrees from the day before. Knowing that folks tend to overreact to the first big snow, in part fueled by media weather hype, I decided to check the cancellations before heading out. I only had a few minutes to scramble around to figure out if the gym was still open before I ventured out for spin class. Five minutes later when I realized I still don’t know how to find the channels on our new TV, I went to my trusty computer screen to see that the gym was still indeed open. Not much else closed, but still being holiday time, there was no school to cancel.

It was one of those days where people like me who grew up with snowy winters and knowing how to drive on snow are not alarmed. I spent the morning baking and watching the birds and squirrels trying to find the seed I had put out the night before. Later I went out to get some scenic photos and do some shopping. The park where I stopped to take photos was eerily empty. I made my own path slogging through the fresh, deep snow, even falling once, landing hands outstreched, the camera around my neck emerging dusted with snow. The busiest street in town on the way to Best Buy was strangely deserted. Maybe it was a combination of fear of bad roads, football fans staying home to watch games, and folks with no money left for shopping, but most people stayed in . I felt like an urban adventurer, having the city mostly to myself.