To be weather wise, one does need to know how to dress for it. I am less weather wise when it comes to dressing for hot weather. I suppose that exposed skin is deleterious, but I do not know. Some would envy this. I do know how to dress for cold weather. The answer is layers. Outer layers keep the wind out and inner layers insulate and allow for what I’m going to call porosity. Now watch, everyone is going to pick up on this word.

Wool socks keep the feet and toes warm, as do wool hats and mittens. I have yet to find mittens that are both warm and thin - - thinner mitts are easier to deal with when fastening halter buckles and opening gate latches.

Dressed for the weather

I thought about all this today, as we were cross country skiing up at Hatcher Pass, on the Archangel Trail. The downside was that this is a very well-travelled trail, and by noon it was pretty chewed up. It also is along a straightaway, which can be somewhat monotonous. To add to the perceived downside, this is a groomed trail, and as such, it is best suited for those with thin skis. I wore my new backcountry skis – a big mistake. I should have brought along my groomed trail skis. I was excruciating slow – we were with our friends Brian and Judy who moved right along. I later said that I felt like the weak link in the chain. I don’t like being the weak link. It’s not my speed.

On the upside – beautiful scenery – the blue sky against the white mountains, a clear day, not too cold. We live on the front side of the Talkeetna Range; the middle side is Hatcher Pass. It has the most breathtaking views in the world. And, I was dressed properly, which at the time I took for granted.

I watched some go up a side hill and was envious. I am less and less inclined to want to ski on groomed trails.

After, we four went to the Valley Hotel – the Va Ho, for lunch. I had tomato bisque soup. I was envisioning it being like the tomato bisque soup at Sheep Mountain. That soup was made with homemade tomatoes. It was memorable. I had the same in Dylan, Montana, which was equally memorable. But this soup – yeech.

And after, we went to the Palmer Train Depot for a benefit concert for the Friends of the Palmer Public Library. We were late because we’d gone over to the Meeting House. I quickly located Logan and talked with him and his wife Lynsey about the six minute video trailer that he is making for us. And I talked with Rachel who is the head of the Friends of the Palmer Public Library. I gave her our card and she said that we’d work together. I have my fingers crossed that I’ll hear back from her. This, giving the library patrons an assist, is the direction I want to go in with this sort of work.

Lastly, we took our friend Gene over to the Meeting House and we went downstairs, and he picked out some books from the downstairs nonfiction area. Hard to explain, but the downstairs area seems to have an ambiance that the upstairs area lacks. Gene, Pete, and I were there a long time.

Coming home, the temperature dropped. I, who am weather wise, had the right number of layers on in tending to my animals.

Next: 51. 2/20/23: Move Decisively, Move Fast