I'm lucky
We don't get to travel much—no destinations more exotic than Rockport—but that doesn't matter, because there's so much loveliness around here! On Saturday before lunch I took the dogs for a walk in the woods around the airport. It was about 10° and beautifully clear, with a couple inches of snow on the ground—well-packed on the paths. On the wide trails gently sloping among the pines I felt just like I was out at a ski resort! But one that allows dogs. Unfortunately I don't have skis (or, more precisely, I don't have boots) but it was still delightful. So much so that I went back again in the afternoon without the dogs and with my bike and did the same loop again.
just like skiing
The snow was perfect for riding on. Solidly packed and smooth on the unpaved bike path I rode on to get to the woods, and looser packed singletrack in the woods that made the riding fun and entertainingly challenging on my old-fashioned 1.9-inch tires. And it was way more exercise than the same loop would have been on dry dirt! As I paused at the top of the mountain (as we call it) overlooking the airport to basked in the afternoon sun, life felt pretty good. I sure am lucky!
the bike basking