A friend and I decide to go snowshoeing today. It's still a little dangerous out there with tree limbs falling and all, so we opt for the scenic parts of a nearby cemetery. There are some trees, much open space, and a gorgeous stone chapel in the center (Tiffany windows, even). We need somewhere that has a lot of space because we are both on the mend -- she from a previous knee replacement and me from falling halfway down the stairs in the morning.
As soon as we get halfway through our trip, my leg sinks in too deeply to the snow, and my snowshoe gets sucked right off my foot. I dig my snowshoe out and notice that part of the heavy-duty Velcro is missing. Not really a biggie. I added the Velcro as an extra way to keep the excess strap out of my way.
My friend, who has suffered the same fate with the same snow-sucking drift, also loses her snowshoe, but we realize quickly that the buckle has cracked and will no longer stay attached to her foot. I could put my snowshoes back on, but I don't want to; my friend wants to put her snowshoes back on, but cannot.
Luckily, the chapel road has already been plowed out, so we kick off our snowshoes completely and walk leisurely back to the cars. We meet a woman coming the other way. She is walking two dogs and tells us that she has already done two circuits, one at a nearby wooded trail and this cemetery, and she claims to be going to another long loop right down the street.
Meanwhile, a giamundo branch snaps loudly and falls to the ground, heavy end first, piercing an ugly scar in the snow about thirty feet from us. Yup, probably time to pack it in, anyway. We've had a good snowshoe and a nice hike, all in the name of enjoying winter. If it's going to keep snowing, we will certainly do our part to make the best of it.
