Beating the Winter Blahs
One of the great things about living in New England is the continual seasonal changes we experience. Unfortunately, winter seems to last a bit longer than the other three seasons. Now is the time of year, some of us start to get cabin fever. You know you have cabin fever when the first part of the Sunday newspaper you read is the travel section. For those of us who are not fortunate enough to have plane tickets to Hawaii in our possession, winter outdoor activities here in Maine can be vitalizing. Here are a few ideas that may stimulate you to venture outside and enjoy winter a bit more.
Walk the beach! Long Sands is almost two miles long and frequently in the winter you’ll be the only one on the beach. The solitude mixed with the cold, fresh air and lack of tourists is definitely invigorating. If you do happen to get lonely, bring some crackers or bread along; the seagulls will most certainly keep you company.
Go ice skating! When was the last time you strapped on the old skates. I went skating last week for the first time in seven years and found it to be like riding a bike again. A little wobbly at first, but after a few minutes, I looked like Wayne Gretzsky (well almost). We measured the ice to be ten inches thick on the lake but this doesn’t mean that all local ice is this safe. Always know what you are skating on and beware of any running water below the ice. A rule of thumb is that ice must be at least two inches thick to hold a group of people. My rule is I do not go on the ice unless it is four inches thick.
Hit the slopes! While skiing is not exactly free, there is a local area where you can ski for five dollars. Powder House Hill in South Berwick is just fifteen minutes from York. While there is only a rope tow and an entire run takes about one minute, it’s a great place to learn to ski or snowboard. I learned to snowboard there last winter. I figured, why spend fifty dollars for a lift ticket when I could hurt myself just as easily for five dollars at Powder House Hill. Just one piece of advice; If you do go, wear thick, leather gloves, as the tow rope has a tendency to tear more delicate gloves after two or three runs. There also is a nice sledding hill just next door to the ski slope. There is no charge to use the sledding hill.
The the key to enjoying the outdoors in the winter months is to be dressed correctly. Dressing in layers has a far better insulating effect than just wearing one heavy coat. Keep this in mind as you try some of these activities and above all, have fun.
