Winter One More Time

I always say that my favorite season is the one I'm in right now (for example, rain and mud is my current fave -- not that I love having to get toweled off everytime I come back in the house). However, this weekend, we got one more taste of winter, and boy was it fun.

In the midst of Mud Season, the way one experiences more winter is to go where it's still winter. And here in the East, that's in the White Mountains. And not just anywhere in the Whites; we had to visit Tuckerman Ravine.

Gladys and I served as important crewmembers of Tuckerman Mark Aiken at this weekend's Tuckerman Inferno. That's right: Mark is a "Tuckerman" -- that's what they refer to individuals who compete in all five events that make up the event (run, kayak, bike, hike, and ski). And, yes, individual women are "Tuckerwomen."

I am sure that each individual will tell you they could not do it alone; the crew is the most important part. Our crew consisted of Ali, Heather, Sheila, myself, and Gladys (Sarah was around for moral support -- and to give Mark a Coke), but, as I am sure you assume, Gladys and I played the most important role. Whenever possible, I attempted to sample any food items Ali tried to give Mark (I didn't want anyone poisening him) and we wagged our tails whenever we saw him.

Then we hiked all the way up to Tuckerman Ravine to see him ski. I have been to Tuckerman's Ravine before, but it looked alot different in April -- especially this April. There were crevasses and falling ice -- not really the sort of place dogs should be running free. And, sure enough, Ali had us on leashes the whole time until we finally started down. What does she think, I'm going to jump into a crevasse? Well, seeing as I didn't even know what a crevasse was, she might have had a point. Anyway, I doubt I would have jumped in one anyway; none of the tourists with food were hanging at the crevasses; they were all at the floor of the Ravine. Doesn't take a wonder dog to know that that's where the action is.

Anyway, I'm not expecting too much more winter from here on out, so it was nice to get one last taste.