A day off and I can not afford to skip a walkie with the boss. She demands this of me no matter the weather. So off we went this morning into gale force winds along the coastline of Washington state. It was my bright idea. I thought that because it was a little windy that the two of us would enjoy a quiet empty trail... I was right. We saw only 1 other person because everyone else knows YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE INSANE TO BE OUT THERE!
This is how it went. I made sure I had the proper gear on, (please see the new, "Dispatches from BFE to the City" adventure series starting at end of this post)and we headed out. I felt like the wind was literally going to sweep my legs back and I would take off like a kite. What was the boss thinking of this wind? I looked over at her with her blown inside-out ears. She had a huge #$%&-eating grin on her face. Truth is, she really doesn't care as long as she's outside. She is a total outdoor enthusiast and she only puts up with my expletives because she loves me......Nice to be loved.
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| Brrrrrrrrrrr.
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Sometimes I think I'm not enough of a back woods, thrill seeking mountain adventurer for her. I'm always huffing and puffing after a 10 mile hike. She comes home and says, "Ok, what shall we do now? Come on, at least throw the ball awhile. PLEEEEASE?" She never worries about her "do" or chapping her lips or looking cute....She just is what she is and does what she does.
We put up with each other. It feels kind-of like the odd couple sometimes.
"Who's the cat,(or dog in this case) that won't cop out,
when there is danger all about?
SHAFT!
Right on!
And we can dig it! "
-Theme from "Shaft"
By: Isaac Hayes, the coolest
Dispatches from BFE to the City , episode one
Today's topic:
A WINTER GEAR GUIDE FOR IDIOTS
presented by: Getting Some Tail Dog Walking Services
P. Dog and I stood near the cliff, not too close to the edge because we were at least smart enough to know that a gust could blow us over the side. Sand was blowing up and over the ridge from the beach below. I could see the granules accumulating on P and felt them hit my face. I unzipped my jacket pocket and slipped the BALACLAVA over my head. No, I did NOT say "Baklava". A Balaclava is a ski mask. It is used to protect the face and keep the head warm. This protective clothing item has a long history with the military and police as either part of a helmet system or concealment of identity. Mine is polar fleece and I wear it over my entire face, only exposing my eyes. We walked on to an area with a long straight-away and that's when I saw him. A guy running towards us. He stopped dead in his tracks and I realized that I was essentially wearing men's clothes and a mask that has a reputation of being worn by criminals during acts of illegal activities. I shouted to him that I was ok, er a girl just walking my dog and er, a nice person. As he ran by me, he smiled an awkward smile and I giggled like an silly school girl. Can't be too careful these days, I guess. And uh, what in the world was he doing wearing shorts? Here is what I was wearing:
(sorry girls, this is not a fashion show)
Tops: base layer: not cotton. This is not your mama's long underwear. It's what the big boys wear.
Short or long sleeve shirt to wear over the top base layer. This can be stripped off if needed.
Wind breaking/water resistant, fleece lined jacket. For days like today. Hoods are good.
Bottoms: I'm not going to tell you what type of undies to wear, you figure that out! Next base layer tights. Mine are fleece lined. Sometimes I wear them under dresses. Love them in winter! If you are hiking in the mountains wear shorts over these. Today I needed rain pants over them, looked like rain.
Socks: light poly socks for wicking away moisture and keeping hiking socks in place. And a good quality hiking sock and water resistant, not too bulky hiking boots....Make sure everything fits right or you will suffer.
Gloves: You will regret it if you forget these! Fleece for holding the leash.
Did I forget anything?
Oh, yes.........
Tha Balaclava:
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| This is me. Be careful where you wear these. I hear they are illegal in France. |
Note: Fleece alone is not good protection agaist wind. In fact, wind goes right through it. Sometimes you just have to use what you have. This mask helped against the blowing sand, but then my face got too hot. This hat better suits lower temperatures. Also, the quality base layers come in temperature ratings and different weights. In winter here, I usually use the med. weight ones.
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| My frozen street in winter 2013. As I write this, the wind sounds like it is pulling the roof off the house. Wind at 30-40 mph according to NOAA. Me thinks it's more than that! May lose power tonight. Time to set up the wood stove.  And a  winter sun worshipping skinny feline Thanks for visiting.... |
