Frozen!

At exactly 6:30 this morning, the alarm clock went off and Mike lazily rolled out of bed to get coffee and tea. I yawned, stretched and rolled over to look at the indoor/outdoor thermometer. To my amazement, it read a horrifyingly 19.8 below zero! Brrrr!!!!

For about 30 minutes, I thought that Mike and I would be much better off staying home from church and tucked under our electric blanket. However, Mike being the spiritual one, stated that if we didn't go to church, we wouldn't go hiking. So, I pulled off the covers, shivered once and headed for the kitchen.

If I was going out in this kind of cold, I needed a hot bowl of oatmeal to get started! After a quick breakfast and getting ready, we were off to North Pole Worship Center. By the time we got to church it had warmed up to 11 below zero. Can you say, "Heat wave?"

Once we left church, Mike and I ran home and began to prepare for our 6 below zero hike. What should we take? What should we wear? I had one thing in mind. Stay warm! I put on two pair of long underwear, two sweaters, a fleece vest, two pairs of socks, ear warmers, and a polar fleece hat. I thought to myself, "Okay, cold, come and get me!"

After Mike bundled himself up, we got into the car to drive to Cripple Creek. Within two minutes, we were both sweating. Mike swerved all over the road while trying to take off his coat. After regaining control, we were well on our way to our coldest hike ever.

At promptly 1:00 p.m., we met with six friends from the Fairbanks Area Hiking Club. Our intent was to snowshoe. However, the trail was well packed from snow machiners. So, we decided just to hike it.

Within 20 minutes of hiking, my hair began to freeze. Within 30 minutes, I was so hot that I had to take off my coat and tie it around my waist. How in the world could it be possible to be hot and sweaty at 6 below zero? Beats me! All I know is that I was hot.

By the end of our hike, Mike and I were pretty well frozen. Within a few minutes, the car was warmed, the heated seats on and Mike and I were toasty warm.

Any time you want to enjoy some extreme winter weather and beautiful hikes, come for a visit. I think we could arrange both!

Mike and Kristie have frozen hats and frozen hair.

After getting a little overheated, Kristie sheds her coat.

Mike and Kristie at the beginning of the hike.

6 below zero is a wee bit cold for hiking.

This frozen trail leads no where.