It isn't about the game. It's about a side trip we took, making the most of some nice early fall weather--shirtsleeve weather.
Lady V is talking about moving to Michigan (the far-away SW lower Michigan--believe it or not, it's only 24 miles closer than her SD home) and the topic of waterfalls came up. I mentioned our visit to Bond Falls here in the western U.P. on our way to the game last fall. But when I looked for the pictures, I realized I had never uploaded the pictures or written about it.
Well, there was a lot going on in the fall. So here goes:
My wife agreed to go to the game with me, mainly to enjoy the ride. Getting there is half the fun, you know. Along the way, I saw a sign for Bond Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the western U.P. The lightbulb came on. I suggested we stop and take a look. She said OK.
So we parked the car and walked down a long path towards the east. We heard the waterfall long before we got there. And then we got there ...
It's nice. My ballpark guess is that it's about 40 or 50 feel tall. They have a nice walkway and some old, somewhat deteriorated concrete steps up the right side. Of course I had to climb them. We were right there, next to the falls, as we climbed ...
Then we got to the very top and looked upstream, at all that cold water heading down the Ontonagon River towards the falls, heading for Lake Superior ...
We enjoyed ourselves there, walking around, looking here and there, taking pictures. Until I glanced at my watch and realized to my shock that the game was going to kick off in less than an hour. So we hustled back to the car, and then I was flying low the rest of the way to the game. We got there just as they were playing the National Anthem. But I got there ...
Ah yes, last September. I think I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt that evening. Today, that area and the entire Upper Midwest is frozen solid in a stream of arctic subzero cold.
But I feel better now. My car is out of hibernation.
Noticing that the temperature has finally nosed above zero F (just barely), I went out about 2:30 p.m. Monday to see if I could persuade my car to start. I had tried starting it Sunday at about noon, just for a lark, as I was walking back home from the office. It revved half-heartedly a couple times, but after about three seconds I turned the key back. No way. Temperatures were about -6F.
Then, at noon today, I tried again. It revved a little faster but didn't turn over. I tried twice for about five seconds total. Then I got out and walked back to the office.
The third time, at about 2:30, was the charm. Now it was above zero (barely, as I said). I turned the key, it revved a couple of times and then ignited. We have ignition! After about two minutes of warming up, we had liftoff, too. I drove around town long enough to warm it up and then went back to work.
It's been a doozy of a cold spell. On Sunday, we got all the way up to -6F (-21C) for a high. That's as warm as it got. Overnight it got down close to -20F. That's -29C, if you're wondering.
My car sleeps outside. The last time I had driven it was Friday, across the county to cover a basketball game. That was the night the cold wave hit. I didn't try to start it all day Saturday.
We had done our pre-cold wave shopping trip Thursday, so we were pretty well stocked for a few days of arctic weather. When I got back home Friday night, I parked the car so that it was facing the south and any solar energy we might get. Every little bit helps. Better than facing the north and the wind coming from Arctic Circle.
I was able to let the car hibernate for a few days because (If you don't know), I live less than a block from the office. That makes life much less complicated for me when nasty winter weather strikes. It also means that no matter what the weather or how I feel, I'm going to be in the office.
Sunday night, my wife and I watched the Super Bowl. I was rooting for the Bears (from the Packers' division; I know some other Packers fans may be aghast), but I was realistic about their chances, and the outcome of the game didn't surprise me.
But my feet got cold during the game. Today, I was OK. That's because I dressed for the occasion. Here is the inventory:
1. Light cotton socks. 2. Heavy socks. 3. Normal shoes. 4. Underwear (briefs, if you're interested). 5. Gray, long thermal underwear. 6. Normal cotton khaki pants. 7. A T-shirt. 8. A heavy gray-blue knit sweater. Add to that my heavy fall coat and the heavy knit hat and gloves my wife gave me for winter, and I was equipped.
Not that I enjoy dressing that way. I was just looking at those pictures from Bond Falls and thinking how much I'm looking forward to dressing for summer. Then my attire consists of 1. Light socks. 2. Athletic shoes or sandals (in case of sandals, cross out #1). 3. Underwear (usually; not always). 4. Shorts. 5. A T-shirt.
That's about it. And, given the right circumstances and company, I'd be quite happy without No. 2, 3, 4 and 5, too.
Not for a while, though.
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