Come Rain, Sleet or Snow.

We've had snow here in Toronto over the last couple of days. All I hear from folks trudging in from the parking lot at work, or on their Facebook status comments, or in phone calls are complaints and irritation and unhappiness with the weather. I actually quite like it. And not in an annoying in-your-face kind of way. I just like how the weather is in charge and we're left to figure out how to cope with it. To me it just means a few more days of my shearling hat, and heavy winter jacket. It means daydreams of camping with a big warm fire, a tarp keeping me dry, heavy wool clothes and waiting for the spring rains to come.

I just keep thinking of that saying I read somewhere that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. The weather has trumped me in the past - I remember camping in minus 20 degree Celcius weather and shivering my butt off. I remember becoming hypothermic in some cold autumn rain. But knowing what I know now about outdoors clothing and camping and survival methods, I know that if those situations presented themselves to me today, I would be fine. Another saying appropriate to these circumstances is "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance".

One of my most pleasant memories of camping was of a few years ago when a massive rainstorm washed over my campsite in Algonquin Park. I sat bundled up in a wool blanket under a big tarp with a cigar looking out across a lake and watched the rain storm advance, grow, peak, crest, subside and then vanish - replaced in time with sunshine. I felt that this was a privilege that few people get to experience. We're all too busy hurrying from air-conditioned or heated buildings and cars - and staying outside only as long as it is warm and temperate.

If my schedule permits tomorrow, I will walk the one-mile trail around the campus at work (must bring my boots to contend with the wet muddy ground), through the overgrowth and bush. I will bring my camera and see what treasures I can photograph. Come rain, sleet or snow.

Cheers,

Mungo