Dashes are Important

Yesterday, I decided to hit the XC ski trails around our cabin at 10:00AM.  I had noted that when Ben left for work at 6:30AM it was -7 outside.  But when I checked right before I left the house for the ski, I saw that the weather unit registered at 10 degrees.  I rejoiced for the temperature warming up so quickly in just a few hours.   I rejected my warmest gloves, feeling that my mediocre gloves would do the trick in this mild temperature.  I also decided I didn’t really need to layer up because I would soon be warm once I got moving.  As I walked out the door, I quickly unplugged the car outside.  No sense in wasting electricity…the car will start fine by itself at 10 above.  As I was unplugging the car, though, I thought that 10 degrees was feeling oddly cold for some reason.  The air in my nose was freezing instantaneously.  I hoped that I wasn’t losing the acclimatization that I had acquired where 10 degrees felt comfortable.   I started skiing, feeling quite wimpy for wanting to retreat back to the cabin for warmth, or at least for more layers.  I denied these desires and kept going….I was not about to look like a fool wearing all of my warmest gear at 10 degrees!  Within minutes, my eyes began to water….and then proceeded to freeze on my eyelashes.  My mediocre gloves were also not cutting it—my fingertips throbbed in frozen pain.  About 5 minutes down the trail, it registered in my mind that it was not 10 degrees.  I must have missed the little dash preceding the 10 on the temperature display.  After completing the 20 minute ski loop and still feeling frozen to the bone, I knew that I did not need to go inside and re-check the temperature display to see if my theory was correct.  Every part of my body screamed at me that it was most definitely NEGATIVE ten.

I learned my lesson well from yesterday.  Today, I NOTICED the dash before the 20, and decided to wait until it was -15 before starting my ski.  This time, I bypassed the mediocre gloves, grabbing my warmest pair.  I wore multiple layers and included my balaclava to warm the air before entering my lungs.  Thankfully, it was a much more enjoyable ski!   Never again will that sly little dash hide from these eyes!