What NOT to do in Below Zero Weather

Wear your I-pod up a 3700' mountain. Seriously. I thought, hey -- a little music will help me get motivated for the hike. Sure -- take my mind off the cold, the wind, block all thoughts of why I am crazy enough to hike up Hurricane Mountain in the Adirondacks in February. It isn't that I wasn't warm, or hadn't done hikes like this before, it was just that I thought tunes would be nice.

Not.

Well, yes, it was cool hiking up and up to Bob Marley, imagining Jamaica and palm trees. And it did get my mind off the brutal wind. But, later, much much later, I realized the evil result -- my ear canal froze! No shit. To spare you TMI, I started to get pains in my ear (only the left -- I had the other ear free to hear any cries for knitted I-Cord ropes from my friends). Followed by sinus pressure. Followed by (here's the gross part) blood oozing out of my ear onto my pillow.

A quick google search gave me comfort that my brains were not leaking out, but I still went to see the doc the next day. Swollen ear canal, with a tiny abrasion near the ear drum. From ... frozen I-pod earphones. Maybe I should email Bill Gates. No, wait! I'm a lawyer after all! I'll cut a deal with him to write the warning label on all future sales of I-gear: Warning! Do not use in temperatures below 20 degrees zero, and at altitudes above 3500 feet. Even if you love Bob Marley. And, if you do it anyway, you're f*&*&**g nuts and shouldn't be compensated, so don't bother to sue.

On a warmer note, I hit 2 yarn stores. Old Forge Hardware in Old Forge, NY, where there is so much more than hardware. And Adirondack Yarns in Lake Placid, where I blew twice my yarn budget on some sweater kits. My camera is still shivering, so no photos until next post, but both places were great -- lots of good fiber, books, and very friendly staff.

The forecast is calling for 18" + of snow for tonight in my backyard and I can't wait. I've cleared my calendar for tomorrow and am hoping for a snowday. Translation -- knitting day.