Michael, Mike and I spent the weekend out near Arnold, CA in the Sierra Mountains. There was snow on the ground though it was pretty wet and sleeted most of the weekend with temps around 30°F. We went with several friends (8 of us in total) and had a pretty low key weekend away spent mostly in the large house we were all sharing.
While I generally pride myself on getting away from the snow and ice of my home state, I found myself secretly disappointed that the snow was too wet for sledding, making snowmen, or for the fun of snowmachines. And just recently hearing tales of fun snowmachining adventures added to my angst and made me ponder selling my left kidney so I could afford the cost of an emergency flight to Homer so I could convince my brother to take me out on the trails (I'll make it out to his cabin one of these days).
How did I cope with the the horror of realizing that I actually missed the snow? Well, I did the only thing I could do: funneled all my energy into pure, delicious condescension...
As my Californian cohorts discussed how to drive cars up the slushy drive, the need for shoveling the 1/4" of snow and how we might all get snowed in... I found myself turning into the diva queen of all things winter.
"Well if *I* were driving, I wouldn't be scared at all because I grew up in Alaska and I nearly died every day on those slick, scary, icy Alaskan roads."
The fact that no one had problems handling the roads, the shoveling, the temperature or firing up the wood stove didn't deter me from radiating a sense of icy superiority.
"I've seen 60 below."
So there.
| February 25, 2008 01:32pm | 
art
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because there’s nothing that amuses me more than hearing your pathetic opinion
I feel that way every morning when I watch the Today show and they're covering some winter storm on the East Coast and they're all acting like it's the end of the world.
Danielle | February 27, 2008 9:13AM
To gain an accurate understanding of Californians stories of "scary" winter driving I often find I have to reinterpret the scenarios into what I'd consider mildly annoying fall roads... on my bicycle... wearing Bermuda shorts.
Damon | February 27, 2008 1:00PM
What I want to know is how you are possibly coping with the complete lack of snow. Are you suffering from some snowless fever or rash? Have your poor eyes adjusted to a sun that goes down in the midwinter sky at days end and then pops up in the morning - that must be blinding. Or worse! A sun that goes down in a midsummer sky and then the sky actually goes black - how do you see? do you need a cane? You don't have any 60 below days here, only the treacherous 60's and 70's. Does it feel weird not to be surrounded by wool and gortex? I worry for you.
Mike Eccles | March 3, 2008 11:01AM