Porcupines!

all right,
we've finally unpacked from this weekend and I have a bit of time to let you hill- skiing/ boarding fools in on a secret that no x-country skier is supposed to spill. The X in x-country stands for EXTREME! I was clocked at 97 mph right before that picture was taken.

After an early wakeup, a (much-appreciated) late arrival with our friends, Mark and Missy, bagels and carrots in the car, several gas station explorations ( the prius was weighted down and the roof rack full of skis ruins the aerodynamics and the ethanol mix all fight against my MPG so don't act surprised) and a detour through a more rural part of northern Wisconsin, we were finally out of the clouds and enjoying a sunny day. Small tourist-y towns lined the road and Mark kept the music going for the 6 hours it took us to get to the porcupine mts., which are closer to foot hills but we are grading on a curve out here.

We skied up hill for 3 miles through tall trees that defy definition since they were naked in terms of leaves. the forest was considerably brighter than the typical PNW-evergreen forest which aided us in getting to our yurt with some light. Just as we had hoped, there was plenty of firewood and enough paper and kindling to get the fire started right away. the yurt heated up in about a half hour, which is awesome when it's 14 degrees out. the building to the right stored kitchen stuff-we were supposed to cook outside the yurt. We are culinary outlaws now!

I got to chop wood in the morning.
It made me feel like a man.
I love to split wood. It's simple.
It makes me want to eat oatmeal and wear flannel.
While I was out, Em fixed up one of the best cups of black coffee I have ever had. The diamond shaped latice work of the walls and the sunbeamish 2x4s radiating from the domed skylight really draws your mind inward, to a calm place. We all got into the routines of snowy yurt life: walk to the frozen creek, break ice, get water in the big basin, bring it back to the yurt, filter it, get more for dishes, cook food, heat water, wash dishes, relax, repeat. We lucked out with fresh snow on friday and sunny skies on saturday, tough to beat. We did some exploring saturday and Mark took some photos, so credit due to him and em for documenting our joy.
Speaking of joy, We got back to our childhood (or my college) roots a bit and went sledding in the dark right outside the yurt, then to feel adult, we emptied a few flasks. I brought a 3/4 sized guitar out on a sled (which is called a Pulk when you affix poles to it) and Mark and I traded time playing. Mark has big skills, and an encyclopedic knowledge of Daniel Lanois and early Dave mathews songs. I sang some old standards and a few you haven't heard yet.

Mark, being smart, told me to keep the outhouse door open so I could enjoy the view. While I pondered the wonders of nature, he came back outside and snapped that shot of me. I know there are lot's of pics of me here, so how about one of me with my pants down.

Despite being slapped in the face with cold in the morning and stoking the fire to warm up the yurt in my long underwear, we had a great time. It would have been nice to have a whole crew of yall there, but none of you seem to want to follow us where ever we go. On the way back, we stopped by lake superior (in the park) and took some shots. Look at the piled up ice blocks! they're really about 20 feet high.
safe and sound in madison now, it's heating up to 32 today...
g