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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

There’s no such thing as bad weather

A newcomer’s guide to the Northwoods

Jordan Price
Posted 1/13/21

“Is everything okay over here?” the policeman genuinely asked after following me home on a smoking snowmobile. “All is good. No worries!” I said. To be honest, at the time, I …

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There’s no such thing as bad weather

A newcomer’s guide to the Northwoods

Posted

“Is everything okay over here?” the policeman genuinely asked after following me home on a smoking snowmobile. “All is good. No worries!” I said. To be honest, at the time, I really wasn’t sure if everything was okay. I have never owned a snowmobile in my life, but recently I acquired one. It was gifted to me after moving to the Northwoods five months ago, so naturally, it was my duty to get it up and running. “A smoking snowmobile can never be a good thing can it?” I asked myself. Well, come to find out, the intense smoking was merely just old gas - a diagnosis made by my fiancé, Tyler, who is also a new snowmobile user. It’s important to mention our good friend, Google, was also of great assistance. The smoking did stop eventually after driving it for a while, which taught me a very important lesson: Next time you have an issue with a motorized vehicle, don’t stop, just keep going (insert sarcasm here).
My name is Jordan and I am new to Northern Minnesota. I am originally from the southeastern part of the state, which quite frankly is a different world. To many people, Minnesota is considered a winter paradise; however, where I’m from, snow is not nearly as prevalent. Growing up, winter usually consisted of reading by the fire, playing board games, and occasionally attempting to ski on old snow frozen over by ice. When my fiancé and I moved to Ely, we made a pact to embrace the outdoors no matter the season (easy to say when it’s 80 degrees and sunny). Well, here we are in the middle of winter and fortunately I still want to embrace everything this area has to offer.
COVID-19 has undoubtedly impacted all of our lives. I’m sure, by now, most of us have mastered the art of quarantining in our homes, but have we taken advantage of everything our backyard has to offer? The options are endless: cross-country skiing, ice skating, dogsledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice fishing, hiking, etc. Believe me, the thought of venturing out into the cold weather makes me want to curl up in bed with a heaping mound of blankets piled on top of me, but is staying inside truly the answer?
Before COVID-19, going to the movies, grabbing a bite to eat with friends, and going to the gym were normal ways for us to get out the house, but now, it’s not as easy. When November rolled around, I found myself following the same routine. I went to work from 7 a.m.-4 p.m., cooked dinner, and played cribbage for an hour or two before retiring to the couch to watch my favorite TV show. I knew that wasn’t a lifestyle that I could sustain for the entirety of six months before things began to thaw once again. Even if you’re someone who doesn’t necessarily love spending all of your time outdoors, getting out once a day may help boost your health and well-being, like it did for me. If you’re feeling stuck in a routine that seems never-ending, take this as a sign to utilize what the outdoors has to offer up here in the Northwoods.
I am someone who values phrases. “Everything happens for a reason” is a prime example of one of that I abide by. Last year at this time, I was living in Las Vegas. It was 60 degrees on any given January day and I could usually be found on the golf course. Fast forward a year to a completely different lifestyle. Never would I have thought I’d end up in Northern Minnesota, but as I ponder my own take on “everything happens for reason,” I couldn’t be more thankful that I’m here. As I have gotten a glimpse of a Northwoods winter, it reinforced that other phrase, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.” If you’re someone who wants to get outside a little bit more, but don’t know where to begin, follow along with me on my regular adventures as I try new winter activities. Next up: cross-country skiing.
Jordan Price is a new Communications Instructor at Vermilion Community College. Both she and her fiancé are avid golfers. They were engaged last October on the 9th hole of the Ely Golf Course.