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Half way down the Rappahannock River I can feel my face has gotten stiffer.

It’s my beard.

My short revolution at BFR has left me with a frozen reminder that no one in their right mind should be playing in the water today. And yet here I am. It’s way below freezing, and the wind is so cold that the water of the Rappahannock almost seems warm. Almost. Just the other day, Jon and I had to roll at First Drop just to check.

Yep. Frickin’ cold.

And on that glorious day, as the ice cream headache wore off, I found myself wondering, “what makes someone leave the comfort of coffee and couch to paddle around with ice cubes? My non-paddling friends blame brain damage due to many previous winter adventures. But I am not the only crazy out there on a cold day like this. In fact, if you look hard enough, you can find a variety of winter wierdos practicing their warm weather sport when others won’t get out of bed.

I’ll admit, my New England upbringing may have something to do with the fact that I wear shorts year around. In fact…I’m wearing them today in my boat.

Even paddlers who accompany me on these icy runs think that’s insane. But to all the haters, I point out the following nut cases that seem to escape the undo criticism that the winter boater receives.  I’m talking about folks who put on tight fitting clothing, iPods, and expensive sneakers, and go running right past McDonalds without even a second glance. It’s cold outside and yet they are running. Hello! That’s like helping the wind go faster!

And while I admire folks who continue to bike in the ice and snow, I’m convinced their smiles are frozen in place. No way that’s really fun.

We won’t even talk about people who golf in the cold out of respect for their families.

Yet while I may never admit a connection with golfers, I can understand my fellow outdoor winter enthusiast. Far from your weekend warrior, we are a type that refuses to ever put our gear away for the winter. It could be that three seasons of paddling, hiking, biking, camping, and running simply aren’t enough. Perhaps we simply can’t stop. Addicted to our sport, we continue on no matter what the conditions.

There is truth in this. However I know that can’t be the only reason because no mater what those polar whackos tell you, there are perfectly good indoor swimming pools they could be in. Their choice to jump half naked into ice water points to a bigger truth behind all of these cold weather shenanigans.

I’ll give you some other examples.  On a recent trip to New Hampshire I saw some folks engaged in a shocking winter past time.  I’m not talking about the scores of ice fishers I saw.  Nope.  People were actually racing their cars on a frozen lake.  Cars.  Hot, metal, and heavy.  Driving, or rather sliding around in circles in a semi organized event.  Sitting inside a refrigerator box staring at a hole in the ice almost seems sane compared to frozen lake track racing.

Why?  For thousands of years man has sought shelter and warmth, carrying around a precious coal from the previous night’s fire so he wouldn’t wake up a popsicle the next day.  And now that we have easy access to heat, some of us choose instead to rush out into the cold not to get some tasty mammoth burger, but for entertainment.  What is wrong with us?

I cannot tell you why some risk testicular trauma to swim in arctic waters.  I may never understand the appeal of running…in the cold.  I can only tell you that for me being in nature in winter offers you a glimpse into a world of long ago.  A world of much fewer people.  A near silence that comes from the absence of birds and insects.  The sound of the earth and the air.  Even the smell is different.  Simpler.  In the stripped down, leafless world of winter, sounds carry farther and bounce back harder.  Water feels thicker to the paddle blade, and ice forms in quiet eddies in beautiful glass-like sculptures suspended above the water.

To test my winter theory, I set out on a run.  Outside.  I can’t say I love to run.  It’s more that I like it as a friend.  And so in the winter I usually only work on insuring I’ll need a cane someday by putting in time on a treadmill at the gym.  But today I set out on a trail still partially covered in snow so the few animals that have stayed around for the winter would have something to laugh at.  First there was the wind.  It turned my bare legs red in about five minutes.  Then there was the trail itself.  Where there was not snow, there was melt, and that was creating some pretty amazing slop.  With a little shade, ice and snow were still around, and trying hard to put me on the ground.  Ten minutes in I was looking longingly at the river this trail followed, wondering why I hadn’t chosen this chilly day to splash around in the water.

But as I grew accustomed to the wind stinging my face and legs, a numbness set in that left me free to focus on my surroundings.  Once again I noticed that familiar winter stillness.  I heard only the sound of the wind blowing through skeletal tress, my heavy breath, and the pounding of my feet on the mostly frozen ground.  As my body warmed from physical exertion, I no longer felt the cold.  The sunlight was brilliant and warm as it passed easily through the naked branches.  I was shocked to find that I was enjoying myself.

Oh boy.  Have to come to some sort of final conclusion.  Let’s try this:  the enjoyment of outdoor winter exertion is part action and part situation.  Phew!  That wasn’t so hard!  But seriously, we aren’t so desperate to enjoy our sports that we head out into the cold simply to add another day to our yearly total.  We’re outside in the winter because whether we know it or not, we actually enjoy everything winter’s cold has to offer.  Even the reddening sting of the wind and the numbness on the ends of our noses.  It’s a package deal and we’re buying.

If you live where the seasons change, the world is not meant to obey a thermostat.  Walk out your door and stay outdoors for longer than it takes to get to your car.  See what winter has to offer.  Breath the clean cold air, feel the distant sun on your face, and listen to the wonderful quiet of winter.

-Zach Zantulli  

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