Baby, it’s cold outside…so go outside and play!

Looks like our long, colorful and unusually warm autumn here in Yellowstone Country has come to an end. And if your friends are anything like mine, I’m hearing a lot of moaning and groaning about the deep freeze that has hit our little town of Cody, Wyoming. With ready access to The Weather Channel, everyone around here knows that for the next few days at least, we’re going to be cold. Very cold. But my patience for whiners is as thin as my blood right now, so after giving my friends a day or two of time to adjust to winter in Wyoming, I tell them to quit their bellyaching and go outside and play. (I say that with a great deal of kindness and tact, of course.) Here in Wyoming, where we roam around in cowboy boots and Stetson hats much of the year, most of us just make a few wardrobe adjustments in a nod to the realities of winter. Fortunately, our stellar sporting goods stores stock plenty of base layers, fleece and Sorels right alongside the crampons, carabiners, and skis and snowshoes for rent and purchase. Fortunately, even when it’s cold around here, the sun often shines, warming our bodies and spirits. And when the sun is shining, you can do pretty much anything. The best family-friendly ski resort in America (according to Corrie N. Cody) is Sleeping Giant Ski Area, and I will bide my time until it opens on Dec. 12. You can find a few places to cross country ski and snowshoe, but we don’t have quite enough snow yet to make really great tracks. So this time of year, my favorite outdoor activities are hiking and fishing. When I get the urge to fish, I usually walk downtown and stop in at one of the outfitter shops for an update on where to fish and hike. There are lot of choices, and the shops always seemed to be in tune with the best places and gear. Then when it is finally time to come in, I often warm up with a visit to one of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West museums. During the slower winter months, I like to make immersion visits, by exploring one museum fully before wandering through the next one. So, if you’re one of my gloomy-Gus friends – and you know who you are – my advice is to “quitcher moanin” and go outside and play. Until next time, I’m stayin’ cool and lovin’ life here in Yellowstone Country.

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