MUD

Talk about false alarms! I guess summer is going to hold out on us a little longer. No worries though; rain, wet snow and dirt trails combine to create one of nature’s most entertaining elements…MUD! As Sunday’s sun warmed up the foot or so of snow that dropped on us on Thursday, I jumped on the chance to get some quality mud trekking in. Paths had cleared enough to make my way into the backcountry, but remained wet enough to make my hike challenging and bring me back to the good old days of puddle jumping. Plugging along with a few friends, our hike soon turned into a mud fight after one particular puddle jump resulted in a mud facial for my friend. While I thought this was considerate of me (these facials usually cost a lot of money!) she thought a strategically aimed handful of mud was more appropriate than a thank you. After some slipping, some sliding and a lot of laughs we called a mud-caked truce. Forget overpriced mud baths. All you need to feel young again is a good slushy day in the mud. And although we want to be young, there are certain adult additions that make the ride home more bearable, such as Patagonia’s rain shadow pants and jacket. Their lightweight, waterproof fabric makes them easy to pack during questionable weather, as well as providing unrestrictive protection when the elements take a turn for the….more exciting. Keeping a spare towel or two in the trunk may not be a bad idea either. And for the mud-fight loser, there’s always the option of a good hose down before getting into the car.