You Must Carry These Things Three in the Great White North
Ah, thirty-six degrees and heavy rain. I remember it well. Like it was yesterday, except it's not.It's today.
Almost May. Spring showers, turning to snow. Snow and colder.
If you've never lived in Canada (quaintly called "Michigan'), let me tell you about a thing you must always carry in your car. Two things, actually. Three things. You must always carry these three things.
1. Extra base layer
A base layer is just a thermal shirt (Patagonia uses "capilene", whatever that is, and it's very thin) that is super warm. You carry an extra one because you can layer them, and two are still thinner than one regular t-shirt.
2. Extra pair of socks
Thick ones, because there's no emergency that needs thin socks.
3. Extra pair of shoes
Not the kind that lets air in so that your feet don't get too hot while running.
I've had these three things in my car car all winter, and never needed any of them.
Today, I walked through the rain for about 100 yards to get into Meijer Gardens. That little note about the shoes in #3? Yeah, I was wearing ultra-light running shoes that breathed--or, in this case, absorbed water. Which made my socks very wet. Which was incredibly miserable. I really hadn't worn quite enough clothes, either, at least not in the case that my feet were wet.
When I was done working, I walked back out to the car, extra miserable, and then a ray of sunshine metaphorically appeared and I remembered all the stuff I kept in the back seat. I stripped off my wet socks, put on a thick, dry pair, swapped out shoes, and put on the extra base layer.
Done.
Also, there's a kind of gnat up here that is much like me. It's not terribly agile, but it's incredibly persistent, and it will drive you crazy.
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