Yesterday I was planning to take a walk but couldn’t leave until about 4:15. At this time of year, that’s when the sun sets. Sunset is, of course, a wonderful time to be out already. Here, for example, is a picture taken at 3:47 on the afternoon of the 11th (the day I took my perching walk).
That glow is the sun setting behind the hill. It’s beautiful, but once the sun goes down, darkness falls fast on this side of the hill, which is the side I live on. So 4:15 is very late to be starting a walk.
But it was snowing that evening, and I really wanted to go out. So I took the flashlight that my husband offered me and I bravely trekked into the woods. Even with the flashlight in my pocket, it occurred to me as I was walking up the hill that it was slightly asinine to be out there in the evening, during a big snowstorm, and with temperatures in the low teens. If anything happened to me, how long might it be before I could get help? If I were incapacitated, could I get frostbite, or even freeze to death before help arrived?
It’s hard to think that way, because the woods are small and surrounded by houses, including mine. One doesn’t worry when walking in one’s own backyard! But even so, there are several miles of paths, and that’s a lot of area to search at night, particularly in the middle of a storm. Even on a nice day it could take a while.
This is the second time I’ve thought about this. The first time was last year when I went walking when the temperature was about 15 degrees. I accidentally wedged my foot between the two rocks of a stream. Had I not been wearing my waterproof boots with high ankles, my foot would have been soaked and I might have twisted or broken my ankle. The thought of trying to walk all the way home, through the snow, and with a soaked foot and a twisted ankle—terrifying! But obviously the thought did not make a lasting impression, or I would have taken more action by now than merely carrying my cell phone (which I do at least always try to do).
So I should probably modify my list from the other day. Not only do a I need a backpack and a blanket, but also a good-quality flashlight and a whistle. I should carry these things with me when the temperature is below freezing or likely to fall below freezing overnight. I just wish I had thought of all this before making my Christmas list!
As I was coming back down the hill in the dark, I could see the lights of my house. They looked warm and inviting.
The light on the back of the house flicked on and off a few times. I wondered if my husband was trying to get my attention, so I called him on my cell phone. He went outside and I signaled him with my flashlight as we chatted on the phone. Technology allows us to do odd things, doesn’t it?
I enjoyed my walk, even with the dark thoughts and the dangerously slick spots on the hill. The woods are even more serene at night, and a little bit surreal. Plus I love the way the flashlight makes the snow sparkle!
With the proper gear, I think I would like to take evening walks from time to time in the future.
P.S. My husband has since given me a whistle and a headlamp. I plan to buy the day pack and blanket soon.