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| Grand Forks at sunrise. Temperature: -2 F |
Winter in North Dakota means
that it is cold. But when local complain about how ridiculously cold it is,
then you know that it is really cold. I arrived for my first visit to the
state, late one Thursday night in mid-January. Upon landing, I turned on my
smartphone and anxiously waited to see the current temperature: -22˚F,
with a wind chill of -38˚. Yet, the impulse to walk and explore remains. After a
number of substantial snowstorms in Grand Forks, meant that walking was a process
of navigating a maze of paths cut through piles of snow and drifts. The sun
does not get very high in the sky creating long shadows, even around lunchtime.
Melting is not a significant factor. Thus, while it is cold, you do not get
wet. Dressed appropriately, I was comfortable most of the time. But the wind
did make for some cold moments. The sun shone for much of the long weekend,
thus the walker has a choice of walking in the sun, which provides a limited
source of warmth, or walking in the shadows of buildings, which provides a
break against the wind.
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| The Red River,: The border between North Dakota and Minnesota |
The snow piles, sometimes fifteen
to twenty feet high, are a concern for a pedestrian. It is doubtful local
drivers are accustomed to seeing walkers out during the winter. Additionally,
the size of the snow piles and drifts can obscure many walkers. That being
said, I found the local drivers to be very polite and considerate. Still, it
could be hard for drivers to see the rare walker who braves sub-zero weather by
choice, or necessity. Several drivers kindly waved me across the road, allowing
plenty of distance while I crossed. Many were seemingly sympathetic to anyone
who has to be out in these temperatures. Nevertheless, sidewalks and paths are
not always clear and the walker must occasionally choose a path in the road or
knee-deep snow on the sidewalks.
Of course, the extreme cold, and
walks on mildly treacherous sidewalks, gave me a voracious appetite. Yet, the
local cuisine is largely built upon a meat and starch culture. When I mentioned
that to Andrew, he replied, jokingly, “What gives you that idea?” I told him
that there was, literally, specks of carrots in my chicken fried rice, which I
am pretty sure was there for decoration rather than subsistence.
