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fitfoolSo far in 2011, only 1 in 3 runs have been while the temperature was above freezing. With all the snow and ice, the sidewalks have been a near solid block of ice for weeks now. I've taken to running in the road, wearing an orange jacket that I hope tells cars, "Please don't hit me!" On the plus side, I set a new personal record. My coldest run ever now stands at -6F with a windchill making it feel like -21F. Did I mention that I love the adjustable fleece hood my boyfriend gave me? (Hot Headz 6-in-1 Fleece Hood if anyone else is looking.) I had bundled up enough that I ran 4 miles that day relatively comfortably.
All this cold has a silver lining though. It's been cold enough to freeze a river. Cold enough that 3 men took a chainsaw and ice saw down to that frozen river and cut out blocks of ice. And just for kicks, they built an ice igloo!
Standing on shore, you can see the igloo and its neighboring ice fishing sheds. This is where a bunch of people spot the igloo, and then debate whether or not they think the ice will really hold. Sure it looks like some others are out on the ice, but wouldn't it be just my luck to be the person who falls through a thin spot in the ice?
Slippery footing but I love seeing this igloo. I spent about an hour walking around, admiring the igloo, and enjoying the fact that I was standing on the river. I had wanted to go on the ice for years but had been too timid until last year when the igloo first showed up. That was irresistible and I had to go take a closer look.
The door was about as high as the bottom of my ribs and there was plenty of space above my head once inside. The igloo stands about 10-feet high. I lingered inside for a while and when I went back outside, I was surprised by how much colder it seemed. Even though I had been inside a building made of ice, it felt warmer since it blocked the wind.
When they built it, one guy cut out blocks of ice, another guy carried the blocks to the site, and the third guy was the mason who built the igloo. They used slush as mortar to stick the blocks together. The trickiest part was placing the blocks at about shoulder-height and higher when the blocks are slanted and tend to shift. Many thanks to Kirk Kucharski, Robert Parizo, and Glenn Eberhardt for building this igloo.
Every year, ice fishing shelters pop up on the frozen river. Some look like they'd be semi-permanent structures and some even have little stoves inside to keep you warm while you're fishing. I'm mystified why that heat doesn't just melt the ice there but maybe it does and then you drag your shelter over to a new spot on the river.
Here's a shot of last year's igloo.
One more shot of the frozen river. This old mill building was built in 1827 and has since been converted into apartments. High ceilings and beautiful views of the river. Along the near edge, you can see some of the cracks I was telling you about. That whole sheet of ice just rises and falls. Sometimes when I jog along the path there at night, I can hear the ice creaking and cracking, water sloshing beneath. Spooky.
All this cold has a silver lining though. It's been cold enough to freeze a river. Cold enough that 3 men took a chainsaw and ice saw down to that frozen river and cut out blocks of ice. And just for kicks, they built an ice igloo!
Standing on shore, you can see the igloo and its neighboring ice fishing sheds. This is where a bunch of people spot the igloo, and then debate whether or not they think the ice will really hold. Sure it looks like some others are out on the ice, but wouldn't it be just my luck to be the person who falls through a thin spot in the ice?
 |
Walking down to the river's frozen surface is easy enough. This is the only tricky part. The slope from shore down to the river had a ladder tied to a yellow rope as well as a wooden plank. The river is a tidal river meaning that it rises and falls with the tide. As the water goes up and down, the ice along the edges would often crack open, exposing a bit of water. You would then carefully walk across the plank over the gap on those days. On this day, it was all frozen and you just needed to slide down all the cracked ice bits. There was a lot of those loose ice shards and that discouraged some people from continuing any farther. |
 |
This dog was really not happy about going down that slippery slope. His owner gently tugged on his leash every few moments until finally he was back to level ground again. Soon as the dog felt level ice beneath him, he was happy to trot around, sniffing at everything he could find, chasing the seagulls that were standing on the ice. |
Slippery footing but I love seeing this igloo. I spent about an hour walking around, admiring the igloo, and enjoying the fact that I was standing on the river. I had wanted to go on the ice for years but had been too timid until last year when the igloo first showed up. That was irresistible and I had to go take a closer look.
The door was about as high as the bottom of my ribs and there was plenty of space above my head once inside. The igloo stands about 10-feet high. I lingered inside for a while and when I went back outside, I was surprised by how much colder it seemed. Even though I had been inside a building made of ice, it felt warmer since it blocked the wind.
When they built it, one guy cut out blocks of ice, another guy carried the blocks to the site, and the third guy was the mason who built the igloo. They used slush as mortar to stick the blocks together. The trickiest part was placing the blocks at about shoulder-height and higher when the blocks are slanted and tend to shift. Many thanks to Kirk Kucharski, Robert Parizo, and Glenn Eberhardt for building this igloo.
 |
During the hour or so that I was there, people would come by and snap a few photos, poke their heads inside, and then wander on. These two kids had been playing ukeleles by the river, and then decided to play inside the igloo. |
Every year, ice fishing shelters pop up on the frozen river. Some look like they'd be semi-permanent structures and some even have little stoves inside to keep you warm while you're fishing. I'm mystified why that heat doesn't just melt the ice there but maybe it does and then you drag your shelter over to a new spot on the river.
Here's a shot of last year's igloo.
 |
You can see the ice was different last year. Clearer and more translucent. Last winter had been warmer. This year, with one storm after another, you can see different layers of ice with snow trapped in between. |
One more shot of the frozen river. This old mill building was built in 1827 and has since been converted into apartments. High ceilings and beautiful views of the river. Along the near edge, you can see some of the cracks I was telling you about. That whole sheet of ice just rises and falls. Sometimes when I jog along the path there at night, I can hear the ice creaking and cracking, water sloshing beneath. Spooky.
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 11:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 11:23 am (UTC)I'm surprised they weren't using the igloo for ice fishing!
My husband grew up in NW Iowa. In the winter, they go out, survey, and put up street signs on the lakes, so you can find your way back to your hut. They also run electricity out to them.
Some of the huts are 2 stories, and he has told me of spending Superbowl Sunday out ice fishing and watching the game.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 11:45 am (UTC)The ice gets well over a foot thick, so there's really no worry about it breaking up till spring thaw.
He has talked several times about moving back up there-every time, I shiver!
no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 11:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 12:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 12:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 12:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 12:43 pm (UTC)Ice breaking up makes the loudest noise...
I walked out on frozen Lake Mendota in Madison, WI one winter when the whole lake froze (and it's a big one!). The only reason I trusted the ice was because I could see ice fishermen out there and they're not *usually* stupìd.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 02:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 03:10 pm (UTC)Are you a local too?
no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 09:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 10:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:14 am (UTC)http://www.mafishfinder.com/charles-river-134-location.html
no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 04:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 03:33 pm (UTC)I wanted to add this but didn't know if it would be appropriate or rude:
(Is it because you had a tiger mom?)
no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:17 am (UTC)I did indeed have a tiger mom. Initially, that Wall Street Journal article incensed me but later interviews and articles calmed me down when I realized the WSJ's excerpts were misleading about her book's overall tone.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 04:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-15 07:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 10:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 03:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-16 04:55 pm (UTC)