As I wilt

It was 102° F here today. Yes, I live on an arid high plain; yes, summers are suppose to be warm. But the heat is ridiculous. I don't care that it's a "dry heat" - hot is hot. You can smell the heat wafting lazily off the cement in an atmosphere heavy with crushed dreams and desperation. I don't know how people enjoy this weather. I have a friend who tells me that it invigorates her. She walks out to the heat and feels its arid tentacles wrap around her and she sighs with incredible contentment. Me, I go out and the first words out of my mouth are, "I hate summer", which is then usually followed by a string of expletives that would make the most colorful sailor blush. My heat-loving friends tell me that I'll complain when the cold is back. Not once have I EVER complained about the cold. I'll mention that it's brisk, or colder than it appears but I will never, ever utter the words, "I wish summer were here". The mere thought makes me shudder. Summer is my whiny season. My dear-god-don't-make-me-go-out-in-it season. My favorite day is the summer solstice. Not because it's the longest day of the year but because it means winter is coming.

During the heat, all I can think about is getting some place cooler. Some place where ice crystals form on my eyebrows and eyelashes. Some place where the height of the sun casts long shadows and the crisp air cools you from the inside out. All of my winter trips to Scandinavia were planned during the heat of a Grand Junction summer. My first trip to Ireland in the fall of 2011 was planned during the summer. It makes me feel better to know that there will be cooler adventures ahead when I don't feel quite so sluggish and my foul mood lifts.

My happy place

On that note, I'd like to share some of my experience in packing and dressing for the cold. I've tweaked my packing list over the past 3 trips up north and I think I've come up with a perfect balance of warmth and practicality. A note: I am a minimalist packer. One carry-on and a backpack is all I travel with (thank you, British Airways, for losing my suitcase to teach me this).

How big is YOUR suitcase?

I have friends that will take the kitchen sink with them on a weekend trip across town and my son is satisfied with a toothbrush and A (as in, singular) pair of underwear for any length of trip. I tend to fluctuate between the two extremes. When I travel for work, I pack a lot more because 1) work requires a certain level of dress and 2) I'm usually driving so I can just throw whatever I pack in my car. BUT when I travel for fun, I am much more discriminating. I have no problem washing clothes in the hotel sink if it will mean keeping to carry-on size and allow me more room to bring stuff home. Travel for fun means a carry-on plus a backpack. And I'm working on a way to get that backpack eliminated altogether but haven't quite come up with a workable solution yet. Stay tuned.

My Carry-On

My Backpack

Having just a carry-on makes getting through customs so much easier and I don't have to worry about my bag not making it to my final destination. My mode of transport after arrival determines which carry-on I bring. If I'm going to be tooling around the country in a rental car, I'll bring a standard suitcase that will fit in the overhead bin. If I am going to be using Mike and Ike (my feet) and public transport, I will bring my eBags Mother Lode Junior bag. I'll carry my backpack on my front and the Mother Lode on my back. I look ridiculous but it is an efficient method of navigating public transport and the neighborhood while I search for my lodging.

And since it's hot and I'm dreaming of colder climes, here are my tips for traveling north to the Arctic Circle area in winter:

1. You can't have too many "Hot Hands" packets.
2. The Hot Hands for feet are worthless.
3. Invest in a good pair of boots that are rated in the negative numbers. Make sure they are comfortable and you can walk and stand for hours in them. And wear just one pair of wool socks with those boots. Trust me.
4. Layers are important. Clothing that can breathe and provide some wind barrier is a requirement. I found a good ratio is cold weather jogging tights and jeans plus a sweat wicking long sleeve (with thumb holes), short sleeve shirt or another long sleeve sweat wicking shirt and a zipper sweater to be a good combination.
5. Unless you're fussy and have to wear something different every day, you really only need 1 sweater. It's the undershirts you change and why have all that bulk in your suitcase?
6. A thick wool coat is a wonderful jacket. Plus, you don't "swish" when you walk. And with all the noise your boots make, why add to it?
7. Yes, you need a scarf AND a neck gaiter AND a hat.
8. If you have to choose between gloves or mittens, mittens are best. Both together are better.
9. Cold is exhausting. You will sleep very well.
10. Colorado is downright tropical in the winter compared to Lapland, Finland and I LOVE IT.