The days are shorter, weather is spotty, and my bones ache. It’s the time of year where unused equipment collects dust, we eat ourselves to oblivion, and I catch myself pouting like a five year old. I share the window with my dogs and stare longingly outside in hopes of an outing. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Fact is, Texas has one of the longest outdoor seasons. I explain it to my Colorado brethren by comparing the massive amounts of snow they get for half the year to our two months of unbearable heat. There’s no reason for a Texas winter to sideline everything we enjoy…
That said, it’s a time to adapt or die. Gone are the days where we made it from Thursday to Monday without wearing a shirt or shoes. The minimal gear approach won’t work, so throw all the mesh and flip flops in a tote for next season. Now is the time for base layers and a general re-appraisal of what will keep us happy for the next couple months. It’s time to winterize our lives.
Step 1: DIG IN
The best defense is a good offense. Or something like that. Anyhow, odds are you’re a pretty proactive person, so get aggressive with the coming Winter. Buy some performance cold weather gear, and salvage every decent opportunity to get out for some fun. Don’t be a sissy about it. Protect yourself from chapped lips, and master the art of the snot rocket. If you’re a bike person or runner, try some of the Under Armour ColdGear or a nice windbreaker and some new gloves/ socks. Keep the wind from cutting through you, and you’ll be amazed how much you can do. Don’t forget the lights for those evening rides! I for one LOVE night riding. Trails you may be growing weary of will come back to new life in the dark. If you’re a motorcyclist, pick up a rain suit, new gloves, balaclava, whatever makes you comfy, and carry on. The leaves are changing, which opens up all kinds of excellent motorcycle rides in our region. The point is, if you wait for perfect conditions you’ll never do anything but wait. Learn to read the clouds, brush up on your meteorology, and decide which weather apps you trust. Plan aggressively, and keep your gear prepped for those freakishly perfect weekends that we can sometimes get this time of year. If you’re not that adaptable, look a little further. Places like Moab, Utah are absolutely primo in November. Or if snow is your thing, there’s more choices out there than your wallet or calendar can handle. One of our favorite winter getaways is packing fifteen of us into a cabin in Beaver’s Bend for a weekend of fire building, beard growing, hot tubbing, eating, and whiskey soaked domino/ card games. Always a recipe for success.
To ease the adjustment to off season, take whatever you enjoy inside if possible. Maybe that’s a trainer for the bike, a treadmill, or making engine noises as you run through the house with a set of handlebars (I was snowed in when this happened). If you’re feeling strong and healthy, pick up an exercise program and dive in. CrossFit takes on a new meaning when it’s the main recreation source for me. I’m also sandbagging this year by joining a climbing gym. I haven’t thrown a hissy fit over bad weather since I started going! There’s no substitute for taking on a new learning curve.
Step 2: MAINTAIN
Also read: RECOVER. Hopefully you’ve spent the majority of the year in a full sprint, maximizing every minute to its full potential. You’ve worked hard, played hard, and crammed in some epic weekends/ afternoons at every opportunity. This leaves your body, equipment, and wallet in a beaten down or too-tough-to-be-defeated-but-barely-hanging-on state of existence. Put yourself into active recovery mode. If you’re being chased around by injuries, do what it takes to heal. Or get stronger. as mentioned above, get a workout regimen going. Think how much more fun it will be to hit the spring season stronger and faster than last year. It all starts here. Same goes for your wallet. Christmas is about to punch your bank account in the face, and those of you who travel for the holidays will undoubtedly dent your budget. Maybe the off season is an opportunity to ramp up a side project or snag a seasonal job. Or even start a jar where you stuff some cash any chance you get to go towards the things you’re looking forward to doing.
Also, don’t fall victim to the trap of disregarding your playtime friends. It amazes me how much of my social life involves my riding buddies. With less events and gatherings, fill the void with other reasons to get together. Wrench nights are great. Try some pot luck dinners with your dirtbag friends, and help each other through the off season. Fall is usually a fast paced checklist of projects I’ve been putting off, usually involving the deck and community areas of my home. The porch gets set up for company, fire pit prepped, and the garage is rearranged to make room for the ping pong table. It will amaze you how well a back porch fire will satisfy the camping urges, and an organized game night will keep you smiling after the sun goes down at 5 pm. If your sport lends itself to good videos, host a movie night. A good mountain bike video keeps the stoke alive for me, and gets my mind fired up about next season- which brings me to my final point…
Step 3: INVEST
Fail to plan, plan to fail. This is the PERFECT time of year to set some things in motion. Start by putting pen to paper and writing down your goals for the next year. Is it an event you want to do/ win? A place to go? A purchase? Figure it out and put a plan together to make it happen!
I start off with a rough calendar. Any weddings or family events need to be written in? Then the major weekends that involve some days off… and the annual trips we love so much. Once we have a grasp on those, we start to fill in the gaps. Where do I want to be for 4th of July? What’s the best time of year for that big trip I want so bad? What’s the weather like during March in Utah? What races do I want to do? Any good festivals? Get the mind going, and see where it takes you…
Invest in your local scene. Fall and winter is the best time to build new trail in our area. The poison ivy goes back to hell where it came from, and the branches shed their leaves. This makes it much easier to route and cut new trail. The moisture and rain also make any dirt work a much better experience, so go build some jumps or berms at the local trail. Cruise out to your favorite lake spot and put in some work picking up this year’s trash or debris. The cooler temperatures are great for the dogs, so get out for some hikes with the mutts. And while it may be too muddy to hit the trails, it’s nice enough to bundle up and play some disc golf. Or take the kayaks out, don your jacket, and cruise the creeks that were too snakey this summer.
For those of us addicted to bikes, the fall is the perfect time to purchase equipment. Lots of this year’s greatness is hitting the clearance rack, so get out there and do your toy shopping. While you’re at it, or if your budget has been destroyed by the previous year, start setting the budget for next year. This has been a lifesaver. Think up your favorite activities/ weekend getaways, and map out the expenses. Budget for any new equipment you’ll need, and always leave room for fixing/ replacing/ maintaining what you have. If your goal is to do a specific event, create a road map for your training, prep, and participation. This budget will keep you on track all year, and keep some options at the ready for various weekend outings. Although a huge trip is fun, it wasn’t in our budget this year… but a half dozen amazing weekends were affordable enough, and we made some excellent memories without shattering our budget. Do the front end work!
It’s not the end of everything, just a different part of the cycle. Adjust, focus, and enjoy!
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My lovely bride gently informing a friend that she has, in fact, been defeated in a game of Uno. Winter cabin madness
Giant Jenga in the winter cabin
Tao of Scratch 