Looking for Winter

It’s hard to get into the holiday/Christmasy mood when the sun is shining, the streets are lined with palm trees, the beach is filled with volleyball players, boogie boarders and paddle boarders, and you’re wearing flip flops.  It just doesn’t scream ‘Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland’ or ‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…’ does it?

Well you can imagine how excited I was when we planned a trip away from the beach and into the mountains to Big Bear Lake, Southern California’s skiing destination.  WINTER WONDERLAND here we come!!  So for the trip I packed my Canadian snow boots (to mark my territory and leave Canadian maple leaf foot prints everywhere I went), a heavy poncho, my leather coat, my leather gloves, a wool wintercoat (just in case), and my cool winter hat that I wear about 1 week a year.   You can imagine the looks we got as we left the hotel lobby, which was full of flip flop wearing families on their way to Disneyland.  To give you a fair comparison, Nathan was wearing a sweatshirt.

We started the road trip with some Christmas music to get us in the holiday spirit.  As we passed people with the top down on their convertible, it just seemed wrong to be listening to Silver Bells on the radio.  So we decided that we wouldn’t turn on the Christmas music until we saw snow.

So I waited as we wound up the California mountains, and waited some more, and waited a little more.  ‘Is that snow?  No, wait, it’s just the way the sun is hitting those rocks…’  Finally!  We found snow, but only in the areas that the sun couldn’t get to.  One side of the street some snow and ice, and on the other side, dry grass and desert looking dirt.

Coming from Vancouver, Canada I think I expected a snow-covered winter village (like Whistler).  As I was shedding layer after layer of clothing, I realized that perhaps my expectations were too high, but what can you expect 90 minutes from the beach?

We did finally find some snow and a lake with a layer of ice.  I didn’t realize that ice could make so much noise, but it rivaled the quacking ducks.

Icy Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake Photo Op

Enjoying the View

And, although I didn’t get to trudge along snow covered trails, marking my territory with maple leaves, we did take advantage of a little lighthearted snow play (no snow angels though).

Snow Ball Fight...Kind Of

Taking Advantage of the Snow

A Little Fun in the Snow