Move It: Snowshoeing

Yeah that's right. Snowshoeing.

For those of you that are unaware, snowshoeing is basically when you go on a hike but since there's snow, you strap these onto your feet:

source

As the wiki link above says, they stop you from sinking completely in the snow so it's more of an awkward walk as opposed to an awkward trudge. As almost always happens when I do something I was apprehensive about, especially something involving physical activity, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it. That was mostly because LOOK:

This doesn't even begin to show how utterly beautiful the hike was. This particular part of New Hampshire recently got hit with an ice storm so despite the cold, it was totally worth it to take a walk through the ice encrusted trees shining in the sun with a bright blue sky in the background. I felt fantastic afterward, the only downside being that I took no pictures (I took the above one before we left), though it was probably best I just focused on enjoying myself (and not falling).

Usually when I'm confronted with the possibility of some sort of new type of physical activity, I'm filled with dread. I always assume that I'm not in good enough shape to do it and that I'll drag the rest of the party down with my sluggishness. Luckily (???) for me, my anxiety over speaking up about it and not feeling bold enough to stay behind overtakes my doubts about my physical abilities so I go anyway.

Clearly snowshoeing isn't the first time I've felt this way. A recently peer pressured activity that worried me was kayaking and it quickly became my ultimate favorite warm weather thing to do.

What's so good about kayaking is that it doesn't matter your strength or skill level, there's a situation that is right for you. For example, my first time kayaking was on some ponds and small lakes in New Hampshire. The still water made it possible to kind of amble along at my own pace and get a feel for it. The second time I went, we kayaked on a sluggish bit of the Nashua River in Groton, Massachusetts (above picture). Slightly more difficult as you are occasionally (depending on which way you're going of course) fighting a bit of a current but I still had no difficulties. Also I saw a bunch of turtles so there's that.

My crowning I-got-roped-into-this-and-complained-the-whole-way-but-I'm-super-proud-of-myself-for-doing-it activity though, has got to be hiking the Franconia Ridge Loop. It is about 8.6 grueling miles and took us an entire day-you basically go straight up a mountain, then along the peaks of 3 mountains, then back down. There's 3,822 feet of altitude gain and it's classified as a "difficult" hike and for "experienced hikers only," which I most definitely wasn't. It is ROUGH but I freaking did it

Aside from the most supreme sense of accomplishment, it's worth it for the views alone which were-and I don't used this overused phrase lightly-absolutely breathtaking (figuratively and literally). I could bombard you with photos but if you really want to see more, just click on the link I provided above. The picture I did include was from the top of the ridge and the easiest part of the hike. I could've just stayed up there all day... if I didn't mind scrambling back down the mountain in the dark anyway.
There are other decent mountain hikes I've done (Mount Monadnock for instance) but that one I think is my peak (pun not intended but definitely encouraged).

I can't think of any other new and potentially challenging activities in my near future but clearly I shouldn't be so hesitant. In any case, as fun as snowshoeing was, I can't wait for it to warm up and get back outside... without all the layers!