MY GREAT WHITE NORTH RETREAT IN PICTURES

Ice-fishing is not likely to make Lonely Planet's list of adventures for adrenaline junkies. Don’t get me wrong, I had a terrific time but thrilling excitement? Let’s just say my experience involved patience and beer punctuated with moments of triumph, not a long battle to reel in The Big One. Nope, nothing big was hauled up through a fishing hole like this:

Still, hiking across a frozen, snow-covered lake to sit with good people hopefully watching a lure, yeah, it was fun. The tent (or hut) was heated, the beer was cold and every few minutes a joyful shout would signal another catch. It was a catch and release crowd, happy to get a picture before slipping the walleye or perch back into the icy water.

Everyone at the Grand View Lodge told us how warm the weather was—20’s and low 30’s during the day—and that the group last year experienced minus 20 degrees the entire three days. It was plenty cold enough for me, though. Hiking the paths around the resort, trekking out on the lake to fish and climbing to the old fashioned lodge for breakfast and dinner made for an active and exhilarating retreat.

Winter with its ice and snow was lived with gusto for three shimmering days before returning to balmy Houston. Yep, seventy-two hours of winter was long enough for me! Hmmm. Hope I get invited back next year.

THREE DAYS OF WINTER...WHY NOT?

Yesterday my husband drove me to the airport with the top down on my car. The weather in Houston was 65° and sunny. I boarded a flight for Minneapolis where the weather is 10° and partly cloudy. I did this voluntarily. Why? I was invited to go ice fishing. So here I am at dawn, about to get onto a bus for a two hour ride to a wilderness lodge on a frozen lake, pulse pounding with anticipation. Okay, scratch the pulse bit, I need more caffeine.

It’s not that ice fishing was ever on my Bucket List. So why leave the balmy temperatures for snow and cold? Because it’s something I’ve never done before and it sounded like fun.

Many years ago an older woman (she was probably not all that old, I was just very young) said to me, “I wish I’d had the chance to scuba dive and live on a tropical island when I was your age. But I had too many responsibilities and now it’s too late.” Then and there I made a promise to myself—when I was old I’d only regret what I’d done, not what I hadn’t done.

Over the years I’ve made a lot of mistakes through selfishness, lack of experience and just plain stupidity. Those I regret and hope I’ve learned from them. But whenever an opportunity to try something new or have an adventure has arisen, if time and finances have allowed, I’ve almost always said YES!!

Not all of these adventures turned out well—the snowmobile trip from hell, an arrest for piracy (I was innocent, of course!), and an infamous dive that ended with the bends come to mind—but once over, even the worst calamity evolved into a great story over time.

So ice fishing I go today. I’ve got my silk long underwear, cashmere socks, warm boots, scarf, coat  and gloves, and I’ve heard the cabin will be stocked with hot coffee and bourbon. Maybe not a death-defying extreme sport, but who knows what lurks under the frozen lake. Hmmmm, I feel a paranormal plot coming on. Let you know on Friday how it goes.