Spring has arrived here in the upper Midwest and as per usual, Mother Nature’s erratic mental state can be best described as unstable and hallucinatory. Last week, short sleeves and suntans were widespread, and this morning, we woke up to a snow-covered winter wonderland. Those of us who prefer to fly from grass are left in limbo; the occasionally warm weather makes grass strips inviting, but the waterlogged and snow-covered surfaces are best avoided for the time being.
While we naturally tend to anticipate the approaching summer, I’ve been reflecting on the past winter. As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as weather that’s too cold, only gear that’s unsuitable. To a certain extent, the same holds true for airplanes, and as some friends of mine demonstrate every winter, the right equipment can turn an otherwise harsh environment into a legitimate playground.
