Snow-machine, Snow-go, Snow-mobile; whatever you want to call it- I rode it!

Well I just got back not too long ago from my first Snow-machine ride (that is the most common name for it here in Bethel) and it was so great! SOOOOO COLD but so great! I loved it. I can't wait to do it again.
One of the nurses from the hospital got a new machine not too long ago and was anxious to show it off so he offered to give me a ride- i readily accepted.
He told me to dress really warm so... I put on stretch pants, jeans, a turtleneck, a zip-up fleece, my snow-suit, two pairs of gloves a pull-over face mask, a scarf, two pairs of socks and my big boots. When I got out there he looked at me like he was sizing me up and I said "what are you thinking". He said I'm wondering if you'll be warm enough. I said well I could put another coat on "he said yeah you better".
I was wondering if I would need it but I obeyed. See being as naive as I am, I was kinda worried about getting too hot. You know how in Seattle when it snows you put on all this gear and then you get outside and end up stripping half of it off because you start sweating- yeah well that doesn't happen when you're on a snowmachine. I even wore my stretch pants- instead of my longjohns- and my holy jeans (you know for ventilation haha) for fear that I would be too hot. Oh and I wore my zip-up fleece incase I needed to "un-zip"- what a fool I was! haha
I am so glad that I obeyed! I also added a hat along with my jacket- praise the Lord for that hat- cause it protected my forehead. It's hard to believe but by the end of the ride my knees and toes were starting to get cold. It's just incredible how cold it is. I think it was like 17 below out and then with the wind it makes it more like 30 below.
I found out that my gloves are not worth anything! Right away pretty much my fingers were throbbing from the cold. It was like I didn't even have any gloves on at all! I had on a pair of stretchy gloves and then my waterproof snow gloves over that. I think I'm gonna buy some seal skin mittens to put over those for next time- that's what Gary suggested. So yeah we had to stop and he gave me some hand warmers to put in my gloves- it definetly helped but they were still pretty cold. It's crazy because now when I feel the hand warmers they're so hot but when they were in my gloves on the ride they barely felt warm. The tips of my fingers are still a little puffy, especially around my nail beds and they still feel a little sensative- probably the beginnings of frost bite... haha just kidding but still if we stayed out there too long I really would have frost bite even with those gloves on! And we were talking about taking pictures but if you take your gloves off even for a little while you can get frost bite! It's just too cold. So sadly I have not pictures to show you- I'll try harder next time and when I see Gary at work I'll try to get a picture of him at least to show you all.
It's really sad because there are quite a few cases of people that get drunk and end up walking around without there shoes and they horrible frost bite! It's so sad. It must be like the most painful thing ever. As your skin warms up it just gets more painful.
Oh and guess what. I had to take my glasses off during the ride because I couldn't see anything because... they were frozen! Within min. the fog from my breath froze so there was a sheet of ice over my lenses! Haha crazy huh. And there were little ice crystals on our eyelashes. I was sad I couldn't wear my glasses because it's so beautiful! The sun was shining and there was even a little rainbow. I could see good enough though. It's just white and sparkly as far as you can see. We rode down the frozen river and then over the snow covered Tunda- a totally different place then when I was here in the summer. Amazingly beautiful, a breathtaking display of God's creation.
I love the rush you feel while you're riding, it's so fun to go fast. But the faster you go the colder it is. It was nice for me though because since I was in the back I can just hide my face in Gary's hood. It's alot colder if you're the one driving. Someday I think I would like to try driving though... I'll have to convince Gary to give me a chance...
Alright well I must be on my way.
Oh wait one more wonderful detail, Gary has only been a nurse for 3 years I found out and before that he was a singer! Since he was 18 he's been in different bands and groups and sang in nightclubs and such around the country and I think in Latin America and Europe too! Isn't that great! haha. I never would have suspected! I have to get a picture on here for you guys to see! He's from Alabama, so he has a great southern drawl (he thinks I'm the one with the accent but that's just not true, he has the accent not me). He said they sang all kinds of music but pretty much all I can imagine is country music coming from him- maybe some bluegrass. I told him next time he comes over he'll have to sing for me. He said he used to sing at a club in Florida that alot of stars would come to- Bob Hope was one of them. Oh and then when he went to nursing school he got he way payed for by singing in the university jazz band.
When I was here in the summer I met a cage fighter and now I meet a lounge singer- I love it. I know my cousins are gonna be lovin' this one too! Love you Luxems!