Running in a New Country

Since the last time I wrote, I've moved to a new country. This is a country where it's not weird if you run around town in jogging clothes. In fact, it's considered normal. I've discovered a better way to get my heart rate up, though. Every weekend, I take my skis, boots, and poles in the back of the car up to the top of this local mountain. It's actually the highest mountain in the state where I live. I go to a trailhead and then it's like entering a completely new and different world. Everything is covered in white and the weather could change at any second. When it snows, my mascara runs, but I love the thrill of the chill in the air and the silence of the ancient forest all around me. This new country is strange, but I love skiing in it.