The planet circles the sun, Winter melts away to Spring, the cycle continues. Some follow arbitrary dates on a calendar, but by that measure Spring arrived several hefty snow storms and a lot of frozey nights ago. My thoughts may have turned towards planning Summer adventures, but I’ve kept my Baffins close and my long legged base layers closer even if it is April.

Now though I think we are ready to really turn the page. The snow has gone and returned more than once, but I’m pretty sure we’ve seen the last of the last of it. So much so I officially declared a change of season yesterday and held the changing of the baskets ceremony for my hiking poles. The big snow baskets that have kept me from poking in too far all during the snowy months have served their purpose. Keeping them on into mud season is risky, as those same over sized baskets mired in the Spring muck can pull a man under if he doesn’t know when to let go.

I stay off the trails for a few weeks this time of year to let them dry a bit. When I do go back out I’ve learned to test suspicious looking spots with a pole before putting a boot into them. I’ve had what looked to be an inch of mud take my leg to the knee and have had trust issues ever since. Still, a pole will do you no good if it gets stuck so having the right baskets for where you are headed is worth taking a moment to consider. Boots too for that matter heh. Mud season is no time for minimalist shoes as far as I’m concerned. Mesh uppers breath well in the Summer heat, but breathing mud is another matter.

We are getting a late start on our change of season up here. Yours may be well under way, but whatever you’ve got going on outside your door today I hope you are making plans and getting ready to get out on what adventures the coming seasons bring. It will be time to put those Winter baskets back on before you know it so don’t miss a single chance to get out somewhere less traveled by