We are in January. Spring begins in two months, and Daylight Savings is weeks away. And as all Live Free of Die staters know, Spring sometimes is just another word for “Second Winter” with more snow, ice, cold, and wet weather. So what do you do if you live on the NH Seacoast and can’t afford the luxury of a season pass or the daily lift ticket prices at the ski and snowboard resorts? I compiled a list of things that helped me beat cabin fever and the gray day blahs that come with what can feel like an isolating winter. It’s easy to fall into a routine of going to work, hitting the gym, coming home and streaming tv and videos, and repeating. And hey, there’s nothing wrong with that either.
But if you want to mix it up, here are some things I’ve tried and found to keep the winter blues at bay. I hope they help you as well and remember summer is coming. If you want to surf without fear of Cabot, the Great White Shark, and his buddies, now’s the time before the ocean reaches between 12 and 24 °C (54 and 75 °F). What? I’m serious.
5 Outrageous Ideas to Soothe Your Cabin Fever
1. Ride at Rye Airfield in Rye
At Rye Airfield, you will see people of all ages riding everything from BMX bikes to skateboards and scooters to inline and roller skates. I started skateboarding here a few winters back and became a Rye Airfield member last year because I enjoyed it so much! Rye Airfield is a great place to go on a date, meet friends, or make new friends alone.
2. Invent a new sport
Say what? Yes, that’s right. I said it. Invent something new. Ski Bikes and Fat Bikes Skis were all once some person’s crazy invention tested on backyard hills. Not to mention snurfing, snowboarding, and snow surfing, which sound similar, are very different — have fun googling, and you’re welcome! Oh, and let’s not forget the newest craze downhill mountain kayaking!
Downhill Snow Kayak Races video credit: Red Bull.
3. Backcountry Snowboarding
No lifts. No lines. No money. No problem.
I did a lot of this during my senior year of high school when I moved to New Hampshire from Vermont, mostly because I didn’t have a car, and the mountains were too far away for my parents to give up their time to take me. These days I prefer it over crowded ski areas.
Large crowds, you know, the kind at music festivals and ski resorts, I find overwhelming, and thus though I enjoy riding a groomed trail, I sometimes get anxious over getting on and off the chair lift quick enough. Therefore, I want the peacefulness of the backcountry. Chris, aka Trail Chick, has some tips on starting How to Get Started Backcountry Snowboarding.
4. Join a Book Group
Most of us no longer have time to sit and read a book. I swear the last book I read took me two months to finish. Two months. However, when you join a book group, there’s a bit of peer pressure to read what the group has selected, and you get to help choose the books. Also, even if you haven’t read the book, it’s a great excuse to be social and eat snacks. And who doesn’t like to eat and be social?
5. Winter Surfing
Don’t let anyone fool you. It’s going to be cold—cold AF. Wear the appropriate gear because you could get hyperthermia or worse if you don’t. Also, please don’t surf alone. If something happened to you, like, your board knocks you unconscious, no one would know if you were alone out there.
Okay, now for the fun parts — no sharks, no parking tickets, and no accidentally bonking tourists with your longboard as your walk from your car down to the water. Your non-surfing friends will give you a look of respect reserved for the particularly daring, crazy, and brave. You may get windburned. Pro-tip I slather my face in Bag Balm post-surfing in the fall and winter to heal my skin.
If you decide to try winter surfing, check out these Winter Surfing Tips from local surfing guru Ralph Fatello.
In conclusion, whether you try a new thing or two this winter or stay wrapped like a happy little sushi in the comfort of your home, I hope you stay safe and healthy and have a peaceful and joyous New Year!
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