Realizing that Buffalo Winters Aren't So Bad

It turns out that staying really busy is a great way to avoid the winter blues. Apparently it is also a really great way to acquire a lovely case of bronchitis when you've run yourself ragged and gotten no sleep. I'm pretty sure there's a way to stay just busy enough to avoid depression AND illness. I hope that you find that balance better than I have.

There actually are a lot of really great things to do in Buffalo that can only be enjoyed during the cold, snowy months, and I've managed to take advantage of a majority of them.

Shakespeare Hill, Delaware Park

The first of these is of course sledding. A few friends and I headed to Delaware Park's Shakespeare Hill early in the winter to take advantage of the good conditions. I reverted back to being 9 years old, speeding down that hill, shrieking all the way. We had a blast, and got a pretty decent workout running up that hill so many times! The hill is open to the public all day and, during peak sledding conditions, is loaded with children and grownups alike. It's a short walk or shorter drive to Elmwood Ave. for some hot cocoa or a hot toddy to warm up. There are plenty of other great sledding hills in the area. Another local favorite is Chestnut Ridge park.

This year marked the first time in eight years that I went snowboarding. I had my old board sharpened (and scraped clean of 8+years of rust) at Urban Threads and drove out to Ellicottville for a weekend in January. My friends and I got up early for a day at Holiday Valley. I was nervous about trying the sport again after so long. I thought for sure I'd have to learn all over again, or that I'd fall and wind up in the emergency room. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I had retained most of my snowboarding skills. After a few trial runs I was ready to head up the mountain. My friends and I spent the entire day enjoying the great conditions. We had such a great time that we got together again, this time heading to Kissing Bridge for a few hours after work. There are plenty of other ski resorts in the area to check out. It's a great way to embrace and even enjoy the snowy season.

Me and "Old Rusty" at HV