Did the groundhog see his shadow?

My first winter here in State College was a bit deceiving.  This winter has been a lot colder with lots of small snow flurries that didn't last long enough to enjoy, but long enough to make it hard to do things like ride a bike outdoors.   Add to that the fact that I worked a lot of days where it was dark when I went to work and dark by the time I left, and I have been feeling cold and cooped up for far too long.  To be clear, I didn't always work super late-- in the dead of the winter it gets dark here as early as 4:45 in the afternoon, so just working a normal day meant going home in the dark.

In all honesty, despite my frequent grumblings about being cold and my knack for falling asleep under 10 layers of clothing and blankets, this winter in State College has definitely encouraged me to have a greater appreciation for the colder months.  And for those of you that know my true feelings on winter know that is a bold statement.  For one, I got to see rural and forested parts of Pennsylvania covered in fresh, beautiful snow like this:

I also took a ski lesson and spent a few clear, sunny days out at the local ski area learning to maneuver my way down some of Central PA's larger hills (people here make fun of me for calling them mountains). Here is where I should probably qualify my definition of "skiing" and "maneuvering."  I am a beginner.  If there was a word for the level that you are before you're a beginner, that would actually be a more appropriate term.  So for me this season, "skiing" actually meant making a bunch of clumsy, exaggerated zig-zags down a bunny slope trying not to get run over by the three-year-old pro's.  Notice I said get run over, not run over.  On my second visit, I was feeling confident on the beginner hill and was talked into taking the lift up to the top of the slopes to try the trail run, which is the least steep of the options.  As soon as I got to the top and saw the beautiful view of Happy Valley from several hundred feet in the air.... I panicked. After several falls, and maybe a frustrated toss of a ski pole, I made it to the bottom.  My "maneuver" to the bottom was neither a technique that could be considered extreme nor age-appropriate.  Needless to say, I was pretty sore for several days after. The upside is... I am looking forward to doing it again.  Just hopefully on two skis next time.

So, anyways.  After a few quick getaways to see my friend Jaclyn in Austin, TX where the weather is perpetually beautiful, and a rather warm weekend a few days ago which I spent outdoors on my bike, I'm definitely starting to get spring fever.   After seeing these crocuses blooming on a hillside and spending 35 miles riding in the sun (and a rather strong wind), riding the bus to work in the snow again today was a major mood-killer.

Which leaves me with one question... what actually happened in Punxatawney on February 2?

Never too late to say "Happy New Year"....right?

Well, this post was intended to be up somewhere around the first week of 2013, but you know how those things go.  Instead of recapping all that happened in 2012, I'll just bring you up to speed on what has happened so far in what might possibly be the two fastest months of my life-- the beginning of 2013.

I found out late in 2012 that my one year contract with the Planning Department in State College was being extended another year.  It's hard to believe that so much time has flown by since I started this new journey-- I've certainly kept myself busy with my job, meeting people here in State College, and finding new hobbies to pursue.

This is where I rang in the New Year... in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. (I should note that I took these photos with a fancy camera that is on loan to me by my photog Dad...I'm testing the waters of upgrading from snapping cell phone pictures.)

Sunset over the mountains.

Baby cows had just been born right before our visit.

Sunrise on New Year's Eve.

After a January that lasted less time that you can blink, I was off to Austin, TX again to do more wedding planning, birthday celebrating and superbowl watching with my best friend, Jaclyn.  Jaclyn has asked me to the be the Maid of Honor for her wedding this coming October in Texas.

We had a little bridal shower (on Super Bowl Sunday).

And spent an entire day dress shopping for the Bride and Bridesmaids...

Immediately upon my return, I changed my address (which I would be happy to share with you in a text or email).  My new "roomie" and I are now cohabitating in a house here in State College...which luckily is still within a short biking distance of work and has a bus stop practically in the back yard. 

The new roommate.

And as of late, when I'm not at work, I have attempting to mentally and physically prepare myself for my upcoming adventure.  A few months back, I found out that I was accepted to a program called Bike&Build, which provides grants to affordable housing organizations across the country by leading cross-country bike tours.  I will be riding just about 300 miles from Richmond, VA to Washington, DC for a week this summer to support the affordable housing cause.  I'm working on raising $5 per mile I'm riding, will be helping with the Habitat for Humanity chapter here in State College and building with three chapters out east during my ride week.    You can check out Bike & Build and my profile if you want to see more.  So far, I have 94 of the 300 miles I'm riding sponsored... just 206 left to go!

More to come soon!