I really hate to write anything about the recent trend in warmer weather in January as I am a bit superstitious that as soon as I do we will get one of those Arctic lows and be dealing sub-zero temperatures and wind chills. We have short memories though, as not too long ago we had -40 wind chills that forced some of us to change our plans and just stay home rather than wander out into the cold. But, unless it changes drastically 2026 has started out fairly nice.

This train of thought leads me to write about our recent Military Affairs Committee meeting where Security Forces talked about the training that they do with their forces to not only survive, but function efficiently in common ND winter conditions. Add to that training for an emergency when one, or a group of our Airmen may be forced to spend an extended amount of time in the elements. Easier put, how to survive by building shelters and fires in preparation to spend an entire night out in the elements. With today’s modern technology that includes cell phones, more reliable vehicles and better outdoor gear, why bother? “Because we know that our adversaries are prepared to exist and function in these conditions” according to Security Forces personnel who informed the people attending the MAC luncheon about winter preparedness. They also talked about being mentally prepared to survive and function when it is North Dakota cold. “We teach our troops to prepare themselves to spend time in the cold and not just think about running from a warm vehicle to a warm building.”

That brings me to my next thought. As a young kid I would almost beg my parents to let me go outside rather than spend hours in the house. We had a skating rink without a warming house and we would dress appropriately to spend not minutes, but hours playing a pick-up hockey game. We would take a handful of non-yellow snow to quench any thirst.

Later in life I would again spend hours, not minutes, out on an open lake ice fishing. We didn’t have the ice houses (castles) that are common today. We considered any temperature about 15 degrees, without wind chill of course, to be perfect for ice fishing weather. We learned about what would later be called layering…i.e. putting as many clothes on as possible to keep from getting cold. And just like the Airmen who are being trained to “take on and defeat the cold” rather than let the cold beat them, we were mentally prepared to go outdoors.

So, in my opinion, we aren’t only equipping our young Airmen, most who are residents of states where the average temperature is around 60 degrees, to not only work in North Dakota, but also to get involved in activities like ice fishing, hockey, curling, sledding and skiing, cross-country skiing and even winter camping. If you wait for perfect weather, and I guess I hesitate to define perfect winter weather in North Dakota, you’ll be stuck indoors watching re-runs of Survivor on T.V. Instead, as I learned long ago, it’s better to enjoy the outdoors in North Dakota on your schedule, plan a day and prepare for the worst because you can always adapt. Leaving a layer of clothes at home is not all bad…being outdoors and being miserably cold is.

Finally, I would like to share my experience(s) ice fishing. There are very few experiences that compare to a warm (again a mental state), sunny day out on the open ice. It’s always nice to catch fish, but not necessary. If it’s -40 I will agree that a well-equipped fish house is certainly nice but with a mind-set that if it gets nice we are going to abandon the fish house and sit on a 5-gallon pail on the ice. Like the Security Forces training you are teaching yourself to not only survive, but to function and most of all have fun in the winters of North Dakota.

Once Around The Block
Have you tried the new ice bumper cars at Citizens Alley? I have not, but it’s certainly on my bucket list to make it happen this winter. Everyone I have talked to say they are a lot of fun. Information on rentals is on the Citizen’s Alley web site citizensalley.com.

Today’s Chuckle
There’s nothing wrong with your life being an open book, as long as you only hang out with people who can’t read.