But sometimes the River Trail is thronged, and you just can’t handle the calories from another caramel hot chocolate.
Here’s 20 ways to kick your winter up a notch:
1. Winter cycling
Love cycling in the summer, but hate the crazies on the slushy streets? Don’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. It’s warmer than you’d think and an even better workout than it is in fairer weather. MEC hosts regular sessions to help get you up to speed — the next one is on Jan. 22, getting riders geared up for Winter Bike to Work Day on Feb. 15. It might just be your best and safest chance to try it out.
Already doing it? Kick it up a notch by attending the Winter Cycling Congress.
2. Take a winter survival course
Shelter is only one of the skills you might need if you ever get caught in a winter emergency. Learn how to find and treat water, get food and cook it, build a survival kit, and more. True beginners can attend an afternoon course at Fort Whyte, but for the real deal, the International Canadian School of Survival offers more advanced courses that include overnights.
3. Be an ice road trucker
OK, not really. But learn how to actually drive on Winnipeg’s terrible winter streets with a course. Dane WIlson’s Crossroads driver training is one great resource to correct common mistakes, like hand-over-hand driving to pull out of a skid.
4. Drive on an actual ice road
Hey, roads over lakes are the online lifeline to many remote northern Manitoba communities. Don’t have a full day to spare? Borrow a friend’s 4×4 and go for a spin — or several doughnuts — on a frozen lake near you. It will make you think differently about your next skid, that’s for sure.
5. Set a skating record
The Red River Mutual Trail just opened, so its final length is far from ready. Will it reach world-record proportions? Who cares. Challenge yourself to skate the entire length and set a personal record. Not into that kind of record? Every Sunday from 2-4 p.m. DJs Co-op and Hunnicutt transform the Canopy Skating rink into a funkadelic dance party to help you skate your cares away. And both options are free, free, free! *skates not included.
Read the full story here: https://winnipegsun.com/2014/01/18/20-only-in-frozen-winnipeg-things-to-try/wcm/1a69b050-4256-4905-ab50-dc476aeb7e3b