JEREMIAH HAAS COLUMN LOGO
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
In the coming weeks, many will take the opportunity to travel back and forth with family and friends, slowly enjoying each other’s company. Make memories.
We all want to get out and enjoy the outdoors, but we have to remember that not everyone can handle the cold that seems to hit the Quad City every time we take a vacation. Leads to Christmas weekend. So it’s wise to incorporate outdoor activities into your Christmas vacation. It’s always a good excuse to leave home, and you might avoid the in-laws who remind you of your cousin Eddie from National Lampoon’s Christmas holidays.
People are also reading…
First, stick with what you know. If you are an ice fisherman, hunter, or photographer, there are opportunities for each of these activities. Try to accommodate their comfort level, not yours.
When I was five or six, I was visiting my father’s first cousin for Christmas. He lived in Menominee, Michigan. George was going to take me and his whole family ice fishing, so he loaded up his wagon and headed down the mountain. road. It seemed like an eternity driving through the woods of Michigan, but finally we turned and drove into what appeared to be a vast field, or a large field. George opened the window without speeding, which was unusual. What happened next nearly knocked her mother straight off the roof.
A large “thunk” rattled us all and we realized that we were not in the field, but driving across the lake. We heard a few more loud bangs, ice shifts and pops before he pulled over. I drilled the hole close enough that I could sit in the car seat and see the float. That was the last time my mother was on the ice.
An easy activity, especially for non-hunters, is pheasant or goose hunting. The good thing about bird hunts is that they are usually active hunts and non-hunters can participate as a social event. Another bonus is that unlike deer bowhunting, bard he can borrow snowsuits during his hunt. Remember, this hunt is for the visitors, not you.
Finally, if your family isn’t fishermen or hunters, consider going out to see the bald eagles that most people enjoy. Our lock and dam system attracts bald eagles. Local lookouts are great vantage points, but my personal favorite is the lookout at Lock and Dam 13, just north of Fulton. The colder it gets, the better the visibility in general. It’s not uncommon for professional photographers to perch on platforms to take pictures of swooping eagles, or take stills of trees across a river littered with birds. You are so close to the river that the eagle flies right by you. So for those who aren’t blessed to live in Quad-Cities, it can be a very unforgettable experience.
Christmas isn’t just about gifts and food. Celebrate the season and take your suburban family outdoors.