Published in Backpacking Light Magazine, December 2013. It had initially been titled “Twenty Shades of Gray” in reference to the winter skies over Lake Superior, but they thought the title too provocative.
J raised an eyebrow inquisitively. She must have noticed the look of longing that had flitted across my face. “You’re not planning something crazy, are you?” she asked, a little too knowingly. I looked down guiltily at the text message I had just received. Who knew that five words could so easily reawaken that dangerous obsession?
“Winter weather advisory in effect…”