We seem to be getting a lot of up and down temperatures lately. Above zero one day, freezing the next. There is one thing this sort of weather is really good for. Producing ice.
Whether it’s just a little tiny skim of ice over every surface you might want to step on or turning pathways into skating rinks, this seems to be perfect weather for it.
The first type, where you get just a little bit of dampness that gets everything wet and thin turns it into an almost invisible sheet of ice can be the worst. A lot of time you don’t know it’s there. Until you’re flying off your front walkway, not sure where you’re headed, but you know it’s going to hurt. It’s tough to avoid because you don’t see it coming.
About the only choice is to start walking like a penguin as soon as you step outside.
Penguins have an advantage. Their center of gravity is pretty low to begin with. But they also have that little waddle going on.
The thing is, it keeps your weight over your feet. You don’t take big steps, just little tiny ones. You might not make progress quickly, and you might look a bit silly, but it does tend to keep you on your feet.
The other option are things like ice cleats. Something you can strap over your boots or shoes that have little studs on them to help you walk on ice.
I will say, if you wear them indoors and happen to walk across a hardwood floor, you could get yelled at. Apparently they can leave marks and dents in surfaces like wood. So putting them on too far in advance of heading out on the ice can be almost as dangerous as venturing out on the ice without them.
But they do work.
But I do have a set of these foot studs and keep them handy in case I need them. Outdoors. Either that or be prepared to waddle. The older you get the less you bounce. So falling down doesn’t seem like a great option.
