February 2016
3 years ago, we went to the Jim Thorpe for their annual Winterfest. It's a fun event that encompasses the entire downtown area of this quaint little mountain town. We decided to go back this year since we had a free long weekend. The big difference from last time was that this time the temperature throughout the weekend was 5 degrees below zero with a wind chill of -24! I like the cold, but this was painful cold unless you had the right gear on. I'm quite happy that I bought a new LL Bean parka last fall. There was an ice carver and a wood carver creating sculptures on the street. There's a "mug walk" where you purchase a mug and then show it at a bunch of stores throughout the town where they give you some small item in return. It's a fun way to get people into every little shop. Of course, our favorite shop is the Country Cottage where the "pickle lady" resides. She makes the best pickles you'll ever try. This year, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad was also running. We took an excursion on that which made for a fun break from the bitter cold.
