Last night (in spite of what seemed to be agonizingly cold temp: -13C, 9F—I must be getting old! Wait—I am old!), I decided to go flying, thinking I'd be up and back before dark. Well, cold slows everything down. It takes longer to get to the airport; it takes more effort to get the hangar open (darned sliding doors); it takes time to unplug the heaters; it takes time to take off the covers on the spinner, prop, and cowl; and then it takes more effort (even using the electric tug) to get the airplane out and ready to pre-flight. Actually, I left the covers on while I pre-flighted, although I'd already pulled LRB out into the snow.
Preheated, the engine fired as if it was a Spring day. However, all that cold air coming in, it took awhile before everything was running as smoothly as it should. By then, it was dusk--well, almost dark, so I checked all the lights to make sure that they worked. By the time I taxied out of the hangar area, the AWOS called for a 6 knot wind from 260--actually, that was good, because that meant more taxi time and consequently a warmer engine.
About halfway to the run-up area for 27, I remembered to turn on the cabin heat--last time up, I didn't need it! With the mixture control pulled out, the EGTs were climbing, so there actually was some heat coming in, as soon as I pulled the knob.
By the time I finished the run-up, it was pitch black out. Today had been relatively clear all day, but high clouds moved in as the sun went down, and so no help from stars or moon or anything else, other than the field lights and LRB's lights. With no plan in mind, I first flew over Greeley and then north toward my friend Russ's strip, where I kept LRB for a year. I could actually see his strip--darker than the surrounding snow--but I'd never try to land there at night, unless he turned on the runway lights (new since I kept LRB there)--the land around his strip looks flat from the air, but there are all sorts of things that would turn a nice airplane into a crumpled ball of aluminum, if I were to miss the strip.
Then I flew toward Wellington, and then I decided to fly on down to Fort Collins/Loveland (FNL). Not too busy tonight--a Cessna 172 in the pattern, doing T&Gs (which makes no sense to me, daytime or night time, but especially at night, when the only way they count for night currency is to do them full stop). People argue that they can get more landings in that way--but not when you're doing B-52 size patterns like he was. Our landings matched exactly, although I fully stopped, then re-configured for take off. Of course, my airplane is a tiny bit faster than a stock 172, but mostly I fly tighter patterns than many of today's CFIs teach. So I did a couple of those, then returned to GXY.
The wind had changed, so I set up for 34. When I pulled up to the hangar and turned 90 degrees away, I sorta buried the tires in 4" of snow--didn't realize it was that deep. But because I'd gone out to check on things after all this cold and took the time to put the chains on the electric tug yesterday, it struggled a bit, but it was able to push LRB back, through the snow and up the little hill into the hangar. What a marvelous way to save backs and frustration!
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ps7de46e7d.jpgThe coldest part of the night was putting on all the covers again, after plugging the heaters in again. Glad I left the engine running on the car, so it was toasty when I got in.
Even without the stars and moon, it was a gorgeous night. A couple of ripples here and there, but mostly smooth, very peaceful. With only the other 172 and later a Navajo landing at FNL, there wasn't much activity. So much fun!
Cary
The cacophony of mental images that simple statement made, made me laugh out loud for the first time this morning, still laughing! Hand propped, flown skis, not both at once, thanks but no thanks 
