Rain, not snow

Rain in Minnesota in January seems as common as snow in San Antonio in summer.  We are typically blessed with single digit temperatures, bright sun, fast outdoor ice, and fresh powder snow for skiing.  Today, however, was met with temperatures in the 30’s, a heavy gray sky and steady drizzle.

A healthy glow

The folks that converged today on Fish Lake in Maple Grove were here to raise money to build a high school in Haiti, as part of the Rotary Club of Maple Grove’s 2010 Deep Freeze Dunk .  I brought my mobile sauna to the shoreline of Fish Lake to help with the plunge experience.  Maybe it was the feel good purpose of the event, maybe it was everybody’s bright smiles contrasting with the gray sky, maybe it was the 170 degree wood burning sauna, but everybody in attendance was happy to be there and participating in a timely, good cause.

New friendships flow

I’ve always said, the worse the weather, the better the sauna.  Today was no exception.  Those that committed to support the fundraiser, got off their couches, ventured out onto a frozen lake, plunged into the hole in the ice, indulged in sauna, began forming a bond which naturally evolved into tighter friendships.  There is something genuine about the polar plunge and sauna experience.  Honesty, transparency, sincerity.  There is no bullshit in a sauna.

The day after Thanksgiving, November 27th, 2009.

My outdoor backyard shower is  hooked up to my garden hose, and cost $15 in parts from any hardware store.   It hangs over a branch outside the door to my changing room.  It’s been a wonderful addition to our sauna experience, simulating jumping into a cool lake after a long sauna round.

Yesterday, I could tell that the shower season here in Minnesota was almost over.  As I turned on the shower, it started with a trickle and it took a couple minutes to push ice through the hose.. brrrrr made for an even more refreshing ’splash’ cooling off under the rushing water.

Standing under the brisk shower, I said out loud “‘thanks shower, see you in Spring!”, my wife shaking her head with a smile on her face.

Link to how to make your own outdoor shower.

Not sure where it came from, but hanging on our cabin wall is a little sign that reads:

cabin (ka ben) n. 1. a place where Minnesotans go every weekend to spend two days waiting for the fish to bite, the bugs to go away, and the sun to come out.  written by Lori Olson c. 1985

Now, i’m not about to start picking away at her glass half empty typical Minnesotan style, Garrison Keillor would be proud.  What I will take to task, however, is that one need not sit looking out the window wishing for the sun to come out.  Weather happens whether we wish, will, or whine about it.  With a sauna, a rainy day is a WONDERFUL day.

Every cabin/cottage should have a sauna, an insurance policy against cabin fever and Murphy’s Law.  Chances are a family reunion will fall on a weekend when a misty morning builds into a downpour by dinner.  We’ve turned a long rainy day into a wild fun party, speakers turned out the windows, floaty toys bobbing around the dock, and even an awesome game of Bocce Ball, all in the rain, thanks to the sauna, humming along, providing warmth and joy and a new outlook on a rainy day.

Does your cabin/cottage have a sauna?  If not, what is your weather insurance policy?

CAVEAT: I can’t speak to what this new age video is about, but it’s the only one I could find of this great song (30 seconds worth) by Ladysmith Black Mambazo:

There’s something beautiful about sitting outside in the rain, rainwater tingling the skin, steam billowing off one’s body after a nice sauna round.  Climates with rain, rain, beautiful rain are blessed with lush greenery, lakes, and fresh oxygen from the surrounding greenery.

Infrared closets and health club saunas just don’t hold a candle to your own authentic outdoor sauna where between rounds you can sing “rain, rain, beautiful rain!”

With your own authentic Finnish sauna:

• Sit outside in the rain like a crazy man with a smile on your face.
• Turn a rainy day at the cabin into a party.
• Turn a 3 day cold front into a beautiful day.

Why not jump in the snow after a 15-20 minute sauna round?

• The snow melts on your hot body and makes for a terrific cleansing wash.
• It gets you breathing and exhilarating like the coolest Hawaiian waterfall plunge.
• It makes you feel like snow and winter ain’t all that bad of a thing!

Caution: Just as you wouldn’t jump into a lake unless you knew how deep it was, I encourage you to tread lightly into the snow:

• jumping in fresh snow is preferred.  Older snow crystallizes and can cut soft sauna skin like a knife: very much ouch and an end to a great sauna party.
• I suggest sitting down in the snow, butt first, then laying back, using your hands to toss some fresh snow on your front.  Akin to making a snow angel.  It’s easier to get up from this position as well.
• The sit down in the snow method also isn’t such an aggressive immersion.  You can control how much snow and where.

A little snow on your head feels great, especially as it melts down your body.

You stand outside looking at the moon, and as steam billows off you think with a smile: “damn that felt good”, and the cool thing is that you can go do it all again.  As your body equalizes, you grab a beer and without haste, work your way back into the sauna room.

Yes, that’s NOT a typo!!!

It was that cold.  5 guests showed up for this sauna party.  Dan waltzed in at 10:30 pm “somebody has to be on the late shift” as three of us were deep into our 2nd full round of this sauna party.

Let me try to sum up what a 20 below sauna party is like: I started the Kuuma Stove around 8 pm, then watched some of the Minnesota Wild hockey game back in the house, while riding the stationary bike.  Around 8:30 my 9 year old appears in his bathrobe, wanting to take a sauna party with Dad.  So, we hit it.  Sauna party temp: already 140 degrees f. inside, about 10 degrees f. in the changing room, and -20 degrees f. outside.

Around 9 pm, Chuck and Matt arrive the sauna party.

Let me describe what dumping cold water over one’s head standing outside in -20 degrees f. feels like.  Well, you need sandles on or your feet want to start sticking to the ice/snow outside.  No damper to the sauna party!  You step outside and steam billows off your body like a clothes dryer vent.  You splash water over your head, and as cold as the water is, it feels warm because the air temp. at this sauna party is so brrrrrrrrrr..  Now most folks would run back inside to the sauna party, but if you stand outside for a moment, something wonderful happens.

The water on your skin starts evaporating, blood flows freely around your body, and the heat mass from your body gives you a warm tingly feeling as it hits the cold air.  What a sauna party!  A friend likens it to dipping an ice cream cone in hot chocolate.  Your outer skin has a nice crisp layer feeling to it.  When ice starts forming on your hair, well, it’s time to get back to the sauna party and hang out in the changing room and grab a beer.

The changing room of the sauna party has its own compelling climate.  The steam in the chilly room gives a tropical feeling, a rainforest but fresh and cool.  No rush to go back into the sauna.  The sauna party is now in the changing room.  King Tubby, Radiohead, and Theivery Corporation shuffle mix on Rhapsody music player.  A quick flip of the bottle opener and the sauna party is in full force.  Lots of ice cold water to help keep the hydration happening.  Nate’s gone to bed and 2 more arrive for the sauna party.  Nice thing about a sauna party:  you can casually socialize with whomever you wish.  Good one on one time either in the sauna, hanging in the changing room, or outside sharing a cold beer after a water plunge.  175 degrees f. back in the sauna.  Let’s go back in the sauna!

The Kuuma Stove fought back vigorously with each door opening.  Take a moment to consider this:  if the changing room is, say, 20 degrees and your sauna is, say, 170 degrees, you don’t have to be a thermal mass scientist to figure that there’s quite a blast of cold air and heat loss going on each time someone opens the sauna door at a sauna party.  5-6 people at a sauna party can create quite a test to maintaining an adequate temperature in a sauna.  I started the Kuuma Stove with 4 pieces of firewood, and added 2 more throughout the night.  That’s pretty efficient for a long sauna party!

I was told that after an especially grueling negotiation with Nokia executives, vendors are invited to take a sauna with the top brass.  Now, talk about building vendor relationships!  sauna party!  Brush up on sauna etiquette, close the door!!

TIP: If you sell to Nokia, get a sauna and start enjoying your own sauna party!