Chapter 23

The outside air was cold and brisk. The pond had just frozen over. The ice was very clear. The most recent forecast called for below freezing temperatures for the remainder of the week. It looked very promising that we could have a winter of see-through ice.

That is my own term. See-through ice is when the water freezes quickly and there is minimal wind and slushy snow to disrupt the surface. Rain mixed with snow is another situation that can cloud the ice. When the snow comes later, if the surface of the pond is already hard, the ice may remain clear. The biggest obstacle is the freezing and melting. I have experienced see-though ice only once in my lifetime.

It is fun to go out on the ice and brush away the snow. When it freezes just right, you can see as far as the light will penetrate. Vegetation, sand, and swimming fishes are easily spotted. On one occasion I thought I spotted something rather large swimming under me.

At first, I thought it was just a shadow. When it happened again, I took a closer look. There, underneath me, was a muskrat swimming on its back. It was swimming lazily by and wondering what the creature above him was doing.

Sometimes the ice will freeze with huge bubbles trapped inside. It makes for a very interesting scene, especially when the sunlight shines at just the right angle. I thought about how much fun it would be to take Anna out to enjoy a frozen surface like that. I have always enjoyed the look on friend's faces when I have shared with them that experience for the first time.

I heard a call that I knew only too well. It was the call of the Sandhill Crane. I scanned the sky for the silhouette of the bird. At first I didn't see anything. Then, much to my delight, I spotted them. There, in the eastern sky, was a flock of at least forty birds. They appeared to be flying at a considerable distance from me. At first it looked like they might travel overhead, but instead, they made a shift in their flight pattern and flew off to the southeast. If they weren't heading south immediately, I figured that they would be doing so very quickly.

I was on my way to the airport. Anna would be arriving shortly. All the arrangements had been finalized, her visa had been approved, and the University was anxiously awaiting her arrival. My friend Brenda had done her job well. In an attempt to show my appreciation, I had come up with an incredible plan for the lobby of her building.

In order to complete that task, I had brought in one of the recently hired interns. I had found him to be a very innovative thinker and had been impressed with some of his ideas. Working together, we had developed a very impressive way to showcase the attributes of the old building.

Anna was coming. It was almost too good to be true. In a few hours she would be in my arms once again. I would gaze into those eyes until I felt myself being absorbed into a wonderful new universe. The cold air and the weather outside would be of little consequence to me. I knew that inside I would be all warm and content. I would be in the arms of the one I love.

The traffic was not bad and the roads were free of ice. I took the exit for the short term parking. I wanted to be early so that I was there and waiting for her when she walked through the gate. I didn't want any outside occurrences to delay my upcoming reunion. It was a direct fight from Amsterdam. I already knew there would be some additional time needed for going through customs.

I parked the Rover and walked through the concourse. I found a bench where I could sit and wait. I felt a knot in my stomach. Me ... of all people. What was happening to me? I got up and checked the schedule for the arriving flights. The plane was on time. I walked back and forth. The excitement was getting to be too much. I told myself to settle down. I knew from experience that the reunion would come soon enough.

I thought back on the strange occurrence I had experienced the previous afternoon. I had gone into work early and had been able to complete a good portion of my assignments for the day. I had left mid-afternoon in order to catch some of the sunlight before it left for the day.

I had wanted to cover some miles quickly, so I hopped on my bike. The temperature gauge read twenty degrees Fahrenheit and I knew that the wind was brisk. About one mile down the road, I had second thoughts about the wisdom of my adventure.

The wind was blowing hard and my bike was stiff because of the cold. From previous winter rides, I knew that the bearings and other moving parts would become less fluid because of the low temperatures. The bike was harder to peddle. Shifting was even harder. I eventually made it to the trail in the woods. Once there, at least some of the wind was blocked by the trees and brush.

I rode off the asphalt path and merged onto a mountain bike trail that some enterprising person had made. The trail wound over ridges, through logs, and around other natural obstructions. It was a great trail and it took me much deeper into the woods.

A sign had warned me to stay on the main trail because a hunt was in progress. Every year, the county would allow bow hunters into the park to thin the deer herd. I had worn my blaze orange stocking cap and I knew enough to scan the trees for hunters. I figured my chances of being safe were pretty good.

When I neared the edge of the woods, I parked my bike and continued on foot. I wanted to see how the creek looked after the big freeze. I made my way through the cattails and tall grass until I found myself standing on the bank of the once flowing water.

It was about thirty feet to the other shore. The waterway was completely frozen. I knew that the stream would continue to flow under the ice, so I decided not to venture out onto the surface. The ice had frozen clear and it was easy to see the leaves and grass on the bottom.

I explored the area some more and walked up onto a high ridge. From my vantage point, I could see in all directions. I didn't spot any hunters in the trees, nor did I see any deer. In fact, I think I was the only one crazy enough to venture out in the frigid weather.

I returned to my bike and continued my ride. I had to keep my eyes on the trail as there were many sudden curves to maneuver and trees to avoid. Eventually I made it back to the main path. The sun had come out and the sky was a pale blue where the clouds were absent. When I was out of the wind, and in the warmth of the sun, the cold seemed to be much less of a problem.

I continued down the trail and eventually spotted another off-shoot path. I decided to explore that one on another occasion. I headed for the boat landing to check on the thickness of the ice.

As I came around a small stand of trees, I was surprised to see a car parked at the edge of the lake. Several hundred feet from shore I spotted a man on the ice. He was fishing and already had two holes made. I saw that he was adjusting the tip-up in one hole. Just then I heard the ranger's car pull up behind me.

"Hey, get off the ice. It's not safe yet," he said as he got out of his car.

The man on the ice yelled back,

"There ain't no law. This ice is four inches thick and that is good enough for me."

I looked at the ice. It sure didn't look that thick. It was so clear that I could easily see the edges of leaves and twigs in the water.

"You need to wait a few days until the ice gets a few inches thicker. Kids will see you and think it is safe enough to walk on."

The ranger glanced my way and shook his head.

The guy on the ice left his tip-ups and headed our way. When he was ten feet away, he stopped and drilled a hole in the ice. He showed us that the ice was at least four inches thick. That would definitely be thick enough to handle one person.

"You need to be careful out there. There can be spots where the ice is thinner. This ice is so clear you would never know," I added.

I had decided to throw in my two cents worth. Only five days earlier the water had been open.

"I've been fishing this lake my whole life," the man said with a laugh.

The ranger and I eventually left and headed on our separate ways.

I thought I had heard the sound of cranes in the distance. I wondered if there might be some open water and they might be swimming in one of the bays. I headed in the direction that I thought the sound was coming from. I had to fight the wind, but knew it would be helping me on the return trip.

I arrived at the bay and found it to be completely frozen. I could not spot any birds. I stopped briefly to enjoy the view of a tiny island, the tree-lined banks, and the clear frozen water. I was finally starting to feel the cold. The sun was setting, so I decided to head back.

When I came to the landing, I figured I should check on the fisherman. He had moved to a different location. I spotted him walking to another area to drill a new hole.

I heard that sickening sound of breaking ice. I watched helplessly as the man disappeared from view.

My heart skipped a beat.

I had to help him. In my mind, there was no other option.

I had asked him earlier if he had a flotation device or some ice picks. He had just laughed at me. It didn't matter. I had to see what I could do.

I dialed 911 and then put my phone in the pack on my bike. I looked around for something that I could use to help in the rescue.

I pulled my ice spikes out of my pocket. I had made them myself. They were just two sharp spikes embedded in a wooden handle. There were holes in each handle so that the sharp end could be stored inside the other handle. Each spike had a strap I could wrap around my wrist. I figured I could use one as an anchor in the ice. I also spotted a large sturdy branch which I picked up. I then headed out onto the surface of the lake.

I tried to follow the path that the man had already walked. The ice could hold one man, but two would be another question. I had no idea how long it would take for the authorities to arrive.

When I got closer to the man, I could see that the cold was already taking its toll. His hat had already begun to freeze and his face was white. He had propped his arms on the ice and was looking directly at me.

"Please help," I heard him weakly say.

I placed myself flat on the ice. I wanted to make myself as big as possible. I slowly edged closer to the hole. When I figured I was close enough to reach him with the stick, I started chipping a hole with my spike. When I thought it was deep enough, I stuck the spike in and grabbed onto it. With my other hand, I extended the branch out to the man in the water.

"Grab the branch and I will try to pull you out," I yelled.

I could hear the wailing and cracking of the ice. It was giving off a sound that can only be compared to that curious moaning that whales make underwater.