Bit of a cold spell in Calgary at the moment.

So I wrap up in layers, wear something on my hands and on my head and feel nice and warm. However, whenever I walk more than 200 yards or so, my face becomes so cold I can hardly stand it. Everyone else seems to be able to go about their business with no problems at all and they aren't all wearing balaclavas. So the question are: Am I just a wimp ? Or is this something that all of us experience and will I "get used to it" eventually ?


Or is it the walking 200 yards bit that I am getting wrong ? Should I now drive everywhere ?

It freezes along with the contents of your nostrils.

Yup

Do as the natives do.

Yes you will get used to it. My first winter in Canada was 1962/3. My ears froze once. They went numb. The worst part was when they thawed out. The pain was excruciating. I remember it some 40 plus years later.

it's not cold yet ...... -15 or so??? This weekend we expect a high of about -25 0n Sunday!
I find the worst thing is it makes my eyes water terribly ... then of course my tears freeze......

The boys want me to take them skiing on Sunday!!

I've seen that - god knows how may face will cope with that

Last night I began to experience the "nostrils thing" referred to above- totally weird

LOL

Little tip for you as an ex-Canadian that used public transport & own two feet to get around... women tend to wear long thick scarves in the winter along with hats... this is because you can twist it around a turn or two then use part of the scarf to shield your chin/mouth/nose for brief reprieves from the chill while still looking like the Nordic Angel you are.. try it out indoors to practise using your neck/chin to bring the scarf up to nose level and crane your neck up/out to let scarf slip back down

Just had a look at weather for Calgary -25!!!!
We will be landing there this time next year! Is it a huge shock and is it possible to get used to!!!???

hi mate, i remember on my last trip to edmonton it was -27, trying to be the rufty tufty northern type i went without hat and gloves, so more like the stupid northern type really, as everyone stared at me as i strolled around trying to look warm. the point being i have looked at various garb since returning to keep everything, chest up, warm. there is a balaclava ski thingy on sale at millet's and the like. its a scarf type thing that goes right over the head, pull it up over the ears, or pull it up right over the noggin. yes you look like a fool, but a warm fool baby.
thats a crap description i know, but there is a ski shop opposite the mall on the main street near the tower thing(oh i give up you know what i mean) that should sell it.

Corse it is.. it's all in the layering of your clothes, -25 cel is a typical winter day in Montreal.... Calgary has a reputation for being a bit more sudden/unpredictable weather as I believe its subject to some kind of weather jet stream travelling the Rockies... if my Weather Network trivia isn't completely forgot

Layers are more important then actual 'warmth' of clothes, most of the actual chill you will feel at -25 will be caused by wind, dont matter wether its just wind from passing cars or a strong gale, ANY wind will feel magnified at those temps.
By layering your clothes, you protect the invisible heat shield your body gives off by making it more difficult for the wind to penetrate all the way through the different layers.

*sigh* I remember the days in Montreal when we had a nasty cold snap and it was -31 (felt like -40 cel with wind chill)

Woke up in the morning and put on two pairs of socks, one thin pair then a thick pair over top, put on thermal trousers (long johns), slipped on another pair of bigger long johns over top those, then put on my thick/baggy trousers over top... had a sports bra, then an undershirt, then a jumper/sweater on top.... and then pulled on my fur-lined high winter boots, slipped on my long fur lined jacket and pulled on my furry hat with the dangly ear things, wrapped my neck/face up with a scarf, slipped on my gloves prepared to face the coldest day in Montreal in decades...


Then realised I needed a wee and had to take it all off again

LOL

PMSL

[QUOTE=However, whenever I walk more than 200 yards or so, my face becomes so cold I can hardly stand it.

So the question are: Am I just a wimp ? Or is this something that all of us experience and will I "get used to it" eventually ? [/QUOTE]

Good to hear that we will get used to it.

Sometimes it feels like something is biting at my face. I don't mond the feeling of the nostril thing too much. The other day when I was shovelling the sidewalk, within 20 seconds the contents of my nose was frozen. It was around -18 degrees that day.

We were going to go skiing this weekend, but decided we'd wait until we are a bit more climatized to the cold. Imaging the wind chill! It is already -25 here, apparantly the wind chill takes down another 10 degrees

http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/71123.html

none too clever really as flesh starts to freeze at minus 18. yep it's cold here and no, i don't think you really get used to it, you adapt and try not to be out in it longer than necessary. i get people in the uk to bring me out thermal clothings from M and S as i don't like the stuff you can buy here. with wind chill it is minus 27 today and will stay around this for the next few days. another tip - i have found wearing earrings in this weather to be extremely painful.