Thanks to Keni and Skip Johnson's Mickey Mouse slickers (Franktown, CO), Sharon and Roger Carleton's waterproof mittens (Black Forest, CO), and (oh dear) the $10 pair of waterproof gloves from Wal-Mart we bought in Cortez -- Jon and I have been managing all this precipitation just fine!

Stylish Jon in his Mickey Mouse slicker

We pulled out the slickers for the first time in Dove Creek, Colorado as Boreas began its 5-day outpouring of rain and snow. Although we looked like giant Big Birds from Sesame Street, these slickers were super helpful! And looking like Big Bird on the highway to passing cars and semi trucks during overcast sleeting days is probably pretty helpful to the drivers, not to mention we were wearing our reflective construction vests on top of the slickers, too! After our first ride through freezing rain in Edgemont, SD without waterproof gear feeling miserable and worrying our fingers might freeze, we were so grateful to have Keni's slickers and Sharon's mittens. By the way, Sharon, we've been using your mittens ever since we left your home in Black Forest including La Veta Pass! We kept looking for another pair equal in comparison and inexpensive in price, and luckily, found these pair of bright orange ones that Megan can be seen wearing in the pictures below. Before that, we would trade your mittens back and forth depending on whose hands were colder!

Before leaving Dove Creek, we had breakfast at this diner. The staff gave us plastic take-out bags to wear over our feet.

Here is Jon wearing the life saver mittens from Sharon!

Megan is thanking the heavens.

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of Brian Mattox (our first host via Warm Showers), we have spent the last two days in sheltered luxury at his home in Monticello, Utah. Over the weekend, Monticello has probably accumulated about a foot of snow. Cabin fever is starting to set in despite the deliciously relaxing and entertaining movie marathon we've been enjoying (The Big Cat Diaries, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Room 237, Superstar, Intolerable Cruelty, and Kon Tiki). Planning to leave tomorrow morning for Moab as it's predicted the sun will come out and the snow will stop.

Our welcome sign. Brian made everything so easy. Probably the best warm showers host ever! Admittedly, he is the first host we've met via WS.

Brian's home during Winter Storm Boreas