My cousin lives in New Jersey. Where I grew up. He has a nice life in a town called Freehold. Bruce Springsteen is from there. My cousin and his wife have actually had a conversation with him at Federici's pizza restaurant. I'm serious. My cousin owns a famous apple orchard called Battleview Orchards. They make the best cider on earth. No question.
And, he loves to snowmobile. Really loves to snowmobile. In fact if there was a black belt in snowmobiling, he'd have it.

He and I hadn't seen each other in 35 years. We reconnected at a family reunion. Life just goes by too fast. At the reunion we planned the trip. The following February I flew to Newark from Austin. We were on our way the next morning. By the end of the day we were in a different world.

We ended up outside of Quebec City. It was a world of winter beauty. With an actual snowmobile highway system. We rode everyday. We met people who had ridden up there for years. We found an ice hotel. We drank out of ice glasses. It was exhausting and fun. We talked to a group of three guys who had logged 1,300 miles after three weeks riding! On snowmobiles. In the Canadian winter! Yeah, no way. Finally, on the last morning, I did a couple of paintings. Painted with snowballs. An unforgettable adventure in the great white north.