Your Scribe's new contention about winter activity is that snowshoes are great fun, and cross-country skiing causes undue hassle and pain.

This photo depicts a great spot for winter activity. It is on Cape Cod Hill Road in Franklin County, and in my view . . it is a breathtaking view. Perfect for snowshoeing . .

In my days as an aspiring Yuppie, I got deep into the cross-country ethic. Waxes and klisters; alterations in temperatures and the changing granularity of the snow.

There were excursions in Kennebunk, Freeport, North Conway, you name it. (An aside: The sport did bring Nordic skiers and snowmobilers closer together, for the once-snobby skiers realized that trekking wasn't much fun without a good trail to follow. And the snow machines were built to do just that).

But as I approach my dotage, I find that snowshoes snap on easily and you can be traveling almost immediately. You don't need a great trail to follow, plus it is better exercise.

I rarely fall on snowshoes. But any tumble on Nordic skis these days could provide me with broken bones, which I would like to avoid.

Snowshoes or cross-country skis would be perfect tools with which to enjoy this outdoor setting. But I will take snowshoes, and have a great time trudging about on this scenic white carpet.

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