Chilling in Racine Again

The temperatures finally have picked up around here, but so has the wind.  So while it wasn't ideal weather for the Big Chill Racine Ice & Snow Sculpture event, it was better than the deep freeze we experienced earlier this week.

Last year when I attended I brought Cory and his girlfriend along with me, this year I dragged Katrina along since she was visiting for the weekend.  I like the ice sculptures better than the snow ones, but there were fewer of them it seemed this year.

Not really the kind of coffee we were looking for

The temperatures were so warm that most of the ice sculptures were looking a little too melted, but you'd never know it when you were standing in a spot where that icy wind off Lake Michigan blasted you.

It was a quick dash up and down Main Street, but we took in the sights as best we could while wishing there was a Starbuck's or some other coffee shop nearby to help warm us up.

But, back to the snow sculptures.  The Big Chill on Monument Square brought 16 two person teams to compete for the title of Wisconsin State Snow Sculpting Champion.  Winners will advance to the 2015 National Championships in Lake Geneva.  

My favorite, "The Dragon and the Phoenix"

Katrina's favorite, the "sexy triceratops"

What else did we do on our afternoon out?  Met grandma for lunch at Noodles and Company, stopped for a raspberry Kringle to take home, and of course grabbed some mochas at Starbucks to warm our hands up after our chilly adventure.

Katrina and her short mom take on Old Man Winter

Katrina sent me a link about some ice caves up near Munising, Michigan, which is only 2 hours from Marinette where she lives.  It's probable that I'll head up in early February and we'll go check it out together. So glad I keep finding ways to break up the boredom of winter around here!