Facebook Poll: Why stay in Minnesota through freezing winters?

Per Ola Wiberg (Powi) via Flickr.com

​It's deep January, that time when we dream of warm beaches and sidewalks free of ice. But year after year, we find ourselves wrapped in 20 layers and spending more time digging our car out of the driveway than driving it. Why? We put the question to you on Facebook last week. Here's a sampling of your responses, which helped us to keep our heads down and power through this god awful time of year.


Shout outs for our beautiful outdoors:

Jeannine Ski Bunny Pfeifer:

Skijoring, xc skiing, downhill skiing, tubing, sliding, sled dogs, ice skating, hot cocoa from Caribou, the cities are becoming more dog friendly, cozy lodges up north, and don't forget our incredible music scene!

Andy Carlson

The ability to play year round sports

A little love for our great cultural offerings:

Charles J Awad

Balance--not too busy, but still a leader of industry. Great art/music scene, generally decent/intelligent/healthy/considerate people (relatively speaking), good food scene (and perpetually improving) and many small/different islands of fascinating local culture (Uptown, NE, Grand, Stillwater, Duluth, et al).

Erica Anderson

Family, the local music scene, the art museums, restaurants especially anything Asian along eat street, both zoos Como and Minnesota, and the lakes around the city keeps me in the state.

A lot of folks have family here:

Michael Samuelson

Family and the Twins!

Cheryl Zaun

The Change of Seasons and Family.

Tony LaPanta

Family, great music and some of the best summers around

A few of you crazy folks even like the weather:

Tucker Louis Gröndahl

Cold weather makes coffee that much more enjoyable!

William Kirscht

Feeling like a bad ass for being outside in this.

John J. Lopez

It's home, and is there really any other way to spend Christmas? I Couldn't do it without snow!!

Heather Gordon Velasquez

I was away in the military for seven years...living on Guam ...and every winter I longed for snow...complained that it wasn't 'FESTIVE' enough...Swam in the ocean on Thanksgiving, but wanted to slide down a downy white hill on a sled. It takes spunk to live through our Minnesota winters...but I'm back...and as much as I may complain about the cold frigid air...I love my home state and everything it has to offer. There really IS no place like home!

But when it comes down to it, two comments laid it all on the line:

Adam Klugherz

Better looking women than any other state.

Nate Hill

Surly Brewing.