Travel Tip #38 - Don't forget to put on sun block when skiing

     Have you ever seen someone with "raccoon eyes"? If you're unfamiliar with this term, it refers to someone who's face is red except for the area surrounding the eyes. It is the result of skiing on a sunny day without sun block. It is a fairly common condition for novice skiers. The reason is because most people don't think about wearing sun block in the winter. Usually during the winter, people spend the day indoors where it is warm. But on those few occasions when they spend the day outdoors doing some winter activity, the thought of sun block doesn't even cross their minds. As a result, people who never get sunburns in the summer often get them in the winter. This phenomenon doesn't just affect skiers. It can happen to anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors during the peak hours of 10:00 - 2:00 standard time. It is particularly common on a sunny day with snow on the ground because you are exposed to the suns rays twice - once directly from the sun, and again from the sun being reflected off the snow. So, the next time you gear up for a winter activity outdoors, don't forget to apply sun screen to those exposed areas. I keep a small bottle of sun block zipped inside the pocket of my snow pants to remind me.