New winter sports to experience on snowy terrain

Until this winter, I'd never heard of bumper cars on a skating rink. And it wasn't until recently that I had my first chance to carve turns down a ski hill on a snowbike.

Measurable fun

Logan Witte, 3, of Valparaiso, builds a snowman with his father Nathan, not seen, at Forest Park Golf Course in Valparaiso. The area received its first measurable snowfall of the season Tuesday.

Measurable fun

Nathan Witte and his son Logan, 3, build a snowman with newly fallen snow Tuesday at Forest Park Golf Course in Valparaiso. The snow measured at about an inch and a half.

Measurable fun

Andrew Borowiak, 10, of Valparaiso, flies through the air while starting his sledding run with a jump at Forest Park Golf Course. Students home on Christmas break took advantage of the nearly inch and a half of snow that covered parts of Porter County.

Three-time Iditarod musher, dog, visit students

Schults-Lewis Home Principal Vickie Terhune, right, pets Borage, an Alaskan Husky mix, during a Monday talk by Borage's owner Karen Land at the Schults-Lewis Home. Land spoke to students about her races in the Iditarod.

Three-time Iditarod musher, dog, visit students

Montana resident Karen Land speaks Monday about her experience racing the Iditarod to students at the Schults-Lewis Home in Morgan Township.

Three-time Iditarod musher, dog, visit students

Borage, an Alaskan Husky mix, lays on the floor while his owner Karen Land speaks Monday about her experiences in the Iditarod dogsled race. Land spoke and gave a slide presentation to the students at the Schults-Lewis Home in Morgan Township.

Three-time Iditarod musher, dog, visit students

Montana resident Karen Land points at a map of the Iditorad race in Alaska while speaking Monday about her experience running the dogsled race to students at the Schults-Lewis Home in Morgan Township.