Last Sunday’s arctic air and biting wind didn’t stop me from taking advantage of a yearly ritual.

Every winter at just the right moment, I take a drive to Lewistown Valley to visit with friends Marisa Marmas and Molly Dinich.

They operate Leiby’s Carriage Service, featuring seasonal horse-drawn sleigh rides with Belgian draft horses.

It’s something I can’t plan far in advance because the conditions need to be just right for the rides to happen. Much depends on the snowpack.

And often the event is announced just a few days before it takes place. So it helps to have a flexible schedule.

When it happens, I always jump at the chance to spend a day in scenic Walker Township.

It’s special to me because that’s where I was born.

And years ago, I used to go there to visit the late Raynor Leiby. He was the owner of the magnificent, jumbo horses that seem to capture everyone’s attention.

He was always willing to share information about the beautiful animals.

Marisa and Molly are the same way.

“We had a good day yesterday,” said Molly.

In fact, they had visitors from as far away as Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Hawaii. The Jersey folks were excited to jump in their car and made the trip to 933 Valley Road.

“The woman said this was on her bucket list,” explained Marisa.

The sleigh ride travels through farm fields and rolling hills and is barely 15 minutes of an event. Yet that length of time seems just perfect when the mercury is at 15 degrees with wind chills below zero.

Luckily, the day also offers a cozy bonfire, hot coffee, hot chocolate and even s’mores.

I enjoy talking to guests and taking photos, while Marisa, Molly and staff focus on helping boost visitors, if necessary, up and into the sleigh.

It’s not a fast process. It’s important to be safe and go slowly. Some folks just need help climbing aboard.

“We to try to accommodate as many people as we can within the time frame we are open,” says their website.

And if accessibility is an issue, it’s best to call ahead to discuss details.

There are other tips to make the experience enjoyable. For one, sensible footwear is required as the rides take place on an active farm.

It’s also a good idea to dress in your warmest garb and take along some blankets for snuggling.

Reservations are not accepted. Rides are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

It’s also possible, although rare, that some rides may be paused or closed once maximum capacity is reached. That is done to keep the horses safe.

Each year, the sleigh rides and other activities are growing in popularity, according to Marisa. The online response is noteworthy.

“Our posts and videos were seen almost 300,000 times, And while we’re thrilled about that, we’re also very glad all 300,000 didn’t show up at once,” said Marisa. “We’re beyond grateful for the support and for such an amazing community.”

If you’re up to it, and the weather cooperates, a lively, exhilarating sleigh ride in the dead of winter is an experience hard to beat.