“For many years I was self-appointed inspector of snow-storms 

and rain-storms, and did my duty faithfully; surveyor, if not of 

highways, then of forest paths and all across-lot routes, keeping 

them open, and ravines bridged and passable at all seasons,”

Here's another favorite Thoreau passage.  Ironically, Thoreau probably spent too much time in rainstorms and cold, wet weather; such sauntering impacted his health.