Tofino
December 26th 2009
It has become a bit of a Christmas tradition for our family to come up to Tofino over the holidays. We rent a cabin on Chesterman's beach which gives everyone in the family plenty to do, from walks/runs on the beach and surfing in the waves.
This is the first year in numerous where I am able to surf again. Due to various injuries in my arm/shoulder/ribs, I've been kept off the water for far too long. This year however, I'm back at it and am enjoying myself tremendously! It came back to me fairly rapidly as I shed away the rust and played in the surf in North and South Chesterman. The waves are perfect for me to get back to it, not to big and not too choppy, underneath a endless blue sky radiating nothing but sun. A very rare occurrence here in Tofino!
This year, our family is short one, as my sister Daniela is working in CAR (Central African Republic) for the next 9 months. She is there as a nurse working with the organization MSF (doctors without borders).
I hope all had a very Merry Christmas and will begin the New Year with a Bang! Happy holidays to all!
Canmore
December 20th 2009
After a stressful final exam period which demanded as much energy and stress as a psycho girlfriend would, I jumped on a plane and took myself to Canmore for a few relaxing stress-free days. Although my brain got a rest this past week, my physical fitness got a kick in the ass with daily skis and runs.
Magi whipped me into shape and made me feel incredibly out of shape and incredibly slow as she killed me every day skiing. While I was at or beyond my threshold, she would be cruising in front of me talking away, barely hitting her zone 1... As frustrating and humbling as it was, I was lucky to get some good pointers and tips from a top skier! Although the list of things to work on is too long to write down, I'll try and pick away at them in hopes to one day give her a bit of a workout when she comes out with me... (I know catching her is not an option)
If we weren't skiing, Magi took me on night time snow runs (deep snow in runners, good combo!) up and along the highline trail, we climbed up the back side of Chinaman's Peak, and amidst vigorous chastising, went backcountry snowshoeing with a few friends down here from Edmonton. Apparently "snowshoeing" is looked down upon here in Canmore as being 'lame'... although going through meter deep powder, jumping down cliffs, scrambling up gullies and crazy carpeting back down seemed anything but 'lame' to me! I will yet make a convert of Magi one day!
Back home it is today. Unfortunately not too directly and instead via Kelowna, a mistake on my part when booking the flight... but it will be a brief stay in Vancity as it's off to Tofino for a few days of surfing and Christmas with the fam.
Now that training's began again, there should be more frequent updates...
Term 1 Classes Done!
December 8th 2009
First term of classes are completed! This marks the time to get back into the swing of things with training. Being the first year I will spend in the cold wet north for the entire winter, I have decided to embrace winter and its activities and make the best of it.
I feel like I've grown out of the 6am road rides with a headlamp and 16 layers of cloths to protect myself from the pouring rain... instead, I've taken up running, (yes I know, hardly believable) XC skate skiing and ice skating. Along with a few gym sessions a week, this is keeping me well busy and active and will hopefully bring my fitness up to appropriate levels by the end of january.
Starting January, I will finish my last term at Langara College which will allow me to transfer to third year at UBC come September. I'm looking forward to moving on from Langara, away from the high-school atmosphere. I have set up courses next semester to accommodate some good consistent training. I don't ever start before 2:30pm, which will give me the morning to go riding (if dry) or then skiing up at Cypress. I'm looking forward to this as a regular routine has definitely been lacking these last few months...
Now with classes done, I only have 8 more days of stress and studying to fulfill my 5 final exams. I'm trying not to look beyond the week as I have a fun little trip planed after my exams...
Good Adventures
December 8th 2009
My friend Magi paid me a visit on her way home from Maui. Tanned and fit from riding 2 weeks in the sunshine, I took her into the snow as we went to do a run/hike up the Chief in Squamish.
We went up to the 2nd and 3rd peak in the grey and drizzly weather. I had only previously gone up to the first peak, so this was new for me too. As we leave the tree line and start scrambling up the granite slabs of the chief, the ground becomes covered in snow. It got quite sketchy and slippery as we walked up the rock like we were walking on glass balls. Nice and gingerly. Any sudden movement would result in slipping and subsequent falling. The tripod stance was a popular one, to try and get across off camber slopes of the rock.
Unfortunately, there were not too many great views to be had as we were fairly engulfed in clouds. As we made our way towards the third peak, we snuck a look between the rocks and were able to see down to Squamish.
Coming down from the third peak, the trail seemed to disappear. The trail had been taken over by the creek, which has now turned into a river. The terrain was so steep, we pretty much had to climb our way down a continuous waterfall, trying not to slip into the water. It was a ton of fun though, and Magi got all the style points on the way home as she boosted off rocks and logs and laid out her insane hang time with grabs and spins!
With delicious treats from Galileo (coffee shop) waiting for us in the car, we made our way home and towards the Canucks hockey game. This will be Magi's first initiation into live hockey!
More Gear!!!
December 5th 2009
More and more gear! This is a great start to the year! I have joined (or will attempt to join) the XC ski crowd this year in an attempt to stay off my bike when it rains.
Magi was kind enough to put together a great set of gear to get me started! Although my skill level is not on par for the quality of the gear, I hope to do it justice by using it very frequently this year.
I was lucky enough to get Magi to give me some 'pro' tips up at Cypress in the pouring rain. Now with a pass to Cypress, I will hopefully be well on my way.
Bikes!!!
December 1st 2009
Some new gear from Rocky has arrived! I've got a pair of sweet new bikes for the winter which will be a blast to get out on.
On the road, I've got a very pretty Solo 90 carbon bike which comes in incredibly light, right on the legal weight limit with the pedals, and rides super fast and stiff! I'm holding off putting on fenders until the very last possible moment...
For the dirt, I got a fun play bike, Rocky's "All Mountain" Altitude platform. It should provide me with some fun times on the rocky, wet and muddy North Shore Mountains this winter! Even with 5 inches of suspension on the front and the back, it still pedals like a champ of a XC bike! Fast, nimble and fun!
