Training Log Archive: Bash

While 'Bent and Timato skied around Scenic Caves, I went snowshoeing with Aubrey and K-Way. We ran into Hermes, Bob and Hank heading out for a ski with Ryan Atkins and Lyndsay Webster. Obviously, they gave Hank's ski chariot to Ryan.

We didn't make great time but we had some major successes including a spectacular trek across the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Ontario (a little scary for our first timer) and an ascent to the Lookout where the cafe was closed, unfortunately.





We had a rule that if any snowshoer was lying on the ground, they became a legitimate snowball target.



It's hard work being a Mom.



Afterwards, everyone stopped by the playground including the Miller family.









Some big kids were hogging the equipment.

A fun, mixed bag of skiing at Highlands. At first, 'Bent, Timato, K-Way, Aubrey and I skied together. Then Timato and Aubrey headed off on their own so the rest of us did a non-standard ski nav tour combining trails with some slow bushwhacking. Back at the chalet, we chatted with Goose and Coach LD. It was a sunny, beautiful first day of winter! :)









Then we went back to the condo for snacks and a puppet show explaining Kwanzaa and Christmas. We'd seen the puppet show about Hanukkah before we went skiing.

Dee, Mrs. Gally, Nicole and I parked at Osler and did a loop on their snowshoe trails. I had no idea these trails existed and they're amazing! Especially today with all the fresh powder from the snow squalls.





Although I'm calling this a snowshoe run, there was a lot of slow climbing and trail breaking through fluffy snow. We often had to look for trail markers where the trail hadn't been broken because there was snow plastered on some of the signs. But when we got on flat or downhill broken trail, we ran.



The scenery was beautiful in the forest and also when we got the occasional view.





Nicole and Dee took the rope down the cliff - a route that is closed in winter. Mrs. Gally and I didn't trust it so we ran around the cliff on trails.



Mrs. Gally bought us hot chocolate for the road! This was an excellent start to the Christmas holiday. Tonight Timato, K-Way and Aubrey arrived in Collingwood so we're looking forward to some snowy adventures.

Attackpoint is impressively good at guessing my activity even though I almost always tell my Suunto Ambit3 that I'm "Running" because I like my custom settings.

I don't often take BazingaDog out in the woods because he is so strong and so untrustworthy if the leash gets pulled out of my hand. But I was feeling the Christmas spirit with all the fluffy new snow so we headed out together for a hilly bushwhack around Palgrave West.

Bushwhacking was a brave choice with an 82 lb leashed dog since we had to keep negotiating which side of which tree to go around. Occasionally, we had a stand-off. I gave in about half the time. There was only one time when my snowshoe caught a hidden branch when my momentum was heading forward. The snow really didn't taste that bad.

After about 2 km, BazingaDog stopped pulling so much and started making snow angels. Then he stood up and threw up his breakfast from 9 hours earlier, which was a bit of a surprise. Hope he's OK; there's been no sign of any other issue. He made a few more snow angels as we headed home. Other than the vomit, this was a nice, peaceful winter outing.

Another sunset ski in Palgrave West with AdventureDog. Conditions were slow today in the fresh snow. I'd planned a short ski because it was getting dark but I cut it even shorter due to a rookie error with my gloves. At -13C, long johns would have improved the experience too. I'm still remembering how to deal with winter! It's absolutely gorgeous here after a day of intermittent snow squalls. :)

Attackpoint has been prompting me: "Get started using your log! Your log can be a powerful motivator, since it helps introduce structure and accountability to your training." Thank you, Attackpoint. After a week of Christmas-related tasks and get-togethers, I'm ready to give that a try. Also, I've put on some cookie weight.

AdventureDog and I went for a sunset ski around Palgrave West, about half of it in 'Bent's tracks and half of it in tracks I made as I went. It was crusty-crunchy and fast on the downhills - fun to do once but I'll switch to snowshoeing or running until the next snowfall.