What's in a name?

This morning, I joined my Sister and several of her friends on a hike called Flat Iron. Oh, the irony! You see, there was not one flat spot on the trail I swear - except for at the very end of course.

We rolled up to the trailhead for this beautiful desert grind by around 6:30am.... just in time to miss out on all of the hoards of crazy 'Black Friday' shoppers lined up for the post-Thanksgiving Day sales! It was a thousand times more pleasant to be outside, guaranteed.

Early morning in the desert.

Making our way to the peak in the background.



I'm always a little off track it seems....

 



 

The jump looks a little lame, but I actually think
it was the photographer....



 

 

 

 

 

The hike was so incredibly pretty and it felt good to keep the legs in motion after yesterday's run!

 

Tomorrow: More of the same I believe - possibly even another (GASP!) run for me... It will just be a leisurely jog I've been told, not a race or anything. So we'll see.

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

Flat Iron - Lost Dutchman State Park, AZ

Distance: ~6 miles (almost 10km)

Elevation gain: ~2800 feet (850m)

Time (car to car): 4-3/4 hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Gobble Gobble!!

I can do anything for an hour, right!!? LOL! Well that's how my Sister sold it to me... a 10km run... on a sunny, beautiful Arizona morning... that's only 6.2 short miles... someone even does it in a full-on turkey suit... and I agreed!

I do need to clarify that I am NOT a runner. On purpose, I have not run for more than a few minutes at a time, in years. Like I'm thinking high school track and field was perhaps the last time I made the conscious effort to move quicker than a brisk walking pace.

So, when I told Heather that I was coming for a Thanksgiving visit, and she told me that I was signed up for the annual Turkey Trot, it was too late to cancel my plane ticket and I resolved myself to just suck it up.



Before!

Almost half way!

Mile 5 - now on the home stretch! Check
out the guy WALKING..... Pffft!

The end is near....

And the winner is.....

My Sister IS a runner, a very accomplished one, and she graciously dialed down her pace and ran the entire way with me (I did in fact run the whole distance, no walking). We chatted and laughed and enjoyed the sunshine, and when we were within yards of the finish line, I did what any appreciative sibling would do - I broke into a sprint and crossed just one second ahead of her! Yep, I beat her. LOL!

Tomorrow we are heading out to the mountains for a hike, which is definitely more my style. I did have fun today however and am seriously considering making this an annual tradition. Because yes, I can do almost anything for an hour.... especially if it's only for one hour per year!

Cheers!



Love my Sista!!

Deep Thoughts

Not by Jack Handey.... Sorry!! (SNL fans will get that one!).  This post is going to be deep thoughts, or at least ONE deep thought, by yours truly. Are you ready?

I'm not much for sharing my serious, innermost feelings, with anyone really. But my world has gone through many evolutions this past year and a half, with the most significant and most heartbreaking events taking place within the last few months.

 

The only way I can describe it is that for the longest time, it was like a certain door was trying to shut.... but I just continued to keep my hand in the way and kept getting my fingers pinched, repeatedly.... Now however, I've finally taken my hand out and look! The door was able to close all the way, and the pain has stopped!! Funny how that works. My hand is free and healing and available to proceed to the next door, and open it. Finally. 

 

My personal life has seen some big changes, and there are more on the horizon. Important changes are forthcoming in my work life also. I feel like an insurmountable weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I am looking forward to 2014 - to my plans and to the incredible experiences that I know will result.

 

It has been a challenge, and at times I couldn't see my way past what was happening right then. But I made it through, made some tough decisions, and I'm stronger for it all. And smarter, too.

 

Live life like you mean it!!

 

 

 

 

 

Eleven Eleven

Happy Rememberance Day! And what a beauty day it was - bluebird skies, no wind, and the perfect temperature to be outside. Usually this only happens on Mondays that I have to be at work! Not today however.... I spent the afternoon enjoying fantastic scenery and great company..... Mission: the Ha Ling / Miner's Col.

Look at that view!

New boots! So far, so good.

Lots of snow at the top.

My fifth trip up here - and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it!

A winter day in the mountains seldom gets better than this! And I am super excited to be getting back on shift soon, so that my work schedule will allow me more time to soak up everything that this amazing playground has to offer. Can't wait!

Cheers!

November 11th

I am forever grateful.
Remember.

Geeeeze, Louise!!

The Lake Louise ski hill opened for the season today! With 'open' being a very loose term.... There was only one chairlift running and basically only one run available to ski on (they did advertise it as two, since technically it was two different runs that linked together - clever!).

Popular place!

It was super busy, but it was still alot of fun! And if nothing else, skating and skidding down the windblown crud at mach speed (my mach speed, anyhow!) reinforced my decision to retire my old Black Diamonds and advance to some new downhill technology. Let the ski shopping begin!

Out with the old.....

We had a really great day, and I am now extremely excited for more snow! I'm excited for alot of things actually - life is GOOD!

Cheers!

In like a lion!

Holy crikey! November showed up with a vengeance, and it definitely showed us who's boss!! Yikes!

I've been working all weekend.... and these snapshots (from my phone - sorry, not the best quality!) might give some idea of how radically and quickly things deteriorated....

Friday - all is well.

Saturday evening.

Sunday morning!

All I can say is that I hope this is happening in the mountains as well - a couple of ski hills are threatening to open for the season on Friday, and I have plans with a very important peep to hit the slopes if they do! Can't wait!!

Happy shoveling, friends!!

Cheers.

Ain't Life Grand!

How cliche is that, right!!? Well I can't help it - it's what I'm feeling lately!

I've had a spectacular fall, and it just keeps getting better and better. The last few months I've been so fortunate: I backpacked in the Yukon, celebrated a major milestone anniversary for my loving parents, traveled through Central Europe with my bestest friend, and met some fabulous people along the way.

Now I'm spending time in my happy place. Yup, you guessed it - Canmore! The weather is amazing so hiking is still in full swing, plus there are sales galore on skiis. As much as I love summer activities, I'm excited to get out on a sweet new pair of sticks and 'shred the gnar'!

Picture perfect, if I do say so myself!

SUP - a fun way to spend a beauty evening!

Work isn't even all that bad either. There is finally a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel I feel I've been in recently, so that's a bonus. Lots of changes, yet lots of staying the same. It's all good!

Cheers!

Breakin' the law, breakin' the law!

Wowza, what a most excellent week!! We've done everything, from touring the factory of the first chocolatier in Switzerland, to sleeping in a 12th century castle, to rolling through vineyards on a wine tasting tour in Eastern France. It has all been so amazing, and again, I'm going to let my photos help me describe what we've been up to....



The Cailler Chocolate Factory in Broc, Switzerland

Mmmmm, Toni would have been in heaven!!

Where it all starts - fresh cocoa beans!

Random Swiss castle.

Murten, Switzerland

 

Burg Hohenzollern

We stayed here! Le Chateau d'Osthoffen

The view from my room in the castle.

And the wine tour begins....

This was the neatest place - Schaeffer-Woerly Vineyard.

 

The Alsace Region of France

The gargantuan, gothic, Strasbourg Cathedrale de Notre Dame

So I don't know what it is about Jynelle and I..... but we attracted quite a bit of attention from both the Swiss and the French authorities this trip. LOL!!

When we were crossing the border from Switzerland back into Germany, we were asked to pull over and get out of the vehicle. The guards proceeded to search the entire car and all of our belongings! The 30-minute delay was well worth it however, when one of the guards opened up and rifled through the zippered compartment in my suitcase which contained my dirty laundry.... I almost laughed out loud, right then and there. Poor guy! In the end, we were handed back our passports and told to continue on and have a nice day.

The next little run-in happened when we were on our way into Strasbourg. It was early in the morning, and we were trying to follow our GPS directions to the meeting place for the wine tour. According to Sir Tom-Tom, we needed to make a left-hand turn.... into a 'bus only' lane.... oy!! Of course there are no road signs, and by the time we realized we were somewhere that we shouldn't be, we were surrounded by the police. Yes, surrounded. I'm not sure where they were hiding, but there were two on motorcycles and about five on bicycles. After being asked to pay 112 Euros cash and being lectured about listening to a GPS ("If it told you to drive over zair, on zee grass, vud you??!! NON! You vud not!!"), we got a few words in edge-wise and explained we were Canadians and were trying to find the tourism office at the centre of the city. The two motorcycle cops had a quick dialogue and then abruptly told us to follow them..... right downtown, to exactly where we needed to be.... Yep, we were escorted, lights flashing, all the way to the centre of Strasbourg! Best part - they didn't end up making us pay anything. *PHEW*

It's been quite a whirlwind, but at the same time such a great adventure, with my bestest friend! We have seen and done some really amazing things, including covering nearly 2200km through five countries... now how's THAT for a vacation!! Love it!

Cheers!