Bluebird

There's nothing like a Bluebird day in the Rockies.  There seems to be some magical co-relation between cold temperatures and clear blue sky's in our corner of paradise.  When it's this cold, it's frequently a clear blue sky.  This morning, I was solar-powered.  It's a beautiful day!  The sun is out!  I thought to myself.  I was dressed and ready to go for my run before I checked the temps.  When I opened the front door and got a blast of Arctic coldness, I retreated with my tail between my legs to re-think my wardrobe and add a few layers.


Still, it was a beautiful day for a run.  There's nothing like running in winter to generate heat and warm-up quickly.  On this day, I had about 7 minutes of "urban" running before I hit the trails.  It was an exceptionally gorgeous day to be outside.

I love our new bridge.  It's a great addition to town and it means I can avoid people and roads and civilization altogether when I'm out for a run.  You also get great views of Banff's most famous landmarks:  Mount Rundle and Cascade Mountain.


Today I got thinking today about when and why I started this blog.  2007!  Holy Crap.  Mostly, it was to share this fantastic place with people. 

When I started trail running, my mind was getting blown by Mother Nature on a regular basis.  I never carried a camera and I was pretty focused on staying in motion.  Picking up a camera changed everything.  It slowed me down a whole lot and honed me into the art of observation.  I see a lot on my day to day runs.  I've been running around the woods and taking photos for 9 years!

Bliss.

Despite the cold, it was a good day to commune with Nature. I'm heading off for a month in New Zealand to find some new beautiful trails.  But I love me some Banff.  It's always good to come home.

New Year, New Adventures

 “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

On The Best Holiday Ever, we had nothing but time.  We enjoyed time to talk, time to think, time to read, time to relax and of course, time to plot future adventures.  And we've plotted many. 

We came up with all sorts of wonderful ideas and naturally, there's a few we decided to make happen this year.

We've been making these adventures happen since Keith quit his Big Boy Job almost two and a half years ago.  It's important to us. Every day, we hear stories from friends and family of people who no longer can do what they want to do because of illness or injury.  We say, Do it Now!  Figure out a way to make it happen, and do it.  Go. Now.  While you can.  While your able.

What's in the cards for this year?  First off, I'm heading to New Zealand for a month.  I'm leaving on January 12th, my 45th birthday!  This is a Leslie trip.  Keith is busy having fun of his own at working and playing in the Caribou Mountains this winter.  I love that his work and his play have become intertwined.

I signed up for an Ultra.  I haven't been doing much racing these past couple years and I really have missed it.  Keith and I did some volunteer duty at the Mount Spokane 50k and I earned myself a race entry into any event.  I signed up for the Gorge Waterfalls 100k - it's a good excuse to make a trip back to the Columbia River Gorge.  The last time I was there, I was Wooooohoo-ing, A LOT.

And lastly, Keith surprised me with an idea that he would like to pursue.  After hearing all of my stories from the Pacific Crest Trail, he wants a taste of his own.  I will be returning to the PCT in early May with my hubby, so we can take a little walk together.  We're planning on hiking all of May and June, taking it day by day and seeing where it gets us. 

After that, we want to be home in July and August, to enjoy our amazing backyard.  There's no place I would rather be in the summer than home in Banff. 

New Year, New Adventures.  We'll see what we can dream up for the fall. 

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

On Travel and Home

I'm always finding new places and treasures, even in my own backyard.

All is Quiet on New Year's Day

I'm like that.

I like to poke around in the woods.  Even when I'm running.  I'm always looking and scanning with eyes wide open.

 The Animals Come-eth.

On New Year's Day I found this pretty place down off the Marsh Loop Trail.  I found it just a little bit off the trail, by following some animal tracks.  Evidently, the deer, elk and coyotes had been out partying-it-up on New Year's Eve.

It's a good spot to party, don't you think? 

Mount Rundle

It's important to venture off the trail.  You never know what you may find.  There are treasure like this to be discovered everywhere!  You just have to look.

I am Rundle.  Here me Roar!

I like to travel for the same reason.  Exploring.  Poking around.  Finding new treasures.

Reflective for a New Year

This year, like every year, I'm plotting some new adventures in my own backyard and abroad.  There's always, so much to look forward to but I'm a master of enjoying what I've got.  Like this place.






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