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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Keeping Warm: Images From a Cold Weather Run

Can you tell?  It's Winter in Banff.  Clearly, it can be a bit of a struggle to be a runner here in the winter months.  This winter in particular has seen a LOT of snowfall in and around town.  And thus, you need to have a few other sports to add to your bag of tricks!  Fortunately, I love to ski.  Generally, I'd rather "suck it up" and head outside for a run in the fresh air:  it's a good way to avoid Cabin Fever and it's always better than the treadmill.

So, the cold weather continues and so do I.  When the scenery is this good, it makes it easier to stay motivated and get out for a run.  Still, the mind turns to other places at this time of year.  Historically, I've managed to take "running" holidays in March and April.  As much as I love winter and embrace it, a little break from winter may be in order.

Enjoy a few images from yesterday's run....

 Our History

 Banff Trail Trash

 Tunnel Mountain

 Making my own Trail

 Quoth the Raven:  Let's Stay Warm

Sometimes, you can't run.  You trudge.

Yanksgiving Weekend

Our oldest friends in Banff - the very giving and welcoming Dave and Brenda - have an unusual tradition. They host a huge Thanksgiving dinner and party between Canadian Thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving. It's called Yanksgiving.

They started it because everyone was always working on Thanksgiving Day and also to offer a venue to all of the friends in Banff who are away from their friends and family. Which is basically everybody. Banff is a place which attracts people from all over the world and that rule applies to the local population as well. Many locals share in a common story. The typical story is that a person arrives in Banff as a young person from somewhere else in Canada or the world and they stay. First they stay for a season - maybe a summer and a winter. Then a year. And then another year. Frequently, they stay for a lifetime. People also come and go from our lives with surprising frequency. Everybody wants to stay and build a home and life, but frequently are challenged with how to make this equation work. So they leave. But they always dream of a return to paradise. Those of us who continue to live here, give Yanks daily - Life is Good in Banff.
This year, we decided to have a Yanksgiving of our own. Dave and Brenda were having a huge party this past weekend to celebrate a lifetime of good livin' in Banff and as a result, we had some American friends visiting for American Thanksgiving Weekend. We had the full traditional dinner on Friday and pigged out. Naturally, the turkey was out of the oven late and the crowd was getting semi-drunk by the time dinner was served. It was a weekend of lots of activity, food, fun, good friends and good times.

Fortunately, our friends are as active like us - so there was plenty of time spent outside enjoying the trails. It was awesome to have Jill and Beat in town - and it was Beat's first time in Canada. Danni and Ted came from Kalispell as well, to enjoy an awesome weekend in Banff. Danni and Beat are also friends who share in my passion in running ultra-marathons on the trail. Danni, Beat and Jill have signed up for their first "winter Ultra" in Alaska. They are going to attempt to run/walk/crawl 100 miles on the snowy trails of Alaska, dragging a sled with all of their provisions across the frozen earth. No doubt, the Susitna 100 is going to be a heckuva' adventure for my friends!

The friends were keen to slog through the snow and get in some training, so we headed out on the Spray River Trail for a run. It was awesome. I enjoy the Spray River trail far more in winter, than in summer. Winter transforms this rather "average" trail into a white, snowy paradise with a river running through it. Our run was only 2.5 hours, but it was enough to earn our "Yanksgiving" dinner feast. That evening, we filled our home with good people and good food.

The next day, we lounged the morning away before heading out on my "backyard trail". This trail which literally starts in my backyard, joins with the Sulphur Mountain trail for a rather kick-ass 1000 metres of climbing. It was a beautiful day to be on Sulphur Mountain with clear skies, perfect packed snow and people who appreciate the mountains. Yanks, friends!


After our trip up Sulphur Mountain, we headed across town and hit the Tunnel Mountain trail for a bonus. It was a perfect wintery day to be out enjoying the trails and some fresh air.


Our Yanksgiving leftovers tasted great after the days efforts - and finally it was time for the main event of the weekend: Dave and Brenda's party. It was a 70's dress-up party and dress-up we did.


The party was a reunion of sort - packed full of friends of old and new. Many Yanks to Dave and Brenda for hosting a kick-ass Partay. This girl socialized and danced for about 3 hours non-stop in Go-Go boots and a micro-mini. Now THAT was a solid work-out.


For one final weekend run, Iris and I enjoyed a sunny run around Tunnel Mountain and up to the Hoodoos trail. By late Sunday afternoon, I thought I had earned a hot-tub and a nap. I was givin' Yanks to all of the good people who made my weekend so much fun - but Yanksgiving weekend was hard work! The hot-tub and nap were the perfect way to wind down a most excellent Yanksgiving Weekend.

Spring Fever

Tunnel Mountain - Thursday, April 9th

Was this picture only taken last Thursday? Let's fast forward 8 short days. Here's a video clip from Saturday's run:

Tunnel Mountain - Saturday, April 17th AM

It's been glorious, sunny and downright hot for the past 4 days - and I've been reveling in every moment. On Wednesday evening, I bust out the short sleeves and went for a run on a muddy trail. On Thursday, I dusted off the road bike and put on the cycling shorts, a jersey and arm warmers for the first inaugural bike ride. On Friday, I found myself lunching outside in a tank top having a picnic. On Saturday, I put on the running skirt and sleeveless jersey and drained my 2L Camelback bladder in world record time.


Saturday's long run was all about playing in the woods with some friends just for pure F-U-N. Hugh, Monica, Katherine and Martin came to town to join me for 5 hours of good times, on Banff trails. It was the Ultimate Banff Tour with the bonus of getting lost and a river crossing! Really, what could be better than that? Hugh's photos here.

A Very Happy Man

My goal was to be out on my feet for 7 hours - so I bid farewell to the friends, refilled my water and kept going. I wanted to get some elevation and practice my "power-walking" so I marched myself uphill and tagged the top of Sulphur for another 1.5 hours. Phew. Sulphur is still snow bound, top to bottom. It was hard going - with the hot weather, the snow on Sulphur had turned into heavy, deep slush. My reward for all of the hard work, was a ridiculously fun, slippery, slidy, slightly out of control, reckless, kick-ass descent. 7.5 hours later, I rolled into home giddy, muddly, tired and hungry. As a bonus to an already great day, our friend Deb was in for a visit. Keith and Deb were equally giddy from a great day spent on the slopes.

Tunnel Mountain - Saturday, April 17th PM

It was such a beautiful evening, that we decided to go for an evening walk up Tunnel Mountain. I think the "bonus walk" was actually good for my legs - a nice way to wind down the day and stretch out my tired ass. We went to bed early and slept real good.

On Sunday, Deb and I headed to Cascade Ponds and ran a loop to Johnson Lake. It was my first time out here this season. Only a week ago these trails were ice bound and the lake was still frozen. This week, the trails were dry and the ice had disappeared! It was a wicked fun, twisty turny dance through the woods. I love this trail - it was dry and there were crocuses out on the South facing slopes. I haven't been here in months and I'd forgotten just how pretty Johnson Lake is in spring:

Deb and Cascade Falls

What is Spring, without The Swing?

Needless to say, after a weekend like this I got the fever. Spring Fever. I'm thinking the 20c in April makes up for the -20C we had in October. I'm going to enjoy it while it's here.

Check out this post from the same date, April 18, 2008.

So, keep your sunny side up, up!

Keep your sunny side up, up!
Hide the side that gets blue.
If you have nine sons in a row,
Baseball teams make money, you know!
Keep your funny side up, up!
Let your laughter come thru, do!
Stand upon your legs, be like two fried eggs,
Keep your sunny side up!

Long Weekend Report

Every weekend is a long weekend, when you are Leslie, but this past weekend was the first loooooong weekend for the rest of the world and the unofficial kick-off to summer. Historically, on this weekend two things happen: the good people of Alberta go camping and it snows. Then, they all pack of their tents, kids, trailers, picnics and go home because it is so miserable.

This year, however, the forecast was for clear, sunny and hot! It was to good to be true! People were excited, the town of Banff was buzzing and we were mentally preparing for the onslaught of people. My plan for the weekend was to go for a long trail run on Friday in the heat of the day, take my time, take some food, take some photos and enjoy a great day running in the sun. Then, it was off to Mountain Bike Camp in Calgary where I hoped to reconnect with the love of the bike, learn some new skills and meet some other cool girls.

Run Report - Lake Minnewanka Shoreline - 4 hrs(30+k??)

What a great day for a trail run!

Clear sky, warm temperatures, sweet singletrack and good company = good times!!

On Friday, I met up with Darren for a run on the Lake Minnewanka shoreline trail. Darren is an ultra runner from Calgary, a firefighter and all round nice guy that I had never actually met before. He had never run in this area before and was pretty stoked once the trail and the scenery revealed itself.

Darren smokes the trail....

Lake Minnewanka is an out-an-back, so we were shooting for two hours out and two hours back, for a total of 4 hours at a very leisurely pace. Both Darren and I are running the Blackfoot Ultra next weekend. He is doing the 100k and I will be going for the 50k pleasure cruise. When did my perspective get so warped that I consider 50k a pleasure cruise?? Actually, I know it will be a pleasure cruise because the plan is to go out and take er' easy, enjoy the day and take some great photos!

When I was out on my bicycle on Monday, the lake was completely ice bound. But only 3 days later, half of the lake was clear and the other half was still covered, but it was looking like it would be sinking shortly....

We passed a few dry creek beds on the way out and on the way back, surprise-surprise, they had water running through them! The 25c weather had definitely stimulated the start of the run-off. Yay for melting! I had to soak my jersey and hat in the creek a few times, that is how gorgeous and hot is was.

Wanna' Swim??

Soon...we can canoe!

Whooooop!

Thanks for a great day Darren! It was great to get out and enjoy the beautiful day.

That evening, we drove in to Calgary to get organised for the Rocky Mountain Dirt Girls Camp. We stayed with our friend Holly, but were too damn busy to enjoy her great company :(

However, I did get some great photos of her fat cat!

Where's Our Mom??

I had heard lots of great things about the Dirt Girls Camp. My husband the bike rep, helps out with this camp every year and has always told me that I would love it. This year, I finally took him up on the offer and yeeee-haw, it was good times-good times! These camps run all through North America and are coached by girls for girls. Yay! The coaches were fantastic - great teachers, great riders and just good people.

In the AM we would do skill clinics and learn everything from braking and descending, to front wheel lifts, high speed cornering, straight line riding, including riding teeter-totters! The teeter totters weren't nearly as scary as I thought and were quite fun. The first one I tried, I thought focus....pedal like crazy, look way ahead and GO! Well, this method worked quite well but I had so much speed I sort of just did the "teeter" part....launched myself off of it up and over and never quite got the "totter" part. I landed it though!

This is Coach Julie, A ripping Revelstoke Ski Patroller and a camper with a baaaad sunburn. Leg protectors don't protect you from the sun!! It was really hot and melty. In the afternoon, we hit the trails to put all of the great tips to use on the trail! I got to ride with my friend Cassandra Boon, once the Canadian Downhill Champ and ex Pro Rider. Note to self: never compare yourself to the "best" of anything...

Tanya of Edmonton checks out a line

It was such fun, everything went smooth and all of the girls had a great time. I learned lots of new things, gained some confidence and am feeling motivated and inspired to get back on the saddle! I haven't mountain biked much at all the past 3 years. After Adventure Racing and then knee surgery, I just sort of stopped.....for no particular reason. Camp was a good reminder of how much I love my bike and I love to ride!!

See Mike Run!

FUN!! My tech-savvy friend Mike through together this fun little video of some of the highlights of last seasons trail runs. You can find Mike and his Blog at:

www.seemikerun.blogspot.com