Category: moosling

Categories
general moosling snow

The boy learns to ski

So, it’s not entirely true. He already knew how to ski. But his downhill skiing has improved dramatically this season. Cross-country skiing not so much, as we haven’t gotten out doing much as a family. He has been doing the Jackrabbits junior skiing program though, which he really enjoyed – a group of 6-8 four-year olds out wandering the trails and playing games:

He’s also been heading to ski lessons at Sunshine Village while Alex works. End result? He can now happily ski green runs!

We went out for a ski together, and it was so much fun that my enthusiasm for skiing has actually been renewed (at least a little).

We caught the gondola back down again with a friend, and they shared ‘happy snacks’ (I think most would call them chips).

And he even got a report card! I give him three years at most before he’s out-skiing me.

Categories
bikes canada general moosling snow

The February of warmth, melting snow, and suspicion

When we weren’t sitting around eyeing weather forecasts suspiciously (“Surely it’s going to get cold again some time soon?!”), much of February was spent riding bikes from the left of frame towards the right:

The Prospector trail in Exshaw was alarmingly dry… and we spent more time trying to get the boy to pedal his trail-a-bike. And going on random explorations (in-between working on renovations… which are, by the way, a fantastic way to eat up every moment of your spare time).

There was some more skiing, as we gradually came to terms with the fact that there might not be a long nordic ski season this year. At least Moraine Lake Road still had snow!

And the Nordic Centre is always fun, slush and warmth are preferable to -25oC and windy as far as I’m concerned.

Also, jumping is fun.

Winter Carnival in Canmore came and went with a whimper – the pile of snow on the street kept trying to melt, even with extra snow being brought in to shore it up. The toboggan slope was great fun though.

And then the boy’s run bike was passed on to the next generation of biking toddler.

All of which serves to remind me that I really need to remember to take my proper camera a little more often, instead of relying on my phone camera.

Categories
bikes canada general moosling snow

Welcome to 2015

At 9am on New Years Day we were picking up a hire bike for me, then driving out to West Bragg Creek. Ideally we would have gotten there a little earlier, but we still made it in time to snag a good parking spot – unlike the hoards who’d slept in a little longer.

We chose poorly, and headed out on the Snowshoe Hare loop. It’s a snowshoe trail. Snowshoers only travel on pretty moderate, friendly, trails don’t they?

Nope. Snowshoe trails incorporate many more ridiculous hills and drops than most of the bike trails at West Bragg.

We had fun getting up and down the hills. Well the boy had fun getting down some of the hills, that’s for sure.

Once we hit the Telephone Loop trail, we headed straight back to the car to warm up toes.

I then headed off for a solo loop of my own on the south side of the trail network.

Riding south on Ranger Summit, the trail was in great shape. I didn’t have studded tyres, and didn’t lament the fact once. There’s not a lot of snow though, with bare patches in spots.

Then it was back on Strange Brew, with flashbacks from Singletrack6 going through my head. The course on the first day finished up on Strange Brew, although it rode a little slower with snow, and without race adrenalin… and with skiers to avoid at the trail crossings.

Once back in Canmore we headed out for a quick lap at the Nordic Centre, just because we may as well, seeing as we both had fat bikes for once.

It was a good start to 2015. Now for the rest of the year I’m just hoping for house renovations to be finished soon, no injuries, minimal illness, optimal fitness for Tour Divide, lots of outdoor adventures with my family, and work to be a good balance of fun and challenging.

Categories
canada general hiking moosling trip reports

Ha Ling peak all over again

It’s been a while since we’ve headed up Ha Ling Peak as a family. This was the last warm day of our prolonged pleasant Autumn. Well, I say warm, it was going to be about 10oC, which only counts as warm when you’re comparing it to -20oC.

But anyway, pleasant weather, must get out and enjoy it, so we decided to head up Ha Ling Peak together, with the invitation extended to whoever else we thought might be kicking around.

And so the Ha Ling Peak expedition began. We’re trying to stop carrying the Boy these days. So this was his first unaided ascent. Of course, he felt he needed to take his own backpack, so he could carry his trains to the top of the mountain too.

It was quite a busy day – we weren’t the only geniuses who’d come up with this idea. And lower down the trail was nice and clear.

Up higher though, things changed. After the first three main switchbacks, the trail started to get icy. We pulled out ice spikers (well, mine are actually Kahtoola Microspikes, and Alex had the Yaktrax Run) but we didn’t have a small pair. After one falling over incident, I started carrying the boy – so that was the end of his first unaided mountain ascent.

It started to get windy and cold (unsurprisingly), and we ended up making the call to turn around at the saddle, after admiring the always-wonderful views.

Then there was just more cautious trip-trapping down the ice, down into the warmth and calm of the trees.

And as we reached the bare ground, release the Boy, and then attempt to slow him down as he tries to run down the mountain.

Categories
bikes canada general moosling trip reports

The annual Skogan pass family epic

Every summer since we grew our small person, we have biked up to Skogan Pass from Canmore. First time was when he was one. And now he is four. So we have done it *counts* FOUR times! (I am a genius)

It’s about a 45km round trip, with a fair bit of climbing. This was the first time he’s come close to participating in moving himself along though – which is good, as he’s starting to get heavy!

On the whole, he’s been spending most of his time on the trail-a-bike dangling with his feet in the air, rather than on the pedals. We came up with a solution for this later in the ride…

With the un-scenic and slightly un-official portion of the ride out of the way, we picked our way around the creek, and started riding uphill.

Enthusiasm and energy levels were a little low today. So thankfully the weather was nice, and there was a lot of food to distract everyone from the fact they were riding up an enormous hill.

About halfway up, the switch was made, and Lincoln started towing the wasp boy (he looks a lot like a wasp, with his legs all dangling down like that.

At the summit we ate some more, then had a brief game of child tossing (instigated by the child, who was most upset when we wouldn’t keep doing it). And then a roll all the way back down the hill.

We were part way down the hill when we came up with this brilliant duct-tape themed idea. Because what else do you use to solve the problem of feet that won’t stay on pedals?

After some initial unhappiness with the idea, the boy was fine with it, and he actually (finally!) started pedalling the bike. So, success! (The scrinchy face above is the result of eating a nutbar at a snack stop, not despair over having trapped feet.)

Hopefully next summer we’ll be making the transition to doing all of our bike trips with the trail-a-bike… or _a_ trail-a-bike at any rate, I’m not really sold on the one we have.