Picture
The Old Cabin
I had a bit of a different childhood.  I grew up at Mile 497 of the Alaska Highway - a place about halfway between two towns - Watson Lake (Yukon) 3 hours to the north and Fort Nelson 4 hours to the south.   We started out living in the Old Cabin (on the left) which my parents had built several kilometers out in the woods, away from the highway.  I don't really remember a whole lot about this place.  I only lived here for a year - I think there was a fire? - and we bought the cafe out on the highway.  I remember this place not as it looks in that picture, but in a state of disrepair - parts of the roof fell in and people eventually started taking logs for firewood.  

Picture
I grew up working - I was seven years old when I first started helping out with cleaning the rooms - I would get $1 per bed I made.  I had a really hard time getting the pillowcases onto the pillows - for me it was a huge struggle and the pillows were piratically bigger than I was. When I got older I took on the task of doing the laundry.  I learnt how to fold sheets on my own - something again quite challenging when you are a little girl - it was one of my proudest accomplishments.  After my stint being the laundry girl, I was given the task of cleaning the RV park - raking the grass, organizing the rocks around the fire pit, picking up garbage, restocking the outhouses and cleaning the bathrooms.  The only time I ever refused to do any task was when my mom once told me I had to dig through the bathroom garbage to find paper towel I could reuse to clean the floor.... I still think that's just gross.  

When I was 12, I started waitressing. I loved waitressing - maybe not the mornings when mom would come bang on my door at 6am to get me to cover a shift for someone who had failed to turn up to  work.  But I loved the work.  I loved the busy-ness of it - running around like crazy was incredibly fun for me.  And the tips! I'm sure they weren't anything compared to say what a girl working in Cactus Club makes, but to me, it felt like a fortune.  I waitressed every summer until we sold the lodge in 2003.... and I haven't been back since.  

It feels crazy to me that those days that feel like yesterday are long gone. I have a serious itch pulling me back in that direction.... 

 
Picture
The Squamish River
I am slowly falling in love with Squamish.  Not really the town itself - although there is a really great sandwich shop with a delicious turkey and cranberry number... but the surrounding wilderness. 

Today the adventure north was to try mountain biking for the first time with my sister-in-law.  I had a feeling I might love it, and sure enough I think I have found another passion.  I should say though that it wasn't really "mountain" biking, more like trail-through-the-woods biking... there wasn't really any real downhill and it wasn't a particularly challenging ride.  I think they call it a green run (or the biking equivalent).  But still, it was enough of a taste of the sport to have me hooked for more.   My brother is a serious mountain biker - like the crazy type.  And I aspire to be like him. :D

Picture
My brother
After our ride, we headed to Alice Lake.  Something kind of interesting (and glad I didn't know before) about this lake is that due to the presence of a smelter operational until 1972, the water became so acidic the only life form in it was some metal-tolerant algae.  I wish right after the website told me that, they would then tell me that now it supports a host of thriving species... or at least, that I don't need to worry about my skin falling off.  So far, so good though.  I am a little bit ashamed to say this was my first time this summer getting in the water.  I am usually in the water as soon as the sun makes an appearance, so I am glad this wrong is righted.  By the way, smelter has nothing to do with the fish - but more to do with extracting metals from their ore.   Hmmm another very wrong assumption.  

 
Picture
The Grind as the locals call it, or the Grouse Grind, or Nature's Stairmaster, is a 2.9km hike up the face of Grouse Mountain. 

The website warns that this is a seriously difficult trail and that there are perhaps better options for the "average hiker."   People take on average an hour and a half to climb the 2,830 stairs and gain 2,800ft of elevation.  You can always tell the locals from the tourists - and there are about half and half this time of year. (Record is 23 minutes!)  The locals carry nothing - maybe a water bottle, and are wearing workout clothes and runners - in other words, they know what they are in for.  The tourists have no idea that this is not a scenic hike, but an intense, nausea-inducing sort of satisfying torture.  They are often spotted having a break on the side of the trail, often in jeans, and sometimes even mini-skirts and high heels.  I must say props to them.  I find it noticeably harder to go from Vibrams to proper runners... I don't think I could even do it in heels.  Mind you I can't do much in heels.... 

Picture
These are Vibrams by the way (on the right) - basically gloves for your feet, and the most fantastic things in the world... well apart from straight old bare feet, but these provide a little protection from the elements.  

So back to the Grind.  Hikers first came to the mountain in 1894 - a hunting party found (and shot) a blue grouse here and named the mountain after the bird.  It wasn't until 1981 that the local mountaineering club started following the steep animal paths and established some semblance of the trail we know today.  

The grind is something I do purely for the intense workout, that and my competitive nature always pushing me to get a better time.  I used to do it in 45 minutes back in the days when I ran a lot more, so I would like to get back to that point.   By the end of the summer.... and by the end of next summer, maybe beat the standing women's record of 31:04?  hmmm.... aim high right? 

There are quite a few social rules to doing the grind.  For example, I had to tell my mom that I do not talk when I do the grind.  Seriously, it is not a socializing time - if you want to socialize, go do one of the much, much more enjoyable hikes on the North Shore.  And if you are in a group there is the tricky situation of differing physical abilities.  It is very frustrating for me to have someone who is in much better shape than me wait every few minutes for me to catch up and then go dart ahead before I even have a chance to catch my breath.... This type of situation happened once on a date once - I have never sworn so much (luckily he was a good sport and took it well).  Either make it look like you are at my pace too and walk with me, or just leave me behind entirely and meet me at the top.    Ok enough ranting. 

 
Picture
Saw this today and thought it was rather bizarre.  Ted (the movie about the grown-up teddy bear) just came out, so maybe this guy was really excited about it?? Anyway it brightened my day and I wanted to share the randomness.  Perhaps I should get a giant teddy for my passenger seat?  Better yet - maybe strap one onto the back of my bike - helmet and all?  :D  

 
Picture
Delicious Japanese salad
For my second set of guidelines I am going to focus on food and nutrition.  I feel it is essential for me to tackle my diet and exercise regime before I move on to more lofty goals - finding my passion, communicating open and honestly, living a more eco-concious life... etc, etc.... because that is where I draw my daily energy and clarity from.  I feel like if I have worked out and eaten well, the world is a different place, a far happier place, and everything seems more manageable.   So back to nutrition:

1) Track all the food I eat for a week (www.mapmyride.com) to see where I am at - how many calories I am eating vs. how many I should be, and what kinds of foods am I eating too much/little of... that type of stuff.  

2)  Eat-clean.  This means avoiding overly processed foods, and eating a majority of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and natural proteins.  I would ideally like to move away from meats that are from those farms that just cram all the animals together and pump them full of hormones and instead eat more free-range meat and wild game... mmmm wild game :D 

3) Eat out less, and when I do make more health-conscious decisions.  When I eat out, which is a fair amount, I tend to use the logic that this is some sort of treat, and that I should eat accordingly... comfort foods, desserts, etc.  But really that logic is flawed.  I eat out way too much for it to be any sort of treat.  I want to eat the same sort of healthy foods when I eat out that I would cook at home... and not be swayed by all the tasty sounding dishes.  I will of course do this sometimes... maybe once a week?  

4) Drink more water. Water makes every in your body run smoother.  One important reason to drink more water for me is to lubricate my joints.  My knees are temperamental to begin with, so I really need to make sure they are oiled and running smoothly. 

5) Remember to take my multi-vitamins daily!  I currently take a women-specific multivitamin as well as Omega-3s and L-lysine... but I only take them a few times a week because I just keep forgetting.  I just read an article that was very anti-vitamin so I will do a bit more research and talk to my dietitian friend before I pursue this one, but I'm pretty sure it's a good idea.  I take multi-vitamin because I have heard it's good for general health, and the Omega's to keep my brain functioning well (it is also a mild anti-depressant - and is good for many other things too) and the L-lysine because a friend of mine mentioned it was good to help prevent coldsores - so without doing any research of my own (seems silly now that I've realized I didn't) - I started taking that too.  Ok so through writing this my goal has morphed into researching vitamins/supplements and seeing which ones I should really be taking. 

 
Picture
I had no idea that just an hour and a half north of Vancouver I would find complete paradise! 

Garibaldi Lake.  

After trekking 9km through beautiful, lush Westcoast forest, we emerged in the middle of a scene straight out of a BC tourism ad.  I have never seen anything like this before!  And to think it existed this whole time only miles away. What have I been doing with my life?  

Garibaldi lake is 1,500m above sea level and is surrounded by mountains.  These peaks are volcanic along the north, south and west side.  At some point in history two volcanoes nearby erupted forming The Barrier - this lava dam is over 300m (1,000ft) thick and 2km wide.  The Barrier is holding back the water from the Garibaldi Lake system - which if it ever let loose, would do some serious damage to the nearby town of Squamish.  This is actually the reason why my brother and sister-in-law cannot get flood insurance on their home.  The most recent movement in The Barrier was in 1855-6 when the debris flow created a large boulder field giving the name to Rubble Creek.   In 1981 the BC government decided the instability of The Barrier made living in the nearby village of Garibaldi (which no longer exists) was too dangerous, so all the residents were relocated to a few Estates that were being built to the north.  At this time plans were also given up that would have made Garibaldi into the main ski resort in the area - instead the company Garibaldi Lifts went on to open Whistler Blackcomb....    interesting!!

 
Picture
We - my brother, his daughters, my mom, my aunt and uncle and I - went to Lund this past weekend.  It is only 120km north of Vancouver but yet the trip took a staggering 6 hours... yikes.  I was just reading that Lund marks Mile "0" of Highway 101 - Pacific Coastal highway - which is one of the longest in the world at 15,202km.... perhaps a good bike ride?   I think mom and I already did parts of it from Oregon to Mexico, so now we would just have to make our way down to Chile.... I am kidding... mostly. 

Anyway it was lovely to hang out with the family and celebrate my cousins (well cousin's daughter... what is that?) 3rd birthday party.  The sun was even nice enough to make an appearance!  It was a pool party, so it would have been really sad if it rained the whole time.  

So aside from all the family-related fun and delicious food (it's always about the food with me), the highlight was hearing the tale of a domestic goose - this goose used to live up on a farm, but he kept escaping down to the ocean. After numerous trips down the road to pick him up, the farmer finally had had enough and decided to leave him be.  This goose had to fend for himself now, and he could be heard crying and crying all day.  (I am not sure how a goose 'cries', but apparently it did.)  Until one day, a Canadian Goose befriended it.  These two were seen cruising up and down the shoreline all summer, and when winter came and it was time for the geese to migrate south, the one friendly goose stayed behind with his odd mate.   The two were looked after by a local and survived the winter without any trouble.  When summer came again, the pair joined the returning geese.  It seems like through the help of his friend, the domestic goose is being accepting as one of their own.  Although he has been seen leading the "V", he is still often the outsider, on the sidelines of the group.  That is where the story ends for now.  We saw this flock of geese when we first arrived, and wondered what that odd looking grey thing was with the Canadian Geese... that was him.  I thought it was a touching story and I hope it turns out well for the runaway goose. 

 
Picture
The run portion of a triathlon
For July I am focusing on the relatively easy stuff (for me, because I love this kind of stuff) - fitness and nutrition.   But I am going to split these goals into two different posts because I think I have a lot to say on both of these topics.  

I think it is a well known fact that exercise can make you happy - and not just because you love the activity you are doing... like riding a bike! :D  From experience, it is pretty clear to me that exercise changes my mindset.  I can be grumpy, angry, sad... whatever.. and once I have gone for a run, or gotten out on the bike, or hit the gym, I feel a million times better.  I think the best when I exercise - my mind seems to operate on a different level coming up with new ideas and understanding problems better.  It is no surprise to me that exercise has been linked to alleviating depression.  And of course exercise is great for your health from all angles.. but you all know that, so lets carry right along. 

So what are my exercise guidelines for the month? 

1)  Start everyday with exercise - every day that I have done this, I have been in such a better mood throughout the day, and have not had to rely on coffee for a pick me up.  I always think to myself that I should start everyday by working out, but I haven't accomplished this yet.  It is time.

2) Strength train 3 times per week - this means either lifting weight or performing body weight exercises to build muscle.  There is a joy that comes from knowing your body can do whatever you want it to do (such as opening tricky jars!), and this for me, comes through being strong.  It is also essential for a healthy life to actively build muscles, especially for women, who are prone to things like osteoporosis.  As you age, you lose muscle, so it is necessary to work to keep it up.  

3) Stretch or practice yoga everyday - every time I start to exercise a lot, I also start to notice all the irregularities in my body that cause overuse injuries.... I would love to be able to stay healthy as I increase my exercise level.  I want to do extreme activities... marathons, ultras, cycling races, etc... and in order to do that, I need to learn to balance strength and flexibility. 

4) Set goals for the future to stay motivated and continue to push my limits and comfort zone.  For me this involves running the Seawheeze half marathon in under 2:00 and completing an Olympic Triathlon this September.  I also would love to become a better salsa dancer and learn to rock climb... I have loads of things I want to do, so I may need to put some thought into which ones I want to pursue at the moment. 

That's all for now!  :D








 
Picture
Thanks Amazon for the pic :D
Have you read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin?  

It is basically the authors account of her quest for a happier life - she wasn't unhappy per say, but life was just passing by without really noticing it.  So she looked to ancient wisdom, current science and pop culture for guidelines to live a happy life.  The book is basically the journal of her experiences as she lives according to these happiness guidelines.  

It is an interesting book and has given me the motivation for my own happiness project.  In my head I have all these things I should be doing to be happier - but I never seem to consistently take them out of my head and live by them - so this is my quest to do so.  Actually these beliefs I hold about what would make me happier are doing just the opposite - they give me a reason to get mad at myself for not doing them... so really this is a sort of cleaning out the closet... see if there is anything in their I want to put into my life permanently, or just throw it out.      

Since sharing your goals with someone makes you much more likely to achieve them ... this will be my outlet.  Tomorrow I will post the specific goals... yay! I am excited!

Jack

6/27/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is Jack.  He is my nephew and I love him dearly.  We have started to bond over long walks through the woods and perfectly timed dog treats.  He's a sweetheart - he runs up to every creature we meet, trying to befriend them at once... unless of course he is on a leash and then something in his mind shifts toward crazy, and every other dog becomes a serious threat.  

Jack, my mom, and I have explored Deep Cove and Cypress Falls (both incredibly beautiful hiking areas, if you are looking for a trek in the woods) and now I have decided we are going to hike the Baden-Powell trail end to end. Ideally in one day...but I have a slight fear that this might be a bit unreasonable for me.   It is 41km and the internet claims it takes 10hours.  Given my tendency to think I can do more than I actually can, and ending up injured for my stupidity - I should do it over two days.  Should is the key word.  I also really like a challenge, so I might just give it a go.  I am one of those people who has to carry all the groceries in from the car in one go.... 

Jack and I also did a trail run today - back in Deep Cove.  Jack and I have tried running on leash and it doesn't go very well... somehow a run turns into full freedom to attack the leash and play tug of war... so I figured an off leash area was necessary.  Turns out it is still rather difficult to run off leash.  Jack likes to stay close to me, sometimes right underneath my feet... not a good place to be.  When he does get ahead of me, he slows to a walk causing me to run into him.  We crashed into each other at least 20 times, no joke.  We must have looked ridiculous!