bike season

Well, bike season is now here, Canmore doesn't know that, (it snowed today) but I finally put away the touring skis.  I had a rude awakening at the Hammer night last week, I was on my cross bike and almost got dropped once, and spent a lot of time suffering.  So since then I've been doing lots of intervals, and of course some fun rides too.  Last night however, I got my road frame - see below, and my new mountain bike - super excited for both. I built the road bike up last night and then finished it after work today - finished 5min before the group ride, so I rushed out the door - forgetting water of any sort (which is extra funny as I was contemplating if I had time to put the bottle cages on).  Anyway, I made it to the group ride and borrowed a bottle from another rider.  It was so nice to have my road bike, super snappy and fast - this week I won all the climbs so pretty pumped about that!

So, since it is new bike time, that means last year's race bike has to go - anyone interested?  Sub 5 full XTRm Med, 2800$ firm, mhadley_@hotmail.com.  When I haven't been working on the bike trails at the Nordic Centre or setting up tires as tubless for half of the community, I've been coaching with the Rundle Mountain Cycling club.  It is a great program, with around 200 kids in it. I have 9 kids U13 age, and get to teach them all kinds of fun skills.  First day was a bit of cahos as there was some serious bike repair to do first, but then we did a decent trail ride and hit the jumps on soft yogurt to finish off the ride - the kids loved it.  

Heading east soon for the first Canada Cups - time to see what's in the tank this year!

A winter of adventures

Well, this winter has been amazing.  I've been having so much fun that I haven't had/taken the time to write about it so here goes!

Post worlds Catherine and I went up to the Yukon and did a 6 day canoe trip with Daniel, it was supposed to be 4-5days but we had a tank of a canoe and didn't always paddle as hard as we could.  We did the Dezadeash river from the lake to Haines JCT.  The first day we had 6 foot swells in the lake, and luckily it was a tail wind or else we would have capsized for sure. We also did a few cool hikes and saw lots of Dall Sheep up in the mountains.

Canoeing hard with Daniel

Fresh fish on the fire

Six foot swells on the lake, we camped here because we got pushed into shore.

Dall Sheep

Lunch break near Kluane National Park

Next up was back to Canmore for a fall filled with fun mountain bike rides.  I also got a ton of trail work done on the Nordic Ctr trails - big thanks to the help of the Katimivik volunteers!  Catherine and I also achieved her goal of summiting 12 peaks in the fall, so we had lots of great scrambles to the tops of mountains. From there the snow fell, or we made it at the Nordic ctr, and xc skiing started Oct 15 (mtb riding was still good until Dec).  So I did tons of xc skiing and then I got into back-country skiing and got hooked.

Summit of Cascade

Crazy carpeting down from Chester Lake, yes it was fun - 10 min at 20km/hr = massive headache though as we went headfirst most of it!

Dinner on top of Rundle Mountain with Catherine, overlooking Canmroe

Back country skiing  or ski touring is where you take the best part of tons of sports/adventures and put them all together.  You find an interesting and beautiful place in the mountains, skin up and explore, and then downhill ski back down, usually in untouched powder. The biggest danger is the avalanche risk, so Catherine and I took a course just after Christmas to learn  as much as possible about  snow and terrain, and since then I have been learning from friends and the great outdoors.

Catherine and I  back coutry skiing with my parents during their visit 

Nicholas DH skiing during our trip to Kicking Horse and Revelstoke

Ski touring Suprise pass, first run we went around Fariview Mountain
 and came through the pass and down lookers left, 2nd run we skinned up the col to the right

Oh, and I actually worked all winter too, grooming trails at the Nordic Centre.  I think it is every boy's dream to get to drive a snow cat, and this winter that's what I was doing - learning from the best on how to groom ski trails.  It was really fun but made for some late nights and early mornings.

My groomer, Piston Bulley 100

XC skiing with Catherine's parents, dress code was red coats and grey boots!

 Now we are back to bike season, and I am ready to charge hard at that - mtb race in Edmonton on the weekend.  Then a fun filled season racing for XPREZO again - I am really looking forward to it all!