runforit

Soaked in the Snow!

2012-02-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

Snowing! Note the snow accumulating on us.

Having fun but getting cold!

Turning back!

Saturday morning as we were driving to the North Shore the rain was torrential. During my final shut eye of the morning (Neil was driving) Craig called and confirmed he was not joining us. Perhaps he was the sensible one - it really was dodgy out there. When we pulled into the car park at LSCR, we all just stayed in our cars for a few minutes. Dave, the brave one, broke the code of resistance. One by one we rolled out quite tentatively. The rain drops were large, the wind was nasty and it was that raw 2 degrees.

Once the route was confirmed we waved good bye to Helen and shuffled off. We went left on Homestead and then along Fishermans for a few kilometers and then onto the Seymour Dam service road. The rain had now turned to snow. The flakes were the size of toonies and not only was it accumulating on the ground it was also building up on us! Our coats were wet and sticking to the under layer(s). Silly me didn't have much on except a long sleeve shirt underneath my soaking wet jacket. My fellow runners were all sporting a few more layers. Liza pointed out that we were climbing and getting more into the snow which we were not really prepared for.

Team decision to retrace our steps, we crossed over onto the Seymour parkway. It remained cold and snowing all the way until the last kilometer before the gazebo. Dave and Neil went for a few more minutes but I headed back to the car. My arms were numb and my hips were frozen solid! My hands were nice and toasty (thanks Santa for the over gloves). Once we regrouped we enjoyed a warm bowl of soup and coffee at the Black Bear. Craig joined us and looked very warm and well rested. Today Neil and I ran for 2 hours at Hayward (flat side). That's about 4 hours of flat continuous running this weekend - good!

Team Dodgy is planning a trip to the Grand Canyon this Spring. We plan to run from rim to rim back to the rim we started at - approximately 47 miles. Flights, car and hotel are all booked!

Longer Days are Approaching...

2012-02-13T21:58:00.000-08:00

The weather improved as the day progressed...Neil texted and said he was on his way home and let's hit a trail. I quickly changed and grabbed a head lamp. We decided to go on the trails near our house on Thornhill. Throughout the winter we have been mainly road running during the week at night. The sky was clear and the day light was hanging on. Not too long into the run it was like someone turned the lights out. The woods on this trail are very dense with a canopy cover of trees. I brought a head lamp but not the best one and it obviously was working on low batteries. We carried on for about an hour but it was a spooky outing with the feeling that we were not alone in the woods. Coyotes, deer, bear and domestic dogs are out there - the occasional cougar has been spotted in the area. Neil had a hand held light and I saw him shining it a few times in the direction of a noise in the woods. We haven't been on this trail in the dark for a bit...now I remember why. It's a great run but next time I'll take a better light! We look forward to the longer days approaching. I'm sure you are too!

Running in the Snow

2012-01-21T23:05:00.000-08:00

The snow was deep this past week and we enjoyed a few snowshoe outings. The temperature has warmed up, the snow is melting and it's time for the Yak Trax. They fit very easily over the shoe and provide just the right amount of extra grip without being too cumbersome.

They have velcro straps that fasten over the top of the shoe. Very easy to get on and off and they really provide you with that extra bit of confidence on the snow.

The floating bridge at Hayward Lake where we did a 2 hour outing today. It is really a great work out running in the snow, the effort is a little more and you can feel your leg muscles working it!

Wind warning for tomorrow with milder temperatures - that will melt the snow. The snow was nice while it was here!

A Weekend of Snowshoeing

2012-01-15T22:41:00.001-08:00

Friday night it snowed! Not too much in the city of Vancouver but several inches where we live in the Fraser Valley. Our original Saturday plan was to run at Buntzen Lake but with the snow and unpredictable road conditions, we decided to stay closer to home and embrace the snow. So we went snowshoeing and broke trail at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. It was hard work as the snow was up to 15" deep further out. Today we doubled our pleasure and went back to push our trail in the snow a little further and enjoy the bright sunny day. Dave joined us for the outing and we covered about 12km.

There is more snow in the forecast over the next few days. Winter is here!

First Long Run of 2012.

2012-01-08T21:58:00.001-08:00

Saturday was our first long run in 2012. We completed almost a 5 hour outing on trails on the North Shore. The departure from home was a bit dodgy with trying to register online for Chuckanut 50km trail run. Registration opened at 8am and has a history of filling up in minutes. It is a popular ultra in Washington state just over the Canada/USA border. This will be our 5th time for this event. Once registered we were off...

We picked Marla up and arrived at Craig's to meet up with Craig, Liza and Wendy. We ran from Craig's through Lynn Valley until we found the trail to join the Dirty Duo Route. It was great to catch up with them all. The time passed quickly and we all did well considering we haven't been out for this long for awhile. It was a cool/wet day on the trails and we met snow at the Mushroom Parking Lot. There was a bit of lolly gagging around the half way point but Craig ensured we picked up the pace and all was well.

I didn't pack enough food for the run and really appreciated Craig sharing a fruit bar with me close to the end. Sometimes we become complacent with our outings and aren't as prepared as we should be. It was a good reminder to us that we need to take more food for the longer runs.

The post run food was good! We were all quite hungry. It was nice to share our running plans/goals for 2012. There are many great events - how to fit them all in?

Happy Trails in 2012!

Craig and I last year at the finish of the Dirty Duo 50km.

Craig and Wendy post run Saturday.

Craig and Liza post run Saturday...waiting patiently for our food!

Some of My Favourite Things at this time of year...

2011-12-31T21:13:00.000-08:00

Homemade Wreaths for the Doors.

Lights in the Garden.

A Little Christmas Tree

Christmas Flowers, Amaryllis and Paperwhite Narcissus

Lights in the Trees

Holly from the Garden and Candles.

Real Little Trees

And of course running every day! Yes I successfully completed the Marcothon. I ran for at least 25 minutes every day in December. It was toughest early on in the month but once the holiday parties were over things got less hectic and it became easier to fit in the daily run.

This past week Neil and I have both been off and we have enjoyed running together every day. We have done some loops of Hayward Lake and also had some good runs at Buntzen Lake. We will start the New Year with either a run in Golden Ears Park or at Hayward.

In 2011 I completed Dirty Duo 50km, Chuckanutt 50km, Vancouver 100km, KneeKnacker 50km and Frosty Mtn 25km. I also maintained my title as top female in the Bagger Challenge for the 3rd year in a row by climbing 33 Peaks from June to October. Couldn't have done this without Team Dodgy! I think there were a few Club Fat Ass events in there as well throughout the year.

2012 has some big goals like finishing my Master's of Science Degree at Simon Fraser University. I sent my final proposal off tonight for my thesis - now that's a dedicated student working on New Years Eve!

2012 running goals include the Big ones such as West Highland Way 95 miles and Vancouver 100km. And of course the events to get me to the big ones such as Dirty Duo 50km, Chuckanutt 50km, KneeKnacker 50km (if I get in) and the new Squamish 50miler, Whistler 50 miler and many outings with fellow baggers and Team Dodgy!

Next week is the transition week from work to school...yikes!

Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve - Eve

2011-12-23T21:58:00.000-08:00

Well there are a couple of hours left for December 23rd here in Vancouver. The trees (yes 2!) are up and the house is decorated both inside and out. Over here we do the "outside lights" too. Don't worry we don't go tacky - just some nice white lights in a big tree and over the rhododendrons up the drive way.

The gifts are wrapped in time for the family to take them away tomorrow evening. We are having family over for Christmas Eve. I bought Neil a slightly bigger climbing pack that can take a few extra items. ;-) (Don't tell him!) Some of my fellow Baggers may appreciate this gift.

Whew...what a busy time it has been. Thank goodness for the Marcothon! I've been good! Forcing myself to fit in 25 minutes of running every day in December. On the weekends that is no problem as we are out for some longer outings. What is really tough are those wet rainy dark days when you have Christmas parties to attend after work. It makes one be creative at some very early hours or squeeze it in after work and be late for the party. I must say I think it has helped one cope with the busyness at this time of year. I usually run 5 times/week but adding those 2 extra runs on the road,albeit short, is inflicting upon me a few aches and pains. Neil has been trying to run every day as well but has missed a few. He too is noticing the aches from the road.

We are both off until after New Year and plan to run every day but we will have more time to hit the softer trails instead of heading out on the road from home.

Merry Christmas To All!

West Highland Way 2012!

2011-12-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Confirmation this morning by email that both Neil and I have been accepted into the West Highland Way Race in 2012. This will be Neil's 4th and my 3rd. We have agreed to do the journey together again - something I highly recommend every couple try. I recall in our first year Dario commenting that there were no marriage counsellors on the route!

We actually do quite well together, Neil lets me set the pace and we help each other through those down moments along the journey. The goal is to finish together. One ultra we did together Neil whacked his head on a tree and I really thought I was on my own to the finish line. So you never know what an event will bring!

From January to April I will be taking an education leave from my work to complete my Masters of Science Degree at Simon Fraser University. This will be a focused time of study but also an opportunity for some change to the training patterns. Change is good!

On December 1st we committed to the Marcothon - running for 25 minutes every day through the month of December. So far so good! We even squeezed the 25 minutes in before a Christmas party on Friday night. Saturday Neil, Liza and I had a 2.5 hour run in the Buntzen Lake area. Today we had a shorter run at Hayward Lake so I could attend an annual Christmas Wreath Making party. I used Cedar boughs and Holly from the Holly bushes in our garden. I plan to get up early most days this week to do the 25 minute run in the morning and then will have a few evening runs as well. We are planning on a snow shoe run this Thursday night at Grouse Mountain as the weather looks clear and cold.

We have decided to stay home here in Vancouver for Christmas. We were considering spending Christmas in Scotland but with me preparing for the thesis writing and upcoming courses it all seemed a bit much. We will keep it simple and plan for our WHW trip in June! Exciting!

2011-11-26T20:57:00.000-08:00

It was a stormy, nasty weather week here in Vancouver. High winds, power outages and lots of rain. Friday the skies cleared and the emails started...have you seen the snow on the North Shore Mountains...let's go tonight for a snow shoe! Neil and I were in and so we met Dave and Helen at Grouse on Friday evening. It was cold up top but a beautiful dry evening. There is several feet of snow up there already! Dave led us out on the Snow Shoe Grind to the top of Dam Mountain - a fantastic journey. This is the winter version of the world famous Grouse Grind, the much used lower mountain trail beloved by tourists and locals alike. We were the only ones out there on the snowshoe trails! Doesn't get much better than that. We hope to add a night of snow shoeing at least once a week throughout the winter months.
Today (Saturday) we headed back in to the North Shore for a CFA event called the Seymour Super Fun Run. It was an atrociously wet and miserable morning when we started out. This was the norm for the whole run and I really cannot remember such a wet day on the trails for a long, long time. It was a great to finish at the local coffee shop and warm up with a piping hot cup of java!

Heading out to join the Snow Shoe Grind on Grouse Mountain.

The snow was perfect with a path carved through it.

It was steep at times which was an excellent work out.

Flocking on the trees - so nice!

Dave and I at the Snow Shoe Grind Turnaround. Nice to see the sign to warn us to go back.

The glow of Vancouver below as we head down.

Saturday morning, back to the North Shore for the Seymour Fun Run a CFA event. Craig approaching a little snow.

Me finishing Neds Atomic Dustbin Trail - not my favourite!

Craig - it was so wet. Torrential rain.

Me - in the rain!

Craig and I near the finish - Soaking Wet!

A Change of Seasons

2011-11-13T22:05:00.001-08:00

Now that Bagging Season is over it allows the opportunity to reflect of good times and wonderful adventures with our bagging buddies! We encountered many difficult moments on the trail that might have required a push or pull from helpful baggers and so it was that we became known amongest ourselves as "Team Dodgy"! Thanks to Dave and Helen for capturing the memories in a T-shirt for Team Dodgy. My Nike Trail Pegasus shoes have seen better days. 33 Peaks with lots of varied weather conditions and trail wear makes them feel like my favourite pair of slippers but with lots of scuffs and "air" holes! Perhaps time for a new pair.

Saturday we participated in Club Fat Ass's Go Deep Trail Run. The weather was cold/wet and snowing at higher elevations. It was great to have another weekend of running not to mention catching up with trail running friends. We went to Buntzen Lake today for another 2 hours of up and down running. It feels good for the mind and soul to build the running miles up again as well as the legs! Looking forward to some longer trail runs over the winter and judging by the early snow fall this past week some snow shoeing outings as well!

Finding our Happy Feet!

2011-11-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

A view from Buntzen Lake Power Line trail with many peaks behind that I climbed during the Bagger Challenge.

From left to right: Mt. Seymour, Runner Peak, Mount Elsay, Mount Bishop, Mount Deacon, Mount Presbyter and finally Mount Dickens.

Indian Arm in the distance with the four tops of Dickens.

With the Peak Bagging Season behind us - this weekend, we hit the trails to get back to some longer runs. We have kept up with the shorter week day runs but for the last few months we have had only the longer endurance outings of climbing mountains without the longer runs. So it felt great to be back running longer on the trails! Saturday Neil, Dave, Chad and I went to Buntzen Lake and did a 2 hour 40 minute outing. It was a beautiful fall day, clear skies with cooler temperatures. The maple leaves are covering the trails and the colours are spectacular. We enjoyed the outing so much that Neil and I went back again on Sunday with a slightly modified route to avoid the dog walkers. It worked out to be about 1 hour 45 minutes. So a good introduction back to the running trails and bye bye bagging trails for another year!

Baggers Banquet 2011

2011-10-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

The winners of the 2011 Club Fat Ass - Bagger Challenge. Bill Mauer (Overall Champion with the most Peaks - 50), myself (Most Peaks Climbed for the females - 33) and Ken Legge received the Twisted Quaich (for contributing to new route finding this year).

David and Julia hosted the party again this year and did a superb job of making it a great evening. David with the tray of Quaichs.

The cake - a nice steep Peak!

A good time was had by all! Neil and I stayed the night at the Georgia Hotel in Vancouver to celebrate the end of the bagging season. The last few months when we have been home, Saturdays and Sundays have been spent climbing mountains. It was a very different Saturday today. We slept in (instead of getting up at 5am), we went out for breakfast (instead of eating toast in the car), we walked Robson Street(crowded!) and we had our hair cut (we never do this on a Saturday). We had a nice dinner at home and watched the hockey game on TV. I know that it must sound like a very normal way to spend a Saturday but when we have been leaving early and returning home very late the last few weeks - it felt strange. Am I missing the bagging already? - I think so! Time now to build up the long runs over the winter months.

Congratulations to all the Baggers out there!

Final Weekend of Bagging

2011-10-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

Neil and I at the top of Deeks Peak.

This past weekend was the final weekend in the Club Fat Ass Bagger Challenge for 2011. On Saturday, we set out with the intention of bagging the peaks Hat, Fat Ass and perhaps Brunswick. We picked Dave up (just the 3 of us baggers again!)It had been raining during the night and the clouds were low and drizzling. No promises of time to Helen - we really were unsure of what the conditions would be.

We parked at Lions Bay at the trail head and made our way to the Brunswick trail head. This was my first time on this trail. I had heard it was steep and yes it was but it was a very nice surface underfoot and many places to put the feet!
On the way up we had an incredible view of Mt. Harvey to our right that showed us the vertical climb we did last weekend. WOW! Good thing I did not look down - Neil kept repeating as we were pulling ourselves up - don't look down!

The air started to cool as we climbed. I was starting to get chilled despite going straight up and working hard. My hands started to feel cold in the gloves and then my feet started to freeze. The trail was now covered in snow and quite slippery. It was OK to go up but I kept thinking that we also had to come down this steep snow covered trail. I stopped and put on another layer, hat and changed to my thicker gloves. We continued on and I soon realized we were going straight up Brunswick as we passed over the Howe Sound Crest trail to go to Hat and Fat Ass. I followed Dave and Neil's lead up and once up I made a hasty retreat down. There was a strong cold wind and the drop offs were severe. I was really unsure of my footing with my feet being so cold. The trip down was a bit slippery as the ground was covered with fresh snow. I was too cold to carry on to Fat Ass and Hat so we just kept going down. Once down I warmed up.

The decision was then made to go on to Depencier Bluffs one of the lower Peaks on Mt. Seymour that we had not yet done.

The trail was full of water and wet bushes but it is a pleasant trip to the bluffs. The weather was quite dense with fog so no views of Vancouver from the bluffs.

On Sunday morning we set out and picked up Dave and then Craig and Liza. We planned to bag Deeks, Windsor and Gotha. The weather was perfect and we managed to do all 3. We were a little off on our time estimates for Helen and arrived back to our car at 8:15. Another long day of bagging!

So that completes the 2011 Bagger Challenge. We returned to many familiar peaks but also had the opportunity to discover some new ones. We had many great laughs on the trails with fellow baggers. Some of the journeys were long and extended into the evening. Sometimes a bit expected other times a bit surprising. The nights were magical as we descended in the dark.

Celebrating Windsor Peak.

Celebrating and holding Craig up on Deeks!

Cold and coming down Brunswick.

Fungi on the trail to the Depencier Bluffs.

Craig and I having a good laugh while taking a lunch break.

Trail Finding!

Trying out the poles! They are helpful most of the time!

Dodgy Moment! Good catch team!

Good technique Craig! - coming off the boulder field from Windsor.

On our way to Gotha.

Craig and I coming out in the dark.

Howe Sound Crest Trail

2011-10-16T19:36:00.001-07:00

This weekend saw our usual peak bagging party reduced to 3. Neil, Dave and myself. Maybe the others knew something I didn't. We started at Cypress with a goal of bagging 5 Peaks on the Howe Sound Crest Trail. We told Dave's wife Helen she could expect us at Lions Bay by 5 pm but that we would keep in touch by cell phone.

The first peak was St. Marks where we encountered some icy conditions in shady or North facing slopes. It was a warning for the rest of the day that we could be faced with slippery conditions under foot.

Dave and I at St. Marks Summit.

View down to Howe Sound from St. Marks. You can see a BC Ferry on the Vancouver Island run.

On our way to Unnecessary Mountain we came upon 2 other baggers, Mike Wardas and his friend Al whom we continued to see throughout the day as they too had similar ambitions for the day.
The trail to Unnecessary was pleasant for awhile and then became very steep (don't they all!) Once we reached the summit of Unnecessary we were provided with spectacular views of Howe Sound and the Lions for which we were headed towards.

Neil and I at the top of Unnecessary.

Whose holding who up?

Enjoying my PBJ with the distant Lions in the background.

One of the few signs or trail markings along the route.

The north side of Unnecessary provides a noticeable change in trail difficulty. From here on the trail is much less travelled by the average hiker and contains many challenges. There are a few steep rocky drop offs which fellow baggers have noted to be known as "dodgy".

A dodgy moment - good catch Dave!

Approaching the West Lion.

Mike and Al having a break on top of this large boulder. There is a cache here with emergency supplies. I don't think I have mentioned the spectacular weather. It was perfect (except for the ice) but it is a trade off for bugs/wasps and miserable weather. The skies were clear all day and what turned out to be, night!

As we approached the West Lion the guys were mumbling up ahead about how the conditions on the West Lion would really be quite perfect today for a summit attempt. This instantly recognizable almost vertical sided rock pillar can be seen throughout the Lower Mainland as can it's twin the East Lion similarly impressive but within the greater Vancouver watershed and hence out of bounds to hikers. When we arrived at the West Lion there were many other hikers taking advantage of the dry rock. However, we noticed several people that were frozen on the rock with fear. Many were out of their depth. I found it hard to watch them fearing an accident was looming.

Dave, Neil and Mike decided to go for it. Neil took the camera with him but asked me to take photos on the BlackBerry from my safe view point. I found it very hard to watch them on this technically very difficult peak and could only point and shoot the camera hoping that I had captured the moment.

Neil captured Dave going up.

Dave and Neil working their way back.

Neil working his way out. Yikes!

Dave and Mike before it goes straight up.

Traffic Jam!

Dave in the blue shirt on the way out.

Mike and Dave going up.

Dave and Neil at the top of the West Lion.

View from the top!

View from the top!

Dave encouraging Neil to go for it! They are heading back.

Once all bodies were accounted for at the base of the West Lion we headed out with determination to complete the original planned journey. We were now on our way to James and David Peaks. After the West Lion the trail is much less travelled and was filled with many dodgy moments for the rest of the day.

Dodgy moment - a narrow ledge with no bounce for a kilometer!

The narrow ledge we crossed.

Next was the obligatory boulder field that one encounters on most North Shore Bagging expeditions. The only difference is the size of the boulders, these ranged in size from basket ball to exercise ball. (unlike the Volkswagens we had on Elsay).

Enchanted Lake.

Anytime you see a rope and a chain you know you are in for a dodgy moment! Straight drop offs on both sides. The rope helped us get across, the chain helped get us up the vertical wall once on the other side.

Neil and I at the top of David Peak. We met Mike on his way down, he couldn't find the trail that goes over the top and connects with the Howe Sound Crest Trail. Once up the red shale summit we wandered around for a bit until I spotted the faint exit trail down. There were no markings for a bit and then they appeared which is so reassuring when you see the flagging. It was steep and I took most of it on my butt as it was also icy which made it quite treacherous.

Once off David Peak we met up with Mike and Al again. This is where our day together ended. They headed back to their car at Lions Bay on one of the few exit trails off the Howe Sound Crest trail and we carried on to Harvey Pass/Mount Harvey. Mike cautioned us that we would meet darkness. We were prepared for dark with headlamps and extra clothing. The sky was so clear which would help extend the light for a bit.

A view back to the Lions from Harvey Pass.

I knew the trail went by Mount Harvey and I thought we would have the opportunity to decide if we were going to go up. As we carried on I soon realized we were going up and over Mount Harvey. The sun was starting to go down and we were cold as we made our way through Harvey Pass. Flagging directed us straight up the rock mass of Harvey. Dave led the way, it was steep treacherous climb through a series of vertical chimneys. Thankfully there were hand holds and bushes to grab to get ones self up. It was not easy and took my full concentration to focus on getting myself up and not worrying about or looking at the vertical drop below. Neil had to do a bit of pushing a times to give me that extra up and over. I think we were all concerned about the trail down once on top. Dave did a great job of reminding us that the trail on the other side is the most used route. I knew I probably wouldn't be able to go down what I just came up so I was starting to have the plan in my head of a night on Harvey and a call for help. It was cold, steep and we were running out of daylight.

Great to see we had reached the top - what a relief!

We spent a few minutes celebrating 6 peaks for Dave and Neil, 5 for me!

Neil and I at the top of Harvey - very glad to have made it!

A view from the top over to Hat, Fat Ass and Brunswick.

Sunset on Howe Sound - it was a beautiful sunset but we were concerned about not knowing what was ahead of us in the dark.

A final glimpse of the Lions.

Looks like we found the trail down! Our spirits picked up and all was well.

A beautiful sunset through the trees.

Coat, Hats and gloves on as we descend the final peak into darkness.

In the dark, Dave and I as we descend the steep trail. We got off trail a few times as markers were few.

Neil and I descending into Lions Bay. Once out on the "gravel road" we commented that it felt like a 4 lane highway compared to what we had travelled on all day. We had talked to Helen a few times throughout the evening so she was aware of our location and Estimated Time of Arrival. We started at 8:30 am and reached Lions Bay at 8:30 pm. 12 hours - now that's a full day! We were 3.5 hours off on the original arrival time for Helen. Our car was at Cypress Bowl so she shuffled us there and it was 10:30pm once we arrived home. So 6Peaks for Dave and Neil, 5 for me. What an incredible journey in fantastic conditions that will be hard to match! Thanks guys for the pushes and pulls!

***Footnote: Mike & Al also made it out safely about an hour earlier than we did***

Emerald Lake, Canadian Rockies

2011-10-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

Neil fortunately has a conference at Lake Louise each year which we use as good reason to visit the Canadian Rockies. We try to always add a few days at the beginning of the trip and to enjoy some hiking and running in this spectacular area. One of our favourite places to stay is Emerald Lake Lodge. During the height of summer these popular lodges in the Rockies can be heaving with people. On the "shoulder" season it is perfect! Great hiking and just a few folk at the Lodge and staying in the cabins. We did the Emerald Triangle hike that takes us up to Burgess Pass at 7900 feet. The breathing gets heavy and you find yourself moving a little slower at that altitude. Interestingly, this is the location of the Burgess Shale, a UNESCO world heritage site where more than 140 species of fossils approximately 530 million years old have been unearthed.

The main lodge that has the restaurant, lounge, out door decking and some banquet facilities upstairs. We stay in cabins on the lake shore. Each cabin has a wood burning fireplace that they stock daily with all the wood you need for a roaring blaze each night!

Once out on the hike a reminder we are in Grizzly Bear country. Last year we saw a mother grizzly and her 2 cubs very close to us.

The signs of Grizzly keeps the journey somewhat unnerving. We wear a bell and try to make noise but every noise you hear makes the heart thump!

Spectacular views! This point looks down on the small town of Field, B.C. Historically a railway town that functions as a switching point for freight trains.

Looking back to Mt. Wapta and the Burgess Shale that we just crossed.

Crossing the Burgess Shale. The trail traverses the mountain.

Below Mt. Wapta and the large shale bed.

Looking down to Emerald Lake where we are staying. You can just see the roof tops of the cabins and the lodge.

Majestic Mountains!

Late for the Start!

2011-09-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we set out for the Frosty Mtn 27km event in Manning Park. This event offers 3 distances 50km, 27km and 13km. You can do "day of" registration so we planned to do this keeping our options open.

Initially we planned to do the 50km event. Neil had spent the week in Alberta and didn't arrive home until late Friday night. We made the decision to do the 27km event. We left home at 7:15 and arrived as planned at the start line at the Lightning Lakes Day area at 9:30am. I wondered why everyone was ready to go at the start line when we had 30 minutes to go. Craig greeted us and informed us "it's time!" I didn't really understand what he meant because in my head we still had 30 minutes to register. I went to the toilet and while in there I heard Gottfried RD say "go". Neil had registered us, I signed the waiver and threw on my pack and we headed out.

We caught the sweep and she told us to go ahead. It wasn't long and we started to see more people. This event starts out on some beautiful trails. Once the trail starts to climb it is quite a steep climb until the summit of Mt. Frosty 7,800 feet. Once up to the summit the descent starts with lots of scree and loose rocks. I was glad to get through this section and then it was primarily a long run down back to the day area of Lightning Lakes. Once we finished we saw a few of the runners coming in including Andy who had ran the 50km event.

Starting out on the nice lower trails before the climb up Mt. Frosty. We're late!

Heading down!

Steep Down!

Craig heading up...almost there!

Liza coming up Mt. Frosty.

Almost there...Lightning Lakes day area ahead.

The Finish!

Fun with friends at Dave and Helen's camp fire...Nice and Relaxing!

Hyde Park to Hayward Lake

2011-09-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

We started our final day in London with a run in Hyde Park. The weather from the room looked showery and cool. We headed out completely over dressed. I had my light jacket off before I started running and should have worn short sleeves. Wow did we both find it sweaty! It was a great final loop around the park and we enjoyed listening to the sound checks as they prepared for the final night of the BBC Proms in the Park.

A quick bite to eat at the hotel before the taxi arrived to take us to Heathrow. The flight went well and I enjoyed watching some comedy on board. The flights never seem long enough these days to enjoy some quiet time!

It was a beautiful evening as we arrived in Vancouver just prior to sunset. We managed to stay up until 10:30pm but I was restless at 2:30 am (not good!) Neil reminded me he was hoping we could make it to 5am. I tossed and turned and made it to 5am. It was dark when we had our breakfast and we watched live the 10th year memorial of 9/11. Once light and the temperature rose we set out for a run at Hayward Lake for aprox 1 hr 15 min. The rest of the day consisted of unpacking, washing clothes, grocery shopping and finished with a bike ride on the Pitt Meadows dykes. It was a warm, clear, beautiful evening.

Back to work tomorrow after a memorable two weeks. Here's to the next VaCa!

Olympic Marathon Route and Wicked!

2011-09-09T01:20:00.000-07:00

Today we set out to experience the proposed 2012 London Olympic Marathon Route. We started out slowly as we happened to come upon the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and took the time to watch this spectacle. Big crowds - lots of officiation to the ceremony and it seemed more than just your regular "changing of the guard" to us! Once completed, we carried on to the start of the marathon route on the Mall.

The planned route consists of one 2.2 mile loop around St. James Park and Westminster and then three 8 mile loops out to the Tower of London and back, taking in the business and finacial heart of London in and around St. Pauls Cathedral on route. It is a wonderful route that will show off the city and all its sights in spectacular fashion to the world but.......if you are one of the athletes you may want to practice your tight cornering at speed! Hopefully, the pack will thin out fast because there is not much room on some of the small lanes and side streets! I really enjoyed the route and I look forward to watching the action of the Olympic Marathon next summer knowing that Neil and I have tread where the truly great athletes of the world will do so! We ran about 25km of the marathon route. It was tricky with traffic, crowds of people and construction crews seemingly everywhere to stick to the course consistently without making some diversions but a very nice course.

We stopped for a snack/coffee at Starbucks in this area. It was really tiny and Neil was laughing at me how I managed to hit almost everyone in the store with my running pack! One of the staff actually asked about my pack - funny thing lots of looks at us with our packs out there on the streets of London. Many runners but not carrying a hydration pack! But it did come in handy so I could take my jacket on and off, add my hat when required and to have a pouch for the map. The concierage at the hotel printed off the map in colour so we had an updated copy.

Tonight we went to the Apollo Theater and saw "Wicked" - awesome! Close to our hotel so we could walk there in 10 minutes.

Tomorrow is our final day and plan to do a little shopping before heading home.

Roma was great - now back to London!

2011-09-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic time in Rome. Weather was hot 30 plus degrees, and we coped well. Plenty of sunscreen, light clothing, water and frequent stops. We had a great time with Kendall and Chris and managed to keep going with viewing the sites, shopping, and eating until late at night. One of the interesting moments was the general strike that took place while we were there. We really noticed the police appearance especially around the government buildings. The strike impacted the tourists spots such as the Colosseum and the Imperial Fora which were both closed. Our hotel posted signs saying reduced service for the day (we were out and didn't notice) On our return to London today the security personnnel at the Rome airport was also reduced which created horrendous hot line ups. Other than the strike - it was a great few days. Now back in London where we appreciated no longer sweating and wearing our sweaters out for Thai food tonight. Tomorrow we plan to run the 2012 Olympic Marathon route. Occasional showers are predicted so we will plan for all weather with our packs. Hoping for some coffee and food breaks along the way! Theater tickets for Wicked tomorrow night.

Rome

2011-09-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today we travelled by train from Florence to Rome. That was the easy part of the journey!

We drove from San Felice to the center of Florence to drop the car off. The GPS was helpful but it was still a bit stressful driving and negotiating the traffic. We had the classic experience of wheeling our luggage from the car rental drop off to the train station when the wheel on my suitcase jammed and no longer turned. It was a drag of the luggage through the streets of Florence, not a stroll!

The train journey was pleasant and by chance a family of 4 from Vancouver were sitting next to us. Once we arrived in Rome we took a taxi to the hotel and think we were completely ripped off but we were delivered close by. Kendall texted "are you here?" We were excited to meet up with our niece Kendall and Chris on their honeymoon. We met them for a cold drink and then continued on to Piazza Navona where we all had dinner together. It had started to rain by now and wow did it ever rain (and still is)! We were not prepared at all and ended up buying umbrellas on the street and then taking a taxi back to our hotels. Kendall and Chris have tours booked for the AM to the Vatican Museums. We have been on the tours before so will just wander around on our own and soak up the atmosphere and experience of Roma!
Great to be here! Can't upload photos for some reason tonight.

Cortona and Montepulciano

2011-09-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

Today was hot! 35 degrees plus. Amazing how you can sweat so much doing nothing! We visited Cortona and Montepulciano today. Visually stunning and very interesting hill top towns that were all about the food and wine - at least that is what we thought!

In Cortona, we had lunch at a lovely restaurant above the main piazza and had the pleasure of seeing a bride and groom having wedding photos taken in the piazza. Nice! Lunch was interesting too - we shared a selection of Tuscan starters which were very good and enjoyed a glass of the local white wine. We then carried on to Montepulciano.

The road was well sign posted so we were able to turn the drive you crazy Garmin GPS off! Once there we remembered it well! Long hill walk up to the Grande Piazza but unfortunately we arrived when much of the city was closed. We enjoyed walking around but it was really hot and we were desperate for a light cooling refreshment at one of the countless cafe's or bars. Finally, a place was open just before we arrived back at the car. Amazing how much Frizzante water a person can drink!

Once back at our hotel we enjoyed our final run out on the road to Bossi and back. We are quite proud of the fact that despite the heat and being on vacation we ran every day while here in Tuscany. The distances may have been short but at least we kept the "wheels turning" as Neil says! Dinner was as previous, under the clear night sky on the patio, for tomorrow we leave for Rome where will meet up with our neice Kendall and her husband Chris. They were recently married in Vancouver and are travelling on their honeymoon - we will be sure to give them lots of personal space :)!

San Gimignano

2011-09-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

Today we went for a day trip to San Gimignano - this pedestrianized hilltop town boasts 14 towers in it's skyline. In it's day, it was a mass of stone towers as local affluent people built towers as a display of wealth and power, all vying for the tallest tower.

It was a hot day, 35 degrees and moderately busy. The drive from San Felice was a bit twisty and at one point we stopped so I could get some fresh although hot air! We enjoyed walking the streets and the shops of San Gimignano, stopping occassionally for a refreshing Gelato from the "World Champion Gelato Maker" shop in town or a cold drink in one of the beautiful Piazza's.

On the return journey back to our hotel we tried the GPS that came with the car, not sure how we got back but we did although not the route we would have chosen on the map! Had a nice run once back along the road to Bossi, very quiet and almost met darkness on our return. Glad it was quiet as I was wearing black with no reflection!

Dinner on the patio tonight with the Canadian waitress as of last night. She commented in a roundabout way how nice and polite the Canadian guests always are compared to some of the more onerous nations around the world! Tomorrow we have a tour of the winery where we are staying and plan to go on to the town of Cortona.

Chianti Country

2011-09-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

We started the day with a run - it was hard going with the sun beating down on us but a great way to pick up some colour! With the Hotel package there was a trip to the spa included. Neil gracefully declined, ;-) but I gave it a go! Lots of "wine therapy" the most beneficial I think was the actual glass of wine I received! We headed out by car to explore Chianti Country. First stop Gaiole in Chianti where it was really warm as we walked around. Most of the shops were closed with the heat of the day. Next stop Badia A Coltibuono, a winery. Some of their wines are available in Canada so we were somewhat familiar with them. They have a nice gift shop where we picked up a few items. Next stop Radda in Chianti which was bustling with tourists. Awesome views and some great gift shops. We stopped for some Bruscetta and Coffee before heading on to Castellina in Chianti. I found the leather shop that 10 years ago I bought a hand bag at and sure enough on this trip, there was a pair of shoes which I desperately needed! We stopped for a cold drink before driving back to our hotel. The evening was so peaceful and with the temperatures dropping to 25 degrees this evening, we went for a run down the hill and back up with the sun setting on the Tuscan hills...nice! Tonight we enjoyed dinner on the outdoor patio, our waitress was from Quebec City, Canada so we had a good chat...concluding that Canada was a good place to live! Tomorrow we are off to San Gimignano one of the most famous and picturesque towns in Tuscany.

A Bike Ride in Tuscany, a Visit to Siena.

2011-08-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

The temperature felt cooler when we set out for a bike ride this morning - it didn't take long for the air to warm up and so did we with all the hills we set out to conquer! The bikes had quite heavy tires which made the hills a little more challenging. We managed fine and did not have to get off to push although when we were going down a large hill section I had little faith that I could ride back up. Amazing how if you use the gears in a timely way you can get to the top! It was so peaceful and the scenery spectacular to ride a bike here in Tuscany. It was hard work and very hot but well worth the effort!

We showered up and then drove to the city of Siena. We had a few challenges finding a place to park the car and almost went in on the "Exit" in a parkade which provided some entertainmnet for the locals! First stop, Piazzo Del Campo for a cold drink. It was spectacular to sit and watch the lively Piazzo filled with people and activity. It is a fan shaped sloping wide open space that is home to the biannual Palio horse race. Next stop the Duomo, passing many nice shops along the way. The Duomo is a massive Gothic cathedral which has many pieces of art. It was hot so our inside visit was brief. The rest of the time was spent enjoying walking the streets of Sienna. We bought local bread, cheese, olives and wine for a simple but venerable feast back at San Felice where we discussed plans for tomorrow's Tuscan adventure!

Good to be Back Under the Tuscan Sun!

2011-08-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

Some of the Grapes here at San Felice.

Running the road here in Tuscany - nice!

Grapes ripening!

The view from our room at San Felice.

The Notting Hill Carnival.

Yesterday in London we took in the Notting Hill Carnival. We put our packs on and ran in the direction of Notting Hill, as we approached it became apparent that the police were plentiful and perhaps we should stop running through the crowds. There were thousands of police officers and the crowd was fairly well behaved despite the open street drinking of alcohol and the popularity of the Rum Punch and Red Stripe beer! The roar of the police helicopter overhead played a heavy presence on the crowds. We didn't sty long but it was interesting to experience the street party. We then went on to enjoy dinner at "Jamie's Italian" in Covent Garden. Both the food and the atmosphere were great. Today, it was an early rise to catch our flight to Florence. We have 5 days at an incredible winery/hotel in Tuscany. We picked up a car at the Florence Airport - the drive was crazy despite the GPS trying to tell us the way! We went wrong at some point but eventually arrived at our destination. It was a warm day in Tuscany 33 degrees when we arrived. After becoming acquainted with the property we set out for a drive to pick up the essentials for the room. Prior to dinner, we went for a run on the road passing the burgeoning grape vines that are loaded with deep purple grapes as the approaches. Olive trees compete for space amongest the vineyards and they too bear a heavy crop of delightful promise! Nice challenging hill to run back to the hotel and then onto dinner at the hotel. Outdoor dining - very posh, nice food, great service and lovely setting. Tomorrow we plan to go to Siena - hopefully the drive and parking the car will be OK!

20 Miles in London

2011-08-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

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It's amazing what jet lag will do for you! We woke quite early in London and were ready to head out for the day. We had pre-planned a 20 mile running route while we were here. There was no hesitation - we filled our hydration packs, put our packs on and were out the door. The route took us through Hyde Park, Holland Park, down Earl's Court Road, over to Battersea Bridge, Battersea Park (nice park!), over the Chelsea Bridge, along Grosvenor Road to the Vauxhall Bridge, back to the South Side and the Albert Enbankment. We followed the South Bank all the way to Tower Bridge passing the Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Tower of London and lots of tourists. Over Tower Bridge to the Victoria Embankment walkway to the Houses of Parliament where we picked up Bird Cage Walk, passed Buckingham Palace to Grosvenor Place to Wellington Arch where we started 20 miles before. The body is feeling like this road and concrete is going to hurt tomorrow!

So Much Snow!

2011-08-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

It's mid August and the snow is very abundant on the mountains here in Vancouver. It looks like the snow is not going away this season. Today we met in the Cypress Bowl parking lot to climb Hollyburn Mountain and Mount Strachan. It was cold to start and we put on a few layers. It didn't take long for us to warm up - hills will do that to you!

I like the climb up Hollyburn - challenging but nothing too crazy for technicality. Once on the top of Hollyburn you can take a steep trail down that leads over to Strachan. It took a bit of route finding in the snow but we did well. This trail is very technical and steep and especially tricky when it is covered in snow and water. Slippery! I pulled up the rear and occasionally heard Neil shout from ahead "are you gals OK?" I think I even got "do you still love me?" There was a silent pause before I replied "I think so!" We had plenty of good laughs out there today. The funniest moment was when Wendy startled me when I was crouched behind a bush. We laughed so hard we were both shedding tears. I can still hear Wendy laughing and I'm sure it is an image she won't forget! ;-)

Going up Strachan we popped out onto the ski run near the top. The flies were bad in this area but seemed to only be bad here today. I have had a bad reaction to these flies before so coat myself in bug spray to hopefully deter them to a bagger companion.

Once on top we had a visit from a Whisky Jack. Dave very kindly share his food from his hand and the top of his head! That bird will have some food stored for winter - it took us a few tries before we captured the perfect photos!

We came down the ski runs which transitioned from snow to rocky slippery ground. I've come down this slope 3 times now and must admit it is not my favourite surface to run on. Once down we headed to the Black Bear for a bite to eat. That's 2 more bags completed!

At the top of Hollyburn - misty and snowy!

Dave perfecting the feeding of the Whisky Jack!

Nice one!

Snow!

A Visit to the Plane Crash on Grouse Mountain

2011-08-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight we did a mid week outing to Grouse Mountain. Neil has often talked about going to the site of the plane crash on Grouse. We met up with Dave, Liza and Craig and were on our way by 6:15. In 1954 a US Air Force pilot flying an F86 Sabre crashed his jet into the side of Grouse Mountain. The F86 was fully armed with 24 rockets. There is lots of speculation of what went wrong. The jet was flying with an estimated velocity exceeding 760 mph when it plowed into the trees and mountain at the 2700 foot elevation near a cabin located a few hundred feet from the chair lift. A 1000 foot swath was cut through the trees and the wreckage was strewn over a wide area. The crash killed the pilot who was still strapped in his seat.(Sources: Vancouver Sun, Vancouver Province and Tacoma News Tribune archives)

There is a nice memorial plaque on a tree with the remains of the jet engine. The family has created a log book for visitors to sign and information about the crash is displayed under plastic laminate.

It was a 2 hour outing tonight - well worth the visit!

STORMY Route Revisited and Three Bags (Fromme, Dam and Little Goat)

2011-08-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had 2 good days of outings. Saturday - Dave, Liza, Neil and I drove to Squamish to revisit the STORMY course. This was an Ultra event that we have enjoyed participating in the last few years. I have completed the 50 mile event 3 times and the 67 km distance twice. Unfortunately the event did not happen this year. It was nice to go back to the route and do a portion of the course (27km). Sunday we bagged 3 peaks in the Grouse Range - Fromme, Dam and Little Goat. I couldn't believe the amount of snow remaining. There is so much snow it probably won't all melt this year. There were a few frightening moments in the snow. I was glad to hit the bare trail when we were down.

Grinder the Grizzly Bear in the habitat on Grouse.

The top of Mt. Fromme. Me, Wendy and Dave.

A view over to Grouse Mtn from Mt. Fromme.

Coming off the top of Dam Mountain - steep and slippery! We put our Yak Traks on and they really helped.

The top of Little Goat

Going down from the top of Little Goat. Nice views of Crown Mountain and Camel Mountain. We climbed Crown last year - perhaps a bit too much snow right now to get there.

Lots of snow! Note the trail marker.

Wendy and I getting close to the top of Dam (retracing our steps)the other route was too dangerous.

I Made it!

We noticed this sign on our way back. We missed it on the way out!

Howe Sound Islands

2011-08-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

Liza and Craig on the Water Taxi from Horseshoe Bay to Anvil Island

Neil and Dave on the First Water Taxi of the Day!

The Start of the Trail up Artaban from the Bible Camp on Anvil

An Artists Sign Directing Hikers to the Peak - what a nice surprise!

Me coming through the dense forest - very humid!

Dave, Myself and Craig making our way around the peak to get to the top!

Almost there! Another sign pointing us to the Peak!

Arrived! Helicopter Pad at the Top of Leading Peak

Awesome Views!

Neil and I at the Top of Leading Peak, Anvil Island

Dave heading down.

Craig descending a nasty section.

Leading Peak - where we were!

Team Gambier now - Craig's taking the photo!

Travelling through an extensive forest of ferns on the Artaban trail.

A Reflective Moment for the Group at the Top of Artaban.

Mission Accomplished!

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - waiting for the Water Taxi!

The Mercury XIV Arrives!

Plenty of Snow Remains on the North Shore Mountains.

A View of Anvil Island and Leading Peak - our first climb of the day.

I was a bit out of the loop with the bagging plans for the weekend but did know the big picture details of an 8 AM Water Taxi from Horseshoe Bay and that Leading Peak on Anvil Island was the destination, so I was told! I noticed Neil packing what appeared to be more than what was required for the one peak on Anvil Island. He finally confessed that we may also go to Gambier Island - that was the email/texting chat that I missed! Last year we had a very, very long day on Gambier Island (17hrs). I had flash backs to dehydration, bonking, wasp stings, puking, getting lost and of course not having enough head lamps for the heads on the trip. I barely recall the late night water taxi ride as I passed out once I was on board. Were we heading out for a repeat??

Craig, Liza, Dave, Neil and I carpooled from Craig's to Horseshoe Bay. We located the red shed where the water taxi was to pick us up. A few minutes passed 8AM and we were on board. The crossing was really calm over to Anvil Island. The hum of the water taxi and being on the water almost rocked me to sleep.

We docked at the Daybreak Point Bible Camp which was a hub of activity for that time of day! We agreed to meet the water taxi in 4 hours - same place. The smell of bacon cooking for breakfast filled the air as we walked through the camp. Lucky kids! The area was full of big black Ravens and Craig saw an Eagle fly out of a tree. I missed the eagle's take off but did hear the sound of the wings swooshing.

The trail went straight up (don't they all!) It was quite wet, rocky and slippery. Going up was fine but it did cross my mind that it could be a bit tricky coming down. It was very humid and misty after the previous nights rain. We came upon what appeared to be a false summit (or is it another Peak to be added?)- the trail continued on but with different coloured markers! Were we on the right trail we asked ourselves!? We lost quite a bit of elevation and then began to climb again quite steeply, passing through rock canyons and hugging sheer granite walls along the way. There were a couple of tricky scrambling sections near the top but nothing that couldn't be overcome with a little help from fellow baggers - a good push and a strong pull!

The clouds cleared when we reached the top to provide beautiful 360 degree views over Howe Sound and surrounding mountains. The decision was made as we were descending that we had plenty of time to carry on to Gambier Island. Once down, we were greeted and then reprimanded by a counsellor at the camp saying that we were actually required to seek prior permission to walk through the camp...oops! We hadn't done that! I kept on running to the dock, we all jumped on the water taxi and we were off to Gambier Island.

It was a short journey over to Gambier - same driver who was there waiting for us. He was quite amused with our sense of adventure! Once we arrived on Gambier we headed up the road looking for the Artaban trail head. It looked a bit more over grown from last year. We were now approaching Artaban in a reverse direction from last year. We stopped at a creek and had a splash to cool down. It took aprox 1 hour to get to the peak. There was a bit of human traffic at the top but once we left it was all quiet again to the base at Fircom Bay.

Neil called the water taxi to let him know we were down. We were told it would be 30 minutes and they were just around the point - now that was 30 minutes Gambier time. 75 minutes later a larger water taxi appears with several passengers from up the coast. It was a stunning ride back to Horseshoe Bay with awesome views of the peaks we had just climbed. We enjoyed some refreshments once back on the mainland and then went our separate ways to home. Great day out Baggers!

Three Peaks - South Lynn, Lynn and South Needle

2011-07-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

Neil at the top of the South Needle - eating his cookies that he did not share!

Nice View!

It's a long way down - 1200 meters!

At the top of the South Needle - chewing down a Peanut Butter Sandwich! Neil is looking for those cookies! (he brought 4 from home - I was thinking one for each of us - not!!)

Lynn Peak - Liza, Carolyn and Neil.

South Lynn Peak - Neil, Dave, Liza and Carolyn

Neil looking for his cookies that he did not share!

Dave, Neil and Liza and a really big tree!

Liza, Carolyn and Dave - 3 fingers for 3 Bags!

Interesting looking fungi growing on a decaying log.

Saturday morning we met Dave and Liza at Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve at the Gazebo to head out to bag a few peaks. It was a warm sunny morning and everyone was in good spirits. We all participated in the Knee Knacker 50km event 2 weeks ago and were keen to share our memories of the day and of course the lessons we learned along the way

We had a few minutes of gentle trail before it went straight up to the South Lynn Peak which is at 1,000 meters. We took the essential photo and then carried on to Lynn Peak. These peaks don't have your typical "at the top" feel. They are trees in the woods with pink ribbon identifying the highest point - no views! We carried on to the South Needle (1200 meters) that does have the "at the top" feel with fantastic views of both the Seymour Range and the Grouse Range.

The bugs were nasty at the top. We had a quick bite to eat and then carried on. Neil and Dave continued on towards the Middle Needle and Liza and I retraced our steps back down. Neil and Dave promised to use wise judgement. Liza and I made it off the top well. It is exposed in sections (no bounce for a kilometer!) - Liza led the way and I followed her path down. The trail and rocks were really wet at times making it very slippery. I have been on this trail now 3 times and this was the most treacherous it has been. It is a very steep climb up and what goes up must come down. Unfortunately between Lynn Peak and the South Needle you loose the elevation climbed and go down/down to climb back up. The South Needle is 1200 meters. Total elevation gain 2,000 meters (6,000 plus feet). That explains why the legs are a bit tired today.;-)

We joined the Hydraulic Creek trail for the route down. About half way down Liza and I heard voices. Sure enough in a few minutes Neil and Dave appeared. They executed wise judgement when they came upon some wet slippery rocks. It was good to have their company again. The Hydraulic Creek trail is very soft underfoot and since it was so wet we all found ourselves on our butt at some point. The trail comes down to a paved parkway that is 5km from the car. We had a good 5km run out on the road to finish back at the Gazebo. Neil and I joined Dave for a coffee - Liza headed home for her Birthday celebrations. Happy Birthday Liza! Great outing - weather was perfect and the exercise was challenging. Just what I needed.

The Knees Were Knackered!

2011-07-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

The Finish Line!

Receiving my finishers certificate.

Randy, Marla, Dave, Myself and Neil resting post race and cheering in the runners.

This past weekend we participated in the Knee Knacker 50km event, Canada's knarliest ultra. It was an early start - we car pooled and met at Chad and Marla's at 4:30 am. Joining us, was special guest Randy who made a guest appearance after another year of "no running" but somehow manages to pull this event off in a decent time! It's called natural talent! When he was training - he did very well! Chad was our driver and dropped us off at the start in good time. The weather was perfect - sunny with a few clouds and not too warm. The RD sent us off and I found the start nice and relaxed as we ended up stopping at times due to the congestion on the trail.

The first part of the race is a big climb up Black Mountain - the last time we were here was for Vancouver 100 barely a month ago...phew...we have been busy! I found myself in a group where the pace was fine. You really work hard early on in this event climbing Black Mtn as there are boulder fields to climb, shale fields to cross over and it is very,very steep. Once at the top I took a few glances at the view and then carried on. The snow had really receded since V100. Within a few minutes it soon became a pattern of mud/snow/mud/snow. Once at the top large mud puddles started to appear. I came upon a large puddle and before I knew what happened I was up to my waist in muddy water. The ground below me gave way like quicksand and I was immediately doing the back stroke in this puddle. I panicked and got myself up and out of there as fast as I could. It freaked me out pretty good but the worst part at the moment was that my water bottles were completely submerged in the mud and I had to drink from these bottles for the rest of the day! As I carried on across the snow I realized how wet my feet, shorts and shirt were. I felt quite chilled so it was a good reason to keep moving!

Once out of the snow it felt great to have the feet hit the dirt of the trails. It was busy when I went through the halfway point at Cleveland Dam. After leaving the half way aid station I ate and drank as I made my way up the road to Grouse Mountain. I started to regret that I did not change my wet socks from all the snow and mud back at the aid station where my drop bag was with dry socks! Oh well - the feet did start to hurt but I really tried mentally to not focus on this. I'm getting better with the mental toughness!

The section through Grouse is always slow. Once out of the Grouse section the last half went quite well - I felt good the entire way as I approached Deep Cove. The trail was busy with tourists/walkers which became a bit frustrating. About 2km from the finish you can hear the announcers and the crowd cheering. With this being my 3rd Knee Knacker I knew I still had a bit to go before those cheers would be for me. I finished as predicted in the 9 hr time frame - I felt good the entire way which is important to me.

Neil had a good run and finished just sub 7 hours. It was nice to catch up with everyone at the finish and at the banquet that evening. No runs yet this week...just 2 walks and a couple of bike rides. The knees felt a bit knackered but are improving daily. The last few years we would now be heading out to Bag Peaks in the Bagger Challenge but due to the heavy winter snow pack and cool spring and summer temperatures the mountain tops are still out of reach. We may be able to sneak in some lower level peaks!

West Highland Way 2011

2011-07-05T23:49:00.000-07:00

Carolyn has asked me to write my own race report this year as the WHW 2011 was a solo effort as compared to 2009 and 2010 where we ran together. With that being said, it was with some trepidation that I toed the line in Milngavie with an aired goal of finishing in around 24hrs.

Taking a step back, while we had been active throughout the winter with some major endurance outings, I would not say that I had carried out my desire to train hard and harder still for this years solo performance. However, I tend not to worry too much about such trivialities and after 65 ultras rely on my experience that I may not win but barring disaster, I will tough it out one way or the other! Another consideration was the jet lag. Some say that for travelling afar to run ultras, it is best to fly in the day before and run the ultra right away, not allowing the body clock that inner wrangling as it tries to adjust to a new place and a new time zone. The more we do this, the more I think that may not be such a bad strategy but for us, with family commitments and making the most of our trip, we come the week before and try to acclimatize. This year, we struggled a bit for whatever reason (perhaps the 100km the previous weekend) and it wasn't till race day Friday that I felt "normal"..thankfully.

So, to Milngavie. Race check in done and I was anxious to be off. We met a few of the runners and volunteers that we knew from the last two years and I received some good words of encouragement. I joked with Keith that we would be neck and neck to Fort William. We also met a fellow Vancouverite, Kenneth who we didn't really know prior to the event but he was able to find us as my brother Charles was wearing a Vancouver Canucks (NHL hockey team) shirt! Also chatted with Donald who was wearing classic tartan running shorts. Donald had a goal of 24hrs so I thought that if Donald was around me, I should be OK. With a slightly heavy heart, I hugged Carolyn goodbye for I knew she was very disappointed not to be running this year. However, she and Charles were looking forward to crewing and following the race as it unfolded for all of us.

We were off at a decent clip. However, I quickly fell into "the zone" and did not feel that my breathing was uncomfortably laboured or I was pushing too hard. There was a pack of us, maybe 10 runners, including Debs. This was a bit unnerving as I know Debs is a strong runner and a contender for the female race. However, I put this down to, Debs must start slow and speed up! I had told Carolyn and Charles that I wanted to drink at every stop and so coming into Beechtree Inn I stopped and chugged down two cups of water. Then it was off to Drymen as the sun started to come up. Still our "band of brothers" was tightly on each others heels. One guy challenged us, as we crossed a road somewhere, to finish the race as a unit! Not likely my friend! Going into Drymen, Donald and I were together when he pulled out his mobile and told his crew that he would like a Milky Way at the checkpoint! I thought, gee that must be a Scottish running fuel.....I love Milky Ways!

After Drymen the group started to thin out. Debs passed me and so did a few other runners. I was OK with that as according to Charles I was on track for my goal of reaching Rowardennan by 6AM. The climb up Conic Hill was no problem but the freestyle slide down the other side made me think that wearing road shoes for the whole journey was a mistake! I don't think I have ever slid so far downhill and stayed upright. It was kind of fun!

Quickly down into Balmaha and I did the bizarre act of changing one sock, my right sock. It was an instantaneous decision but going into the event I was paranoid about my feet giving me problems. In the previous two years, both Carolyn and I have had feet issues. Prior to the 2009 event, Dario had told us that the number one complaint from North American entrants was how much their feet hurt. He was right that year and last year! So I changed one sock because I felt a hot spot starting. When I laced back up I got Charles to help me tie my laces (what are big brothers for!). This helped considerably with foot comfort and for the rest of the event, I never gave my feet a second thought! Was it because of the wet or was it because of my Drymax socks which must be the best running socks ever? I don't know but my feet were perfect and for that I was most relieved.

The run to Rowardennan was long. I felt like I lost time. I was sweating profusely and couldn't understand why as it didn't feel too hot so I was drinking lots and taking salt tabs. I wanted to avoid getting too tired too early on and thought logically, that hydration would be a key. Eventually, Rowardennan arrived at just on 6AM so I had met my goal and what followed for the rest of the race would unfold of its own accord and I did not make any further time targets knowing that I had made a good start to the event. I was happy. I ran in complaining to Carolyn and Charles that the problem with WHW is that there is too much running! Give me a 6000ft climb to break up the running please! A quick refuel of soup and a sandwich and then off on the long section to Benglas via Inversnaid.

We had agreed that we would meet at Benglas, it seemed like such a long stretch without seeing my friendly crew to go all the way to Auchtertyre. Although the section along Loch Lomond side is amongst the most technical and slow going, I did enjoy it. There were about three or four of us in a loose group that traded places back and forth all the way to Benglas. I didn't know any of them but we exchanged pleasantries and I must commend all of you that Scottish trail running etiquette is of a very high standard!

I carried a pocket digital camera throughout the race and I had decided prior to the event that I would try and take regular video clips and pics of the entire journey. As you know, Carolyn and I like to record our outings for posterity and my WHW was to be no exception. It takes but a few seconds to take a picture that is a memory for a long time after. I particularly wanted to stop and enjoy the view from the head of the Loch beside Dario's marker post. I am glad I did this is as that view is truly challenged by few others in representing the beauty of Scotland.

Into Benglas to the news from Carolyn that John K. had just left. What?! I must be going too fast but felt like I was starting to "dog" it a bit. Carolyn had teased John that I was chasing him down. John, I need to assure you that that type of tactic is not my style! I run against myself and the journey is solo. Anyway, I think at this point I decided that I wasn't getting any cooler and shed my running vest.....good move!

On to Auchtertyre. This was a good section although long. I was a bit slow going up Bogle Glen but that journey was lightened by some happy hiker souls. One gentlemen joked that he wondered if I would trade packs with him! Looking at what he carried I gracefully indicated that my journey was hard enough and wished him luck! Why do hikers carry so much stuff!? I ran solo into Auchtertyre looking for the washroom....they need more facilities there...it was busy and I wasted a good few minutes but that is reality I guess! Here I left my back pack and went with one hand held onto Tyndrum.

It was quite warm and the nice short section was welcome before I saw Carolyn and Charles again. Lots of people around this stretch and it was nice to exchange words as we passed each other by. I always pride myself on remaining upbeat and light hearted as a runner to crew and passers by no matter how rough it may get. I feel that it is important not to take oneself too seriously. This is supposed to be fun...right! Going into Tyndrum, I caught up with John but elected to stop and enjoy some ice cream and french fries courtesy of the Real Food Cafe and kindly purchased by my crew. I should say at this point that I have a good stomach for ultra running and can usually always eat solid food. It is a blessing for sure as power gels surely get sickening for all of us after awhile!

Coming out of Tyndrum the wind was picking up and the skies were darkening with rain clouds. Charles ran after me out of the village to give me my rain jacket which was a lucky deed as it would turn out! Soon after I caught up with John and we chatted for a bit about my expected finish time. John had me pegged at sub 22 hrs! It was at this point that I thought just maybe I could squeeze under 24 hrs if I kept up a reasonable pace. John was not having his best day and I empathised with him before he encouraged me to be off. I wished him well and set my sights on Bridge of Orchy.

Truthfully, I was starting to hurt a bit or perhaps more accurately my legs just ached from all the running. I love this section of WHW as the expanse of Scotland seems to unfold in front of you and Beinn Dorain looms large above you. I could see a runner a short distance ahead of me and I gained on him shortly. This turned out to be Donnie, he of ultra human effort in the name of charity. From this point on to the finish, I had the pleasure of running and chatting with Donnie for large distances. I never got the chance to thank him personally but it was a big help to me and it re-energized me at some times when I was digging deep to keep the momentum going. Half way to Bridge of Orchy it started to rain and the rain running down my brow washed the salt on my face into my contact lens enhanced eyes. Those of you that wear contacts know what I am talking about..it burns big time so I had to walk a bit to clear my vision.

Coming into Bridge of Orchy, Shawn instructed me to not to proceed further without carrying rain gear. No problem....I had every intention of gearing up for the high country. I knew as I left Bridge of Orchy for Victoria Bridge that a highlight of the race lay ahead in this next section and sure enough as I crested the high point of the trail I came upon Murdo complete with St. Andrews Cross and powdered jelly babies. It was blowing and raining hard up there and I commend Murdo for his fortitude and kindness albeit to check that all runners were following the course as they should. I quickly asked Murdo for a pic with the flag and then he hurried me on telling me as I parted that there was a couple of hikers ahead of me from Vancouver wearing luminous green. I never saw them standing out in the mountain heather and bog.

At Victoria Bridge, my crew had a nice treat from the bar...peanuts! They were good! The next section to Glencoe is not my favourite. That old military road breaks the running stride and kills the feet. It was pretty miserable up there but surprisingly there were still more hikers. Their encouragement was very kind as they themselves looked for shelter where there was little. During this section I also met up with Jody and again, he and I would go back and forth and share the journey to Fort William. The final stretch into Glencoe ski area sucks. It is rough and muddy and I wasn't happy when I finally made it up on to the road to be met by Charles. Another runners crew shouted words of encouragement and I don't think I have ever seen such positive support crew anywhere...what a treat... they cheered all of us along the way!

I was drinking a lot of soup by now and despite what I said earlier, my stomach felt a little iffy so I pummelled down a good mix of liquid and solid food before leaving the parking lot with a handheld of Coke to help settle things down. Onwards to Kingshouse where we arranged the plan for the final stages. I could smell the finish, see the barn door wide open and taste the whiskey from the quaich! Exciting!

Always a spectacular section through Glencoe with Buachaille Etive Mor providing an impressive symbol of the Scottish Highlands along the way to Ailtnafeadh. Here I refueled again...think I had some cold french fries....mmmmmm...before heading up the Devils Staircase. Out of nowhere Keith appeared focused and determined. At the rate Keith was going I though he would win the light hearted challenge we had placed against each other all the way back in Milngavie. I was totally fine with that as Keith said in passing that we were on for sub 24hrs! Really? I didn't find the Devils staircase or the run down into Kinlochleven that bad at all. In the last two years when Carolyn and I have done this together it has always been in the dark and has seemed like an interminable journey. However, in the daylight it was actually quite pleasant. Soon I was rounding the corner to the leisure centre and being weighed in by Julia. A quick refuel. I wasn't eating that much by now in my mind although Carolyn and Charles maintain that I ate and drank well throughout the event. My stomach had settled down and I felt OK although energy was not super high.

I climbed at my own pace out of Kilochleven and although I was passed by Keith and Donnie, I found the climb fine and enjoyed the views as I gained altitude. However, the view down the Lairigmor is a bit sole destroying knowing that one has to travel the entire glen and more before reaching Lundavra. A welcome distraction were the three groups of Search and Rescue volunteers along the way. Thanks guys and I hope the picture you took of me was reflective of the utter sense of well being I felt at that moment:) Lots and lots of water through here and I found myself running hard straight through the puddles just to get to Lundavra where Carolyn would join me for the final home stretch. I ran with Jody for quite a bit here and we chatted back and forth. I marvelled at his ability to skip from rock to flat spot while I ploughed straight through the middle. I have to admit that it was getting a bit cold on the feet.

Finally Lundavra at 10.05PM. A quick refuel, more Coke and Carolyn led the way out. I thanked Charles and said those immortal words "see you at the finish"! Now I am not sure what Carolyn's tactic was but she was instantaneously ahead of me and remained a disappearing shape in the impending darkness as I struggled on behind. Is this what pacing is all about between a husband and wife! Anyway, once we entered the thick forest the headlamps finally came back on. There are some steep sections through there, particularly that final push up to the gravel road. From the bottom looking up, that seemed like Mt. Everest! Soon out on the road Carolyn pulled out the camera and filmed a clip of me running downhill.

I knew at this point that all was good but that a sub 23 hr was even possible if I could keep pushing. What! Could it be!? With that, Carolyn led the way at a pace I struggled with. My quads were done and I started to sweat profusely with the aggressive pace. As an aside it was interesting to note a number of headlamps slowly descending Ben Nevis. If those people were seeing our lamps they hopefully recognized that we were going much faster than they! On the flat to Braveheart at a fast pace. I had to stop a couple of times unbeknown to Carolyn who continued ahead of me. However, I set my sights on the 30MPH lights that mark the outskirts of Fort William and soon enough they were upon us and there was Charles to run us in. I was home free! Blazing down the pavement to the cheers of a sizeable crowd for that time of day and I was touching the glass door of the leisure centre. I was done!

Adrian and Midge welcomed me in and did the necessaries. 22:47! For me, I was over joyed! I had no delusions going into this of how I would do but as I said at the beginning of this epistle, I started with some trepidation but I finished with much pride and gratitude to my dear Carolyn and ever supportive and kind brother Charles. I couldn't have done it without you guys.

Now a lesson learned. In the past two years I have always been respectful of not taking too much whiskey. This year, I thought what the heck, I will have a good slug. Big mistake! That whiskey, albeit good to taste, hit my stomach like a brick and I shortly felt both nauseous and spaced out. We were staying at the Best Western in town. Nice hotel but too many stairs! By the time we got to our room I was close to collapse from the whiskey and exhaustion. It was a very weird feeling. However, I managed a bath while Carolyn and Charles kindly went out to brave the drunken out pouring from the closing Fort William pubs to find yet more french fries from the Fish and Chippie as I was hungry and needed some refueling!

And so it was with a pleasurable feeling that I passed out with a tray of chips and a Coke by my beside to dream of a fantastic journey that was. There is truly something about WHW that makes it a very special event. The people, the scenery, the camaraderie, the incredible journey.....all of this and I thank the organizing committee and all the volunteers for all they do. It is most appreciated and as a heads up, we will hopefully both be back next year!

On Sunday morning we were having breakfast at the Nevis Centre (bacon rolls for me) when Carolyn spotted a runner crossing the roundabout. This turned out to be the last finisher who we cheered loudly in. For anyone that toughs it out for close to 35hrs is a remarkable achievement. The awards ceremony was a slick and well run show. I now proudly have three crystal goblets (Carolyn has 2) on display in our home as a testament to WHW.

Then on to the pub night with my brother Graeme and wife Fiona, Charles and Carolyn. It was a fun night that ended abruptly at closing time with the bar staff pushing us out the door. It was great to share trail tales with many runners and a congrats to Ritchie on another spectacular race win.

So that is the cathartic memoir of WHW 2011. Apologies for the delay in transmission. It has been very busy since we departed Scotland with work and our niece's wedding last weekend. On the weekend we ran on the North Shore in preparation for the KneeKnacker 50km next weekend which we are both entered in. Race report to follow!

Cheers,

Neil

Recovery Outing!

2011-06-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday after the prize giving Graeme and Fiona joined us in Fort William. We went for a walk/run in Glen Roy. It was a beautiful day for an outing on the hills. Perhaps it was a bit mean to drag Neil up there but he did opt for the lower walking route. Sunday night we had a great time at the pub catching up with others at the WHW party. Monday we drove back to Edinburgh and we departed on Tuesday. There was a security breach at Edinburgh airport just as our flight was about to leave. They evacuated the terminal and those of us on planes had the pleasure of disembarking and going through security again. Many people missed their connecting flights in London - we did make our flight back to Vancouver. Race/crewing report to come! Neil captured some great video clips along the WHW and the crew have some spectacular photos to share as well! Stay tuned!

Hazards on the Trails in Scotland

2011-06-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

Military

Sheep

Wind

Heather

The weather was quite nice today in Edinburgh. We decided to go for another run (despite it being close to the WHW) It's amazing with the jet lag how it can take a few days to feel normal. I have heard 1 day for each hour and we are 8 hours difference in time and sure enough we are starting to feel "normal". A run seemed like a good idea and both Neil and I really enjoyed our outing on the Pentlands from Colinton for about 1.5 hours.

After the run we made a trip to Morrison's to buy supplies for the WHW. Neil really enjoyed the biscuit selection and chose some of his childhood favourites! We went to Tiso's Outdoor Store to stock up on fuel for our camp stove as the weather forecast is for rain so warm soup may be a hit not only for the runner but crew as well.

We had a family dinner in Colinton at Dante's which we all really enjoyed. Charles had recorded the final game of the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Game - the Vancouver Canucks versus the Boston Bruins. The game was in Vancouver - huge excitement for the city. Emails and texts were buzzing on the phone in the middle of the night - the Boston Bruins won - what a let down for Vancouver after all the hype. Unfortunately there was a lot of rioting in Vancouver after the loss with over 100 arrested. We really are peaceful folk! ;-)

Charles and I were planning our timing as crew and plan to get out for a bit of exercise during the event. There is one section where we can not access Neil for several hours.

For the finish we have 2 nights booked in a hotel in Fort William of which we will most likely arrive a little late on the first night! The family was planning a family outing on Sunday. I heard perhaps an early rise...and a climb up?? There is a prize giving at noon on Sunday and a party at the Ben Nevis Pub that we plan to attend. Anyone out there know approximately what time the gathering at the pub starts? Back to Edinburgh Monday - then fly home Tuesday.

St. Andrews

2011-06-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

Neil and I on the beach at St. Andrews

St. Andrews Club House

Neil's Dad and I along the path of the first tee.

The remains of St. Andrews Cathedral

Where Kate met William for Coffee

Royal Air Force Fighter Jet from Leuchars RAF Base.

Today we took Neil's Dad on a road trip to St. Andrews. We always ask him where he would like to go for a day trip when we are here - this trips choice was St. Andrews. There is a family grave in the cemetery in Leuchars which is close by. So first stop was the cemetery in Leuchars. There is a Royal Air Force Base here and wow did we get a demonstration of fighter jet flying. They flew single and in pairs the entire time we were there. A reminder of the incredible speed and power of aviation. Neil brought me to St.Andrews on my very first trip to Scotland 22 years ago - so it was nice to visit again.

It was busy when we arrived and we were lucky to find a parking spot on the street. We walked to the remains of St. Andrews Cathedral. Along the way we noticed a coffee shop advertising "where Kate met William for coffee" in the window. For those of you who don't know...both Kate and William attended St. Andrews University.

We had lunch on the University grounds and then walked down to the home of golf, the Royal and Ancient and the Old Course, St. Andrews. It was really something to see the golfers tee off on the first hole of the old course. Some were definitely better than others!

We walked on to the beach and enjoyed the sand and the sea breeze. There is a mile of sand beach and we noticed a few runners heading out along the beach.

On the drive home we took the coastal route which was really nice. The rolling green farmlands and views of the coast were spectacular. The Ambrose side of the family has deep roots in this area of Scotland.

For those of you who don't already know - I am in the crew car for Neil this year. Eldest brother Charles and I are on to make it a great race for Neil. Neil has done it with me 2 years in a row and this year is his turn! You may have noticed on my blog that last weekend (or the last time we were in Vancouver) we completed Vancouver 100 together. That was the deal! He did V100 with me and I helped crew for him for WHW. I have completed WHW 2 years in a row (which is a challenge when you come from Canada) and now will have the opportunity of seeing the route from the road and crewing! Neil has been awesome helping me complete my Ultra goals - this one is for him! (No pressure Neil...just do your best!) I look forward to cheering all the runners on.

Cheers from Edinburgh!

Edinburgh

2011-06-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

West Highland Way Lunch - From L -R Ian, Karin, Neil, Donald and Murdo. Keith Hughes was here earlier but missed the photo!

Making my way up the Pentland Hills.

Almost there!

There was an old Bentley car display on the Royal Mile from around the world. They are touring Britain in the cars.

The Scots Monument on Princes Street.

View from Allermuir.

Colinton below.

Having fun here in Edinburgh! We have had a busy few days catching up with everyone. Today we met up with other West Highland Way folks for lunch in Edinburgh. It is a great opportunity to connect and get us focused on the WHW race. The "meatball" sandwich was popular. Neil and I opted to share the vegetarian having been on the road now for a few days. Later in the afternoon we went for a run on the Pentlands starting at Hillend. We went up three hill tops finishing with Allermuir. The weather was great - I had a few flash backs to severe wind and cold conditions up there on previous Christmas visits. It was a beautiful run and we stopped to re hydrate at the Flotterstone Inn on our way back. I really notice the long summer days here in Edinburgh - Vancouver is at the 49th parallel and those degrees further north here in Edinburgh really make a difference for long summer days.

Trooping the Colour

2011-06-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

The Queen and Family.

Neil enjoying a bacon roll in Hyde Park.

We did well this AM and woke at a decent time - 8am. Sometimes this can be way off due to the 8 hour time difference. First thing today we went to Hyde Park to try out the new bikes. They were fantastic and what a great way to get around the city. We returned the bikes after aprox 1.5 hours knowing we wanted to see the Royal procession and thought better of taking the bikes with us. We had a great view of the Queen and all members of the Royal Family as they passed by in their carriages or on horse back. What a spectacular event for the public to participate in. We then carried on for some shopping. I found a nice dress for Kendall and Chris's wedding (the weekend after we get home from WHW in Vancouver)and we finished the night with a nice dinner out. Looking forward to arriving in Edinburgh to catch up with family and friends.

Cheers,
Carolyn and Neil

Having Fun in London!

2011-06-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

Going for a run in Hyde Park

The new bikes available for use around the park - maybe tomorrow?

A busy night at the Wilton Arms.

The flight from Vancouver to London went well. I can honestly say it was the first time I wish we had more flying time! I had some "work" to do on the flight so never really relaxed until the last 4 hours of the flight. I was in a good comatose state when the crowds were departing the plane. I slept half of the taxi journey to the hotel. Once checked in we went for a run in Hyde Park which woke me up and energized me for the rest of the evening. It was a fresh spring evening in London with a buzz of activity. It is the Trooping of the Colour tomorrow - celebrating the Queen's Official Birthday. We plan to visit a few of our favourite shops and then have a dinner reservation booked. It is our 21st wedding anniversary this weekend and what a great place to celebrate here in London!

Vancouver 100km

2011-06-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

Final words of encouragement from Vicky(crew)

Crossing one of the many creeks on the Baden Powell trail

Coming up the Hollyburn Ski Runs with Yak Traks on our shoes and poles

Beautiful blue skies with a jet's contrail

The dodgy snow bridge - first passing.

Another snow bridge - deep snow!

Climbing up Black Mountain from Cypress Bowl

A view from where the snow started.

Top of Black Mountain - Yak Traks and poles hid in the bush for our return journey

Coming down the boulder field on Black Mountain

Crossing a log on our way to the turn around at Nelson Creek - 50km complete.

Climbing back up Black Mountain - almost at the top!

At the top of Black Mountain - the sun is starting to set - snow camper in the background

Coming down the ski runs with head lamps and warmer clothes.

Finished! 26:54 - a long journey! The chairs felt really good!

Earlier this year we decided that Neil was going to run West Highland Way on his own. We have experienced the journey together for the past two years and I have truely appreciated his commitment to be my companion out there. We decided to do a different ultra together prior to WHW and chose Vancouver 100.

This is a year of record snow fall on the local mountains which meant miles of trekking through very deep snow. The Vancouver 100 goes from Deep Cove on the Baden Powell trail to Nelson Creek (Horseshoe Bay) and return to Deep Cove with 16,300 feet of ascent and 16,300 feet of descent. We have spent many weekends training on the course checking out the different sections and planning what type of equipment to bring to assist us through the snow sections. Craig, the RD and friend Marla decided to enter as well. We all agreed Yak Traks and poles seemed to be the simplest and best way to go with the current conditions.

On Saturday June 4th we started at 5am in Deep Cove on the best weather day yet this spring. The temperature was forecast to reach close to 30C. The skies were brilliantly clear. Vicky was our crew for both Craig and Neil, Marla and I. We had planned to do the journey together. Wendy was coming out to help out at some point during the evening. We predicted aprox 24 hours for the event but with the ever changing snow conditions we really didn't know.

Despite the snow, the weather conditions were perfect for the night journey so we were determined to complete the 100km's. Neil, Marla and I were a good team. Marla handed out electrolyte tablets regularly, Neil kept reminding us to drink and I tried to keep us focused on what we needed at our next crew stop. We made the first quarter to Cleveland well under 5 hours. We put on our larger packs with our Yak Traks and warmer clothes for the upcoming snow sections. The significant snow on the trail appeared at the top of the Hollyburn Chute. We came upon a back packer Andrew who was planning to go to Mount Hanover on the Howe Sound Crest Trail. Andrew continued with us throughout this snow section until the top of the Bluffs. We were heading to Nelson Creek and Andrew decided to take a food break and then carry on to Horseshoe Bay. We made it to the turn around at Nelson Creek 50km feeling quite good.

The climb up Black Mtn on the return journey was nasty. It felt so good to reach the top. Good news...text messages from Marilyn, the Vancouver Canucks won! I'm sure if we listened closely we could have heard the roar from the celebrations in the city below. On Black Mountain there was now a group of winter campers. They told us they were in awe of us - I told them I was in awe of them sleeping in a tent up there over night. They too reminded us that the Canucks had won.

Craig was with us for the next section through the snow. We came into Cypress feeling a bit chilled and decided to put on some warmer clothes. I opted for a few layers, toque and gloves. It felt really nice heading out being all warm and cozy. With the sun now setting we anticipated it would be cold coming down the ski runs and we were all prepared.

On this section from Cypress we had to cross a snow bridge which was looking dodgy on the way out and we knew it would be in rough shape from people going over it and the warm temperature throughout the day. When we arrived at the snow bridge I could tell that Neil and Craig were a little concerned. Sure enough it was looking thin and not weight bearing. Craig went first and dug a ledge with his heels and showed us what we needed to do to get across. We had to do a standing jump and land on the other side high up on the slope. Neil went second and demonstrated it again. This was serious - Marla and I could not get it wrong or to put it bluntly we were gone! I passed my pole to Neil and found the notches in the snow for my feet, dug in and from a standing jump thrust myself across the bridge. I recall landing on the side of the slop of snow looking up at Craig asking for help. You might pull me down I recall him saying - he dug into the snow grabbed my hand and got me up the slope. Repeat for Marla and we were all over it safely. The adrenaline rush carried us out to the ski runs.

This was a highlight for me - running down the ski runs with the twinkling lights of Vancouver below. It was a long way down. We planned to take the Yak Traks off where we put them on earlier. Funny thing since the day had been so warm the snow had melted meters - they came off sooner! It felt great to get them off our shoes. Wearing them for hours they were starting to irritate our feet.

Next section was the Hollyburn Chute which was rocky with patches of snow. Craig slipped and cracked open his head lamp - Marla saw the battery disappear down the creek. Craig, being prepared for such adverse events, had a spare head lamp in his pack. The temperature was warming up as we came into Cleveland Dam - off with the toque and jackets. What a pleasant surprise to see Marilyn and Wendy greeting us on our approach to Cleveland Dam. We had all previously ordered burgers and fries for this stop. Although I was feeling well I didn't think I could eat it. The others gulped the food down. I had a couple of bites and that was all I could get down.

We changed our shoes, socks and packs and then headed out for the last quarter. Wendy guided us up Nancy Green Way to Grouse and lead us through the gnarly section here in the dark to Mountain Highway. A couple of rolled ankles and trips but we were all still moving forward. Neil, Marla and I made our way to Deep Cove with the assistance of Vicky at regular stops. It hurt, I felt nauseated but we kept it going. The sun came up and that always somehow provides energy to carry on. We arrived at Deep Cove just before 8 am for a total of 26:54. What an incredible day, or 2 days! - now that was great endurance! Congratulations to all who participated. WHW in 2 weeks...hmmm...Go Neil Go!

Stayed Low - No Snow!

2011-05-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

Liza and Neil checking out our route options.

Today was our last long run before Vancouver 100km next weekend. We all met up at Craig's at 10am - slight diversion on route due to the Lynn Valley Days Parade! A brief interaction with Wendy was a nice surprise. We seized the moment to discuss crewing for next weekend - it was brief but I'm confident we are under control. Dave and Craig were off to check out the snow conditions between Hollyburn and Cypress. Neil, Liza, Marla and I were keen to stay out of the snow knowing that we will have to do that section next weekend - twice! Liza had a good route in mind starting at the gate at Mtn Highway - that darn parade...the roads were all blocked. Quick change of plans to start in Deep Cove for an out and back for aprox 4 hours. We all agreed to meet at the Black Bear afterwards to discuss plans for next weekend. Neil and Liza put together a great route for us that kept us moving for 4.5 hours. The sun made an appearance which warmed up the air and brought on the sweat. Good reminder for us to drink more and take in those electrolytes! Craig reported back that the snow conditions were pretty well the same as the previous weekend. Vicky joined us to discuss the support plans for V100 - I think we have it all organized.

Deep Deep Snow and Misty Cold Conditions.

2011-05-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

After of glimmer of hope that Spring was here - the weather today was disappointing. Craig, Liza, Marla, Neil and I did a car drop at Cleveland Dam and drove to Nelson Creek to start our adventure for today. It was raining lightly with hope that it would clear - not! I haven't been on this section of trail for a year and forgot how peaceful it is. The weather was very humid for the climb up Black Mountain - I overheard Neil say is this rain/mist or am I really sweating? We were wet! Once at the top of the Bluffs we stopped for a bite to eat and to put on our Yak Tracks and gaiters knowing from the previous weekend the snow we were about to get into. In one week the snow had receded a few feet. It was softer on top and we started off post holing - it was tough going. The snow would vary and at times we could ride across the top and then a few steps later we were sliding and falling deep with each step. With our bodies touching the snow and the mist in the air I really started to feel wet. My feet and hands were numb. My core started to feel cold but I could push the pace and warm up my body but really could not get my feet out of the frozen solid stage. I kept moving and stayed up front - quite anti-social but very concerned how frozen my feet were. Once we arrived at Cypress I decided to call it quits as my clothes were soaked and I couldn't warm up. Liza decided she had enough as well (4 hours). Neil asked a complete stranger (though respectful looking!) if he was going back down the hill and could give Liza and I a ride. He agreed and was a very nice man from Calgary - his son was in a hockey tournament here and he decided to go for a drive up the mountain. It was so misty he couldn't see a thing. Our ride down the hill was a little scary as the fog was pretty thick and it was difficult to see. He very kindly drove us back to our cars at Cleveland Dam. I changed into some dry clothes - my gaiters were full of snow! Liza drove me back to our car where we started. I knew I had a couple of hours before Neil, Craig and Marla would arrive at Cleveland Dam so picked up a few groceries etc...I was just about to have a nap in the car when they arrived! Highlights of the day were shared over some food and drink at the Black Bear. My fingers are still tingly as I type this - very borderline conditions for hypothermia for me today.

Snow Shoeing in Vancouver in May!

2011-05-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

Neil taking our photo at the top - Craig capturing it all!

At the top of Black Mountain

On our way to the Bluffs

Going up Black Mountain - myself, Marla and Liza.

Dave and Craig going up Black Mountain.

Craig going up!

Marla, myself and Liza at the top of Black Mountain

The Baden Powell markers on the trees. Easy to miss them!

Craig trying out his new camera!

The Destination - the Bluffs! Much deserved lunch break. Awesome views!

In preparation for Vancouver 100 we decided to check out the section of trail that we knew would still be covered in snow. Neil, Marla and I met Craig, Dave, Liza at Cypress Bowl. We brought our Snow shoes, Yak Traks/Kahtoolas, gaiters, poles, and an extra layer of clothing. Once on the mountain it was obvious that we were wearing our snow shoes. Our destination was the Bluffs on Black Mountain that over look Horseshoe Bay. We found the Baden Powell trail and went straight up the mountain. The snow was really deep - so deep the orange triangle markers that mark the Baden Powell trail were under snow. Fortunately for most of the trek up Black Mountain others had been there and we could follow the tracks. The views were spectacular from the top of Black Mountain with all the other snow covered peaks. We have only been here in the summer so it really was fascinating to see it in the snow. Once we left the top of Black Mtn and carried on to the bluffs the trail was not so easy to find. Dave led the way and with all our eyes in search of markers, tape and signs of human tracks we found our way. The weather was threatening to turn nasty but we only experienced the odd rain shower. Our feet were cold at times from being so wet but I found that every time they started to go numb I would pick up the pace and they would warm up again. It was a beautiful journey and I had to keep reminding myself that it was the middle of May. Remember the lack of snow here for the Olympics? Grouse Mountain announced they are staying open for weekend skiing until Canada Day - July 1st. Looks like we will have plenty more outings with our snow shoes over the next few months. I need some work on my down hill technique. ;-) I tend to lean back and fall on my butt and go for the slide down the mountain technique. We were out playing in the snow for 4 hours. Next outing we will check out more snowy sections of the route.

The Baden Powell is WET!

2011-05-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

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Size 13 and Size 6

The crab technique to get over the water.

The dam at Mosquito Creek

Me, Marla, Liza and Craig

This week the email plans were to go from Cleveland Dam on the Baden Powell into the Cypress area to see the snow higher up on the Baden Powell trail. Neil, Craig, Marla, Dave (absent today) and I plan to sign up for the Vancouver 100km which takes place early June. Craig is actually the race director and rumour is that he needs to sign up too! The wet weather changed our plans to run with our Yak Tracks/Katoolas in the snow. It was raining and cold at the base of the mountain. Common sense prevailed and we decided that going too high up was not a good idea today! Neil, Marla and I met Craig and Liza at Cleveland Dam. We headed up the road to Grouse and continued on the Baden Powell in an easterly direction for 3 hours and then turned around. It had been a wet and cold morning on the trail but thankfully the sun came out briefly for our return trip. There was so much water on the trail. I have never seen it so wet. Craig showed us the dam on Mosquito Creek - the water was shear torrent here. We were out for 6hrs 15min today - great training run.

Deep Cove to Lynn Canyon Return

2011-05-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

Marla and I on the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge - we don't really like it!

The view off the Bridge.

Marla and I coming up the Seymour Grind.

Saturday we had a good long run on the Baden Powell trail. We started at Deep Cove and turned around at Lynn Canyon. Trail companions were Dave, Marla, Neil and at the last minute Wendy was able to join us. I was a bit tired as we stayed up late watching the Royal Wedding that we had recorded the night before. We turned it off at 1am and still have more to watch! The temperatures were cool to start but the climbing out of Deep Cove quickly brought on the heat. Dave lead us out of Lynn Canyon and we were soon on the Dirty Duo route. I had no idea how that happened (not that familiar with the network of trails in this area) but it worked out nicely and we joined back onto the Baden Powell. We came upon the aid station set up that day for the North Shore Enduro which generously supplied us with some much needed Kokanee! Now that's a good aid station! We had some good laughs along the route. What happens on the trails...stays on the trails!;-) After the run we went for some well deserved sustenance at the Raven Pub in Deep Cove. We were a bit tight for time as we had a party to attend back in Maple Ridge but it all worked out. This morning we had an hour run at Hayward Lake then I went in to work and Neil cut the grass. Funny thing...as we were driving down the road for our run first thing, the neighbourhood watch dog asked Neil - "did you sell your lawn tractor"! Sign of an ultrarunner spending too much time on the trails rather than cutting the grass ;-)

Grouse to Mountain Highway

2011-04-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

On the Baden Powell between Grouse and Mountain Highway.

Today Neil and I decided to go back to the Baden Powell trail and run from Grouse to Mountain Highway. We parked the car at Grouse Mountain. It is a great work out with lots of climbing out of Grouse! Once we arrived at Mountain Highway we were both not motivated to do the return trip. Maybe we could get a ride back to Grouse? We phoned Craig who lives at the base of Mountain Highway - he picks up but darn he is in Steveston. We decide to run up Mtn Highway for a bit and then descend to the Starbucks at the bottom of the hill. Once there we asked the Barista to call us a taxi to take us back to the car at Grouse. 3 hours today = 15 hours for the weekend so far. And, I rode the stationary bike for 40 minutes tonight during the hockey game - the stress was getting to me! The Canucks lost 4-3 in overtime - game 7 Tuesday night in Vancouver. Plan to get out locally tomorrow for a couple of hours and then it will be rest day!

West from Grouse on the Baden Powell

2011-04-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

Myself with Craig and Liza on the Baden Powell.

Lots of Deep Snow!

Working through the snow.

Craig and I on the Skyline trail.

Today Neil and I met Liza and Craig at Grouse Mountain to do a run on the Baden Powell. We decided to go West on the Baden Powell. This meant running down the hill to the Cleveland Dam - why didn't we park down there I asked? The climb out of Cleveland Dam on the BP is a good warm-up! It is up up up! We then went right on the Brothers Creek trail and ran into plenty of snow. The snow was perfect today for running on - not too icy - just the occasional post hole. We stayed on the snow for about 45 minutes and then decided to turn back. We took the Crossover trail to the Baden Powell, down the BP to Skyline trail which we then headed west to Cypress. We stopped for a bite to eat in the warm sunshine at the view point. Retraced our steps to the Baden Powell back to Cleveland and up the road to Grouse. I know now why we met at Grouse so we could do the nasty road up to Grouse when we were tired! Tired we were after yesterday's bagging and 5.5 hours today. Planning to get out again tomorrow for a few hours - wow I love these 4 day weekends. We knew we had to kick the training up and made minimal commitments for the weekend so we could do that. We have Vancouver 100km and West Highland Way 95 miles in June in our sights.

The First Bags in the 2011 Bagger Challenge!

2011-04-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

Neil -running in Las Vegas.

The Ferry Ride to Bowen Island - Mt. Gardner in the background.

On the Ferry with my bike.

Running on the road on Bowen Island, looking for the trail for Mt. Collins

Honeymoon Lake - the watershed.

Bushwacking to Mt. Collins.

The sign at the start of the Mt. Gardner Trail

Going Up Mt. Gardner.

Neil and I at the Top!

Great views of Vancouver's coast line.

Another Great View.

Running Down Mt. Gardner.

Heading back on the ferry - 2 Bags Done!

Last weekend we had a quick trip to Las Vegas to participate in our niece's and husband to be - bachelor and bachelorette party! It was an action packed weekend with the bridal party and family - lots of good fun (and shopping). The girls had a visit to the spa at Caesars Palace and my new claim to fame is the lady who did my pedicure also does Celine Dion's! Neil and I did manage a quick 40 minute run on the Saturday morning dodging the crowds.
This weekend we both have 4 days off for Easter weekend and plan to catch up on some training! Today we did our first bags in the 2011 Bagger Challenge. We took our bikes to Bowen Island and bagged Mt. Collins and Mt. Gardner. It felt great to be out there and back bagging. Nothing like a big climb to get us moving again. Wow - I forgot how steep Mt. Gardner is - it's a great work out! Mt. Collin's was a bit of an ethical dilemma for us - ignoring the signs to stay out of the water shed area. Looking forward to tomorrow's training adventure. Weather forecast is good!

Our Trail Companions are Back!!

2011-04-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend we discovered Bear tracks and scat in our garden. They are back! We usually don't notice them until a little later in the summer. Last year when we were away for the West Highland Way a bear made itself comfortable on our front porch - just wanted to keep Craig company who was Kitty and house sitting. Today we were running at Hayward Lake and came across Cougar prints and fresh Cougar scat. A good reminder that we are not alone out there on the trails. Spring is here and so are our trail companions! The wasps will be next. ;-) Saturday Neil had a good run at the Diez Vista 50km Trail Race. My knee was still a bit tender last weekend for the registration deadline. It was feeling better on race day and I was a little disappointed I wasn't out there. After seeing Neil off at the start I joined Marilyn and Ron for coffee. Ron has accepted a teaching job in Saskatoon so we had lots to chat about over coffee. Neil and I lived there for 4 years when he was studying for his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine - so the chat brought back many memories (cold winters, static electric shocks, extension cords on cars, bugs in the summer, thunder & lightning, tornadoes, hail storms, lots of indoor exercise, great people!) I managed to fit in a run while waiting for Neil to finish and I did 3 repeats of a hill to test the knee - it felt fine. I made it to the finish line just in time to see the first runner come in.

Checking out the Diez Vista Trail - will I or won't I do the event?

2011-03-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

Dave, Craig, Myself and Liza at a view point on the Diez Vista Trail.

View looking West to Vancouver. Deep Cove in the foreground (the finish of the KneeKnacker and Vancouver 100)

Sunday's run on the Lakeview Trail.

Saturday the weather turned out much better than the forecast - spring was in the air! We decided to go to check out some sections of an upcoming 50km trail event in the Buntzen/Sasamat Lake area. Craig, Liza and Dave met Neil and I at Sasamat Lake to do the first part of the course that takes you up a big climb to the Diez Vista Trail. I haven't been on this trail for a couple of years - I always forget how rooty and rough it is especially on the down side. I always feel so slow and cautious coming down this trail. My knee was bugging me - must have been those two 50km events we ran the last two Saturdays! Once down we discovered the current detours on the trail which will make the event take a little different route this year. We ignored the barriers and went as we had planned. We managed to get through the flooded areas without any difficulty. The journey took us 4.5 hours -a little longer than we had guesstimated. Oh well...late again for the family party! Neil and I managed to make the salad we were bringing in record time. Liza had to do an airport pick-up, maybe the flight was delayed! I think this is common for ultra runners. Helen - Dave's wife seemed to expect us to be longer than we thought. Today Neil and I were going to Marilyn and Ron's for dinner who happen to live in the same area where we were running on Saturday. We snuck in a 2 hour run on some more of the trails. It was great to catch up with Marilyn and Ron for some yummy Indian Food. Neil has signed up for the upcoming aforementioned Diez Vista trail run - I have another week left to decide! ;-)

2nd Ultra in a Week - Chuckanut 50km!

2011-03-20T17:34:00.000-07:00

Just before the start.

Some roots and mud along the way.

Almost at the top of a long climb called "Chin Scraper"

Reagan White and I at the finish. Congrats Reagan on Ultra #1.

I think this is a first for me 2-50km events a week apart. After completing Dirty Duo last Saturday I had little to no muscle soreness this past week. I was a little tired at times - that post ultra feeling you get. Neil had signed us up for Chuckanut 50km earlier in the year but I hadn't really thought much about it or realized it was the week after Dirty Duo. Saturday morning the alarm went at 4am. Ouch! Chucknanut is in Bellingham Washington so we had to be on the road early to get through any possible border delays. There was a bit of a wait but not bad. The USA Border Patrol thought we were crazy heading off so early to run 50km's. When he asked if we would be leaving anything in the USA - Neil replied "a little sweat". The humour was not appreciated! We arrived in time for the check-in, package pick-up (nice red t-shirt) and to say Hi to some familiar faces. The plan was to run together - this was our 3rd time doing this event. It had been pouring rain all morning but once we arrived the clouds blew away and it was a clear, cold, windy morning. Of ourse we put too many clothes on that came off shortly after the start. It starts with a flat 10km stretch then a climb up, up, then around a ridge then down, down, then a repeat of the flat 10km to the finish. I usually feel better in the second half of a 50km but I knew the last 10km run on the flats was going to hurt. My plan was to have some Coca Cola at the final aid station to help me get to the finish. I was really disappointed to learn that they were all out! Mentally that was tough as well as physically, I was now without the fuel I was hoping for. We met up with Reagan White from Vancouver (participating in his first ever ultra!) at the final aid station. He ran ahead but I could see him and tried the trick of reeling him in. It helped! Thanks Reagan...when I caught up with him I recall saying something negative like "this sucks" - it was a tough grunt to the finish. I received encouraging words from Neil like "dig deep", "you've made it through tougher situations"...he really is the best! That gravel trail just went on and on and just when you think you're done, there is more! Amazing how once off the boring gravel trail I could go pretty good again. Others around me were suffering too...I managed to pass about 7 people so I did OK. We left fairly quickly to head North to the Canadian border knowing that it is Spring Break and many people are on vacation which could add to the wait. We stopped for a coffee to go - wow did it taste good. It was a full day - I think I am going to be more sore this week than last. Perhaps a bit more tired as well with 2 - in a row. That's Ultra #35! Hmmm...which one is next??

Ultra # 34 - the First in 2011!!

2011-03-13T21:43:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a score keeper with the Ultra's that I complete but I am starting to count them down with the goal of 50 by age 50. I have some time...and think it is doable! Yesterday Neil and I participated in the Dirty Duo 50km event. There are a few options, 15km, 25km, 50 km, and mountain bike options with relays as well. It is busy out there on the course but fun! This year my running buddy Craig and I decided to head out together to tackle the 50km. It is a double loop of the 25km course but you don't really feel like you are doing the same course again as the transition into the 2nd loop is different and somehow tricks the mind that it is not the same! ;-) Those of you who have done the 50km course will know what I mean! The rain held off for the start. A few hours into the run as the rain was pouring off my face I said to Craig - it's raining - yep he said, it has been for a few hours now! Craig pulled me through the first 25km - it always takes me a few hours to warm up. I pushed him for the last half so we were great partners out there to get to the finish! Neil had a good run too! With staggered start times and varying distances we meet many trail friends along the way. It was a wet and very muddy course which makes it all the more rewarding to complete it. We had a post run party at Craig's and enjoyed the company of Liza & Karl and Chad & Marla. It was nice to meet Vicky who provided us with many good nibbles. The Twisted Quaich from the Bagger Challenge made an appearance. Neil and I had evening tickets to the Cirque de Soleil show, Quidam. It was a really interesting show to see the athletic abilities and strength of the performers. Incredible!! Made the 50km look like a a very simple thing to accomplish!

A Snowy and Icy Weekend!

2011-02-27T20:29:00.000-08:00

Winter hit Vancouver this weekend. We had a good bit of snow fall Saturday and Sunday. Saturday morning we joined Craig and Liza at 10am to participate in the Club Fat Ass run from Lynn Canyon to Deep Cove return to Lynn Canyon. Actually we did it in reverse - it really was intended to start in Deep Cove. Craig lives in the Lynn Canyon area so if we finished there we could shower up before heading out to the Vancouver Canucks vs Boston Bruins hockey game. It was cold when we started (-3) with light snow. As the day progressed and we retreated into the woods it appeared to get colder. The trail was really quite dry when we started due to the cold temperatures this past week. Some sections had some ice but they were quite obvious. We saw many familiar faces coming and going on the route. Just before we reached Deep Cove for the turn around Liza rolled her ankle. Ouch! She made a wise decision to call it enough. Craig rounded up a stranger in the Deep Cove parking lot to drive Liza back to her car at Lynn Canyon. The strangers were runners so we knew she was in good hands;-). We set out for the return leg back to Lynn Canyon with the long climb out of Deep Cove. I was glad we were going up and working hard as I was starting to feel the cold. The snow was starting to cover the trails with ice patches forming on the trails. We made it back in about the same time, 5 hours total. We showered up at Craig's and went for a bite to eat before heading into Vancouver for the hockey game. It was really snowing in the city. It didn't keep the fans away though! It was a good game but the Canucks did loose 3-1. The ride home was a bit treacherous. Today, first thing we went to Hayward for a 1.5 hour run in the deep snow. It was fun but there was the odd icy patch beneath the snow to test our reflexes! Neil could hardly wait to get home and clear the 6" of snow in the drive way with his John Deere Tractor and new this year, snow blower attachment. It worked great and the driveways are clear and good to go!

Snow Snow Snow!!

2011-02-20T20:47:00.000-08:00

Today Craig, Neil, Liza, Dave and myself went as planned up Mt. Fromme for some snow shoeing. Wendy joined us at the start and waved us off as we started to get into deep snow. Wow...did we get into deep snow! We were breaking trail and trying to follow the trail markers up Mt.Fromme. We weren't having much success following the markers and soon realized many of them were below the snow! We were getting close to the top when we really lost the trail, made a few loops and retraced our own tracks in the snow to no where. I was starting to get cold with the slowing of the pace as we tried to find our way. What great trail buddies - offering up their spare gloves, hats etc...Once we picked up the pace I warmed up. We couldn't really find a route up so the guys decided the best way out was straight down the mountain with hopes of eventually landing on Mountain Highway. It was steep, it was deep, it was crazy!! I went down on my butt for most of the way! Thankfully we did eventually land on Mountain Highway. We had a challenge of crossing the ditch but eventually all of us were on the road. It was a nice run out back to the car. Another fun adventure with great company!

What a Beautiful Day!

2011-02-19T20:41:00.000-08:00

The weather in Vancouver has been so nice! A little cold (-5 to plus 5) with clear blue skies. The mountains are looking fantastic against the brilliant blue skies. Friday the weather was so beautiful I went for 2 runs just so I could really take in the weather. Today Wendy, Neil and I did 22km on lower trails on the North Shore - we ran into snow on the Seymour Grind and Powerline. It was so great out there it felt like we could keep going forever - but common sense prevailed and we returned to the car as planned. Tomorrow we are going a little higher for some snow shoeing with some bagging buddies.

Trans Canada Trail - 30.5km

2011-02-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Start for us Today!

The Trans Canada Trail Map.

The Finish at the Pitt River Bridge.

This weekend is the anniversary of the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. What a better way to celebrate than to go for a run on the Trans Canada Trail! Thanks David for posting this flash Club Fat Ass idea. The Trans Canada trail upon completion, will be the longest shared-use recreational trail in the world, spanning roughly 17,244 kilometers (10,714 miles) and winding its way through every Canadian province and territory. Approximately 75% of the 17,244-kilometer Trail will be built on existing trails, abandoned railway lines and crown lands with the remaining 25% being "new" trail. Currently, just over 10,000 kilometers of the trail have been registered. It will be owned, operated and maintained by local organizations, provincial authorities, national agencies, and municipalities across Canada.
We joined the trail at the top of Burnaby Mountain @ Simon Fraser University. Chad dropped Marla, Ken, Neil and I off and we met up with Wendy who ran from North Vancouver. Not too long after we started we met Ean running towards us. Marla noticed a trail marker that said another 11,000 km to the finish! The trail took us down Burnaby Mountain, along Burrard Inlet, into Rocky Point in Port Moody, through Port Coquitlam on the Poco Trail and then joined the dykes in Pitt Meadows where we finished at the Pitt River Bridge where we had left our car. The trail was well marked with the Trans Canada Trail markers. We dropped Wendy and Ean off at the sky train station in New Westminster and joined the others for some food at the Gillnetter Pub. I fell asleep in the car on the way home - sign of a great long run!

New Shoes - Kitty Checking Them Out!

2011-01-16T21:08:00.000-08:00

It was time for new shoes. Both my trail and road shoes were pretty well done - I couldn't decide on what I needed more road or trail shoes so came home with both! Thankfully Santa had brought gift cards for such items. I have been wearing Nike road shoes on the trails this past year. I like the cushioning the road shoes have. Nike has a new trail Pegasus that felt so comfortable and has the tread that is less slippery. Our mid week runs have been predominantly on the roads close to home over these winter months so the road shoe is a must! It was a wet weekend here in Vancouver with the trails very muddy, I left the new shoes at home. We ran locally both Saturday and Sunday - repeating the route both days. It's a challenging route that takes a couple of hours on the trails behind our house.

Holiday Re-cap! Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas was spent at home in Canada this year with the Canadian side of the family and with "soon to be relatives" visiting from Australia. The weather has been overall spectacular of late which has allowed us to get out for some great winter activities. We have been enjoying our Atlas Running Snow Shoes. The New Years weekend was a full of great outings. We decided to enjoy the weekend in the city and stayed in a downtown hotel on New Years Eve. Late afternoon on the 31st we joined Ean and Sibylle and family for a snow shoe outing on Dog Mountain. It was cold (minus 9)with fresh snow. The skies were clear and the views crystal clear. After snow shoeing Neil and I enjoyed a nice dinner in the hotel lounge and barely stayed up until midnight to bring in the new year. The next morning we participated in the Club Fat Ass New Years Day 50km run. We had signed up for a "custom" but knew we were going to try to complete the 50km distance. Marla drove in from Maple Ridge and joined us at the start line. It was great to see so many people out for a New Years Day run (130 +!) on what was truly a spectacular weather day in Vancouver. Cold and clear! Ean and Sibylle do a great job of hosting this event. It was the second time Neil and I have participated. They said "go" and we were off chatting to many trail friends. Once through the trails in Stanley Park we were on the very familiar sea wall that goes along the Vancouver shoreline. The time passed quickly and we made our way over the Burrard Street Bridge through Kitsilano and along the beaches until we found the Kintec van that was offering some aid (great aid station ;-) The next section was through the trails out by UBC. This section was new to Marla and I but we were running with Neil and Craig at this point and they more or less knew the way. We ran through a maze of trails and eventually came upon the turn around spot where some kind strangers gave us some nibbles and water. I don't think they were part of the event! Once fueled we set out to retrace our steps back through the trails and towards the beaches. We had another 30 minutes left on this trail section when I heard a bit of commotion behind me. I turned around and Marla was in a heap on the ground. She was silent and in slow motion raised her right hand. Her middle finger was pushed back and standing straight up. Marla asks "is this normal?" The pain started to set in and oh my she was one tough chick! Thankfully Neil was with us (veterinarian) and he managed to splint her finger using the West Highland Way Buff he had in his pack. There's another use for the buff advertisement! Again, thankfully, Marla could run/walk as it was very cold when we stopped moving. The pain was obvious and she took a couple of anti-inflammatories we had. Liza was running with us and fortunately she had her car parked down by the beach and was planning to stop when we reached it. Marla and I decided to call it a "custom" at this point and Liza kindly offered to drive us back to the start so Marla could head off to the hospital. Neil carried on and finished the 50km. Marla and I did 30 something km's so we were pleased with that. I caught up with Neil at the finish and we stopped by the hospital on the way home to find Chad and Marla waiting patiently for a final x-ray after the doctor had frozen and re-set her finger. Not a great way to bring in the New Year but despite the incident we really did enjoy the run and all the other runners out there. Neil and I managed to get out for some good local runs yesterday and today. We are starting to think of goals for the year. I am feeling optimistic that we will participate in more events this year with me having a lighter school year. I will be working at my own pace on my thesis. Snow is in the forecast for the next couple of days - nice!! Happy New Year!

The Snow was Fresh and Deep...

2010-12-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

Today Neil and I both had vacation days. We had plans to stay home and prepare for Christmas but the beautiful blue skies and snow covered mountains enticed us for some snow shoeing. We went for a mid afternoon trek on Mt.Seymour on the Dog Mountain trail. It was so pretty and a nice runnable snow shoe trail. The views were spectacular and we could see many of the peaks that we climbed this year in the Bagger Challenge. What a great day!

Trying out the New Snowshoes on Mt. Seymour

2010-12-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

Today Neil and I went to Mt. Seymour to try out our new snowshoes. They were fantastic! The weather was perfect! Fresh snow on the mountain with brilliant blue skies all day. We moved really well over the snow. It took me a bit of practice to get the technique for the steep down hill. If I leaned back too far I was on my backside sliding down the slope. The trick is to lean forward and put your weight on the toe grips of the shoes - then you are fine! Going up hill was easy and running was fun! It was a great workout. We were out there for about 2 hours. We wanted to go longer but other seasonal commitments were calling! We are excited about going again!

The Powerful Effects of Weather on the Trails.

2010-11-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

Friday night the Scottish Comedian - Billy Connelly was performing in Vancouver. It was a great show! The show lasted 2hrs 40 minutes and he went straight through without a break. It was a great laugh! This past week we had more snow and very high winds. We lost a tall Blue Spruce tree in our garden that we put our Christmas lights on every year. It will be missed but the beautiful boughs will get put to good use next weekend at a Christmas Wreath making party and the wood will be dried and used in our outdoor fire pit. The weather has also impacted the trails. Saturday we went for a run on the Baden Powell trail and found it covered in ice and snow. That always makes it a bit of a crazy outing of caution and fear. Sunday we were back in Maple Ridge and went to Hayward Lake and were shocked by the damage that happened from the high winds. Once the authorities learn of the damage they will probably close the trail. I think Neil and I were among the first people through there since the storm. So both Saturday and Sunday's runs were impacted by the power of winter - although early, it appears winter is here! Looking forward to the arrival of the snowshoes this week so we can really embrace winter and do some snowshoe running.

Winter Has Arrived!

2010-11-21T21:05:00.000-08:00

This weekend winter arrived here in the Vancouver area. Saturday morning the ground was covered in snow and the temperature was below zero. Neil and I had a 2 hour run at Hayward Lake. I love running in fresh snow...the woods are silent and the foot prints of the animal tracks are a good reminder that we are not the only users of the trails! Sunday we met up with Chad and Marla for a 2 hour run. They showed us a trail quite close to home a nice climb up to Hoover Lake. A beautiful snowy outing! The forecast is for cold temperatures early this week (minus 10) and overall a snowy winter. We have ordered new running snow shoes to embrace the predicted winter conditions!

A North Shore Trail Run

2010-11-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

Craig and I - Hi Neil!

The starter photo!

Saturday Marla and I joined Club Fat Ass for the 20 km Sweet Go Deep event. Neil had made plans to pour a concrete pad at the barn with Randy and Andy. Randy has been helping Neil with this project for a few weeks now. There was heavy rain early in the morning and I thought will the day go as planned. I thought about a "custom" run as you can do with a CFA event and will Neil be able to pour the concrete? All those crazy thoughts prior to the alarm going off. Once up - the rain had stopped and I packed up my gear and was on my way to pick Marla up. It has been a while since we have had a trail outing together. Marla and I are both students at SFU so the conversation was rich with student schedules, projects due and plans for next term. We made it to Deep Cove in 45 minutes. The car park soon filled up with CFA members for the event. Nice to catch up with many trail friends. We sign in, pose for the start photo and head off. Craig knows the route so we stay with him and his trail knowledge of the area. The trails were soggy and very slippery - unfortunately Craig hit a slippery section of rock and bottomed out! Ouch! A few of us ran as a group which made for good trail chat. Marla and I joined in for the post event lunch and took home a few prizes. Thanks Reagan who hosted the run...it was fun! Looking forward to some more upcoming CFA events in November and December. Today Neil and I did a good 1.5 hour run locally. Trying out a new headlamp tomorrow on a night run - Fenix HP10 - it is supposed to be a good one!

Crewing at H2H - 100km Road Race

2010-11-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Andy Bachmann asked Neil and I if we could crew for him again this year at H2H. Neil would not be doing the event this year because of his ankle injury. I really enjoy crewing for this 100km road race. This event is also a relay with 8 different legs. The relay runners start a few hours later so the ultra runners get a good start ahead of them. There is no aid along the way so the ultra runners rely totally on the crew for food/liquid/possible clothing change and a ride to the start line at 3:30am! Marla was keen to join us in the fun car. Our alarm went at 2am - the event starts at 4am. Andy was at our place by 3am and we transferred his box of goodies and clothes into our car. We met up with Marla at the start at 3:30am. Andy looked focused and said he was feeling good. We saw many familiar faces at the start, this event brings back many of the same runners each year. Marla whispered to me as the runners gathered for the start - do you think Andy could win this today? I hadn't given it much thought up to this point - I knew he had been training well the last 6 weeks and he mentioned he was feeling good. We both smiled and included Neil in our discussion - we concluded it was possible. We cheered the runners off and drove over to the Tim Hortons for coffee. Glenn Pace was crewing for David Crerar and he joined us for coffee. We had a few good laughs over coffee despite it being 4am - we returned to our duty of crewing and gave the runners a cheer as they ran up Dewdney Trunk. Andy asked us to meet him for the first stop after the first relay exchange. All was well and he said he was feeling good. On leg 3 we informed Andy he had moved into 2nd place. We had been enjoying Glenn's company so far but we had to part ways as Andy was flying! We drove ahead to find a place to pull off the road and discovered another runner up ahead. Now we had to inform Andy there was one more runner ahead. Marla and I voted for Neil to tell him! Andy had now passed who we thought was in first and now he really was in 2nd place. He remained in 2nd place until the start of leg 5 where he passed the runner ahead of him and now was in first place! We were one happy crew but our runner was starting to get a little grumpy! This is to be expected so we did our best to meet his needs and his directions of coke/water/S-caps to the finish! We were a bit concerned that he had not eaten much only a few bars and gels early on. But with the amount of coke he was drinking we knew he was definately getting some calories. Marilyn and Ron came out to see Andy and met us at the start of leg 7. They drove back to check where the next runner was. It was a female who was looking strong. We knew that if Andy held his focus and maintained his pace the race would be his. However, we put a wee bit if fear in him that he had to keep it up to stay ahead of her. Neil, Marla and I were amazed as Andy remained so determined and focused. He had some classic remarks throughout the journey that we wrote down. Neil plans to include them in the "movie" we will make for him as a memory of the day. We were a proud crew as we left him on the final leg to drive the car to the finish. Andy finished in first place in a time of 8hours 43 minutes. He was still looking strong at the finish. He showered up and then came back to the finish line to greet other ultra runners and relay teams as they came in. We drove back to Maple Ridge and the crew went out for something to eat but Andy went home to celebrate with Anke and their 5 children. I hear they all enjoyed some Pizza - good...he finally ate! ;-) Exceptional race Andy! We were so impressed with your focus and determination. We went for a run in Golden Ears today and I was focused and determined...thanks! - you have motivated us all!!

A Baggers Dirty Hat

2010-10-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

With the Bagger Challenge now complete for 2010 there were no plans to meet fellow baggers for those long days on the mountains this weekend. Neil and I settled for our favourite local trail, Hayward Lake. There was a chance of rain so I grabbed my hat that I had just washed this week after the end of bagging season. It didn't come clean! I often had the hat clipped onto the outside of my pack and with the descent of many peaks taking place on my backside the hat became indredibly dirty. We had a good laugh when I put it on today with much dirt remaining! The trail at Hayward Lake was a carpet of thick maple leaves today. The seasons have changed since we were last there. It is such a peaceful trail - I said to Neil today that when I run on the trail at Hayward I feel a sense of comfort and peace. The trail is always different depending on the season and the weather. It is a very good work out with technical trails and undulating hills. The direction we like to do the trail finishes with 7km of flattish trail that is a good run out. We were done in 2 hours and had time for a quick shop on Robson Street for a few fall essentials. Weather forecast is for stormy winds and rain tonight and tomorrow.

Baggers Banquet

2010-10-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

Friday night was the Baggers Banquet where both Neil and I received recognition for our participation in the 2010 Club Fat Ass Bagger Challenge. Neil and Craig shared the award of the Twisted Quaich and I won for the most bags by the opposite gender of the Champion. This years Champion was Ean Jackson with a remarkable 48 peaks bagged. It was a fun night to celebrate a great effort by all involved. Saturday morning Neil and I joined Wendy for a an outing on the Flint and Feather Trail on Grouse Mountain. We met one of our great local trail runners on a bluff who was having a photo shoot for Trail Runner Magazine. Gary Robbins was very gracious and let us take our own photo with him. Today the weather was another spectacular Fall day and Neil and I went up one of our local mountains - Alouette Mountain. It is a beautiful time of year to be on the trails with the large Maple Leaves providing a colourful covering of the trails.

Bears, Bags, and 1st Baguette! - it's been busy!

2010-10-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a fun filled action packed two weeks!

Neil and I made our annual fall trip to the Canadian Rockie Mountains. Our great excuse is an annual conference for Neil which we tag a few extra days on for some hiking and exploring. One of our favourite places to stay is Emerald Lake Lodge. It is a mountain lodge with many great hikes right from the door step. Since Neil had sprained his ankle the weekend prior he was determined to be able to still hike with the assistance of an air cast to support his ankle. A highlight was a grizzly bear encounter...amazing! Enjoy!

www.flickr.com/photos/carolynneil/show/

The Bagger Challenge came to a close this Thanksgiving weekend. We completed the challenge with 30 Peaks for Neil and 25 for me. I maintained my title of Female Bagger of 2010 - "1st Female Baguette". Visit all the excitement at:

www.clubfatass.com/tags/contests-and-challenges/bagger-challenge-2010

It's also that time of the year when we start to think of goals for the upcoming year. November and December are usually slower months for running events. We have decided to add snow shoeing to our routine this winter. We plan to purchase the small running snow shoes and go on weekly outing's if we can. Winter is not far away - it was snowing today on Mt. Seymour when we were there! Another decision was to sign up again for the West Highland Way - hope the jury let's us in again! That will keep us moving throughout the winter months as well! Other favourite events to look forward to are Vancouver 100, STORMY, Club Fat Ass events and I'm sure a few others!!

A Weekend of Bagging and Waiting for Baggers to Return.

2010-09-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

#1 For the Day - Top of De Pencier Bluffs

Mystery Lake on the way to De Pencier Bluffs

#1 De Pencier Bluffs

Wendy at the top of Mount Seymour - awesome views! #2 for the day.

Indian Arm water below. Neil/Ean/David are out there somewhere?

Top of Mount Seymour (4755 Feet)

The next day - Mt.Fromme - it's Wet!

Top of Mt. Fromme - wet!

The alarm on Saturday morning went off very early but not for me - Neil was heading out on a bagging expedition with Ean and David. The plan for them was to be on the trail by 6am and done by 6pm. The weather report Friday evening said heavy showers in the early morning clearing off later in the morning. I called Wendy and we made arrangements to start in the fairer weather so we didn't start up the trail until 10:30ish. The plan was to climb Seymour and De Pencier Bluffs, 2 Peaks in the Bagger Challenge. We originally thought we would waterbag them but due to time constraints changed our mind at the last minute. The sun came out and we had very nice views from the top of Seymour Mountain (4755 Feet). I remember the trail up Seymour from last year-very rocky. Conditions yesterday were perfect and the rocks were dry. There is a few technical sections/drop offs but overall very straight forward on a well travelled trail. The De Pencier Bluffs provided a great view of Vancouver as well. The trail had low brush and a few piles of fresh Bear scat! We were up and down in good time and went for coffee. Emails and text messages from the guys - all is well. I drove home with anticipation of Neil being home by 7pm as his 5:58am text message indicated. David had been sending home SPOT messages to Julia and Neil was good with emails/texts to let us know of their progress. It was obvious they decided to take on a little more than they originally planned. "Running a bit behind schedule" one message said. The skies darkened with the early sunset and the storm clouds that were rolling in. The skies opened up and it was torrential rain for the rest of the night into early morning. I kept a watchful eye on my BB for any emails/texts. Julia and I were sharing messages. I searched the Internet to learn more about the trails they were on and started to worry with the terrible conditions and darkness they were in. They were in some tough terrain which would now be very dangerous and slippery. A few more SPOT messages. It was after 9pm (remember they started at 6am) with only the food and water they could carry. Finally a message from Neil they were at the point where they had ditched their bikes in the woods. I was relieved they were off the mountain but now they had to bike out in the pouring rain at 10pm - cold, very cold for 13km's in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve with the light from their headlamps. Neil showered up at Ean and Sibylle's had some warm soup before driving back to Maple Ridge. He was home at 1:30am. Once home he tells me the story about how he twisted his ankle on the way out. Nasty sprain - purple and swollen. I had a feeling something was up - spouse intuition! Neil declined bagging today but I convinced Wendy to come up Fromme for a quick trip to make it 3 bags this weekend. She turned it into a long run (she has already bagged Fromme this year.) Thanks Wendy!
For full gritty details of the guys expedition enjoy the posts on Club Fat Ass.

http://www.clubfatass.com/tags/contests-and-challenges/bagger-challenge-2010

6 Peaks Bagged in the Grouse Area

2010-09-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

6 Peaks Bagged in one day! The top of West Crown Therefore, lots of photos below!!!

A nice sign post pointing out the various peaks!

It's Wet and Cold!

The Top of Goat Mountain.

Steep!

Using the Chains to Get UP. What goes up must come down them too!

Rocky Section Heading up Crown Mountain.

Coming down West Crown - thanks for the trail markers David!

On the trail to West Crown - Crown in the background.

A view of Crown from the trail to West Crown

Neil and a view of the city between clouds.

On the return from West Crown - West Crown in the background.

Heading Up West Crown

Knarly Rock.

The last of the trees!

Don't look down!

Almost there!

The Top of Crown Mountain.

The clouds were rolling in!

Up! Up! Up!

The mist with some hidden vertical drops on the way to the summit of Crown Mountain.

Heading up the trail to Crown Mountain.

The main trail where the routes to Dam, Little Goat and Goat turn off from.

The day started out quite clear but by mid morning the mist started to roll in. We were up Grouse mountain to bag some peaks that are listed in the Bagger Challenge. Just beyond the Chalet you can climb to the top of Grouse Mtn. We came back down and paid a visit to Coola and Grinder the 2 Grizzly Bears in the bear habitat on the mountain. It was busy around the main chalet first thing in the morning but once we headed out on the trail that takes you to the peaks it was very quiet. We did not see another human for hours. Neil commented on the many piles of fresh bear scat in the area. The next peak after Grouse was Dam. Last year when we did these peaks it was a very icy day. It was nice to have a dry trail and dry rock this time. We were up and down quite quickly and then carried on to Little Goat. Minimal views at the top as the mist was rolling in. The next peak Goat had a couple of sections with chains to help you up and down some steeper rock sections. Once I got the technique down they were very helpful. The top of Goat was misty and cold. We didn't stay long and kept moving to stay warm. The trail to Crown Mountain is quite challenging with a little bit of everything along the way. It is steep, rooty, rocky, has a boulder field, vertical drops and it was starting to get wet and slippery. I had a couple of moments where I felt nervous crossing on rock that was exposed with vertical drops. Near the top of Crown it was misty and the clouds were moving fast so the vertical drops were hidden in the mist. Occasionally it would clear and Neil would say don't look down - and I didn't! The wind started to pick up when we were at the top of Crown so we did not stay long, we came back down and stopped for a bite to eat in a more sheltered location. The next Peak was West Crown. We saw the green tape marking the trail on the way up Crown so we knew where we had to turn off on the way down. The trail to West Crown was not as well travelled but was well marked (thanks David!). There were a couple of sections where I had to just sit down on my butt to get down. I actually ripped a couple of holes in my pants by the end of the day! I was tired on the way back to the Grouse Chalet at the end of the day - my hands were cold from the wet, soggy gloves. Time to put 2 pairs of gloves in the pack! Once we were lower down we could hear the sounds of the Zip Treck which was welcoming knowing that we were getting close to the chalet. We managed to catch the Gondola down just before it was departing - perfect timing as we were wet and cold. Once down first stop was to get a coffee to go. A quick change into dry clothes and we called Wendy who couldn't join us today to let her know we were down. It was a 9 hour day - that's 6 more peaks!

6 Peaks Bagged this Weekend in the Bagger Challenge!

2010-09-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

Wendy and I at the top of Black Mountain - #3 in the day, #6 this weekend. #3 for the day. Almost there! Strachan, #2 for the day. Neil and I - Strachan. Hollyburn, #1 for the day. It was WET! Climbing up to Hollyburn - nice trail! A view of Cathedral Mountain - better weather on Saturday. Working our way down between peaks before climbing back up! Top of Burwell - 5,080 feet. #3 Peak for Saturday - Burwell Working our way between Coliseum and Burwell over the rocks. Coliseum - 4,755 feet. The Seymour Reservoir down below where we started climbing from. The top of Paton - 3,300 feet. Our bikes hidden in the woods. It was a long weekend which gave us that extra day for bagging some peaks in the Club Fat Ass Bagger Challenge. Saturday's weather conditions were great for climbing mountains, today Monday was not ideal but off we went! Saturday we did what is called a "water bag" were you self propel yourself from sea level to the top of a mountain. We rode our bikes from the ocean into the Lower Seymour Conservation Forest which is a fantastic area to ride bikes(no cars). It was uphill all the way! All 3 of us were on mountain bikes and were passed by several "pelotons" of road bikes. Ah...but we were having a very good warm up for what was to come! 14km uphill later we hid the bikes and some water for the return ride. We found the trail to the right that goes to the 3 peaks Paton, Coliseum and Burwell. 10 minutes on the trail and Wendy shouts "ouch, ouch". Well...that means wasps! We took off - charging up this rooty uphill until we felt we were well away. Wendy took 1 sting on her elbow and she faired well with it for the rest of the day. The first peak Paton had a very pleasant plateau where we stayed for a few minutes for a bite to eat. We could see the next 2 peaks from Paton and carried on to Coliseum. On our way up Coliseum we found a wallet dropped on the trail. Full of ID and cards we picked it up and wondered when it was dropped. We looked at the picture ID and the name and knew the owner was fortunate that we would make sure it was returned to him. Shortly after finding the wallet 2 younger guys (younger than us!) appeared over a rock - first hikers spotted so far. One of them resembled the photo in the wallet...we ask if he is the name in the wallet. He was hesitant and then admitted to his identity. We told him we found his wallet. He took it and grunted...I couldn't resist as we pulled away...you are very welcome I remark. We never did get a thank-you. Our conversation over Coliseum revolved around manners. You never know what interesting characters you will find on the trail. Coliseum was all rock - easy to traverse over. A nice reward from all the climbing we had done to get up there. The rocky surface continued on to Burwell. We did a few downs and ups that looked like the top but of course were false summits. Finally we see the cairn on top marking the summit. We had great views. Another bite to eat, took a few photos and started to retrace our route. We made good time coming down and were pleased to get by the wasp nest with no stings. The bikes were still there (always a bit of a concern) and we now had a 14km ride downhill which was very refreshing. A great day out - 9 hours total including the bike ride both ways. A great way to get us back into the Bagger Challenge. Sunday evening during dinner with friends we received a text message from Craig and Dave. They were spending the night out there where we bagged the 3 peaks on Saturday. Their plan was to carry on and climb Cathedral Mountain. Over night the rain was heavy and we were concerned if they were OK. Monday was the holiday and we decided to head out again despite the rain. We chose 3 Peaks fairly close together to keep it safe in the poor weather. Hollyburn, Strachan and Black are all accessible off of the Cypress Mountain parking lot (where the Olympic Freestyle skiing and Snowboarding were held). It was a quiet day on the hills! Good news from Craig and Dave they were down and fine! Total of 6 peaks for the weekend. We have until the end of the month to complete more peaks in the challenge. ;-)

Back to London for a couple more runs in Hyde Park.

2010-08-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Upgraded to Business Class!

Friday morning - quiet in the park.

Final run!

Thursday afternoon run.

Neil on the Eurostar on our way back to London.

We travelled by the TGV train from Tours to Paris to catch the Eurostar train back to London. It was raining lightly in London which made for a refreshing run in Hyde Park after the heat and humidity in France. We had one night in London before our flight left from Heathrow Airport back to Vancouver. We went out for dinner at a restaurant close to the hotel that we have enjoyed before - Zaffereno's. A bustling place of good food and good atmosphere. It had stopped raining by the morning and of course we went for our final run in the park. It was a quiet morning in the park. Neil contemplated a stop in the park for a bacon roll as a final treat. He decided against it as we had a long journey ahead of sitting and eating airplane food.
We had the pleasure of being moved up again into Business Class - love it! BA had made an error and had moved us apart for the journey home despite us paying the extra money to "reserve" our seats and to check in on-line 24 hours prior to departure. We stood our ground and they finally moved us up. This happened once before after WHW - they are nice little sleeping units. The flight home went as well as a 9 hour flight can go. A couple of movies...a few magazines read...I enjoyed the Runners World from Britain and the article on Paula's running career. There was also an incredible story of a lady named Rosie that pulled a cart that she slept in as she did 27 marathons in 27 days. Amazing! We were up first thing this morning (jet lag!) and headed out to shake it out on a trail in Golden Ears Park. What a contrast from France, London. Tonight I have a high school reunion party to attend - hopefully I will be able to stay awake to enjoy it!

La Loire a Velo

2010-08-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to ride! The Cruisers! Nice Cruising! A chicken at the road side. (Hmmm...says the Vet) Cruising amongst the Sunflower Fields - very pretty! More Sunflower Fields. Entering the town of Amboise (pretty close to Ambrose!) Neil's ancestry does originate from Italy not France - but it's close! Where we had lunch in Amboise. The Chateau Chenonceau Gardens - like this tree! The Chateau Chenonceau over Le Cher River. At noon today Neil was able to take a break from the conference and we appeared at the bike shop as planned for 12 noon. I had reserved the bikes in advance which was a good thing - it was busy in the shop. When I asked for assistance I said Bonjour, we are here to rent bikes. The shop owner says no - you are here to "book" a bike - not "rent" a bike. He mentioned "book" a bike a few times so that seemed the language to use. So...if you ever want to "rent" bikes in France - remember you want to "book" a bike! It was a funny moment! He kitted us out with helmets, a bag for the bike and the tire repair kit. He reviewed the route options and of course being of the "ultra" personality type we decided to aim for 2 castles. The shop owner was a bit cautious thinking we couldn't do both and be back in time for his 7pm shop closing time. We had dinner plans with fellow Canadians (a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan that Neil does work with) so we had to be back. We looked at the distance and figured with stops and all we could catch the 5:59 train back to Tours. I think he thought we were crazy! Obviously most people rent the bikes and go for a gentle cruise. They were cruising bikes alright and they defintely made us work hard! The rolling terrain of France provides great training on bikes. We passed lots of vineyards with grapes of various colours. Gardens full of rows of tomatoes and fruit trees a plenty. The flowers in the locals gardens were outstanding as well - made me want to get home and improve the garden! We took lots of photos for reference. We made it to Chateau Amboise (28km) in good time. Had lunch at one of the outdoor Brassieres where we started to notice the temperature warming up. Cute town Amboise. We did a quick walk around the Chateau and then got back on the bikes to carry on to Chenonceau. This section was very undulating which was a good hard work out on the bikes. Lots of picture perfect scenery - it was great. We arrived at the Chateau Chenonceau and it was so well organized with where to park the bikes - free helmet/bag check if you wanted. The chateau itself goes over le Cher River. Quite interesting to see. Of course the gardens were great and the cafe latte at the garden cafe was needed after the now 48km on the bikes. The train station back to Tours was right there at the Castle and we had to wait a bit before the 5:59 departure. While waiting for our train a very high speed train came through the stop. It is benches only at this train stop with a machine to purchase your tickets. Neil and I were sitting on the bench at the side of the tracks when the high speed train went through and I thought it was the end! The train was going so fast all you could see was water vapour and hear it coming at you. We were both freaked right out - I guess the locals get used to it! Efficient way to travel but keep away from the tracks! The train was packed with cyclists and their bikes - great to see! We made it back to the shop at 6:45 - he was impressed! Most people doing this route are obviously on a better bike. It was a great day out and a perfect way to see the special villages and farms in La Loire. We were showered and at dinner by 8pm!