Baby Steps

After a very hectic week at work (Admin meetings, and our receptionist going on disability...essentially, a whole 'nother rantpage), it was time to recharge the batteries on Sunday and what better way to do it than head back to Lake Louise. We had a terrific time last weekend checking out the ice sculptures so I was stoked to have the opportunity to get back up there.

Albeit, I sacrificed my Saturday night of the usual carrousing, but it was SO worth it. My uncle and my cousin, John and I were on the hill by 10am with great conditions. It was -4 degrees Celcius, with little wind and the sun was breaking through the clouds.

If truth be told, I haven't skied since I was 15, so I was a bit leary getting back on skis after 13 years. My chiropractor has said it was like riding a bike, but seeing how I haven't ridden one in probably the same amount of time, I was a little leary. (insert Cheshire grin)

But life is all about baby steps...especially when you have to remember how to walk in ski boots. Then onto the first chair lift without any Bridget Jones follies. The first run sealed the deal. I gotta say I'm hooked...I haven't felt this way about anything since the first time I travelled overseas. What isn't there to like? Add one part fantastic vista, two parts supportive ski buddies, a splash of sunshine and a few glugs of perfect conditions and you've got one helluva an elixir! And Louise wasn't even that busy, probably due to Super Bowl Sunday. We never had to wait longer than a few minutes for a gondola or chair.

One of my favourite points of the day was on our fourth run of the day, we accidentally went down a black diamond. I had noticed that it was remarkably steeper than what we had been doing and then my uncle stops us and says, "Whoa, we weren't planning on doing a black diamond." I shrug my shoulders because there's no use talking about it, we just need to get down. And again, it's back to baby steps...turn after turn.

Even the road trip to and fro the hill was a gift. I think it's important to get out of the city every couple weeks to remind yourself that you're part of something so much larger than the rat race. And I'm a true earth science geek at heart. It's such a trip to look at the Rockies and figure out how they were formed. How much time and pressure took to create such spectacular works of art. Was it due to thrust faulting or folding, glacial erosion or a combination of both? Again, it's just a whole lotta baby steps. And there'll probably be more baby steps taken tomorrow when I try to get ready for work.