My granddaughters were over for a visit. We took out the kicksled and they had a great time with it on the driveway. It is much easier for them to maneuver it now that they are taller.
Two weeks ago I tried heading to the trails. I almost made it to the
edge of the parking lot; operative word is 'almost'. My feet went out
from under me and down I went. My hiking spikes were not on my boots
but they certainly were a couple of minutes later. Spikes and poles
were required to navigate the ice.
The icy surfaces were created by a number of days that reached double digit temperatures. I could skate down the ski tracks that I broke in November. After the parking lot tumble, I decided to stay away from the forest trails for a few days.
I went to the Leduc Country Christmas Lights to try and get myself into the spirit of the season. The lights were beautiful but the paths through the displays were just as icy as the parking lot at the trailhead. I'm hoping for at least a little bit of fresh snow to make it feel more 'Christmas-y' but will be using those spikes on my boots daily to avoid spending more time on my rear end.
Today was set aside for some outdoor time. I was going out no matter what. I didn't think there would be anyone on the trails. The woods at the Beaverhills Biodiversity Trail were quiet and just what I needed. For almost two hours I made my way through the forest.
The hard crusted snow crunched under my hiking spikes. There was no sneaking up on any animals today. The squirrels chattered at me and the chickadees sang their cheeseburger songs from the bare branches as I trudged along.
The ponds that were home to the beavers and the swans last summer are frozen over. They will be perfect to venture onto when more snow falls and I can put the snowshoes on. The ice was too bumpy for skating.
On the way home I decided to detour and drove to the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area to see if the snowbank rink was ready for skating. The rink is still being flooded. They should be able to get a good layer of ice over the next week as the we are supposed to get some overnight temperatures in the -20Cs. Here comes winter.
The cookhouse close to the rink is filled with tables but the wood box was empty. It looks like anyone wanting to use the stove must bring their own wood this year.
I think I'll be taking the kicksled out tomorrow. The slippery trail conditions will be perfect for running the sled. I'll be back next week. I'm winding down the final tasks for 2017 at work so there will be plenty of outdoor time to be had.
Merry Christmas to all!
The icy surfaces were created by a number of days that reached double digit temperatures. I could skate down the ski tracks that I broke in November. After the parking lot tumble, I decided to stay away from the forest trails for a few days.
I went to the Leduc Country Christmas Lights to try and get myself into the spirit of the season. The lights were beautiful but the paths through the displays were just as icy as the parking lot at the trailhead. I'm hoping for at least a little bit of fresh snow to make it feel more 'Christmas-y' but will be using those spikes on my boots daily to avoid spending more time on my rear end.
Today was set aside for some outdoor time. I was going out no matter what. I didn't think there would be anyone on the trails. The woods at the Beaverhills Biodiversity Trail were quiet and just what I needed. For almost two hours I made my way through the forest.
The hard crusted snow crunched under my hiking spikes. There was no sneaking up on any animals today. The squirrels chattered at me and the chickadees sang their cheeseburger songs from the bare branches as I trudged along.
The ponds that were home to the beavers and the swans last summer are frozen over. They will be perfect to venture onto when more snow falls and I can put the snowshoes on. The ice was too bumpy for skating.
On the way home I decided to detour and drove to the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area to see if the snowbank rink was ready for skating. The rink is still being flooded. They should be able to get a good layer of ice over the next week as the we are supposed to get some overnight temperatures in the -20Cs. Here comes winter.
The cookhouse close to the rink is filled with tables but the wood box was empty. It looks like anyone wanting to use the stove must bring their own wood this year.
I think I'll be taking the kicksled out tomorrow. The slippery trail conditions will be perfect for running the sled. I'll be back next week. I'm winding down the final tasks for 2017 at work so there will be plenty of outdoor time to be had.
Merry Christmas to all!
