oh, the places you will go

It started, on likely a sunny day, in Brunswick, GA. I fell in love with the hope you’d alleviate shin splint pain and teal and pink and always a winner in my book. 

We’ve ventured around St. Simon’s Island, GA. 

We’ve been to so many places in Alberta.

First there was Grassi Lakes. Our first, in retrospect, baby mountain. At the time it was difficult; kids were running past us and I wanted to use you as a vessel to trip them. We took our time and were greeted with a gorgeous view. 

We stumbled upon Barrier Lake, got a little lost in Canmore, and trekked to the upper falls at Johnson Canyon. 

You missed out on The Great Canadian West Coast roadtrip; not because you were unloved, but mostly because we did a lot of exploring via wandering and not a lot of strenuous, fast paced adventuring. 

By Christmas of 2014 you were still there, but so were the occasional shin splint pain. I didn’t give up on you (but did fall in love with the now discontinued New Balance v550). Winter 2014-15 was FREEZING. Let’s be honest, you didn’t get a ton of use. 

By spring we were ready to explore Guelph again. Including, but not limited to: puppy walks around the ‘hood, baby hikes at Starkey Hill, running the stairs at Church of Our Lady, and strolls around the river. 

I think we had the most fun in September of 2015; our first mountain summit to celebrate Laura’s birthday! 

(note: I am not that slender. Sister is damn good with a camera because I look fan-tas-tic in that photo)

Since then we’ve moved to Simcoe (sigh) and you’ve endured noisy streets and less than desirable views. 

Your last plane ride was in June. 

Lucky shoes, you didn’t miss out on Waterton completely…you got to go just last month. Montana, too. We do love the US. Most of the time. 

The days may be a little quieter now. You’ll mostly be hanging out on the bottom shelf of a dark hall closet, but when you come out, you get the most fun adventures. Enjoy your sojourn in Calgary, Asics. I’ll see you on my next Alberta adventure. 

the great canadian west coast roadtrip

Last week I got back from my 5th trip to the West Coast (4 Canada, 1 US/Canada) in the last 3 years. And let me tell you, the West redeemed herself (I’m looking at you 2012…rain in Vancouver, snow in Calgary).

Over Christmas holidays last year, not quite ready to go back into the condo after seeing American Hustle (I’m sure we were the only 2 people that thought it sucked) sister and I leaned on the 3rd floor railing over looking the dark ocean talking about when she decided to move home we would first fly down to San Francisco, drive north up the coast then back to Calgary then pack up and come back to Ontario. Which morphed into let’s not wait and just go to San Fran and drive the coast this summer/fall. Which turned into let’s reach out to Ford Canada again and see if we can Canadian road trip in October.

Y’all remember Henry from last year, right?

Last summer, Henry chauffeured us to Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake, and Bow Lake. A true gentleman.

Ford said yes, I booked my plane ticket in less than 20 minutes (thank you WestJet seat sale) and counted down the days. For this road trip I had but one request: fuel efficient. Without further ado, meet Clara:

Yes, Clara Ford; a sleek 2014 Hybrid Fusion. Henry Ford’s wife. Get it? Get it! (all sis; she’s the true brains behind our car naming game). Clara, such a pretty girl, escorted us on the Trans Canada Highway through Alberta,

through BC,

and to beaches and an olympic village and islands and wine country and then back home.

 

Girl was tricked out: told us where to go (I know you all love that trait in a good woman), played our favourite tunes, let us make calls and brag about our sweet ride. She has a heated steering wheel and hot buns. I mean I have hot buns. I mean Clara has SEAT WARMERS…that also warm your back. She’s magnificent. And the one thing I wanted, she delivered. This baby is mega fuel efficient!

 

Thanks Ford Canada! And thank you Miss Clara (this is where you pet her and tell her she’s pretty…)

 

ps: more vacation things coming weekly – big long posts with lots and lots of pictures. cool? COOL! 

pps: yes, I wrote all those signs. 

 

looking back: august in alberta

(the 2013 edition)

Last summer sister and I ventured to Seattle on our yearly sistertrip. We completely lucked out with the weather, no rainy westcoast on this trip (I’m looking at you Vancouver 2012), which allowed me to eat a lot of chocolate croissants (Le Panier across from Pike Place, omgyum) and drink a lot of iced coffee in the great outdoors. We saw the Jays win at Safeco, sail boats in Lake Union, and the whole city unfold from the top of a ferris wheel.

Instead of going right back home, I stayed with sis in Alberta for another 4 days to finally (FINALLY) get into the Banff National Park in the summer.

 

There was also brunch, burgers, and an outdoor movie; all great but nothing quite compares to the mountains. After swearing to never return in October, hence the 2013 August trip, I’m heading back in 40 days for an Alberta-BC roadie!!! And it will not snow (I’m looking at you, October 2012)………

that time we went hiking: Grassi Lakes & Johnston Canyon

So, remember when I was in Alberta in June? And I was really pumped for hiking? And then after we hiked I kept saying “I am so happy I didn’t die on a mountain”? And you thought “haha, she’s such a cute over-reactor, like usual”.

Thing is. the struggle was real. Ok, ok, I knew (like way back in the depths of my brain) I wasn’t actually going to die, but was seriously wondering how fast your heart could beat before having a heart attack.

 

Oh wait wait wait – before the almost had a heart attack, we got a little lost. Not lost…on the wrong path? For the first time in history the GPS lady insisted we drive 27km around a lake instead of doing a U-turn 250m past the cutoff. Eventually we figured it out, but found this first. Oh Canmore, you’re such a gem. Also…High on a hill was a lonely goatherd. Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo. Yah, thank you Maria von Trapp, I could not stop humming Lonely Goatherd for the rest of the day.

Back to the mountain…you know when people speak of seeing an oasis in the desert just about when they’re going to pass out from dehydration? Well, I saw a deer. Except it was real. My most patient (which is so strange because in most things, kid is.not.patient) sister pushed me but let me take breaks to catch my breath every so often (aka: all the time); hands on knees, while I tried to take deep breaths, I looked over the ledge and there was a deer (one should always try to embrace beauty while attempting to regain normal heart rhythm. If you’re gonna have a heart attack on a mountain you might as well take in all the beauty in the world first…..then rethink your regular exercise abilities and wonder why 1500m inclines aren’t a staple at the gym). We walked and watched. I swear the deer knew I needed a distraction. Slow and steady. I freaking love deer now; my spirit animal!

And then…

 

The best part about hiking Grassi Lakes was not knowing what the prize was. Once everything evens out – seriously it’s all uphill for 2km, there’s the most gorgeous mossy baby lake, a teeny waterfall (that’s what they call it, really it’s some water falling over 2 feet of rocks), views over the valley, another mossy baby lake, pine trees, and the freshest air.

Once the heart attack scare was over I definitely joked that I was a lot closer to heaven, so, that was a plus.

 

(hugging the beauty and jazz hands for nature)

And then it’s 2km back down the mountain. I suspect this is what giving birth is like (ish. it’s the best metaphor I can come up with) – you push yourself until you feel like you just can’t anymore, then are presented with the most beautiful sight (or a slimey baby) and by the time you get back to the car, the pain has evaporated, you survived, feel stronger, and are so ready to do it again.

Except for baby making doesn’t happen 35 minutes later (I hope??). We, of course, had another 5km ahead of us. Stop 2: Johnston Canyon.

We did the lower and upper falls at Johnston Canyon. The whole thing (including the ink pots) is considered easy. Albertans are a bunch of dirty liars. The lower falls are indeed easy to get to; the upper falls more difficult. Not Grassi Lakes heart attack difficult (obviously stop 3 wasn’t scaling an actual mountain), but not easy as it’s rated.

Tip: do not go to Johnston Canyon when you think it may be busy. The walkways and bridges are narrow and it is very frustrating the be stuck behind painfully slow walkers, obnoxious picture takers, and children swinging sticks (yah, cause that actually happened. I was about 2mm away from pointy stick in my eye thanks to a seriously jerky kid).

It was rained twice. Which was actually pleasant and made me feel a little hardcore.

And then sister bought me ice cream. She’s the best. Also, selfie with bears. Best best!

After that we strolled around the Delta Kananaskis and made an impromptu stop at Barrier Lake because it looked pretty.

So. Yah. Can I go back now?

 

 

my fave: vacation

I arrived or departed 8 times in 8 days from 4 different airports.

Sister and I walked many kilometers discovering parts of Seattle. We drank lots of coffee (ok, I drank lots of coffee), indulged in doughnuts or croissants pretty much every day, marveled over the most beautiful flowers at the market, watched the sun creep toward the Sound through 4 rotations of the ferris wheel, didn’t contract any diseases adding dr. pepper hubba bubba to the gum wall. We laid in the grass by the space needle and spent our last morning people watching by the water. We found an urban garden of blue trees and sipped bellinis on a hot afternoon. We watched the Jays win at Safeco Field!

 

More coffee and more doughnuts in Calgary. (Sidenote 1: we did a lot of walking; also, I pretty much just bought fruit and veggies at the grocery store this morning. Sidenote 2: Calgary, damn gurl! You’re coffee is real good.) Sister satisfied my intense Cactus Club craving (twice in 4 days. so. much. love). We (and every tourist in Alberta) hit up the Banff-Lake Louise area on Saturday.  I’ve been to Jasper, Lake Louise, and Banff so last weekend sis took me to Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake, and Bow Lake. Effff, Alberta. You’re so gosh darn beautiful.