Birthday Girl
Monday was Kelly’s birthday and the gift she most wanted is to be carefree and happy.
Tonight she is off to a good start and I could not be happier for her.
2 Comments
Post a comment
Me, my wife, and a dog … living and traveling full-time in our 188 sq ft Airstream trailer. Living mobile since April 2015. Flirting with early retirement since March 2018.
Photo credit @gm3sm
My Instagram Photos
. Rolling over the water and through the woods. . Nicely done @bikehinton.. A week into our stay in Jasper National Park, my reviews are mixed. . Big picture - I am generally disappointed in the park’s claims to house world class trails. Clearly, I’m become snooty with variety of riding and hiking locations I’ve been fortunate to visit. . In fairness to Jasper, it very possible that I am not their ideal demographic – that is, someone without kids and looking for longer day hikes (4 or 5+ hours) that are above the tree-line. Less these two criteria, one will find a plethora of well groomed trails easily accessed to city center. . The trails I’ve been most interested in – both hiking and biking - seem to be less traveled and blanketed under thick tree cover. The trails simply require too much bushwhacking through too much mud, all while continually swatting away bugs. . That said, while I’ve found traveling these trails frustrating at times, they have consistently afforded windows of wonderful scenery. . Note to mountain bikers ... . The trails are rough. The never ending rocks and tree roots will test your bike handling skills, especially the wet sections. . Expect to be continually bounced around; riding a hard tail would be absolutely miserable. The dense sub-alpine tree cover ensures trails remain wet - muddy conditions thrive. As do nonstop mosquito attacks. Don’t waste time with natural bug repellent, go directly for the heavy repellant containing DEET. . In general, elevation gains are nominal, however you can expect regular short, but steep sections. A dropper post will make life much easier on the downhill. Expect lots of hike-a-bike on many of the uphills. Accordingly, platform pedals/shoe set-up will be far superior to clip-less pedal/stiff shoe combo.. The hike to Jaques Lake was supposed to be a solo backpacking trip. In the process I would shakedown loads of new backpacking gear I’ve been slowly assembling. . Weather forecasts had me envisioning a night - sans rainfly - peering endlessly at the stars before peacefully drifting to sleep. Instead, what I got was a ferocious rainstorm ... and confirmation that the #bigagnes tent and rainfly performs like a champ. . Also unexpected, were the trio of moose who came to graze outside my tent in the wee hours of the nights once the rains stopped. While I’d seen them earlier in the day in the lake, I didn’t expect them to so boldly enter camp. Simultaneously terrifying and amazing, I could hear the huge beasts chomping at grass and bushes just outside my tent. . Eventually I resigned myself to the fact that I’d be left alone or eaten. With either scenario being out of my control, I settled comfortably into my sleeping bag, awaking both alive and unscathed. . The area is beautiful; I can’t blame the moose for making this serene location their home. . . . #jaspernationalpark #jaqueslake. Some people forego their post-ride refueling. . I am not one of those people.According to #parkscanada, Jasper, Alberta is home to arguably the best trail network in the world, consisting of kilometers and kilometers of well-connected and maintained trails. . That is a very bold claim - one I intend to validate thoroughly over the coming days. . #jaspernationalpark #pivotswitchblade. Directions to Helen Lake. . From the parking lot, follow the trailhead up the steep, rooted path. Numerous switchbacks are woven into dense trees and thick bush; keep an eye out for bears munching ripe berries. . Anticipate a bit of huffing and puffing during this initial climb. A nice resting point is a rock outcropping overlooking turquoise waters of Bow Lake far below, casually situated at the base of Mt. Thompson. . Pushing on, continue uphill through a clearing of new growth - the result of recent forest fires. Negotiate more switchbacks before a final turn towards Dolomite Peak. . Having arrived to the alpine meadow, now is the time to relax - the trail is mostly flat ahead. With less need to watch your footing, allow yourself to marvel at the neighboring peaks and an abundance of blooming wildflowers as far as one can see. . Be sure to keep trekking poles handy, they will prove useful as you traverse a few final water crossings. And, because you’ll be well above the tree-line, expect the winds to pick-up and temperatures to drop. . Helen Lake lie hidden ahead.. I first learned of Lake Louise years ago from a former (Canadian) boss of mine, who on occasion spoke wonderfully of a seemingly mythical place in the Canadian Rockies. I knew that Kelly and I had to get there someday. . In August of 2013, a group of our Airstream pals caravanned for weeks into Washington and western Canada - to include a stop in Lake Louise. Kelly and I desperately wanted to join the trip, but were not yet living full-time on the road and could not break away from San Francisco long enough to partake in that journey. . Finally, on Thursday we arrived to Lake Louise. . Everything I heard about the magical turquoise water was witnessed and verified with my own eyes. . More impressive however is the hiking. Any person willing to walk the trails uphill for a few hours will escape the maddening levels of crowds and joyously bear witness to mountainous peaks in all directions, watch glacial avalanches fall harmlessly into insanely large snowfields, and meander alpine meadows. Your cheeks will ache from all the smiling you will do. . And yes, we did hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers teahouse. Who cares that we arrived at 9:30am - doing so didn’t stop us from enjoying soup, biscuits, and of course, the legendary chocolate cake. . . . #lakelouise #plainofsixglaciers #larchvalley. Sometimes a twenty-five minute lunch view is well worth the technical, three hour walk to the top. . Glacier National Park Canada continues to deliver. . . . #glaciernationalparkcanada #lunchwithaviewThe Monday morning alarm is not so bad when an alpine brunch is the day’s objective. . . . #glaciernationalparkcanada #parkscanada #cheopsmountain. Absent an actual hammock, this @enohammocks bug netting hack will undergo further testing. . For the time being, and despite my haven taken a sizable advantage over the pesky flies and mosquitoes, the struggle remains real while I enjoy a good book. . . . #glaciernationalparkcanada #enohammock #rvlife #airstreamlife. As much as I enjoyed yesterday’s downhill park ride, I can’t shake the sense that I cheated. . Let’s be honest - while loads of fun - the ride consisted of a relaxing, scenic gondola ride to the top, followed by a downhill. And repeat. . No painful uphill. No slow grind, cursing all the way to the top. . So today i had to make things right. I rode uphill. A lot of of uphill. . Up the road out out of town, before jumping into a mix of exposed forest roads and single-track. . The trees finally offered shade relief, but the barrage of never-ending technical switchbacks nearly had me waiving the white flag in surrender. . It sucked beautifully. . And the descent was all the better knowing I earned it one pedal stroke at a time. . . . #goldenbc #pivotswitchblade. My first time downhill riding today was a blast. . Kudos to @kickinghorsemtn bike park for its great course offerings. . Who knew riding a ski resort was so much fun! . . . #kickinghorsemtn #goldenbc #britishcolumbia #pivotswitchbladeNinety minutes and 2,292 feet later, we saved ourselves (CAD) $58 each by walking to the top. Much easier walking down. . . . #banffnationalpark #banffgondolaMost of my full-timing RV pals proudly eschew full hook-up camp sites (water, electric, & sewer) during their travels. Kelly and I are no different. . These types of campground sites cost the most and are very often the least desirable in terms of space. Because we have ample solar and battery capacity and have become quite adept in conserving water, we tend to avoid them. But not always. . Every few months we find ourselves briefly with full hook-ups for one reason or another. . Most of my full-timing RV pals - those who are honest that is - will sheepishly admit that full hook-ups can be a nice treat, affording otherwise non-had luxuries such as a long(er) shower. Kelly and I are no different. . Also, full hook-ups present an easy opportunity to complete free campsite laundry using a $5 Home Depot bucket and $3 toilet plunger agitator. . . . #rvlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #diylaundry. The town of Banff is a juxtaposition I cannot capture easily. . It is typical of *destination* resort towns - small, absolutely packed with tourists, cars, & tour buses. . There no shortage of kitschy commercial offerings of all types. . Really, it is pretty much a shitshow. . However, with only the slightest effort - and the willingness to take any one of multiple uphill trails - it’s easy to get lost for hours and effectively escape the nonsense. . Having been here a few days, I am nicely settling into a cadence of morning hikes with Kelly followed by an afternoon spin on the bike while she does yoga. . We’ll make it work here. . . . #banffnationalpark #bikebanff #roadlife #pivotswitchbladeArchives
- Follow Wandering With Purpose on WordPress.com
What a great way to spend a birthday! Happy Birthday, Kelly!
Looks like a corporate executive——RETIRED! Enjoy “boomer”.