#89 – Go Snowshoeing

I’ve lived in Alberta my entire life and I’m ashamed that I haven’t been snowshoeing at least once. Since I created the list I have found some of the greatest pleasures in really simple things – this list item especially. Although it was one of the simpler items I found it incredible.

Kiersti and I started the morning off at The Outdoor Club at the University of Calgary where we rented boots and snowshoes for the day. We didn’t have much of a plan simply because Kiersti and I don’t really plan too far in advance (but it always seems to work out!). We hit the road and headed to Canmore. A quick stop at the nordic centre we were advised to continue on our journey to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Kiersti knew where we were going and I was going along for the joy ride!

Something you have to know about Kiersti and I is that we usually don’t get directions from people and the entire time we are questioning where we are going. Luckily it works out for the two of us because as long as we eventually get there we are two happy campers. We get to the snowshoeing hike and I’m amazed (already). I couldn’t believe we actually lived this close to something so amazing.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day to experience our first time snowshoeing. The weather and the company couldn’t have been better.

The entire time I couldn’t believe we were actually here. It almost felt like we were in a 3D IMAX  flying through the mountains in the winter; it was literally a winter wonderland.

If you haven’t tried snowshoeing before, love the outdoors, and don’t mind getting a little cold/wet then get out there and give it a try! It was a fantastic  experience and although it’s crossed off the list it won’t be the last time that I enjoy the knee deep snow in our paradise that I can proudly call ‘home’. Thank you Canada for amazing me more and more every day.

Quote of the experience: It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw – Emily Carr

#57– make a Christmas card together

So Kara and I decided to set out and make our own Christmas card this year. This is not the typical card sitting beside the fire place but a Christmas card that has a artistic spin on it.

Kara came over to my place in celebration of her birthday and we decided to start on our Christmas cards. We ventured out to find red and green cellophane in Kitsilano. It turns out that this is nearly impossible in this part of Vancouver so if any of you were hoping to make a Christmas gift basket and live in the area I would suggest planning ahead if you need it!

Four stores later and no cellophane we decided to start our project without it and just used our two flashlights. Finally we set up the tripod around 10:30 at night and started snappin’ away with a long exposure. One hundred takes later and we finally wrote some words and drew some pictures that actually made sense. Unfortunately, Kara and I weren’t able to write the entire word ‘Christmas’ but managed to write ‘Xmas’ during the short exposure time that we had.

A few hours later, one major blister (partially from Kara’s journey that night), and some cold hands, toes, and feet we were finished! 

Being a beginner photoshop user I had to learn a few things before I could make the card. For your viewing pleasure here is the Christmas card! Photo credits are given to Kara for this beauty.

The best part of Christmas is spending the quality time with the people that matter the most. If they are around the block or a phone call away (or skype with all this new technology!)  you always find out who matters most to you during this time.

May you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The West Coast Trail

So over the Christmas break it was  my job (because I clearly don’t have one) was to check out the details of the west coast trail so I can knock it off my list summer 2011.

Over the past few months I’ve been reading blogs, watching videos, and researching things about the WCT and I’m extremely excited to actually get out there and just do it. I realize that my lack of experience backpacking might not be the best to set foot on one of the hardest hikes in the North America, but there is quite a bit of time until we venture into the rainforest. If I can train for a tri and a half marathon in one summer I can train for this! Suggestions are welcome on how to accomplish this. 

If you are reading this and are thinking maybe you would like to join (yes, we are looking for people to come with us!) then here is some information that I wrangled up. 

So here is the information on reservations for the west coast trail: http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/activ/activ6a/v.aspx. It doesn’t look like they give you much of a buffer so once we decide on a month we have to be pretty open.

The fees for backpacking in the park are here:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/visit/tarifs_fees_e.asp?park=21  ($152.00)

Here is the price of transportation to the trail head and I’m not really sure if there is an alternative unless someone is willing to risk their lives driving on the logging road!

 http://www.trailbus.com/Fares_wct.html ($145 for return)

Since I’ve just begun researching I’m not sure what trail head to start at though so if you have any ideas, have experienced the trail, etc. etc. throw them my way! Here is the info on the trail heads and then some other info on transportation, also a neat resource just for the 411 on the WCT:

 http://www.westcoasttrailbc.com/trail_guidebook_map.htm#plan

Ferry to the island ($13.75,  $27.50 return) if we wanted to bring a car over (91.50 return) plus there is a ferry as part of the WCT that is mandatory ($25.00)

Total without the cost of travel to Vancouver, food, and equipment:

Park Fees	$152.00
Transportation to and from trail heads	$145.00
Ferry transportation	$52.50
optional car ( would be divided among passengers)	$91.50
Sum without car	$349.50
Sum with car	$367.80

I’m looking into taking a few backpacking trips prior to the big 7 day one so I’m prepared and not a complete disaster (also might include a wilderness first aid course too!). We will all be prepared to embark on (yet another) experience of a lifetime!

Graduation

So today I received an email from school asking me to apply to graduate. I opened it up and I got so excited, I’ve been waiting six years (school years that is) for this moment and finally I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I officially picked what name my diploma will read when I receive it in May and it made it all seem that much more real.

One mandatory class left and then I’m in the home free! Being a student for so many years has made me wonder what my life will be like when I’m out in the real world and no longer sheltered and safe attending classes. I realize that everything about my life will change in the next four months and I’m ready for the challenge. What exciting things will I accomplish? Where will I live? What will I be doing? Will I go on any great trips? Although all of these questions have caused some anxiety over the last few months I feel like I will be able to tackle them one by one like I have in the past.

I’m that much closer to crossing #35 off my own list!

On my way to entering a photo contest!

 

A few weeks ago my friend Kara and I joined the UBC photo society. Last week was really our first week as part of the society were I learnt how to use a darkroom and Kara learnt how to work the studio.

My orientation to the darkroom was about an hour and a half long and I was really overwhelmed with excitement after the picture finally showed up on the photo paper. With all this excitement Kara and I took the trip out to a photo shop in Vancouver and picked up our very first roll of film (in about 10 years!) and some paper for use in the darkroom.

We ended up renting a camera from the UBC photosoc so we could start taking our first few pictures. I think that I’m not meant to use the cameras because the one I took out definitely wasn’t working out for me.

After a few hours taking some pictures I was really excited. I think I just wanted to finish the roll just so I could start using the dark room. This week the plan is to finish up the roll and then Kara and I will work in the darkroom to develop the photos. Our generation is definitely used to immediate feedback so having to wait over a week to see if that one shot turned out ‘ok’ is definitely hard for me.

I will send the update with after we finish our first session in the darkroom. I’m really hoping a few pictures turned out ok!

#73 – create our own ‘masterpiece’

So after the big triathlon I’ve been resting a bit and taking it easy for awhile. I still wanted to complete some items on the list but I decided to tackle something on the easier side.

Having just moved back to Vancouver I realized how bare my apartment actually was and decided that it was time to spruce it up a but. My Mom and I set out on a mission to add some colour to my place and cross off an item on the list while doing so.

Not knowing where stores are in Vancouver and not having a clue what to buy didn’t hep us very much when it came to doing a painting. As we were heading out to IKEA for the 5/7 time, we decided to stop off at Michaels craft store to purchase our paints and canvas!

A side note: Michaels has to be the most exciting store there is and I end up spending about 3 hours in there even if I know exactly what I’m looking for. Don’t take me there unless you are willing to spend some time there!

We finally get to the paint section and couldn’t believe how many different types of paint there were and different qualities of canvas were available to us! This was looking harder the further we dive into this.

After about an hour looking at the different paint, canvases, and paint brushes we were ready to check out. I was excited to start our arts and craft project, my mom on other other hand was having creativity overload in her mind – she didn’t know what to do! I think the night before she didn’t sleep very well because she was busy planning what she would paint.

Eight o’clock rolls around and I’m getting antsy. My Mom was leaving early the next morning and we had about 100 projects left to do before she went home. I thought she should have stayed longer but we worked with what little time we had together.

I started before my Mom because she was busy cooking supper and finishing other projects. It took me about 20 minutes to make the first paint stroke. Finally, I got up the guts and did it.

A few hours in and my Mom was really starting to get into it.

My Mom ended up painting two different pictures for my place. Thanks for the extra colour!

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One more item off the list and I have to admit this one was pretty fun to finish! All the art work was finished at 1 in the morning and we tried to hang them on the walls but the neighbours weren’t that pleased with us.

Quote: A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament – Oscar Wilde

#23 – Suspension Bridge (Capilano)

 

Well I’m back in Vancouver for yet another year of my undergrad, six is the new four right?!

Anyways, my Mom and I thought that it would be nice to have some fun and cross another item off the list of things to do before I die. I’ve lived in Vancouver for a few years now and have had spent thousands of bus rides staring at the same Capilano suspension bridge advertisement. I knew it was something that I wanted to do while I was in Vancouver but hadn’t had the time to do it. I did make it over to the Lynn Valley suspension bridge for a hike (aka a nature walk in Alberta) but I didn’t think that was big enough to really knock the item off the list.

My Mom and I took a drive over to Capilano Canyon to experience the suspension bridge. I need to add here that we didn’t get honked at during this drive either – thanks BC for being nice to us Albertans for at least this one drive! We were waiting in line to pay to get in (yes it’s quite expensive if you are thinking about heading over there) and this lady hand us a two for one coupon. Although the coupon didn’t mean anything to our new friend, it meant that we didn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to cross the bridge!

We wandered around the visitors centre and learnt a lot about the history of the bridge and the people that were a part of it. The park was quite cute and was a great tribute to the people that brought the bridge into existence.

So how long is the suspension bridge you might ask? 450 ft or the length of two Boeing 747 airplanes wingtip-to-wingtip (taken off of the sign)

How high is the bridge? 230ft high (four full sized T-rex’s to reach the bridge from the river) – also taken from the sign.

 

Although the bridge was really neat (and pretty large) my favourite part was the rainforest with the treehouse! If you know me, you know that I’m a bit of a tree hugger with a love (sometimes obsessive) for the environment. I can’t help but love my cedars!

Can someone please build me a treehouse like this?! It’s two stories and looks like you could permanently live in the treehouse and be quite comfortable. The architecture of the house is stunning and their use of natural resources is impeccable – Santa can I have a treehouse for Christmas this year?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although this picture is pretty blurry, it gives you a sense of how high the bridge is. It doesn’t seem that high when you are on it but it’s pretty decent. I wouldn’t want to go bridge jumping off of this one.

 

Didn’t really want to buy the t-shirt but for memory sakes:

Pretty easy item on the list but it was really great to experience another piece of Vancouver!