Accidentally...

UPDATE:
~~~
Turns out I really only biked 32km. Duane figured out the mapping thing properly, and according to what he figured out I'd actually mapped that I rode home, then turned around and got back on the highway and rode all the way to Morrissey again, which is where my trip apparently ended. Which I SO didn't. 32km certainly doesn't seem quite as impressive, but it's still FAR more than was intended, so I say good for me.
~~~
So tonight's nice, easy bike ride out to Cokato turned into a grueling 40-something kilometer long-distance endurance ride. Oops.

The intent was to go do something simple since I haven't been on my bike since the incident last week. It also happened to be really nice out and I wanted to do something outside.
Once I got as far as my employer's house I planned to turn around...then I thought, "hey, it's really not that much further to Morrissey Road...maybe I'll just quickly do that instead of turning around." Quickly my @(#$)*!! There was nothing quick, or enjoyable for that matter, about it. It quickly turned into "come on, Karyn, it's just up the hill and around the next corner..." Right. It never was. Clearly I haven't driven out that way often enough to have anything in my memory bank about it. Anyway, being the stubborn soul I am, I pushed myself to keep going...and going...and going. And going.
It took me just over 2 hours, but I'm home, alive, and rather sweaty :) I will also forever regret not putting on my biking shorts. My girlie parts will also never let me forget.

Here are some pictures I took before I turned into the long-distance biking psycho.

Yes, those are shoes on the powerline...I didn't notice them until now. They're a trail marker, and they also kind of ruin this shot. Oh well.

Out on Cokato Road looking back towards town...I think those mountains are part of the Lizard Range.


I had to get the cliche Red Barn picture that almost every visitor to Fernie has taken.


It's a really cool barn. I also think every photographer who shoots weddings around here has used this for a backdrop. Duane has.

Another look back towards town. There's Mt. Fernie and the 3 Sisters.

And here's a link to the route I took (minus the random loop at the end...couldn't get rid of it).
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=1292+5+Avenue,+Fernie,+BC&daddr=1+Ave+to:10+St+to:2+Ave+to:Pine+Ave+to:Pine+Ave+to:Cokato+Rd+to:Morrissey+Rd+to:Crowsnest+Hwy%2FBC-3+E+to:Crowsnest+Hwy%2FManitou+Rd%2FBC-3+E+to:13+St+to:13+St+to:49.510066,-115.062668+to:Morrissey,+BC&hl=en&geocode=FXV68wIdOVkk-SnNLiCdjGtlUzH0Wus8BJW_5A%3BFQJv8wIdBWUk-Q%3BFVhr8wIdmlwk-Q%3BFXBl8wIdylYk-Q%3BFY5U8wId2k0k-Q%3BFTlF8wIdL0Qk-Q%3BFRoi8wId-jck-Q%3BFWyl8QIddeQk-Q%3BFTcS8gIdOJsk-Q%3BFWtF8wIdiAIk-Q%3BFbd68wIdLVkk-Q%3BFah68wIdUlkk-Q%3B%3BFc2r8QId_gUl-Sk3WdmO3XJlUzGAuHXiIMNOrw&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=12&sz=16&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12&sll=49.510344,-115.064664&sspn=0.007008,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=49.451164,-115.040588&spn=0.112266,0.308647&t=h&z=12

Well, that's a long and random link...whatever...too lazy and can't be bothered to change it. I really need a shower :)
Anywhooo...thought I'd let you all know I'm alive and well...but I probably won't be tomorrow.

~K~

Oh, the Pain

Well, it's Hump Day and I still haven't been to work this week. For those of you not on Facebook (MOTHER), this is the culprit.

Post shower and wound clean-up


I had a little spill while on an easy-peasy bike ride with the family on Sunday night. And, actually, it was AFTER the trail riding section and while we were playing around at the bike skills park before heading home for supper. Why I'm admitting that, I'll never know...but, so it is. How embarrassing. Should I also admit that it was on the easiest section of the park? It was the tiniest bump of a hill...like a mole hill...and I either hit it a bit indirectly and too quickly, or I just had no idea what the heck I was doing. I vote for the latter. I wish someone had videotaped it.

A few hours after the redness had died down

The unimpressive leg wounds. Shouldn't this be cooler since it's what I first fell on?

I went to the Tea House on Monday for my 9 hour shift and sucked it up. I was hurting but that job wasn't physical, and I couldn't justify not going. And, as it turns out, I wasn't nearly as sore on Monday as I was on Tuesday!!
After much waiting around with a stiff neck and majorly sore everything-else-muscles I did, finally, get a massage by the wonderful Kathy Morris. I highly recommend her! Based on my line of work, it was suggested that I avoid work for the next couple days to make sure my muscles have tamed a bit. I have far more mobility today, but there are still twinges in my neck every now and then. I hope/plan to get a massage tomorrow as well to focus more on my neck, and then go back to the hotel on Friday. Friday and Sunday will be my only shifts there this week, plus my short shift at the Tea House on Saturday afternoon.

3rd day after the fall. A nice yellowish bruise has taken up residence on my elbow.

Still hurts to wear anything that chafes on the shoulder wound...ie. most shirts.


I am very thankful for understanding and supportive employers both at the Tea House and the Best Western, who tell me to take time off to make sure I'm better! I just didn't listen to the ones at the Tea House *wink*

~K~

About that Time Again...

Figured I should probably blog again. I just don't like blogging without pictures, and I don't like blogging with ONLY pictures...so I kinda get stuck sometimes.

The last few weeks here in Fernie have been one thing. Wet. Almost constantly. It's been pretty depressing and, from what I understand, it's been very similar almost everywhere else in this region. It's just not good for a person's sanity. Really it's not. Fernie was going stir-crazy! Well, I can't speak for everyone...but certainly for myself and most people I've talked to.

On the upside, it seems the weather is taking a break from dumping rain, the clouds have floated away for the most part, and the sun is shining! We were starting to worry that the week or so of sun in April was all we were going to get this year! Hopefully that's not so. This morning when I looked at the thermometer it was almost 20 degrees, and it was only 8am! Nice. I poured myself a mug of coffee and took my bowl of porridge and soaked up the sun on the back deck for quite awhile. It was heavenly! I didn't have to work with the kids today since I was waiting on a phone call for an interview time at the Best Western, so this allowed me the time for a pleasant morning "waking up" in my own time (even though I was awake as soon as Duane's alarm went off at 7:15).
While I was outside I decided it was time to cut a few flowers from the garden so we could enjoy the beauty inside the house as well. There is SO much in that garden, but the only things flowering right now (that are nice for flower arrangements) are the lupin and peony. I had to do a pretty serious ant hunt before I brought the peonies in, and I still missed some. Ew. One was crawling on the table and one on the wall. It was then that I decided to arrange them OUTSIDE on the patio table :) I think they turned out pretty nice. Can't go wrong when the flowers are so full of color!




Last night Duane and I were able to eat out on the deck for the first time, since it was finally so nice out. We BBQd burgers...well, Duane did...and enjoyed the sun together. It was then that we decided we were going to go out to do something when we finished. The something turned out to be a quick hike up Castle Mountain. Duane has biked it once before, but I'd not had the chance to get up it yet. I opted out of biking it, and boy am I glad I did! I can't believe people bike some of those hills! And there are some pretty interesting switchbacks to fiddle with on a bike. Like I said, I'm glad we walked :) It was the perfect way to end a great summer evening, and I hope to do much of the same throughout the summer if work allows for evenings with the hubby. Here are a bunch of the pics I took.


Our destination point: Castle Rock

Our wildlife encounter: grouse

Getting closer!

Castle Rock and wildflowers

A silhouetted husband

Castle Rock and the Lizard Range across the valley

Rounding the bend to the summit point

Duane picked me a flower :)

The Lizard Range, West Fernie and the setting sun

The Fernie townsite, Mt. Fernie, the 3 Sisters and Mt. Proctor across the valley. So pretty!

Traditional couples shot at the summit

And, yes, I made it up happy and in once piece :) I haven't hiked in just over a year!


Finished work with the kids, Duane's weddings are gearing up, I change hours at the Tea House for the summer, still waiting on another summer job ("it's only for 2 months, it's only for 2 months..."), enjoying the weather, and enjoying life!
So there's the update!

~K~

If It Weren't For the Rain...

...I'd be out doing this.
I like the rain, but enough is enough. I can't gain confidence if I'm not out there practicing!



That's all I have to say about that.

~K~

Oh My Word...I'm Blogging!

Well guys...here she is! My new bike :) Isn't she fab? She rides like a dream; so much smoother! (however, my rear end begs to differ...)



The "old" bike has been relegated to the basement, poor thing. Maybe I'll try to sell it to some unsuspecting mountain bike newbie next Spring. Ha ha. It really is a nice looking bike, but it is seriously a tank to haul up any type of hill...and if I'm going to get into mountain biking/trail riding at all, that guy isn't going to cut it!


Since I know no jargon I won't bore you with too many details, but she's a Trek6000 and has front suspension. It's a hardtail, which I learned means it has no rear suspension. Whatever. LOL It's not made of steel and I can bike up hills now, and the gears aren't finicky...that's all that matters to me! She's even quite pretty looking :) Hopefully she'll help get my bottom half toned up and leaner this summer, and will help get Duane and I out doing something together...unlike skiing!

Maybe 29 won't be so bad after all (not that I was too worried...). Happy birthday to me.
(these are a couple of birthday gifts from my new favorite shop in town...The Green Petal)


~K~

Vegetable, Flower or...weed??

What the heck is growing in my garden? Anyone know? Mom?
I really need to tidy it up, but I took a few pictures first and maybe someone could enlighten me?





My guess is that the last one is a lettuce of sorts...but that's all I've got.

~K~

Fairy Creek Trail

Not that we got very far up the trail before we diverted to more interesting and not so trail-like spots.

We took a couple hours on Sunday afternoon for a photography lesson..anything to hang out, just the two of us! I enjoyed it for the most part, but I think learning all this exposure stuff makes my head hurt. Numbers and figuring out how they correspond is NOT my forte and sorta takes the fun out of the hobby for me. I certainly enjoyed the time outside with the hubby though, and I think that's what counts.

Here are the shots from the afternoon (even though I know most of you have seen them on FB already...but my mother hasn't. Here you go, mom!).

The Teacher. He looks good in blue. I have a crush on the teacher...but I think I'm allowed!



He gave me a tough exposure here, but I figured it out!
One of my faves from the day



Another favorite. There was an old vehicle in shambles, and the door was pretty cool.

The photographer doing what he does best.

Another favorite...there are a few!



Yet another fave.

These icicles were just so neato!


Final shot of the walk...not a great one, but my husband just HAD to pull off the three-pronged icicle and shatter it on the rocks!


~K~