A venue for one another in 2010: Outdoors - By Vernon Woolsley

 

So I'm just playing editor on this one. The story comes from my friend Vernon Woolsley. When I heard about Vernon's New Year's Eve experience, I knew I had to get his story on here. What a wonderful way to start the new year. There's nothing better than a winter getaway in the wilderness. Enjoy.





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A venue for one another in 2010: Outdoors

Three couples sharing a getaway far inland from where the forest meets the Bay is a pretty remarkable NYE scenario.

Our assemblage trekked from the Village of Alma on the Bay of Fundy to a riverside cabin on skis. And when the Gregorian calendar rounded the bend, we found ourselves under a blue moon perched atop an ice flow on the river rocks. Gorgeous.

Lit by the moon, the gorge walls opposite the river told us of the descent from the highland we’d just made; careening down forested fingers of land to the river delta where we would overnight. It was in this river bend I’d swam with the Salmon 20 years ago, when the species at risk wasn’t nearing receiving additional river buffer protection. We may not get away with igniting sparklers here in 2011.

We’re 8km from where we began our adventure. The landscape is sweet to the senses, a rewarding place to meet following the journey. We skied from a point up gradient in Alma that made for more of a coast on the way in, while the consumables like large pots of hot food remained full – or untouched back at the starting point. Being risk takers, my partner skied on unproven hand made bindings, and I towed a hand made pulk (towed sled) into serious remoteness. We’d brought savory dishes and libations a plenty, but it was the conversation and sense of place that was most stimulating. It’s the kind of scene where you could really enjoy getting storm stayed!

The turnaround days that are the holidays demand this kind of outing. Still now, a week later, I’m benefiting from the coincidence of energies during the experience. Had we hit up a social club, our bodies would be sore and marked in less character building ways. And we’d be talking about how many numbers 2010 can be divided by. Interestingly enough, our year of the lord is divisible by 6 (the number of people in our group), and by 3 (the number of couples), not to mention 10, 5, 2, and of course 1. 

Clearly things bode well for us this year!

Right. May 2010 bring plenty of kick and glide, and a thriving outdoor ethic!

Vernon Woolsey
Alma, NB 

Cross Country PowWowder

I headed home last weekend to get a dose of cross country skiing. Perfect powdery conditions gave me an opportunity to reflect on why I love cross country skiing.

Friday night while I was brushing my teeth before bed my mom suggested we take a moonlight ski. Under the bright full moon our shadows were crisp outlines on the sparkling snow. I had "diamonds on the soles of her shoes" playing in my head as we kicked up brilliant crystals of powder. We cruised in the rolling fields behind our house.

Saturday morning I experimented with my dad's old waxed skis. Though a little sloppy in the boot these skis have metal edges and a modern NNN binding. On the hilly fields behind our house I found the speed to cut a few turns. They were short shaky downhill runs, my turns were sloppy, but I couldn't stop smiling at the exhilarating speed I found.

Saturday afternoon, my mom and dad and I went out to Markhamville for a cross country ski party. The Pownings and McKegs maintain miles of trails through their big rolling hills. There were all levels of skiers there so we split among trails described as Easy, Intermediate, and Kamikaze.

The "Kamikaze" trail wound up to the top of the ridge through birch groves, skirted a deep ravine, cut sharp turns through spruce forest, crossed a hill top blueberry field, then finally charged its way down into the Markhamville Valley on a series of fast descents. The 6" of powder provided beautiful glide and was just the right weight to carve cross country skis into. I'll admit I was snowplowing down some of those tight runs.

From the Valley Bottom, rows of hardwood and spruce hills tapered off into the Fundy Highlands. Markhamville is the last settled farming valley before the Fundy Coast.

Climbing back out of the valley to dinner, Dave and I couldn't resist turning our skis around and pointing them down hill. Starting down the long hill I imagined broken bones and was glad that Dave, the ER doctor, was skiing behind me. Luckily the turns came at the top before I picked up more speed then I knew what to do with on three pin cross country skis!

After dinner we gathered together a posse for night skiing on some gentle trails. The moon exploded through gaps of racing clouds lightning. We could feel the wind blowing in warmer weather signaling the end of this week's powder.

Cross country skiing brings me so much happiness in winter. It's a way to escape cabin fever, explore new terrain, play like a kid again, and generate some well deserved heat in winter. It can be fast and wild or slow and gentle. Either way, the smooth rhythm of gliding skis always helps me breathe. My mind becomes calm and my thinking clear. The more I ski the better I feel.