How cool are Snow Cats?

Just before Christmas, Coach Adam and I headed up to Lake Louise early, very early (actually 5:30 am is too early in my books!) to build the start section on which we will train for our Christmas Training Camp prior to the full course being ready for us in the New Year. With the help of a friendly and talented Cat Driver we managed to build a mound to put the start gate on, a small wu-tang and a couple of rollers. It was a pretty amazing experience being up on the hill in the dark watching the Cat move snow so quickly and effortlessly to create features. Here are some photos...

Adam chatting about the possible things we could construct.

Snow!

Temple mountain in the back ground as the Sun comes up...

"I'm going to eat you...." watching a Cat come towards you is a little frightening!

As you can see the views were pretty spectacular with the sun rising over those crazy Rocky Mountains! It was definitely a unique experience to be standing on the wu tang as the cat pushed more snow up. The accuracy of the Cat Driver was amazing. 

This experience also gave me a new appreciation of what it must take to build a full course for us to race on. The hours of Cat time, digging and planning that go into each course must be immense. At times as racers we can be quick to judge a course; complaining that it doesn't flow or the features are too small, too big, too rough etc. etc. However, I'm sure at each of those courses there were factors, including the amount and type of snow, the natural shape of the terrain, the amount of money and time available, that came to play and the builders did their best to create a challenging and manageable course. We racers should perhaps learn how to better deal with these different issues rather than determining that it was the course that was the problem. 

After a couple of test runs down the features prior to a final grooming we were satisfied that it would work for training & we headed off for some early lunch to fill the bellies after a cold morning out on the hill. Now I just can't wait to spend some time out there perfecting my starts and getting the legs moving!

Bring on the 27th of December & training camp Day 1!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Canmore in Alberta! I hope that I find everyone who reads this blog enjoying some good times with friends and family.

I tried to go ice skating today (Christmas Eve) and failed due to a shortage of skates in Canmore, playing Boot-Hockey was still fun! Though it is these times of the year that seem to be the hardest to be away from home. I'm definitely glad that modern technology will allow me to skype with the Family that remains in Australia & see their happy, suntanned faces!

Stay tuned for some photos and a blog about a recent experience building the start section of a boardercross course for us to train on at the post-Christmas training camp! It was pretty amazing watching the Cat work.

Eat up & be Jolly!

Walking in Canmore - a reminder why being away from family so worth it... It's so beautiful!

Sending well wishes for the "Holidays" from Canmore.

What we do when we are not snowboarding

Friday is official activities day in Canmore. After completing our final workout of the week it is time to have some fun & enjoy the fact that Saturday is solely for free-riding, sleeping, eating or whatever we please!

We start the "weekend" with team recovery in the form of cupcakes at a local cafe that bakes delicious gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with green tea icing.

Feeling a little guilty about the poor post work out recovery but enjoying the treat!

Friday afternoon is then for cooking, cleaning clothes (I have constructed a temporary clothesline in my room at the hostel) and cruising the shops. This past Friday I managed to get a uniform consisting of dress pants and a black shirt for my new job at the Thrift Store for $7.63!! I was pretty excited.

After all this down-time it is time for some fun-time. The Canmore Legion, the local Veterans Club/RSL, hosts a bingo night every Friday night. There are lots of corny jokes, decent cash prizes and $11.25 pitcher/jugs of beer - what more do you need to have a good time? After getting a handle on the bingo lingo, what a "dabber" is and all the crazy shapes that you need to get a "BINGO" I managed to pocket $7 with a little win with one line of the sandwich - don't ask me now what that is...!

Me with my winning card!!

Saturday is always a pretty mellow day riding at one of the hills and recovering from all the friday night frivolity!

My aforementioned job, at a restaurant in a hotel across the road from the hostel, may cut in to these fun times as I'm going to be working Friday and Saturday nights at least until mid January. However having some income is pretty important and I am looking forward to making a whole new group of acquaintances. I'm sure I will find some time to fit in extra-curricular activities. There are so many post snowboarding options - hot springs in Banff, bakery in Lake Louise and even skating on the town pod. if I can find some for a bargain around town. It is important to make sure that training is balanced out with some light entertainment. It is too easy to get really caught up in progress on the snow such that training becomes unproductive. Luckily I have great team mates and friends at the hostel to enjoy all the other things that the area has to offer.

Sending shouts of BINGO from Canmore.