I've missed you so!

I put a little extra effort into getting my ducks all in a row as the week drew to an end.   My X-C Skis have been propped at my front door and I have been longing to clip in on a blue-bird day then just glide & stride & become one with them.  Ahhh, I have missed that so.  Then the stars aligned!  A plan was offered up and I jumped in with unbridled enthusiasm.

immediate view at the beginning of the Cascade Fire Road X-C Ski trail

beginning to glide & stride

on a blue-bird day

The others went ahead and I thoroughly enjoyed my pace & my space in this gorgeous place.  The temperature was low, the air was crisp and so refreshing.  It was no time at all before I had that feeling of becoming one with my skis.   I eventually arrived at the bridge which crosses the Cascade River.  The snow on the railing was too high to see over top, until.....

.....I reached the center and someone had cleared a foot wide section.  

This was the view between the high snow piles. 

I made my way to the far end of the bridge.  I skied this trail before but not to the bridge nor beyond.  At the end of the bridge there was a fork in the trail.  I pondered which way my friends would have gone and I had no idea.  Did they go straight or did they veer to the left.  I waited while wondering which way to go. I decided I better not chance going in the direction they did not, so had to make this my turn around point.  

view as I made my way back 

The return trip was loads of fun with a long section of gentle downhill.  I arrived back near the beginning and enjoyed one last vast vista before heading back to the trail head and savouring my tuna salad sandwich, bar-b-que chips, banana bread and tea whilst waiting for the others.  

Apres-X-C-Ski, we stopped in Canmore for snacks & hot beverages & catching up on everyones' lifes happenings.  

Today was perfection at its finest and all components ignited that spark for this sport.