PLPP Trails X-C Ski February 6, 2020

The perfect place to feel the love today was Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  I looked forward to gliding along X-C Ski tracks that were new to me.  Once again we would be spoiled with one of those one-wayers starting from Elk Pass and finishing at the Discovery Centre.  In between we would ski on sections of Boulton Creek, Moraine and Wheeler with short sections of other tracks included.  The more I ski the more I enjoy it, I am doing better at maintaining momentum, my confidence level is improving and this comes from being "out & about" with supportive friends.  We did experience a comedy of errors that would have been ideal footage for America's Funniest Home Videos but it was not a priority to capture it but rather gather ourselves and make sure everyone was O.K.!

The weather was perfect as were the views.

We were a group of ten and it was only us that we each saw for the entire stretch of our ski except for  two or three minutes as we neared the end when we saw a few others through the trees. We had a sky that looked like this all day.  Some sections had been groomed and track set last night.  What more could we ask for?

Views like this had me stopping in my tracks to secure physical memories.

Gliding in perfect tracks over rolling hills was such a delight.  

We took a break here to savour the scenery and to secure some solo shots. 

We continued along the trail to the picnic bench to dine.  Lunch was just long enough to refuel, snap a few shots and carry on some conversation on how to solve some world problems. We had success with the refueling and snapping shots but that's it!

For the next section we spaced ourselves apart to allow for what was to come.  We were aware to a degree of the degree of challenge ahead, but for some of us that degree of challenge came as a surprise.  We were successful with the steep down hill and the very sharp blind quick turn right but then wam bam!  Immediately we had a short steep uphill and here we had a five person pile up, yes a pile up on a short steep uphill.  Five people down, five people trying to stand up on a steep uphill!  I yelled out to warn the others still to come, not to come, that everyone was down!  Thankfully we were all O.K. and afterwards chuckled about it as it did look like a comedy of errors!

All upright and back gliding again, we continued on Wheeler.  

We were aware of the Ski For Light event taking place and came about the signs notifying us so.  

From beginning to end the weather and the views were ideal!

It looks pretty perfect to me!

We arrived at the Discovery Centre, geared down then entered to where we could unload the layers, loosen the boot laces and sip & savour some snacks.  My choice along with a couple of friends was to just relax while the others enjoyed a short film in the theatre about wolves.

This was our view from the deck at the Discovery Centre.

Today's enjoyable outing is exactly what ignites the fire to get back out there again!