Day 2,875

Growth:

We all have our own paths to follow in life. As my buddy Steve once explained, “every man climbs their own mountain.” There is no one right life, their is only our own life. What we choose to do with it is entirely up to us.

Over the past year or so I’m finding increasingly interesting patterns in the reading choices I make. As we browsed through the bookstore in Lake Louise I became very aware of the pattern as I’d read many of the books within the adventure and exploration section, the ones focused on real life stories of people who lived into an entirely different reality than what I have experienced. While I’m realizing the passion I have for living into some of my own dreams their stories add dream fuel to my bucket list – while also helping me see the trade offs I’m not willing to make. So thankful for seeing the pattern so I can lean into it more.

Appreciation:

One of the camping traditions Becky and I have had for many years is heading out for either a run or a bike ride while the boys chill with their cousins. Our ride today through the wildlife preserve was full of wildlife sightings. There were multiple deer, cranes, birds, and other small mammals. Throw in the bison they farm there as well and it was a spectacular way to experience exercise No a camping trip. So thankful for taking the time to hop on the bikes today!

Presence:

This evening we had a warning about a potentially dangerous storm rolling through so we opted to wait it out in our car rather than our tent. Listening to the storm front roll in was amazing! The change in pressure, the drop in lighting, the increase in winds, and the flashes of lightning were all reminders of the power of nature. It may not have been as extreme as the thunderstorm in the Porkies a few years back but it was still a moment I was happy to be present in. And having a bonus couple hours of reading time was pretty sweet and greatly appreciated too.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,874

Growth:

Gotta love the lessons that transcend! As we loaded up the car for camping today Gavin and I had the reminder to start with the biggest items first and then fill in the gaps. What a wonderful reminder of how we should plan our lives!

Appreciation:

Huge amounts of gratitude and appreciation for my “sister from another mister” – Kathy – for coming to my rescue today! Somehow I managed to rip the nail of my right big toe in an all bad way. She cleared out some time for me and got my nail cemented and coated with acrylic to help keep it from tearing worse. So thankful for her willingness to help me out on short notice and during a busy day!!!

Presence:

Blogging from inside my camping hammock… always one of my favorite places. Sleeping outdoors, hearing the sounds of frogs and crickets, and breathing fresh air. Perfection!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,873

Growth:

When returning from vacation I’ve learned to quickly cull the herd on the big pile of digital pics within 24 hours of getting home. If I do it within 24 hours I’m much more likely to look back on the photos with more joy as there are only the best of the best remaining. If I wait longer than that I’m less likely to go back to clean them up and I’ll get frustrated looking at 15 pictures of the same thing as I worked to get the best one. (Yes, I’m that person, the one who takes a handful in order to get maybe one good one.) It’s kind of a form of grit and discipline, take time to clean it up the first time and life is better the rest of the time.

Appreciation:

I’m not quite there yet, but I am SOOOOOOO thankful for my bed!!! The beds of the past week and a half were all good, but there’s nothing quite like the feel of getting home after vacation, unpacking, and knowing that my bed is sitting there waiting for me to get back into it for an incredibly restful night of sleep!

Presence:

Wowza – so many moments of presence on this vacation! In looking back through the pictures with Becky this evening my mind is blown by just how many moments are burned into my brain. So thankful for taking so many pics to help bring back those moments but not so many that the moments were missed due to viewing the world from behind a lens.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,872

Growth:

One of the hikes we wanted to do today was PACKED!!! There were people and cars everywhere in the park and along the beginning of the trail. The trail itself was okay, nothing too special. We wanted to do it specifically because it was on the way back to Calgary and it was one Becky and I weren’t able to finish the last time were here (long story, we’ve got a nickname for the trail due to the companions we had on the trail who insisted we were on the wrong trail). Due to bear activity and lack of the mandatory bear spray we opted to leave early and find a different hiking location.

By the time we drove through the crowd and past another park with a completely full parking lot we were nervous that our new location was also going to be packed. As it turned out the lot was only about half full! The hike then turned into an awesome experience as I’ll discuss more below. The hike around the lake was more scenic in many ways than the busy location and we enjoyed it tremendously. It was a great reminder for me that the busiest and most popular isn’t always the best.

Appreciation:

Shortly after starting the hie we heard the loons on the lake. Very soon they were swimming towards the area we were heading towards. We found a quiet spot on the grass and chilled while watching the two adults and their chick swim, fish, and preen. As the loons did their thing a muskrat decided he wanted some attention too so he swam right past and hung out nearby in the water. We just sat and enjoyed the show for many minutes. What an awesome way to wrap up the hiking of this vacation!

Presence:

This morning Becky and I got up and moving early to attempt to catch the sun coming up over the mountain to light up Emerald Lake. We weren’t quite sure exactly what time it would pop up over the mountain so we got there early and enjoyed the silence for an hour and a half while sitting on a bench alongside the lake. Everything was so still and calm, it was excellent! The sunrise was amazing even if it only lasted a moment before being gobbled up by thick clouds, but the best part was just sitting and enjoying the moments of serenity with Becky on the bench.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,871

Growth:

My body is pretty sore and that’s an awesome thing. Over the past week we’ve put in a lot of miles hiking on quite an increase of elevation. Doing this almost everyday for a week has left me feeling a bit tight, sore, and pretty tired. Feels like a successful vacation to me!

What I need to remember is that this feels great as I’m doing something that I am passionate about with a fun purpose, how do I create that same sense of purpose in my normal exercise to stay smiling while working out? If I can do it here I can choose to have that same attitude at home.

Appreciation:

The past week has been spent in very close quarters with my family. We may drive each other nuts once in a while, especially when we have this much time all together, but there’s no others on earth I’d rather share this experience with. From laughs to smiles to frustrations to shared moments of awe the memories I’m making with my family will be amongst the greatest treasures of my life. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to spend so much time with my family creating these awesome memories together.

Presence:

What an awesome moment this was this morning as we hiked along Emerald Lake…

Thanks!!!

Day 2,870

Growth:

“Trials of miles and miles of trials.”

John L Parker, Once a Rummer

Time spent on the trail ticks by at a very different pace and thoughts run in slightly different directions. While we are hiking s a family there are many moments of silence as we each dive into our own thoughts. In those moments of quiet the mind has no distractions, no noise, no upcoming calls, only the trail in front of us and the surroundings. This quiet provides the opportunity to think and to enjoy true stillness – even while hiking. My thoughts get more clear, are more focused on what is really important, and are more insightful.

Miles on the trail can be some of the best medicine for the soul and I’m grateful for the opportunity to enjoy it.

Appreciation:

When we do family vacations we often eat in rather than going out to eat. Sure, restaurants are delicious, but home cooked food really hits the spot in so many other ways. There are also so many additional benefits to this. We split up cooking and clean up duties. We spend time together talking over dinner at the dining room table. We have more time together and have a more relaxed evening. Vacations are awesome, but some family traditions are all the sweeter when they happen while traveling.

Presence:

Sitting at the end of the Plain of Six Glaciers trail the four of us all sat in silence on the rocks looking at the truly awesome sight in front of us. There was monster of a rock structure towering over us and a mountain that made that rock look truly minuscule by comparison. The massiveness of what we were experiencing was nothing short of wondrous. In that moment of quiet we were all in the presence of something greater and were sharing that moment with each other without saying a word.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,869

Growth:

Remember how important it is to take care of my body. While I was able to knock out the 3,100’ of elevation gain and keep going the entire time I couldn’t help but think a few thoughts:

• I’m thankful I’ve kept myself in the shape to do this
• How much more would I have enjoyed this hike if I were about 30 pounds lighter and in better athletic condition?
• If I want to continue to do these types of hikes into my 80’s what should I be doing now to prepare?

Without physical health it is so much more difficult for me to live into my best self. Take better care of this body and it will reward my mind and spirit with more adventures.

Appreciation:

So much to be thankful for today! Definitely a list kind of day.

• Being with Becky to knock out one of her bucket list dreams
• Seeing Dominic dive into learning about living his best life through outdoor activities
• Watching Gavin see how he can power through and use his strengths to accomplish his goals while he was bouldering
• Having an awesome guide who was a blast to talk with, interacted superbly well with our boys, and who made the experience all the more positive and memorable
• Being in a near constant state of awe and wonder in one of the most beautiful places on earth
• Spending time with my family doing what we enjoy most, outdoor adventuring

Presence:

I can’t begin to do justice by explaining how beautiful and truly awesome the Lake O’Hara area is. My mind is still reeling with the enormity and grandeur it took in on our hike. Around every corner was another source of a sense of wonder. One of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done, no question.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,868

The nice thing about creating a blog is that I can change the rules as I see fit based on how I’m feeling and where my thoughts are taking me. The objective is to spend time focused on reflecting on what I am grateful for throughout the day. In so many ways it is a much needed opportunity to pause life and dive inside to remind myself to be appreciative of all the blessings the day has provided. While I have been focused on a Growth, Appreciation, and Presence based format my thoughts on the hiking trail today have led me towards one specific train of thought so I’m going to roll with it tonight and will likely get back on the normal track tomorrow.

Throughout the past few days we’ve been surrounded by the mountains. The behemoths seems to constantly remind me of just how small I am in the big picture of things. They completely dominate the landscape and are only seen in partiality, one must travel over them in order to start to soak up their massiveness. There’s another way that they leave me seeing my place in the universe…

One constant on this trip has been the power of time. I get frustrated when I pull up to a stoplight that just turned red, when I have to wait in a line at the grocery store, or for a variety of things that cause me to feel like I am missing precious seconds or a moment. Seconds. Moments. God forbid I lose an hour or more! I measure life in moments, hours, days, weeks. In the extreme I may even measure it in years.

While hiking the valley carved out by a glacier I couldn’t help but focus on the smooth rippled rock I was stepping on. The rock was slowly carved and smoothed by the grinding of glaciers and sand over thousands of years. Literally ages. The glacier ice that has since receded and stood sentinel above us is older than I am by hundreds of years. The ice makes my life look life a flash in the pan!

The mountains themselves are an entirely different story. These specific mountains were created over ONE HUNDRED MILLION years ago. If I lived 1.2 million lifetimes I still wouldn’t have been around to see them. They were slowly created by the pressure of plates pressing against each other for a wildly long period of time that my brain can’t even being to fully comprehend. The mountains tower over me and have been around long before humans and will continue to be here long after us. Another way in which they put me in my place and help me see just how small I am – in size and time. What a powerfully humbling realization / recognition.

The way that I see time sometimes needs to be slowed. Pause and remember that time stretches on much longer than I realize. Yes, sometimes the seconds matter, but more often it is okay to slow down and let nature take its course.

Time moves differently for humans and mountains, but there is much to be learned from in that difference. Sometimes the greatest and grandest things in life take a very long time to shape and form, don’t rush them, let nature run its course.

This trip has been an awesome opportunity to spend time in quiet thought and contemplation in addition to spending time with family. I’m grateful for the ways the concept of time have started to work their ways into my brain. It seems there’s something here I really need to learn. Mountains – I’m here and I’m listening.

Thanks!!!

Day 2,867

Growth:

Remember that rest is okay, even on vacation. I don’t always needs to go full speed all the time. Pause, breathe, unwind, relax, and be rested. Tonight I’m calling it a night earlier than usual, especially for a vacation night. Time to rest up and be ready for a full day tomorrow!

Appreciation:

While it is easy to remember when the weather doesn’t quite work out as planned it is really difficult to remember all the times the weather was absolutely perfect as happens more often than not. On our drive from Jasper to Field the skies got increasingly more and more hazy from smoke. For the previous couple of days the haze was very light and we had wonderful views of the mountains in the distance. Today was an entirely different story as the smoke almost completely choked out the view of the ranges that were crystal clear only 24 hours prior.

Had we done our glacier hike today rather than yesterday the entire experience would have been very different. We totally lucked out and had favorable winds and skies and I didn’t completely appreciate it until today. What an excellent reminder to appreciate all the wonderful weather we have when we have it, so easy to take for granted, but still so deserving of appreciation.

Presence:

Throughout our hike atop Whistler’s Summit today was filled with many moments of presence. We occasionally climbed giant boulders, joked around for pictures, and took in the amazing beauty all around us. Such beautiful sights from 4,600+ feet above the town of Jasper, including seeing the bungalows we’d stayed at along the Athabasca River, so easy to be present in the moment.

I almost feel like I’m on cheat mode during vacations like this… so many moments focused on the here and now as there is so much to be intensely focused on. This area is so beautiful, I am so grateful for our time here!

Thanks!!!

Day 2,866

Growth:

The small incremental changes can be difficult to notice, but larger changes shown at extremes can rock us to our core. Today we saw how far the glacier we first visited twelve years ago had receded since our past visit and it was heartbreaking. We stood at the spot we’d stepped up onto ice twelve years ago and were still well over a quarter mile of ice away.

Watching it daily we would have missed the change. Seeing it after do many years was shockingly obvious.

Appreciation:

The entire area around the Athabasca Glacier is so beautiful it is hard to put into words. The entire valley is surrounded by picturesque mountains covered in glaciers and causes the senses of distance and perspective to be so distorted that it’s almost impossible to take it all in. To have the opportunity to spend a few hours there was such a gift!

Presence:

As we stood over the mouth of a waterfall the sound echoed so loudly off the rock that I could feel the sensation of the sound in my chest. It was wild!!! So much raw power from the waterfall, to see it, hear it, AND feel it was awesome!

Thanks!!!