You can teach a dog new tricks

Over the last few weeks i've been trying to get in biking shape in preparation for a bike race. Jeremy and I are doing an 8 hour race at Canada Olympic park at the end of May. He's been egging me on that I need to get on my bike at least a few times before the race. So today, I got home from work and decided to go for a bike ride down 12 mile coulee which is a nice trail minutes from our door step. I also had to get the dog out for some exercise so I decided to try her out on the trail. I patiently walked/biked up to the begining of the trail with her on a leash, then once on the trail I let her off leash and crossed my fingers. You see, Sky, our wonderful dog, is not the most reliable off leash and also not the most hyperactive/energetic dog in the world. She would much rather walk at a casual pace with her nose to the ground than to chase me as I fly down the trail on my bike.

Well I was surprised to say the least, she ran behind me all the way down the single track trail. I kept stopping once in a while to let her catch up, get a treat and take a drink from the creek. Once at the bottom she even went and chased a few ducks just to live up to her breed. On the way back up she wasn't as fast but she still followed with a big smile on her face. I guess I found a new biking buddy.

Mathieu

PS: The bike ride made me forget about the accident she had in the house today.

Canada Day Weekend

Time to add text to these photos. Last Canada day long weekend was spent in the mountains (surprise!). On Saturday we went climbing at Kid Goat. This climbing area is in the front range and is quite close to Calgary. We arrived a bit late thinking we had to do a lesser known route but were surprise to find only 4 cars there. We happened to get there at the same time as a fellow ACC/New Brunswicker we met at Rock Review and hiked up together. Me and Stacey did a route called "Keelhaul Wall" which is a 5 pitch climb. The name comes from the 3rd pitch which has this super textured rock that resembles the keel of a ship.


Stacey on the 2nd pitch of Keelhaul


Stacey on the third pitch of Keelhaul. You can see the texture on the rock.

After climbing we hiked down back to the car and went to Elk Lake Campground where we met Alexis and Blaine who just got back from there honeymoon in Belize. Good times where had but I kicked everyones a$$ at ATB (all terrain bocce ball). Their friends Trevor and Amy where also there with their friend Ken. Both Trevor and Ken are also from New Brunswick. I'm starting to see a patern in this. So the second day we went biking on Pocatera bike trail with Ken. We were the only ones with a map so it seems we were giving advice to a lot of other cyclists. A few turned around when we told them wrong information on the next turnoff. Lets just say they missed a nice downhill run. After the bike ride everybody else had left so me and Stacey just hung out at the campsite and decided to go take a walk around a little interpretive trail which loons, deer and beavers kindly showed up for a photo shoot, however we forgot our camera.


The ATB club


Stacey doing some nice banked turns on Pocaterra bike trail.


On the third day of the long weekend we had our sights set on Mt Indefatigable which is a mountain on the shores of upper Kananaskis lakes. After much debate of being on the right or wrong trail we finally emerged above the lake. This mountain is prime Grizzly habitat and the hills are covered in bear digs. We didn't see any grizzly on the moutain but on the way back home (in the car) we saw not one but two of them.


Mathieu slogging up Mount Indefatigable


Stacey on the ridge traverse from the South to North Summit

Local chipmunk welcoming us to the south summit, apparently he built that pyramid.

A nice weekend with a bit of everything. Sure beats last year Canada day weekend where Stacey got nearly hit by lightning but that's a story for another time.