More Dreaming

I feel like I've been neglecting this blog, but simply can't seem to find the time.  I've been feeling exhausted, drained, completely run down by work and other things. I know I need to make time for myself, but it's always lowest on the priority list. You can't tell cancer to just go away.  You have to deal with it and can't just walk away.  You learn who is really there during the tough times, and who is not; that, perhaps more than anything, has taught me a lot about people.  Leaving for work just after 6am and getting home closer to 10pm is taking its toll for it occupies my evenings and leaves me too tired on weekends, and yet I don't have the energy to start a new job.  There's only so much I can give, and have been very close to calling it quits to all.  I have an employment agreement on my desk waiting to be signed, but one of the conditions would be giving 4+ weeks notice.  I won't go for that now.  I feel like I'm on the brink .... on the brink of collapse really, so would want to know that there's an out faster than that.

Amidst all this, I've been dreaming of places to go and started a bucket list.  One day I'll go after it, scratching off one thing after another: places to go, things to do, relaxing.  And most important of all, s-l-o-w-i-n-g  d-o-w-n.  It may make me feel really selfish, but they're things I desperately need.  As a matter of fact, it's already meant that I make the odd impulse decision.

First up: A completely unexpected ski trip.  I had planned on skiing in to Bryant Creek Shelter (on the light touring skis) in early January.  I was excited and couldn't wait, but in the end was down with this year's lovely flu so had to cancel.  It had wiped me out completly for eight days, and just now, six weeks later, the cough is almost gone.  All the prep work that was done for the trip had me really wanting to go see Assiniboine.  Ski to Assiniboine.  We'd try making it on the second day.  Alas, it wasn't meant to be, but fast forward a few weeks when I get a random e-mail asking who's up for a serious backcountry trip ... to Assiniboine.  In the past I had promptly dismissed some of those invites for the group of people on the invite list are many whom I would consider to be hardcore - those who ski every weekend, have AST II, crevasse rescue, and other things under there belt.  How did I even get included in these lists?  But, excited about skiing at Assiniboine, even if it meant I was the only one on LT skis and sticking near the lodge on my own, I was fine with that.  I was excited.  Totally excited.  So excited like I haven't been since the day I drove out west last summer.  The plan is to take the helicopter in, spend two nights at the Naiset Huts, and then fly out. 

Helicopter to Assiniboine

Mount Assiniboine with one of the lodge's cabins

Mount Assiniboine

One of the pritive Naiset Huts where we'll be staying

Cook shelter

The start of Assiniboine ...

As luck had it, before Christmas I went on a LT ski outing, ran into others who want to try it out more, as well alpine touring (which, in my mind, was for the 'big kids').  Things just aligned, and a couple of us decided to join the hardcore boys for Assiniboine within half an hour.  We spent a week debating skis (maybe one could rent an AT set for the bvery first time, no?), and in the end decided to go on the LT sets and the two os us would stick together.  After having finally come to that decision, we have a pre-trip meeting and things turn around.  We get a pep talk on AT gear, and G. brings out the goods.  We try on his boots, and the skis.  And we're hooked.  We're going for it and the following day we spent an hour at the Outdoor Centre trying everything out.  Who knows if we'll be able to ski on those monsters, so we decide to go for a test day.

Test day, but where?  It would just be two of us and we want simple terrain.  We tell the guys what we're up to, just so they have some reassurance knowing that we'll at least have tried out the equipment before the big trip, and get another surprise back: they'll show us some tricks the weekend before.  Ok, we're in for that too.  Guess I need to rent some avy gear for that weekend too now.

So, it's been fun planning.  One of the guys offered to cook dinner, and the girls' eyes lit up.  Neither of us cook, so we get the look and question of what is up with women these days.  I'll bake dessert and whatever else they tell me to, but it's nice to also just be able to look forward to a nice home-cooked meal ... out at Assiniboine.

Meanwhile we've been doing more research on gear.  Getting things on sale this winter seems unlikely, for the pickings are slim as with anything after the main season.  However, we seem to have decided on the Dynafit bindings, only some ski tours will tell us what sizes we like there, and boots just have to be tried out.  Apparently it's a guarantee to get blisters in rental boots so I've already stocked up on the tape, moleskin, and blister stuff. 

Test weekend may see us here ...