Sunday, January 16, 2011

For Squirrel!

In my last post I mentioned snowshoeing, my beloved winter activity.  Squirrel, over at Feelin' Swell: My Life With RA, questioned me as to what the heck this actually is.  Well, far be it from me to get over-excited and blab on and on about snowshoeing!

For starters, here are a few pics of me snowshoeing over Christmas break:
In the top photo you can see the Franster joining me in a pose while modeling her Christmas bandanna (yes I am a nerd who puts a bandanna on her dog!).  And, the bottom is an action shot.  We don't have much snow, but I was desperate to get out! :)

Basically snowshoeing is the use of snowshoes to be able to walk on snow, distributing weight evenly to avoid sinking into it too deeply.  This is pretty key for places that get many feet/metres of snow.   Snowshoes are traditionally a wooden, ovalish frame with woven rawhide (or rope, or any other long rope-like thing).  Modern snowshoes are metal, no real weaving, and are generally smaller.  I can't really see them working in very deep snow, due to their size.  These are not for me.  I like the wooden/woven ones.

(Here is where I would insert a close-up pic of a more traditional snowshoe, but blogger is being a jerk.  Instead here is a wikipedia link to have a look at one type of snowshoe).

Snowshoeing is my favourite form of exercise, it is my favourite way to burn calories, to socialize, to de-stress, to walk the dog, to re-energize and to enjoy the outdoors.  When I couldn't snowshoe last year, due to my dumb ankle, I cried.  When I tried again this year, and was able to do it, I cried again.  I am in no way an exercise lover (I am in fact, quite lazy), but there is something about it that enthralls me.  It works my muscles like crazy, while simultaneously linking me to nature (I live in Labrador for a reason).

As, I type this I look out the window to see snow softly falling, a promise of snowshoe days to come.  This truly is my bliss.  Thanks for the opportunity to share this, Squirrel!

9 comments:

  1. I love being Canadian, eh!

    :) L

    P.S. Although I shouldn't boast. Last time I went snowshoeing (at a resort, sad to say!!!), I almost got lost, since my friend and I were so busy talking....! We had to follow our snowshoe prints back out of the woods. Yikes!

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  2. P.P.S. If Squirrel ever comes this way, we must have an igloo-building, snowshoeing (?), pie-eating get-together!

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  3. Haha! That's amazing!!!! I have seen those things before in books/movies, but never heard of anyone using them in real life. You crazy Canadians.. :D

    Really glad you feel well enough to enjoy snowshoeing this year, Pony. And that you finally got a bit of snow. All of ours has melted YASSSS! It'll probably come back but I am already in the mood for spring..

    Laurie, that sounds amazing! Do all Canadians get classes in igloo building and snowshoeing at school? I don't need classes in pie eating, we're good at that in Scotland. :)

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  4. Haha! No, no classes in it, at least not where I come from, which is the big bad city of Toronto. We just do it naturally. It's in the blood, I guess. Although given that I'm first-generation Canadian with an Italian/German background, maybe the water? Who knows? Anyyyyyyyway. Where there's snow, there's fun times!

    The pie? It's just yummy!

    :) L

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  5. Oh my goddddd, now I NEED to go for a snowshoe, build an igloo, then top off the day with a warm slice of pie. That's a perfect day, right there!

    Agreed, Laurie, where there's snow there's fun times!!

    What kind of pie should we eat? I vote for an entire three course pie meal: tiny quiche appetizers, some kind of meat pie/shepherd's pie, then followed by a sweet pie for dessert :) Oh yes!

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  6. Ummm what about...floor pie... hopefully you're Simpsons fans and that made sense!

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  7. I am a Simpsons fan, but did have to go to youtube to refresh my memory, haha! I do remember that scene and it is hilarious :D I love me some Homer!

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  8. Hi Pony! I wish I could snowshoe with you. Do not get much snow in this forsaken desert I live in! I hope you are well! I am gonna try blogging again after my long break!

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  9. I'm so glad to hear that you are blogging again, Judy! I've been wondering what you were up to :)

    You're more than welcome to come snowshoe with me (if we had a bit more snow, that is!). Though I did mention before that some folks use the new fancy ones in the sand, but that sounds less fun to me :D

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