no time for excuses
just put Dean down
"putting someone down" is parent speak for putting a child to sleep
we read several stories from that same Maurice Sendak "little bear" collection
he was tired
it was a full day
snow days go that way
snow days are high energy for everyone, young and old
everyone sleeps better after a long day in the snow
(Dean did not go to sleep..... will check with lisa, but I think he was up after I left for my late night adventure... we spoke while I BLOGGED... he was playing with his dinosaurs)
this was our long day
long in a good way....
the snow began as lisa left the house this morning sometime around 8am
the dogs needed to be walked and I was watching the boys
we hiked in the woods of Rock Creek with snow at our feet and snow in the air
the snow was dropping fast and stacking up faster
it was a snowy adventure
Dean was a good sport hiking in his snowsuit with his snowboots
Grant seemed content in his snowpants stuffed into the backpack face poking out of a baby balacava
we managed to do about half the loop across the street
it was not far
but with snow we moved more slowly and had more reasons to stop
Dean asked to go home without whinning or crying... just asked
the dogs were a little annoyed by the mini-hike
oh... well... sorry pups
everyone popped back into the house just to drop the dogs off and then grab my random survival bag
time to multi-task
packed into the Honda Element
the Aqua Pets frozen in their snow globe like homes
I drink coffee as I drive
dean and I split some gatorade (I get the lion's share)
we all split bananas and raisins (grant seems to be getting more than his share)
this is all done after a 4 minute cross town drive to AYC where lisa is at an Ashtanga One class
just zip from Mount Pleasant to Tenlytown
lisa comes out to the car after all bananas, all raisins, and all the gatorade has been devoured
I pass off the Element with two young boys..... lisa passes off keys and directions to her VW Passat wagon that she has parked around the corner
it is my turn at the AYC..... I am going to an Astanga Open One class
class rocked.... I suck at yoga.... but the feeling rocks
don't need to be good at yoga to feel results
just need to try.... push yourself... and enjoy
after class it is back home for fun in the snow
lisa hikes the dogs with grant in a backpack
it is a short hike..... Grant has had enough of the backpack.... she joins us soon enough
we are out back with a neighbor Leo (Leo is Dean's age)
then neighbor Alec (roughly Dean's age... a tad younger) comes through the fence
as the boys play I fire up the chimeria
saved the christmas tree for just such pleasures
there is some hectic playing in the snow... mostly with trucks
snow makes the world a massive sandbox
Alec grows cold and goes home
those that remain roast some marshmellows in the chimeria
I think I am the only one that eats any roasted marshmelllows...... I eat may
the boys are thrilled to see them burst and burn and grow in the fire
then inside to dry off, regroup, recharge, and prep for the afternoon sledding experience
there is talk of heading out with Elijah
tentative plans were made with a shout out the window after our morning session
more on this
I think lisa is going to hike the dogs
then I am doing a night session on the xc skies
hours have passed since I started this post
back from a night session with the petzel headlamps and the cross country skiies
I feel like I just got back from playing tackle football with the boys
set out for a mellow trip on Beach Drive
well... went out for an hour this afternoon on the skies where I scoped out Beach Drive.... it was fast and fun
perfect grade for the absolute beginner
so as my lights illuminated the land around the corner I could see that the plows have done the unthinkable....
they plowed Beach Drive... not well enough for anyone to safely ride a bicycle
but they plowed it well enough to send me "swoooooshing" elsewhere
so I headed for the horse trails....
early into my horse trail journey I got humbled
humbled hard
realize I did not know how to ski as I went downhill towards a slight turn and a water bar...
I think I leaned back but not sure
I am sure that I wiped out and wiped out hard
total "yard sale"
headlamp and hat somewhere in the snow
poles still attached to my wrists
planks still attached to my feet
all pointed in different awkward directions
slow speed
yet somehow super painful
after that crash I moved back towards the xc equivelant of the bunny slope
it is good to experience the sensation of being a beginner again
puts things in perspective
pushed it up on the road
followed other skier tracks
had the iPOD pumping
just the right amount of gear
was working a serious sweat
yet not overheating
had to swap out to a lighter hat
knowing that was a risk I had my Mountainsmith fanny pack filled with alternate gloves, alternate hat, water, and some sugary snacks
an hour in I fueled up then turned it around
the trip back took nearly half the time
home now
body sore
out of the shower with a glass of wine where a bottle of water should be
reflecting on the day
thinking the highlight of the day was having Dean and Leo sledding down the path across the street each with a petzel strapped to their heads
good gear rocks!
just put Dean down
"putting someone down" is parent speak for putting a child to sleep
we read several stories from that same Maurice Sendak "little bear" collection
he was tired
it was a full day
snow days go that way
snow days are high energy for everyone, young and old
everyone sleeps better after a long day in the snow
(Dean did not go to sleep..... will check with lisa, but I think he was up after I left for my late night adventure... we spoke while I BLOGGED... he was playing with his dinosaurs)
this was our long day
long in a good way....
the snow began as lisa left the house this morning sometime around 8am
the dogs needed to be walked and I was watching the boys
we hiked in the woods of Rock Creek with snow at our feet and snow in the air
the snow was dropping fast and stacking up faster
it was a snowy adventure
Dean was a good sport hiking in his snowsuit with his snowboots
Grant seemed content in his snowpants stuffed into the backpack face poking out of a baby balacava
we managed to do about half the loop across the street
it was not far
but with snow we moved more slowly and had more reasons to stop
Dean asked to go home without whinning or crying... just asked
the dogs were a little annoyed by the mini-hike
oh... well... sorry pups
everyone popped back into the house just to drop the dogs off and then grab my random survival bag
time to multi-task
packed into the Honda Element
the Aqua Pets frozen in their snow globe like homes
I drink coffee as I drive
dean and I split some gatorade (I get the lion's share)
we all split bananas and raisins (grant seems to be getting more than his share)
this is all done after a 4 minute cross town drive to AYC where lisa is at an Ashtanga One class
just zip from Mount Pleasant to Tenlytown
lisa comes out to the car after all bananas, all raisins, and all the gatorade has been devoured
I pass off the Element with two young boys..... lisa passes off keys and directions to her VW Passat wagon that she has parked around the corner
it is my turn at the AYC..... I am going to an Astanga Open One class
class rocked.... I suck at yoga.... but the feeling rocks
don't need to be good at yoga to feel results
just need to try.... push yourself... and enjoy
after class it is back home for fun in the snow
lisa hikes the dogs with grant in a backpack
it is a short hike..... Grant has had enough of the backpack.... she joins us soon enough
we are out back with a neighbor Leo (Leo is Dean's age)
then neighbor Alec (roughly Dean's age... a tad younger) comes through the fence
as the boys play I fire up the chimeria
saved the christmas tree for just such pleasures
there is some hectic playing in the snow... mostly with trucks
snow makes the world a massive sandbox
Alec grows cold and goes home
those that remain roast some marshmellows in the chimeria
I think I am the only one that eats any roasted marshmelllows...... I eat may
the boys are thrilled to see them burst and burn and grow in the fire
then inside to dry off, regroup, recharge, and prep for the afternoon sledding experience
there is talk of heading out with Elijah
tentative plans were made with a shout out the window after our morning session
I think lisa is going to hike the dogs
then I am doing a night session on the xc skies
hours have passed since I started this post
back from a night session with the petzel headlamps and the cross country skiies
I feel like I just got back from playing tackle football with the boys
set out for a mellow trip on Beach Drive
well... went out for an hour this afternoon on the skies where I scoped out Beach Drive.... it was fast and fun
perfect grade for the absolute beginner
so as my lights illuminated the land around the corner I could see that the plows have done the unthinkable....
they plowed Beach Drive... not well enough for anyone to safely ride a bicycle
but they plowed it well enough to send me "swoooooshing" elsewhere
so I headed for the horse trails....
early into my horse trail journey I got humbled
humbled hard
realize I did not know how to ski as I went downhill towards a slight turn and a water bar...
I think I leaned back but not sure
I am sure that I wiped out and wiped out hard
total "yard sale"
headlamp and hat somewhere in the snow
poles still attached to my wrists
planks still attached to my feet
all pointed in different awkward directions
slow speed
yet somehow super painful
after that crash I moved back towards the xc equivelant of the bunny slope
it is good to experience the sensation of being a beginner again
puts things in perspective
pushed it up on the road
followed other skier tracks
had the iPOD pumping
just the right amount of gear
was working a serious sweat
yet not overheating
had to swap out to a lighter hat
knowing that was a risk I had my Mountainsmith fanny pack filled with alternate gloves, alternate hat, water, and some sugary snacks
an hour in I fueled up then turned it around
the trip back took nearly half the time
home now
body sore
out of the shower with a glass of wine where a bottle of water should be
reflecting on the day
thinking the highlight of the day was having Dean and Leo sledding down the path across the street each with a petzel strapped to their heads
good gear rocks!