A birthday week, a smile and 5 days of skiing

Well I didn't have to work very hard this week, instead I skiied hard. Had 5 out of 7 days on the hill, a great ski lesson where I finally skiied through the glades, more off piste and black runs. Amazing what a little confidence can do and once again pushing through the fear.  As this great book I"m reading "feel the fear and do it anyway" is helping me understand.

Friday was my birthday, the girls tried to make me feel special and when work found out they all sang me happy birthday and sent me off skiing, pretty cool hey! I finally had a clear day today and took my big camera up on the hill got some great pics in blue skies of the mountains, wow Whistler is a really pretty place. I even attempted my first ever video while skiing, bit shakey but heck I tried.

Time for reflection and the above video is a little something I put together of my first ski season ever, and all the things apart from just skiing we got up to. I think I've improved lots in my skiing from a timid scared green runner to a confident blue and onto some blacks, excited to go through the glades, and a lover of soft and lots of it powder.  Next step for me would ideally be more off piste and getting used to skiing with a pack to prepare for backcountry and ski touring which I'd love to get into. Now to find the friends to help me achieve that as I feel you do improve by being around those that are better than you, and of course internally I need to feel the fear and still do it :-)

Its been a rollercoaster season here in Whistler, plenty of lows but not too many to shine out the highs and thats how I like to live, positively and belive things happen for a reason, makes you stronger and learn lessons about yourself and life so go with the flow and of course feel the fear and do it anyway.

I've been so lucky to have met wonderful friends here in Whistler and lucky to have so many scattered around this big wide world.

Vancouver Island party time and A first on snowshoes

Well the snow just keeps falling here in Whistler so I've been able to have a few powder ski's before we enjoyed a few days away from this little 'bubble' we call home.  Our Ravens Nest staff party was to be a surprise which ended in us arriving on Vancouver island at this fantastic spa retreat with wooden cabins by the ocean.

With so much booze and only 7 of us able to make it, it didn't take long for us to unwind drinking and walking along the low tide ocean in the rain.  Quite refreshing actually and really what I needed, to get out of Whistler for a bit with friends, laugh lots and well drink lots as it happened too.  Brittany's birthday too, I'd baked her a chocolate cake, so we all went out to dinner ate too much then drank too much playing games and headed out to some night life ha ha.  A total of probably 6 people were in the bar but still it was karaoke night so though I said I'd never sing live again I found myself up there in duet with Britt, singing ACDC all night long ha ha.  Some sore heads the next day, I enjoyed a peaceful run along the beach in the morning then we all went for  a drive, not finding where we were supposed to go we ended up at caves.  Some self guided others to be guided, stupidly Adrian and I had left our head torches back at the huts and so with just 2 mobile phone flash lights we didn't get too far but I got a taste for a new adventure sport I'm really keen to try out properly next time, it was loads of fun.

All good things come to an end, isn't that how the song goes, we got the ferry back and sad to say goodbyes as Karly has now gone back to Tassie in Australia and we won't see our manager Adrian around really.  Time here in Whistler is quickly ticking away. Where is my fun things to do before I leave list? Aha found it.....

Snowshoeing the local mountains tick.  Well Sunday was the day and I was able to borrow a friends snow shoes yet with so much snow falling we knew we wouldn't get any views today, but still my first time trying out snowshoeing and we both had the day off so away we went towards Cayoosh mountain.  First snow shoe mistake trying to step backwards away from the car, ha ha ha I fell straight on my butt and took a moment to realise what happened.  Lucky I can laugh at myself.  There were too many avalanche risks to keep going up the steep slopes so we came back down and found this awesome hut completely tucked away in the trees so cute, rustic amazing feeling. I know I'll be back to this one soon.  The only thing I would love more than the mountains on snow shoes right now would be to be good enough to ski tour in and enjoy all this fresh powder and serenity.

I have a friend over from Australia at the moment so plans are for Tubing monday night another tick for the list and then to enjoy this fresh powder by doing fresh tracks on Tuesday. Thanks for all this fresh snow now I'm not working much and glad to get some last ski improvements in before I leave.....

Stay tuned :-)

I love a good Sunday....

A day off from work after 8 days straight thats celebration in itself, but today well today was just so fantastic.  I started out skiing in the morning, met a workmate randomly on the chairlift and discovered the peak chair was open early.  Hmmm what had I wanted to do all season, well the saddle run of course though I'd been too scared up till then to give it a go.  So off they headed to do some mad runs off whistler bowl and I skiied over there. The one thing everyone had warned me was that it looks so narrow and so steep but isn't too bad once you start off, so in true Lisa style (ha ha) I didn't stop and give myself the chance to get too nervous just blasted it.  It was awesome!!! I remember having lots of giggles out loud to myself and couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Yeeha this is what skiing is about, improving, pushing fears and loving that adrenalin feeling of a good run.  Then I went over and explored harmony and symphony ticking off a few more new blue runs and even a couple of blacks, thought skiing on my own I was enjoying every moment as it was super quiet for a sunday and I felt I could go at my own pace.

After a good solid 4 hour morning session it was time to head home for a quick change.  I met up with the meet up group to head to the skookumchuck hotsprings.  On the way we stopped off to hike in the snow out to Nairn falls a short hike but with so much snow it was beautiful with all the ice, snow and rushing sound of the falls.  The hotsprings themselves are quite peculiar all really hot to relax the muscles but rather than just complete natural rockpools they've tapped the water into various shape spa's and tubs kinda weird but with the snow around and just ourselves utterly relaxing.

Back home late and one happy smiley girl it was a great day out.   Even having Owen Wilson the movie star come into work the next day couldn't compete with the day I had.

Inspiration and remaining true to ones self

Last few weeks in Whistler

Hi everyone,

Its been quiet on the blog front, this is now my own blog with lots going on, ups and downs, but thats life and everybody that really knows me knows I'm about enjoying every moment we are given and I know I'll be back to myself again soon, smiling and cherishing all moments, good, bad and otherwise.

Work has changed recently the mountain job I had at Ravens nest was closed by the mountain, due to good old money issues so our team has been split up to different venues around the mountain. I now work at Glacier Creek and get to ski in ski out from work each day which is fun.  Being the new kid on the block this far into the season has its challenges, but I don't shy away from challenges so I'll get by.

Lots of snow has been falling here in Whistler, I've been working too much and have gone down to one job now, and asked for just 3 days a week to get out there more and enjoy my surroundings.

The plan this weekend is to ski and head to some local hot springs with some people from a group called meetup.com locals from Whistler.  I've heard lots about these hot springs so looking forward to a well deserved break from work relaxing in them after a morning of skiing too.