Baby It's cold outside

Yeah...winter has come. And it is cold..very cold! But one way to warm up is to take several of your favorite people and go for a walk. That's what we did this weekend. We were lucky because the Baille Ard Trail Association was primed for a Take the roof off winter event.(http://www.acapcb.ns.ca/baille_ard_trail/)

Numbers 2 & 4 were keen to go and Gramma was too. It was only -10 and windy so dressing in layers was a must.According to the Walkaboutns.ca website, in a nutshell you need to be properly prepared to really enjoy walking in a winter wonderland. It's a bit like preparing to go cross country skiing or winter hiking. Just a few simple steps. We suggest you have:
•Good Shoes & Shoe Traction Gear
•Layered Clothing, Gloves, Head Gear & Sunglasses
•Nordic Walking Poles (recommended)
Lots more info on the website so check it out.
Kids have the best gear so really I just needed to find my snow pants, add another layer to my jacket and away we went.

We met lots of great folks there and the grandkids and I followed another family group along behind one of the trail mascots and her owner. There were lots of tracks to see, signs of a woodpecker at work,and a scavenger hunt with prizes at the end. No one wanted to leave but a new hat ( thanks Rec NS ) and a stop at the local Bistro for hot Chocolate ( Thanks Wentworth Perk for mini portions) and we were all set. We had a great time, the trail is wonderful any time of the year, and best of all Mom and Dad had a few minutes to get ready for the next week.

To find out more about Take the Roof off Winter events visit the Recreation NS website and plan your event soon.

Now for Valentines day, We'll dust off the snowshoes because the CB Island Hoppers are having a Take the Roof Off winter event at ski Ben Eoin! There is no end of fun to be had in the CB winter.

Couch Potatoes...this is for you.

While trying to decide if I should open my new book or get up and get outside today, I saw a video about scouching on the telly. It seems to meet my need to stay ensconced in the comfy chair and my need to go outside to play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtlogwJ5Cos (if you'd like to watch).

And remember the walking back up the hill is fun too!But whatever your ride...couch,tube,toboggan,kid's zipfy, get out and enjoy it.

walking in a winter winderland

Not everyone is sad to see the snow. Numbers 1& 3 got new cross country skis for Christmas and were overjoyed to have a chance to use them. ( Note they were also overjoyed that Dad hadn't gotten the driveway cleared of snow yet!) They discovered how fun it is but tiring too. A good round of hot chocolate was required to revive their flagging energy. I can't wait until next week when I arrive with the ZIPFY sleds!

Because CB got more rain than snow, today I met with a group of less well-bundled walkers for the launch of the DHA 8 new Walking at Work program. Paired with my good friends the CB Island Hoppers and the Baille Ard Trail Association( more about that group some other time) and HEAL CB , we set out to lure a few interested walkers to join us on their lunch break. A few turned into a lot and the program will take place every Tuesday and Thursday at noon with the Island Hoppers and Baille Ard group leading the way.

And the same folks are also leading the way on snow shoes on Wednesday Am at 10 and every second Sun morning at Ski Ben Eoin. Maybe next time I'll have a cute picture of them for the blog! And congratulations to one of their fearless leaders, Joe Mac Kinnon , for being named the First Ever Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Ambassador. Joe exemplifies living the good life!

For more exciting winter events, check out www.hikens.ca for an idea of what's happening near you. And I'll see you on the trail.