Journey

Today we live here.

Funny how that happens. You start to dream outside the box (hint: our dream isn't a "job", a mortgage and house in the 'burbs) but you're faced with a situation out of your control to make that dream a reality (our US immigration process).

So back to the drawing board you go. You cry, you write, you consult another lawyer, you process, you talk, you dream more, you research. You make a plan. A big plan.

A plan that will require you to work your butt off. A plan that will take commitment and perserverance. A plan that requires you to give up certain securities (like a steady paycheck) and trust in untold and unseen providences. 

But before you can even commit to that plan you make a preliminary reconnaissance trip. Then another.

And then you commit. You have no clue what you're committing to. You can't anticipate the loneliness in the journey, the work it will take, the challenges along the way.

You also have no idea the beauty and joy that awaits you. The dreams you will realize and the people you will encourage along the way. The "pinch me, we get to live here" feeling you'll have each day.

These last days of December, two years ago to the very day we first came to the Gaspé peninsula, I'm remembering all of this.

In those early days of this journey I had no idea how this was all going to work out. I still have no idea!

But if these past two years have taught me anything it's that this next year is going to be good one. 

Wishing you a Happy New Year with many adventures and untold blessings for your journey!

It has been our long term goal to ski together for winter outdoor activity. We are committed to one day a week and this is fairly easy for three seasons of the year but winter has been tough to figure out.

We tried snowshoes when the kids were little. Snowshoes are relatively inexpensive and easy to transport. If only they weren't so tiring for little legs! Snowshoeing was not fun for the kids and truthfully, it wasn't all that fun for us adults either. Where snowshoeing is really fun (I'm guessing) is in conditions and terrain where the only way to get around is in a snowshoe. Where we were hiking there were trails and most of the snow was packed down enough for our hiking boots.

Then three winters ago we discovered Mad River Rockets, a backcountry sled made in Vermont. Now these were fun. But a bit pricey too. We opted to start with one adult and one child sled and just share.

We did some great sledding early 2011 (with some good video also!) but on higher hills we reached a frustrating and cold point where some of us had to wait too long for other family members to do their run and then walk back up. 

All along though our dream was to backcountry ski as a family. Damien and I grew up skiing and snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Conventional downhill experiences at ski resorts. We knew how much fun winter is cutting turns down the side of a mountain. In Damien's late teen years he got a taste of backcountry telemark skiing and introduced me to that experience. It was amazing.

Location and life circumstances prevented us pursuing that. But we had a taste and knew that, if we could, backcountry skiing is what we would really like to do for a winter outdoor activity. And when we had a family, that desire didn't go away. This was a dream we hoped we could make reality but we had a few obstacles to overcome.

• The cost of the gear. Outfitting a family for skiing in the backcountry was similar to investing in our summer gear - a quality tent, sleeping bags, lightweight cook gear, backpacks, etc... That was a lot of money for us and we just couldn't swing it with our other priorities. 
• The age of our kids. We are committed to pursuing adventure with our kids for as long as they want to hang out with us (forever, we hope). Backcountry skiing has a steeper learning curve than hiking or sledding. Yes, it can be done but we needed lots of practice time which brings me to my next point.
• Location. Up until this move we've been city dwellers. To use skis would require always using the car to go practice somewhere. We didn't have the time in our weekly schedule to commit to that. Not to mention that good places to practice backcountry ski technique were a bit of a drive also.

And then something happened. We moved. But before we moved we set an intention - this winter we would ski with our kids.

You can read our whole moving story here, but we moved because we needed freedom to pursue our dreams. It just so happens one of those dreams was winter skiing with our family. No, we didn't move just so we could ski - there was plenty of snow and hills in Maine. But our move was the perfect time to shift this winter activity goal to the front and center. 

We started a ski fund last winter. It took some convincing to get the kids on board - they each had to contribute a fair chunk of "change". Our winter camping trip, where they could try friend's cross country skis, helped boost their enthusiasm for saving money for their own skis.

Damien started slowing purchasing the gear the end of last season. Gear and shipping is cheaper in the US and we wanted to take advantage of that before we moved. We arrived in Nova Scotia with a few pieces and kept working at it. 

I should probably mention that Damien did a whole whack of research on what skis, boots, bindings and poles to get our family. Gear that would allow us to ski "regular" cross country and backcountry. Gear that wouldn't limit us too much to just one of those activities. Gear that could be used for multiple purposes if possible (trekking poles for ski poles). Gear that wouldn't break the bank. 

We finished our gear purchases early this month, nearly, but not quite, breaking the bank. We remind ourselves this is why we live in a 750 sq ft cabin (and pay living costs accordingly) - so we can use our resources to achieve our goals.

The last piece to buy was the adult skis which we found locally in an amazing outdoor gear shop in town (10 minutes from home). Finding stores like this in our rather rural location assures us that the skiing around here must be magnificent (so the locals say), otherwise shops like this wouldn't even exist. 

For the past week we've skied just around the chalet. Every day one of the five of us has been out in the snow, of which there is plenty - what a treat!

Tomorrow we're headed to a neighbor's hill to learn some more technique. We'll be staying local for a while to practice. One day though we'll take the left turn out our driveway and drive straight into the mountains where the big skiing is to be had.

But first, we need a roof ski carrier. I wonder if we could get the kids to start another fund?

I had planned to post this last night when we returned from our overnighter backpack trip. But the break-in and theft from our vehicle changed the evening's plans, as I'm sure you can imagine. 

Two years ago this summer I went through a personal transformation of sorts with regards to our weekly hiking routine. I have always loved being outdoors with my family but that summer, as our practice of one day a week became more serious, what had once been fun and enjoyable became a chore for me. 

I wrote personal reflections during that time both here and at FIMBY, but never before has the whole story been put together, until now. This week at Unplugged Sunday I shared how I turned the corner after the hiking "honeymoon" was over.

I've pulled together a few posts from that summer that chronicle the journey of figuring out how to make family outdoors happen in our life and how I came to terms with that mentally, emotionally and physically. 

• Defining Priorities to Make a Family Schedule - "...guiding principles I use when planning our family's weekly schedule." (a schedule that includes hiking every week)
• Camp Character Building - "But right now I'm just afraid of losing me and in return getting what?? Smelly wet clothes and sore feet?"
• Disconnect - Damien asks, "Are we hard-core? Perhaps, but I think that there are actually good reasons one might want to do this." 
• Saturday's Flowers - "While my family was off hiking in the mountains yesterday I spent most of my day gardening."
• Marriage in Progress - "...this path of becoming one, from two, is difficult some days."
• The Rest of the Weekend Backpacking Story - "Why do important lessons and life changes involve some sort of pain?"
• Sunday Night Thoughts About Hiking and Marriage - "I am beginning to love this part of who we are and who I am becoming."

I think it's important to share this story, and others, along this path of family outdoors together. It's not all easy, it's not all hunky-dory (though my husband is kind of hunky), and it's not always fun. But, like marriage and raising kids, it's something we're committed to. 

Take heart friends if you are struggling with doing this thing you love (or are learning to love) with your family. We know what that is like. We also know, from living in Nova Scotia this summer, what it is like reframe your focus for a time and make compromises on your ideal to simply get out the door, together (Ie: our hiking experiences in Nova Scotia have been less than stellar).

We look forward to continuing on our own adventures and encouraging you in yours.

Speaking of which, haven't the giveaways we've hosted been kind of cool? We were so happy to bring back these goodies for you from OR. The winner of the Little Life Backpack is Joe B. who blogs at Pilgrim and a Stranger. I think your little girl is going to LOVE this pack. Great blog name by the way. We totally get that as we feel much the same ourselves. 

Congrats Joe.