Winter holidays wouldn’t really be complete without Boxing Day shopping, dim sum, and a trip to the mountains. We did our shopping online at Air Canada (looking forward to travels in the new year!), taking advantage of the 15% deal (code GIFT2016), and we had our dim sum on Boxing Day with T, who was back from Edmonton, M, J&K, who were back from Calgary. We made it up to Cypress today, with M, who was back from Waterloo:

We made some new friends with the Grey Jay residents of Hollyburn:

After an hour on our rented snowshoes (much too short but we had other plans), we went to Boiling Point in Burnaby for lunch with M, M, and C. H and i will be back to snowshoe more. We will also be back to Boiling Point to try all the other soups (#goals2017?). Lunch is a better deal than dinner, you get a cold tea to go with the meal, and it’s $1 less.

More links to information on Hollyburn:

https://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/hollyburn-mountain/

http://vancouverhiatus.com/hiking/hollyburn-mountain.html

https://www.outdoorvancouver.ca/hollyburn-mountain-snowshoe-trail/

http://www.cypressmountain.com/snowshoetours/

Snowshoe rentals and ticket to access trails for 2 people were about $55. I now have heart burn because of too much food in the past 4 days, and not enough exercise. It's so nice to have everybody back in Vancouver. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, THANKS EVERYBODY FOR THE WONDERFUL MEMORIES AND PRESENTS THIS WEEKEND. LOOKING FORWARD TO CRAMMING MORE JOY AND LAUGHS INTO THE NEXT 4 DAYS BEFORE 2017.

Read more about how I spent Christmas this year:
http://luwesa.blogspot.ca/2016/12/jolly.html
http://luwesa.blogspot.ca/2016/12/magical.html

It’s been a while since H has been this sick, and I guess it really hit him hard for 2 days straight. He missed a shift at work, he stayed in bed for 1.5 days (where the 0.5 went towards going for dim sum across the street from him), and he is still coughing and sniffling. I guess he breathed on me or something on Friday, because I started feeling the headaches and chills on Saturday. Almost missed a powder day on Sunday, but woke up after a dose of Neocitran and 13 hours sleep to make it into P’s car for this:

It wasn’t my best day, it was certainly hard to breathe and get circulation to my legs for them to work proper-like. We went up the t-bar to do the glacier bowl on Blackcomb… I was not prepared for the low viz pow that would hit us right in the face. Not bad though. Then, moguls left right and centre, and my cardio was shot because of the flu/cold that I thought I’d slept off the night before. It just hurt so much to breathe in that –10/-15°C air… Still felt amazing, adrenaline rush.

Any day on the mountain is an awesome day. I still swear by this.

I’m looking forward to going up more often, maybe in the new year, because looking at the calendar for the rest of this month, I think things will get too busy too fast.

I just took another pack of Neocitran... Goodnight, world.

We walked past Alder Flats a bit to get a nicer view for lunch:

This was a very clearly marked trail with challenging spurts of elevation that were short. Good for the beginning hiker! Not too crowded yet, which I really appreciate for the peace and quiet. There were quite 2 rewarding view points (see above and below). It’s amazing what hiking with friends and a good meal can do for you.

I’m a bit giddy off 3 glasses of red wine tonight.

I’m going to start yoga again tomorrow, for 7 days consecutively.

Gold Creek viewpoint:


Halfway:

Follow the Vancouver Trails instructions to get to the head of the West Canyon trail: https://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/golden-ears/

Went to the New Po Kong for lunch with H and his folks. H’s parents are vegetarian, and they know all the good places. New Po Kong just opened, maybe 2 weeks ago, and they’ve already been here for dinner. (It's right across from the regular old Po Kong). We had a ton of dim sum dishes (no pictures because I thought it’d be too rude to keep pulling out a camera…), but couldn’t resist this (fake) shark fin dumpling:

IT’S AMAZING. The way to eat it is with red vinegar. Stuffed, but the owner brought out some tapioca custard pudding with taro:

Fat goals achieved for the day.

I haven’t worked out since Sun Run last Sunday, and a short 30 minute bike ride to get dinner with H on Wednesday… Fat goals achieved for the week.

It was so crowded when we got to Cypress around 6PM. Poor J had to line up for an hour to get her rentals. We went for pho after, but I lost the picture. I think my phone has too many photos now and is no longer saving them properly.

Very strange to think that this winter wonderland is less than an hour’s drive away from my house. Will this snow last? I’m planning to enjoy it as much as possible before it’s gone forever.

Biked around the city to find a coffee place (not Starbucks) open on Christmas. Propaganda was the only one I found (maybe I wasn’t searching hard enough).

As my attempt to lower my carbon footprint and save money (the world is dying; see #cop21), I decided to stop using disposable cups forever. Other than a slip last week during a team Starbucks run, I’ve been pretty good at using my Intelligentsia Thermos mug and this mason jar:

The mason jar survived the bike ride home, full of coffee, zero drops wasted of my $3 Americano. I am IMPRESSED!!!!!!
I think next month, I will make it a goal to bus or bike to work only. Merry Christmas everyone.

Nice day on the water, back in August:

Rented out double fibre glass kayaks from MEC for a day when H’s HK friend came to visit. About $60 for one, including paddles, life jackets, and all the other gear (rates found here). Compared to renting at Deep Cove, it was much more cost effective.

The only thing was we had to figure out how to transport it from the MEC in North Vancouver to the waters of Deep Cove. They gave us hooks and straps, and we somehow drove the boats back to my house to store for a night on H’s Kia Soul. It was a bitch to carry and load, but overall, worth it. Would do again.

Cookie day at work today, check out the oil in this thing:

 

I’m so tired. I can’t wait to get outdoor.

  

Last last last weekend, we did an easy local hike. A good 5 hour hike at an easy pace, lots of stairs, pretty well groomed and well marked path. H was dehydrated and cramped pretty hardcore (sucker, who told you to drink the night before?). The trail head at Lynn Canyon was packed with people and the trail end at Quarry Rock/Deep Cove was like walking around downtown. The middle of the trail had less traffic. Mostly mountain bikers in the middle of the trail. A few of them passed us while we sat down for a few snacks…

This Munk Pack Oatmeal Fruit Squeeze (Blueberry Acai Flax flavor) was actually quite delicious. H got it for as a sample in his Cairn box, but I think I would definitely get it again for the next camping or hiking trip.
Here’s more info on the trail at Vancouver Trails (pretty damn awesome website…): http://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/baden-powell-deep-cove-to-lynn-canyon/


Note: Photos were all edited with Instagram! I like that Gingham filter.

Conversation with an Educator from Lululemon about mat maintenance and cleaning.