Take a hike, eh (by DSJ)

Back home,can't ride the bike so I'm pigging out and getting fat. I can actually feel my ass get fatter day by day. I know because my jeans are getting tighter and I just don't feel like a manorexic cyclist anymore. So far I've been to Shwarma Palace 3 times since we've been home and last week I managed to have an all time low of 45minutes exercise the entire week.

Since we have been home, back in Canada I also decided it was probably time for a proper winter coat and I even went all out and bought some winter boots. I'll spend thousands of dollars to do a race in Europe, but it takes me an hour an a half to decide if I want to "splurge" and spend 60 bucks on a pair of boots. I would hate to spend money on something that I actually need. So I'm feeling pretty Canadianized now that I'm rolling around in a full down coat and sporting some sweet Clark's boots that were like 75% off since most real people do their Christmas shopping before January 4th.

So today, I had enough of being lazy...Natahsa and I had the brilliant idea of going for a hike.

You know when you read other peoples blogs(ya I know if you have time to waste reading our rants, you must be reading tones of random gibberish all over the internet) and you view their profiles, a lot of people seem to enjoy hiking, so I figured we are like other athletes, sort of, maybe we would give this hiking thing a shot. I'm not really sure what they mean by hiking, but it kind of seems like just walking around in the woods. I don't think it is running in the woods, cause then they would say they enjoy trail running or running. So we gave this hiking thing a try in the Gatineau Parc. So as you should always ease into a new sport or activity we did a 20 km hike in heavy wet snow and it only took 3.5 hours! Nothing like easing into things.

I figure this is actually a better way to do an activity. Did you know that is possible to start to enjoy something, get a little bored, go back to really loving it and then frigging thinking it was the worst idea you have ever had all during the same hike. What a sport, the gamete of emotions resembled the all the notes between a baratone and a supprano. At least we looked the part...any time I think hiker, I think cargo pants. So I threw on a baggy pair of cargo's my new boots and a super sexy ladies small thermal Sugoi shirt that Tasha gave me (she hates all the thermal stuff I wear cause it's way too tight and it really makes me look like I should be doing some gay porn) but what can I say I like tight thermal jerseys.

At least we set out on our journey with a bag full of food, which oink oink we ate it all. I actually bonked during our adventure and needed a power gel. We were walking on what must have been snow shoe trails, cause we kept on sinking through to our knees in snow. At random points throughout our adventure we began running up and down steeper off trail sections and I actually managed to fall down and roll down the hill. As we were totally lost are feet were soaked, hands were cold and we both agreed that this taking time off the bike is not all it is cracked up to be. Oh how I longed for the safety and security of my compoutrainer and the basement. Poor Tasha, she kept on falling but she had to keep her left arm up as not not smash her cast and get it wet. I did manage to get a really good picture of her peeing on the side of the trail,I'm not for sure if she'll let me post it, it may be offensive to some readers. I used the public urination skills I learned in Belgium to write my name in the snow..D-E-R-R-I-C-K. Sweet. Cool. Don't eat the yellow snow.

On our way back we had to take the main ski trail and we only got yelled at once by a skier telling us walking on the trail ruined ski trails. I felt bad, but not bad enough to trek back out in the woods doubling the time back.

So this may be my one and only "hike" of the year, cause I can no longer walk. I kept on waiting for this zen like feeling of being one with nature, of feeling relaxed, but it never came. Maybe next time we'll rent a pair of snow shoes or something, it may be easier than sinking in the snow to our knees. We did however manage to laugh at ourselves quite allot and although it was kind of painful, it was nice just to be out with Natasha doing more real people stuff.

Tomorrow we go see the bone guy for Natasha's wrist. Her cast looks pretty cool, Kiwi Mike wrote "you are sooo hot" on her cast so I'm sure we'll get a chuckle at that tomorrow.

On racing related news..I will indeed be racing with Jet Fuel Coffee, I received our tentative schedule and everything looks good, looks like first taste of road racing is April 1st....so can't get too fat, thank the lord there are no stroopwaffles in Canada, even if there was don't tell me where I can find them.

Derrick