After finishing my report writing (two reports, comments only, 90 minutes .... sorry to rub it in teachers!) yesterday morning, I decided to take advantage of the stunning weather and head off for a drive to the Rockies. My destination was Canmore, a cute little town nestled in the middle of the Rockies, about a 1 hour and 15 minute drive from the ranch (Banff, where I visited a few months ago, is 20 minutes further down the road). The drive itself is gorgeous, the highway winds its way through forests, farmland, past lakes and finally into the Rockies.
After picking up some maps, I headed off on some small and well populated hiking trails to enjoy the sun. Along the way, I stopped at a bench for a rest and was joined by 83 year old Sonja. You know how park benches have dedications written on them? I always wonder about the story behind those dedications - who is the person, what were they like, who are they survived by etc. Well, Sonja was the story behind the two dedications on the bench on which I sat and she loved to chat. For the next 45 minutes, she told me about her family (her first schizophrenic Hungarian husband and her second German husband to whom the seat was dedicated), life in Germany after the war and the many changes that she has seen in Canmore over the past 60 years. Canmore was a mining town until 1979 and Sonja was able to tell me about the layout of Canmore in the old days. It was an unexpected but pleasant way to pass some time in the afternoon sun.
In September, I will return to Canmore for the Rocky Mountain half marathon, so I decided to use this visit as a training opportunity and set off for a run. I think I have discovered a new love - trail running. Don't get me wrong, I love the meditative feeling I get as I run and the buzz I feel after a run, but running is essentially a pretty boring sport. But, trail running on the other hand - wow! Time flies when you are running along a scenic trail. Yesterday, I ran 11 kilometres in an hour and could have easily kept going. I think I could get used to this - head out with my camera and no real plan in mind except to enjoy the beautiful scenery. After my run, I found a local running shop that organises weekly group trail runs, so I think I'm going to be on the road a bit!
Despite the fact that I was red-faced and sweaty, I parked myself in a cafe for a cup of tea and some reading. A perfect Sunday afternoon.
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