Crosstraining

An erratic - at rest for 12,000 years

Last Thursday I did some cross-training for kayakers. A 20 minute drive outside of St. John's is Butterpot Provincial Park that is taken over in the winter by the Avalon Nordic Ski Club. They groom the the snow covered road that loops through the campsites for freestyle and classic skiing.

It was the first time on skis for me this winter so I didn't push myself right into the red zone but still had a great aerobic workout all the while enjoying the solitude in the park. I saw fresh human tracks but luckily not a person, so, I had the park all to myself.

A river runs through it

After a series of downhill runs from the park entrance the cross-country ski loop begins at the bridge over this stream. There were the faint remains of a classic track covered by freshly falling snow that I freshened up that in the second time around the loop was a joy to ski.

It was an overcast day and in hindsight I almost could have taken these pictures in black and white mode. Notwithstanding the absence of colour, this is till a pleasing picture that speaks to me of the land in slumber.

Butterpot in the background

At the far end of the loop I stopped at this campsite for lunch. The green picnic bench stood out in the white and dark landscape dominated by Butterpot mountain in the background. I sat on the bench amid the utter quiet except for the gurgling of a small stream. It was one of those contemplative moments when the feeling of being one with the earth was reinforced and I was in balance.

Butterpot is also a dominating sight from the seat of a kayak on the other side of the mountain in Holyrood Bay.

Moose tracks

There all sorts of moose tracks along the back part of the course. I was on heightened alert for moose charging out of the woods for fear of being run over. There were also numerous rabbit tracks but no fear of being run over by a rabbit *lol*