You and your kayak

You and your kayak . . . or one you borrowed for kayak camping.

It's bigger than your tent. I hope so, or the tent won't fit in one of the hatches.

The places you take it.

The places it takes you.

It's pretty amazing.

The memories last forever.

And . . . after a trip, we forget about all the work it was to get there, to plan and pack, and other stuff like bugs or things that bug you.

A great place to be . . . is a place you can take a kayak.

Happy trip planning! Winter is a great time to plan or take off on a trip.

The BaffinPaddler

Snowshoeing Hot Spots

There are some places that make you love snowshoeing. I call them Snowshoeing Hot Spots. I'm starting a list of snowshoe trails and spots I like. Some are flat and open. Some are steep and make me climb and hang onto ropes. Others make me duck under trees.

The views vary. All are awesome. Dense snow-laden forests, frozen lakes, open fields, and mountain trails and ridges.

Maybe you're like me and others I know who used to say, "Snowshoeing!? How boring! I'd rather ski!"

I'm a convert. Someone turned me onto snowshoeing. Thanks! I love it! And now, I'm doing the same. Turning others onto it. There are more and more of us on the snowshoe trails. Thankfully. We need friends to help tromp down all that snow and mark the trails. Breaking new trail is hard work in heavy snow!

It's amazing to witness the change in someone who once said, "Snowshoeing! How boring!"

Now I'm saying, "Hey, wait for me!",  in more and more places. Snowshoe converts are leaving me in the dust. But at least they wait for me along the way.

I still love skiing, but, there are days when I'm cross-country skiing and thinking, "I'd rather be snowshoeing." There are lots of Snowshoe Hot Spots. Here's to finding as many as we can.

Winter sports are great. Enjoy.

My next story is up on The Great Waterway, a cool Ontario Tourism website where I'm a regular blogger, if you'd like to check it out:

Snowshoeing Hot Spots in the 1000 Islands, Ontario

Happy trails! Stay warm and safe.
The BaffinPaddler

Snowshoe to yoga: Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

 When we reached the La Roche lookout overlooking Lac Monroe in Mont Tremblant National Park (Parc National du Mont Tremblant) after an hour and a half trek up the La Roche Trail in snowshoes, I said, "I'm going to do a little yoga up here."

A small group of snowshoers from New York State in the U.S. were up there too having a lunch break. They laughed, "Yoga in snowshoes?" It's a funny joke, right. But I wasn't kidding.

It is possible to strike a few yoga poses without removing the snowshoes. But, when it's -16 to -19 Celsius, the cameraman has to snap quickly before the fingers and the camera lens and battery freezes.

It's awesome! Snowshoeing and yoga. Both are powerful for body, mind, and soul. Combining the two, even better. One complements the other. I love my snowshoes. I love yoga. I love great views. You can have it all. It's my first snowshoe to yoga, but not my last.

Enjoy your winter snowshoes and yoga sessions in awe-inspiring spots with a view.

Happy trails!
The BaffinPaddler

Kayak Mancala

This is what I call it anyway: Kayak Mancala. What is Kayak Mancala?

It's simple! Kayak to an island or beach of your choice, and make yourself an awesome Mancala game out of what you find on the beach.

Don't know the Mancala game? 

I didn't either a few years ago. Then, my Mom gave me a store-bought board game one Christmas. Thanks Mom! The game board is made of wood, and comes with 48 glass stones.

I love playing Mancala outdoors, usually in the summer, with my store-bought game or by making my own Mancala game on a beach. You can find a beach somewhere year round.

I spend a lot of time on beaches with my kayak looking at rocks and pebbles.

One day, sitting around on a beach, I said, "OK, it's time to do something with these pebbles besides just sit here and look at them."

I grabbed a big stick and started drawing my own Mancala game board in the sand. 

My paddle partner asked, "What are you doing now!?"

Me: "Gather 48 pebbles and I'll show you!"

Paddle partner: "Do I really have to do this?"

Me: . . . silent, still drawing in the sand.

Paddle partner: . . . busy gathering granite pebbles.
 
The outcome

I built the game in the sand, taught the paddle partner how to play Mancala, and . . . the paddle partner beat me each game. Seems winning is fun.

Me: "Do we have to play this again?!"

Paddle partner: "Come on, one more game!"

If you want to know how to play Beach Mancala and make your own game, my next story is up on The Great Waterway, a cool Ontario Tourism website, where I'm a regular blogger.

 How to play Beach Mancala, by Peggy Varner, The BaffinPaddler

You don't need a kayak to play Beach Mancala. But to play Kayak Mancala, you do!

Enjoy the great, ancient game of Mancala anywhere, anytime, especially at the beach. I hope you're spending some time at a beach or two this winter! Especially if you live in a northern clime. Winter is so long and cold in the North!

Happy New Year. May this new year be one of your best!
The BaffinPaddler

Today's ski report from Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada

Freakin' cold! Minus 12 degrees Celsius, but spared by good gear and the trees in Gatineau Park from light wind. Cold temps makes for slow classic skiing in groomed tracks - like skiing on sandpaper, even with glide wax, but the skate skiers are always happy. They move faster and don't get face slapped by low-hanging snow-laden trees and debris that falls on the sidelines into our groomed tracks. Especially around Lac Philippe.

The ungroomed trails look like this . . . an interesting change.

 Maybe better to snowshoe in some parts - and stay off closed trails.

Then, off to Renaud day cabin to heat up a grilled cheese on the wood stove and sip on a thermos of hot chai tea with honey, and throw another log on the fire.

A setting sun on the way back is pretty sweet in the Gatineau Hills, as we passed by several happy overnight campers in the park's cabins and yurts around Lac Philippe enjoying a very white holiday season.

There's a lot more snow on the way in the National Capital Region of Canada. About 20 centimeters falling from Wednesday to Thursday.

What will the forest trails look like after more snow? Whiter, more downed branches, and more fresh snow to play in.

Take care and enjoy!
The BaffinPaddler

Happy Holidays from the BaffinPaddler

This is how I get rid of snow on my deck.

Then a big snowstorm dumped 30 more centimeters of snow December 21 onto the National Capital Region of Canada. Here's a picture of the same snow bear after only 15 centimeters fell for people who don't live in snow-infested regions and wonder, "How much snow is that?!" I'll need to make 20 snow bears to get rid of all this stuff that's on the deck, and snowshoes to get around the neighborhood trails :)

We are off to a fantastic start for winter sports. 
It looks like it's going to be a great season for skiing and snowshoeing. More on that later in the season.

Good news in the NCR, some trails in Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada are groomed for skiing. With icy snow that got a dose or two of freezing rain, I love my mountaineering snowshoes for the snowshoe trails. But watch out for downed trees and drooping, snow-laden branches. 

Getting up early to do snow clearing for the birds has also paid off.

Happy Holidays from the BaffinPaddler

I wish you the best, today, tomorrow, and forever.

Time to snowshoe!

Just in time for Christmas. It will be white. We have our first big snowstorm in the National Capital Region of Canada bringing us 30 centimeters of snow today.

It's time to snowshoe before anyone else gets out on the trails and packs them down.

We can cross-country ski a bit on a few trails in Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada.

But for now, I love my snowshoes!

These are great conditions for snowshoeing, but not for driving and traveling until the storm is over. Enjoy your own backyard for hours!

Happy trails!
The BaffinPaddler