Wives Winter Exercise

I'm back after an exhausting weekend up in the Rockies for the Wives Winter Exercise...

The weekend was organised by the Prairie Rose Club (the village wives group) who use money from coffee mornings and fundraising throughout the year to subsidise two activity weekends, one in the summer and one in the winter.

This weekend's extremely packed schedule gave the wives access to about $1000 worth of activities for only $150.

40 of us were bussed up to Trails End Camp, the military training facility near Cochrane and accommodated in large dormitories of about 15. We were split into 4 groups and spent two days travelling around to different locations in the Rockies for ice climbing, quad biking and snowshoeing.

For me it provided a chance to do something I have had on my 'to do' list since we first arrived, dog sledding.

Our route took us through the trees and round the edge of a frozen lake, pausing halfway for hot chocolate and traditional sledding snacks of dried fruit and beef jerky.

We were extremely lucky with the weather too. It was sunny all weekend, a bit cooler on Saturday, but well above freezing on Sunday.

Whilst I was away, Macy also got to play at being a sledge dog again. Jim took her down to the Cypress Hills for some skijoring practice.

They'd had lots of snow, so again she was wading through powder, but I hear that the two of them are progressing!

Back in the village today, temperatures are up to +9c, the ice and snow are starting to melt and a very springlike thaw is underway, which is ironic considering I'm flying back to the UK on Thursday, where the forecast is for snow!