Our beautiful life up North

My camera hasn't followed me around much lately. It seems like Facebook and Instagram are replacing blog posts more and more and I've joined the crowd over there, but the blog is still well and alive, don't worry. 

This week, the girls and I volunteered as trail builders for a bike trail that will be built by women only and it is such a rewarding (and physical!) process. We will try to participate to all the steps of the trail building and should be able to ride the trail in a few weeks! On the first day, we followed a woman who was cutting down trees with a chainsaw and our job was to move the trees and branches away from the trail. The second time, we learned to use a pulaski to cut the thick moss and roots to start creating the single track trail. After 15 minutes, we were all pretty sweaty and tired when Mathilde exulted: I LOVE this! A little later, she came to see me and told me she wanted to do Meagan's job when she grows up (Meagan is a trail builder for the city and she was in charge of the trail design and tree cutting. She is also a badass mountain biker.).

I also worked as a rock climbing instructor/belayer for a school group with the local rock climbing company - Equinox Adventures - and had a blast. I will do more of these gigs in June with other schools and Jr Rangers. I am actually considering a position for Equinox Adventure summer program. I'm ready for a new challenge. Anyone surprised? 

There was also an awesome girls night for 3 friends birthday where we danced our hearts out under the midnight sun, there was a walk in the forest with an adorable 2 years old looking for fairy hats (blue bells) and her wonderful parents, during which Java chased his first bear away (or maybe he simply wanted to play with him, we're still debating... but the black bear was about 20 feet in front of us on the trail and was in no hurry of going away... ). There was a bonfire with friends (and apples cooked on sticks), lots of time beside lakes and mountains (can you believe that there are so many here that some don't even have names?), some paddle boarding (and a fully dressed fall in the freezing water). There were 4 cakes baked, the last bike skills clinic, some greenhouse time and kids dancing to Gagnam style while playing table soccer and thinking they are the sh*t.