When I got back to Montreal last Sunday night after spending my Reading Break at home in Chelsea, I felt the usual sadness that comes with re-entering the city. The 25cm of gorgeous, sparkling, whiter-than-white snow that we had received over the weekend had been transformed by the city streets into a slushy, wet, grey annoyance. As I walked back to McGill from the greyhound station, getting splattered with slush from speeding drivers and already missing the ability to see the stars, I began to plan how to make the best of the situation.
Of course, I immediately thought of playing hockey, which I did earlier in the week at a new rink I had never been to before. As always, it was an amazing time and it felt great to be outside for a few hours. As the weekend approached and the temperature began to rise, I realized that outdoor hockey would no longer be an option. After dealing with the minor deprerssion that accompanied this realization, I began to consider alternative ways of spending my time and energy. Finally, it dawned on me: it was time to try something I had been meaning to do during each of the three winters I have spent in Montreal, but had never gotten around to before.
My adventure began at the Currie gym, where I rented my equipment. This in itself was a bit of a hassle because apparently you have to purchase the rental at client services before picking up the skis, boots and poles at the equipment desk. Anyways, after buying a rec activities card, returning said card, visiting client services and the equipment desk twice, and finding proper skis and boots that didn't look they were about to fall apart, I was ready to go!
On Friday, conditions were absolutely perfect. The temperature was hovering around zero degrees, the snow was gliding and my wax was working well. Although I know the trails of Mont Royal from my running excursions, it quickly became clear that when on skis or snowshoes, there are many other options just off of the main path. I found myself following reasonably well-marked trails through the woods in all parts of the park. Trail 2, located at the top of the mountain, was particularly fun. It snaked through the woods in a loop and featuring lots of exciting ups and downs. At some points along the trail I actually found myself completely alone, and almost forgot for a moment that I was in fact at the heart of a major metropolis. Since this was exactly the feeling I had hoped to find, I was more than happy with my experience. When I finished my ski and began walking home with a huge smile on my face, I wondered to myself why in the world I had not cross-country skied on the mountain before!
Although there might not be many days of winter left, I would highly recommend the Mount Royal cross-country experience. You can rent skis from the Currie gym for as little as $10, and they do function as they should, Martlet Girl guarantee! Take a study break McGill, and get outside!
See you on the trails,
-Martlet Girl
No comments:
Post a Comment