Happy #thinkingoutloud Thursday! No idea what I’m going on about? Click here!
1. I always have the best of intentions when it comes to recapping a weekend trip on the Monday after I get back. I really do. Buuuuuut it almost never ends up happening. Part of that is because I need more time to go thorough all my pictures and figure out a way to coherently string them together, but a bigger part of it is the fact that I can’t write when other people are around… which means I can’t write until the Sunday night that I get back, and that’s kind of the last thing I want to do at that point.
It’s not that I try to hide the fact that I blog or that I don’t have any downtime… I just quite literally can’t write when other people are around. I can’t focus. Even if they’re just sitting there quietly and minding their own business — just knowing that they’re there throws me off and makes me forget what I’m trying to say. Is that crazy? That might be crazy. But it is what it is. And now that I’m home sweet home with no one but Douglas to distract me, it’s time to get recappin’…
2. First order of business — coffee.
There is one Starbucks on the 3.5-ish hour drive from Edmonton to Jasper. Just one. And it’s a little under 3 hours away. The wait is torture. And if you’re wondering why we wait, I’m pretty sure it’s because no one wants to be stuck in a car with me acting like this for 4 hours straight 😆
3. Speaking of crazy… Oh…
… hi there…
… SHEEP!
This is what you get when you throw salt on the roads to help with winter driving — herds of bighorn sheep hanging out in the middle of the highway, licking the pavement. And those buggers will.not.move until they’re good and ready.
4. We also saw a lot of elk, which were far less suicidal daring in their choice of hangouts…
5. Other than that it was all mountains…
Mountains…
Trees…
And more mountains…
Not that I’m complaining. *insert heart-eyed emoji here*
6. Nope, not true — I do have one thing to complain about. Notice all the clouds swirling around the mountain tops? I know they look all pretty when you’re at the bottom looking up, but they’re not so pretty when you’re at the top and trying to navigate your way down…
Let’s just say there were a few runs there where we were quite literally riding through soupy white clouds. And the rest of the time it was so dark and shady that it was hard to see and get a feel for the texture of the snow, making it hard to go all out and have some real fun without risking catching an edge and flying off into the trees.
Definitely not my favourite conditions to ride in, but sometimes you just gotta take what you can get and like it!
7. Or forget about your frustrations by treating yourself to a night at the spa…
I can’t remember the exact name of the treatment I got, but it involved a herb-infused heated wrap followed by an hour-long massage. The only downside was that I felt so good afterwards that I can’t help but want to make it a regular thing in my life… and I don’t think my wallet would be too happy with me for that one. Then again… the better I feel, the more productive I can be. Riiiight? Right 😉
8. Aaaaaand that’s pretty much all I have in the way of pictures. Unless you count these two random ones which I apparently thought were interesting enough to photograph? 😆
Yeaaah. I have no idea either. All I can say is: never leave home without a [good] book, and never ride without a helmet — both are good for your noggin’ in different ways.
9. Happy Thursday, friendly faces! Rock some socks off today! 😀
No questions… just tell me whatever comes to your mind! 😀
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I sold my snowboard gear two Christmases ago because, hello, kids as young as mine often means no more trips to the mountains for awhile. That and the fact that I live at the beach and no longer in Colorado. So sad looking at your pics….
I am so impressed by those awesome sheep. Those horns are bad ass! I NEED to come to Canada.
It’s basically my dream to see animals like that! I am so jealous! I’ve been to Colorado 3 times and never ONCE saw a Big Horn Ram!!
I remember the first time I drove out to Edmonton from BC, I was so excited to possibly see a moose/elk/sheep when I passed through Jasper and now I always hope that there are no animals on the road because I worry about hitting them (or the car in front of me hitting them). Looks like a great trip even if the snow conditions were less than ideal 🙂
What’s on my mind? That this first week back at college (sophomore year in a nut shell: 17 units, 2 jobs, friends and a boyfriend – whew!) is crazy busy – but crazy good! (Or that could just be the sleep depirvation calling).
Funnily enough, my post this week also focused on mountains! Great minds think alike! 😉
Hello! First time linking up with y’all for thinking out loud thursday — love it! I am SO insanely jealous of your view. I miss mountains so much! Also, the sheep licking the road is hilarious. Thanks for hosting! I look forward to participating again 🙂
Woo! Thanks for joining this week, Joanna 🙂
These..photos…are STUNNING. MY gosh.
Oh my goodness you have me CRAVING snow. How sad is it that I cant even remember the last time I touched snow? I think it was 2 years ago…though it could be 3 now. That’s so depressing to me. My hubby and I always say we are going to get a cabin in the snow sometime, but we just never have the money when the season rolls around [stupid Christmas!!]
That’s seriously hard for me to imagine — I don’t think we’ve ever had a winter without tonnes of snow. That being said, it makes me want to live somewhere that doesn’t get it… just to see what it would be like.
Those mountain pics are gorgeous! I need to go wherever those were taken, even though I’m not a huge fan of the snow and it’s activities 😉 xxoo, ganeeban
I can’t write/think as well when other people are around either – it’s not just you! Plus it’s always hard to motivate yourself to sit down and blog when you’re on vacation (even if it is just a weekend trip) and just want to relax! And you know, like go to the spa. Man I wish I could make that a regular thing in my life as well.
Oh, WOW those mountain pics are stunning! We haven’t gotten ANY snow yet where I live 🙁 And those horns- dang!
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
I have SO many pictures of me and a coffee it’s ridiculous. Hahaha. It’s like the one time I’m peppy and like “Ohmygawdilovelife!!!” Ahh, the caffeine high. <3
I have to be completely alone when I write blog stuff, so I understand where you’re coming from!
I normally hate winter with a passion, but your photos make it look not so terrible. We had freezing rain the other days and everything is frozen in icicle form, which is super pretty. I’m only ok with it because the roads are fine.
I could also totally go for a spa treatment right about now!
LOVE all the mountain pics! So beautiful!
Holy Bighorned sheep. I have never seen those things up close.
Fun Fact about me: whenever we’re on a road trip and we pass any kind of animal, I make the sound of the animal. I didn’t even realize it until the Hubby told me last weekend. He called it one of my quirks. Hmm, who knew? Oh wait, I guess the Hubby.
I’m glad you had a blast despite the cloudy conditions and I’m thrilled to see you pampering yourself. They got all kinds of spas here in Cleveland you know, and I want to try one of those hot stone massages. Roar…yeah, I just a lion. Carry on.
You would be doing a whooooole lot of mooing if you were road tripping here, then — we have cattle farms EVERYWHERE.
I do a mean cow. 🙂
It is so beautiful there! Looks like it was a great trip.
Wow wow wowwwww your pictures are amazing. Makes me want to drop all the things and head to the mountains! I’m missing snow so much down here in Tampa..
That is the exact face I make when I drink coffee… 😉 LOVE IT. Oh, and an hour long massage sounds pretty amazing right about now.. #jealous
Gosh, the view in your pictures is just gorgeous!! I’m a very amateur snowboarder. My first and only lesson was with my boyfriend: he helped me get all my gear on, then said, “Okay, now follow me!” haha.
😆 That very much sounds like me. I’m rubbish at teaching people!
I’d be fine with regular spa visits, if only they weren’t so darn pricey. Looks like a beautiful, yet frigid, trip! 🙂 Thanks for hosting the link-up!
And thanks for linking up, Ashley!
whoa. those pictures are insane. so beautiful. + a night at the spa = super jealous!! 🙂
Those pictures are amazing!! Wow!
Oddly enough I have no problems writing up posts with others in the room with me – weird,right?! I think it stems from working in a cube for most of my adult life 😉 I love all of the wildlife and snow shots – It looks so quite and serene. So glad you had a great weekend!
Oh my! INCREDIBLE photos! You can never go wrong with a spa day. That robe looks so cozy!
Between your post and Jo’s I NEED (seriously NEED) to go to Jasper. Freaking gorgeous!!!!!!
Also, Golden Son. OMG. So freaking good.
Yes! NEED! So pretty out there. And right?!?! I had a bit of a hard time getting into it, but daaaaaang was it good.
Ok, that would be so crazy to me to see all those bighorn sheep! OMG! All the mountains and snow..so pretty. And I feel ya on the spa treatments- sometimes they are so awesome you REALLY want to make it a regular thing..I think it totally makes you more productive 😉
If I find out you were staying the the FJPL too I’m going to be so mad. Hahahaha
I really enjoyed my first trip there & am already looking forward to going back in the summer.
😆 No, we didn’t stay at the Fairmont. I actually didn’t even -know- that Jasper had a Fairmont until this year. It doesn’t exactly look like all the other ones…