I’d managed to give myself the worst blisters of my life on an overnight ski-tour, and for a few days after, I could hardly walk. This happened to be during one of the warmest weeks of the year and although I was in pain, I wasn’t going to sit inside all day while the sun was out. I put on my hiking boots — the only shoes I had that didn’t irritate my heels — grabbed my Sutra out of the garage and set off for Pyramid Lake.
It’s a decent climb — for someone who hasn’t been biking — and I was pooched and parched by the time I ascended the 180m. I ate the banana bread I’d packed away in my Kona puffy jacket pocket, drank most of my 1.5 litres of water and gazed across the still-frozen lake towards the frosty peaks. I was likely feeling a little too proud of myself for a 7.5km ride, but you’ve got to start somewhere.
The next day, I did it again, this time going a little faster. And the day after, I rode down the Icefields Parkway, taking my Sutra a little further. I hadn’t planned to ride every day of Spring, but once I’d started, I couldn’t stop. The more I biked, the more I wanted to bike.
Not that I ever didn’t want to bike. Winter had just made it slightly less appealing. Who wants to brave -40 degree temperatures and icy conditions for fun? Having not ridden much in months, I’d somehow forgotten the senseless freedom and happiness that I got from pedaling as fast and far as I could.
Although I should mention, there is a surprising number of hardy locals dedicated to winter riding in Jasper. They roll around with studded fat tires, ski goggles, and pogies to protect their hands from the biting winds. Even on the coldest days, you’ll see moms bundled up on their bikes, towing babies behind them.
Since things had begun to thaw, the amount of people cycling around town had tripled. I even saw a guy cruising down Main Street in shorts and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt. He also had a full-size female mannequin’s head sitting atop his handlebars, hair blowing back behind her, but that’s not normal in any season.
For the record, this isn’t a spring fling. Biking has been there for me from the beginning and although we took some time apart this past winter, absence only made my heart grow fonder. Now that the snow is gone and the days are long, there’s nothing I love more than riding my bike. Blisters or no blisters.
