Finding Time to have Outdoors Fun - even on sub-zero days

Each winter we book our school for an afternoon of sledding at Valley View Bible Camp. The hill where all the winter fun takes place is known as Roger's Hill. Without fail, this is always a fabulous time. Our last trip, yesterday was no different. They temperature hovered around -16 degrees Celsius, which made the hill super fast. We need not have worried that it would be too cold for our students - the only time most of them came into the hut to warm up, was at snack time. And then they were itching to hit the slopes again. Some of the teachers have apps on their phones that enabled them to record how fast it really was. The fastest time was 51 Kilometers per hour. Yeah, very fast! And a bit scary for some. I heard one boys encouraging himself as he flew down the hill, "I will not be scared! I will not be scared." It must have worked, for he kept going - riding up and sliding down.

As far as most were concerned the cable that pulls you back up the hill is almost as much fun as flying down. I was not one of them. I chose to walk up, well, ok huff and puff myself back up. True, I didn't get as many rides down, for once I was up there, I had this great urge to stay awhile. You see, the view from the bottom, does not compare with the one at the top. Couldn't be that I needed time to catch my breath and muster up courage to rush down and drag myself back up again. You see, I really don't enjoy holding on to a cable for dear life, slanted back at a ridiculous angle, all the while making sure you don't slip or flip to the other side of it while being pulled to the top. Thus, I decided on walking up (oh, and did I mention dragging the sled along) each time, which makes for a strenuous workout you don't get on a regular basis. (I've almost convinced myself to get one of those thread mills with an 'incline' option. :)

Still, it was all good: walking, huffing and puffing, sliding, riding, 'flying', screaming, laughing... - and all outdoors in the middle of our Manitoba winter. I think that's what they call embracing the cold.

What made it extra fun, was the fact that our friends from another colony school were there as well!

Let's see how long we can stay together.

 Going solo is fun too, because it seems to be faster.

 I really admired the courageous souls who went down head first.

 Hanging on for the ride up.

And yes, that's one view from the top!

I caught one of the teachers racing a rider to the top. 

Looks like the rider is ahead, at this point anyway - if indeed that

was the rider he was racing with. (:  I guess we'll never know.

Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun. 

Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture.