If there’s one thing I learned after living in Burns Lake for over three years is that I’m not very outdoorsy at all.
When I moved here, I thought living in northern B.C. would be a great opportunity to explore all the great outdoor recreation options we have. First I tried hiking (even that was new to me, believe it or not). Although we have incredibly beautiful and well-maintained trails, the possibility of encountering a bear or some other scary northern beast made me unable to relax and enjoy the experience.
READ MORE: What outdoorsy really means
I’ve been invited several times to go mountain biking, and just last week I was invited to try fat biking. But every time someone invites me to hop on a bicycle and go for a ride on uneven and slippery surfaces, I quickly remember that I even find it difficult to ride a bike in the city, where there’s pavement and bike lanes. So I always say no.
I also say no to ice fishing as I can clearly see myself freezing to death and not catching any fish. And for some reason, I haven’t been able to persuade anyone to take me canoeing (I guess nobody wants to be responsible for rescuing me when I inevitably flip the canoe).
Last December I thought that maybe things were about to change. Even though no sport had worked out for me, I was hopeful that maybe cross-country skiing was going to be “my thing.” So I signed up for cross-country skiing lessons at the Omineca Ski Club, and I was actually looking forward to it.
But when the classes started, it was -27 C (you probably see where this is going). This Brazilian could not even picture how being outside in those temperatures could be enjoyable. So I didn’t go.
READ MORE: Adult skiing lessons in Burns Lake
The instructor was even kind enough to offer me private lessons in days when the temperatures would be more bearable to me. But on my days off, they were never bearable enough (that would be close to 0 C for a Brazilian, in case you’re wondering).
What has also been interesting to realize is that I actually do less outdoor activities living up north. For example, I really enjoy running outside, but from November to early March it’s either too slippery or too cold to do that, so I end up using the gym’s treadmill.
Funny enough, when you live in a big city it’s easy to think of yourself as an outdoorsy person. That’s because nobody else really is, and since you enjoy running in the park, you write on your online dating profile that you enjoy the outdoors.
I think it’s time for me to accept that I enjoy watching Netflix with a glass of wine. No bears or -27 C in my apartment.
www.twitter.com
