December 30

Sunday December 30, 2007 5:15 am Lethbridge, Alberta

It is -5 C with a high forecast of -2 C. Sunrise 8:29 Sunset 16:39 Hours of daylight: 8:10

A. Morning Musings

I am up early this morning. This is my personal preference. I love the quiet and the opportunity to think about the coming day.

I have just checked the weather report for both Lethbridge and the Crowsnest Pass. It is fine in both locations with temperatures just below zero and not too windy. I have my first cross-country ski trip planned for today. A good friend just bought new skis and we are both keen to get out on the trails this season. Here is a link to the area we are going to visit: http://crowsnestguide.com/allisonwonderlands/memberships.html

I have been postponing the updating of my monthly time chart for December. Now to bring that up to speed before the end of the year. Done.

When I return from skiing, probably about 4 PM, I need to add some weight to the truck box so it is ready for winter driving. I have a couple of cement slabs that weigh about a hundred pounds each. This will give the rear wheels much more traction in the snow.

Immediate	Description	Time
Model Trains	Clean mainline track; inspect for trouble spots	1 hr
Literature	Continue reading "The Tender Bar" by Moehringer	1 hr
Technology	Begin "Wikinomics" by Tapscott	1 hr

B. Actual Learning Activities

6:15 am

I have brought the December time chart up to date (link at bottom of left side margin). December was a hectic month with the moves to Ballina and then to Lethbridge plus the Christmas season. It shows up in the fewer hours devoted to some form of Learning activity. Cross-country skiing does not count as a Learning activity, although a good argument could be made for its inclusion.

4:40 PM

This was a fantastic day. We are back from the Crowsnest after a superb first day of cross-country skiing. The weather was excellent, about -3 C with little wind. Snow conditions were good as well, cold and crisp. The skis glided on the downhill and the wax gave them some grip when going uphill. I was a little daunted at a couple of the downhill runs but managed them without falling. I just need a few hours experience to develop some judgement as to what the speed is likely to be as I begin a descent. There were just the two of us, Jim & myself, for most of the day. It was perfectly quiet on the back trails. We also saw three ice fisherman on Chinook Lake. They had caught a few rainbow trout - about 10 - 12" long. I will download a few photos shortly.

This was a fantastic day!