Spring Break

This week was Spring Break – or, as the Canadians do, we should call it March Break. This year we didn’t go out of town, rather we just took a day trip on Thursday. Even here in Eugene, we’ve had snow flurries all week (nothing that stuck around, but still! Hello, chilly! Where is spring and what have you done to it?). So, we packed our snow gear and tire chains and went cross-country skiing at Hoodoo.

It was a lovely day. The snow was much fresher than our X-C day last year, the trails were groomed, and the sun was out. Cross country skiing is so much easier to become competent in than downhill. But it is an intense workout – it feels less “impactful” than running, but you are in constant motion and your muscles get worked. I’m still a bit sore 4 days later.

We didn’t bring the camera on the trails but here’s a picture of us back at the car. My face looks like it was sunburned but I think it’s just the red Honda reflecting the intense sunlight.

Then, we went to Belknap Hot Springs. It’s a mountain resort along the McKenzie river and they have a swimming pool fed from a hot spring. It was nice to go in the hot water after our day of snow exertion. It wasn’t too, too hot. Just like a nice hot bath. Here’s the view from across the river, where the actual hot spring bubbles up. Apparently they pipe it across the river. All that steam rising from the pool is quite impressive, I guess the day was pretty cold!