Mount Washington Blog #2 - Sunshine

Hey Everyone - just linking you up to my musings on Mt Washington - in 'light' of February, a definitely dark dud of a month, I wanted to remind you there's a great place to find happiness - the mountains!

Thanks for following along AND...check out the other Mt Washinton blogs at: http://www.mountwashington.ca/mount-washington-blog.html

SUNSHINE

01 February 2013

It's time for a plug for all things related to happiness - with February coming on full force - our weather systems in B.C. aren't getting any better. In fact, as I look out my window, I'd say we're going downhill.

I'm a sensitive soul to the sun - and it is a necessity for me to get through we(s)t coast Canadian winters. I'm careful about it - don't get me wrong, I wear sunscreen & cover up against it when I can. In fact, you may think being a triathlon has all the glamour of the ability to get 'good' tans when we're out training. To be truthful, sun is probably my #1 work hazard out on the roads & in the water. Despite sunscreen, awkward tan lines are the #2 work hazard (my best friend could attest to this when she saw my criss-crossed back in horror when I showed up for her wedding for which I needed to wear a strapless dress…but I digress…). So yes, the sun needs to be respected, but for me, it also has to be found.

And where do you find sun more often than any other place in a Canadian winter?

You bet your last cookie - you find sun on the mountains.

mt washington above the clouds 

And what mountain is closest to you?

I bet it's Mt Washington.

We've just gone through an amazing 2 week inversion where the entire Comox Valley (and what looked like to be the entire island) was blanketed in a white quilt of dense cloud. But above it? Sun & blue skies. Truly amazing. And…..it was warmer on the top of the mountain than it was down at sea level!

Now, whether you're a skier, boarder, snow-shoe fanatic or just someone who doesn't want to be under grey skies & misty damp bone chilling cold, you need to be up on top of the mountain on days like this. Winter sport enthusiasts really need no convincing, but based on how some people's lives play out, some have never ventured on top of the mountains and found something they like to do. Fair enough. I say though, that it doesn't matter if you ski & slide or not, you should be up here.

I'll explain why.

It's called Vitamin D. Canadians have widespread deficiencies of this vitamin, and it's unbelievably important to your health. Cancer, heart disease, bone health, seasonal depression in the winter months - yikes - all linked to low levels of Vitamin D. Now, bear in mind, I'm not your doctor so always check with your medical professional, but getting a minimal amount of full sun exposure (~20 min) can make a big difference to your health (Of course you have to be careful about not getting too much sun too). Sometimes on the ground we can go weeks without getting enough sun - but on days & weeks like we've had up the mountain, we're surrounded by it.

So ski or slide or sit out on deck at one of the great lodges up at Mt Washington, you're doing yourself a favour by boosting your Vitamin D. Feeling better during those great months is a great boost to be a happier & healthier person year round, and there isn't a person in the world that wouldn't benefit from that!

So if I'm in the Eagle chair line in the sun happier, then you're happier, then the ski lifty line control is happier, and we're all laughing and having a great time - the happiness is contagious and hard to stop.

Make the world a happier place - go find some sun :)

we are happier than all of our friends who are not here :)

Happy skiing!