I picked skiing over the Super Bowl

UPDATE: Some skiing and *cough cough* cake-eating photos added below.

First, a confession, a caramel-y, moistly cakey confession.

A stroop waffle cupcake, Trophy Cupcakes, Bellevue

Yes, that's a cupcake. Yes, I ate it. Yes, I'm losing the sugar war.

On to other topics, like cross-country skiing. Today is Maria's birthday (Happy Birthday Maria!) and on Sunday, we went on a birthday ski. Want to know the best time to have the ski trails to yourself? Super Bowl Sunday.

Some forms of exercise are boring to me, like running. I can make myself run, but while I'm doing it, I'm fixated on how hard it is. Runners tell me the solution is to run more, but why run when I can do yoga? Take that, runners. Skate skiing is hard, but it's never boring. Part of it is survival -- if I don't focus, I will fall. But I never tire of the stillness and quiet in the woods and crisp, fresh air. When I'm out there, I wonder why I convince myself the hour drive to Cabin Creek, east of Snoqualmie Pass, is too far. It's worth it.

Our ski party on the go.

Being in the woods draws me into the present. The physical act of leaving the city turns off the chatter in my head, and cross-county skiing has a meditative quality that combines the sound of skis against snow, breath and physical sensation. Our ski was a mix of intense sprints up hills and breaks at the top talking. We followed up the ski gathered at Maria's place, eating homemade fontina, prosciutto, mushroom and arugula pizza and chocolate-chocolate cake, a Maria specialty. It was a perfect birthday weekend.

 

Airplane is harder on skis.

 

Followed up with a little (or a lot) of chocolate chocolate cake.