This winter, the Rideau Canal Skateway opened as early as the 31st of December; and today, which marked my first skate of the season, all 7.8 km of the canal was made available to the public.

Back in February ’11, somehow friends and I had managed to skate the whole stretch back and forth for a total of approximately 28 km in a single day. However, this time since ice conditions were rough and we were both on the verge of a brain freeze, J and I ended up covering just a small portion of the canal — that is, just until we made it to a Beavertail stand.

We’re living proof that even if your limbs feel dead from the deep chill and you’re on the verge of surrendering to Mother Nature, you can still go far in life if you make that Beavertail stand your raison d’être. I think we can all agree that Beavertails and hot chocolate for a sugar rush and some friendly warmth, definitely constitute the highlight of the skating experience.

The simple things in life enjoyed in the heat of the moment — skating on the canal, sharing laughs with a friend, and enjoying delicious Beavertails — are the most heartfelt. I’m now looking forward to more rounds of skating, and of course, Winterlude.