During The Off Season
What Do I Do All Winter?
First let me be extremely clear: I will never suggest that riding a bike needs to stop just because we get cold and snow in Calgary. I don't recommend winter biking for those new to biking as there are a number of challenges that can be overwhelming for the less-experienced cyclist. However, I don't ride my bike in the winter time so I need to find other things to do with my time.
Business Stuff
Wrapping Up
The beginning of the off-season is spent wrapping up the season: boring stuff like making sure staff paperwork is completed, accounting is up to date, and photos are labelled & catalogued. I also do quick updates to my website to indicate that there's no courses available until the spring.
There's always some time spent reminiscing on the best moments of the season as well as probably too much time dwelling on things that didn't go very well and/or complaints.
Planning The Schedule
Analysis
Preparation
Other
Personal Stuff
I don't believe that work should be the only thing anyone does, and even if I did, I don't have enough work to fill all my time in the off-season.
Around The House
My first priority is my family, both human and furry. In the off-season, I spend more time cleaning, cooking, and cuddling. My disabled cat Noodles, currently 7 years old, usually gets in a routine of having a 2:00 "cuddle nap" on my lap while I read, web surf or watch TV.
As the only person in my household who doesn't (currently) have weekday obligations, I'm also the designated grocery shopper, gardener, errand-runner, and snow clearer of the house. Depending on the month, I will be outside doing things such as planting seeds, pulling weeds, digging in compost, filling the bird feeder or keeping our sidewalk, patio, driveway and over 40m (140 feet) of paved alley as snow-free as possible (yes, I shovel the alley, it's a complicated story).
As the only person in my household who doesn't (currently) have weekday obligations, I'm also the designated grocery shopper, gardener, errand-runner, and snow clearer of the house. Depending on the month, I will be outside doing things such as planting seeds, pulling weeds, digging in compost, filling the bird feeder or keeping our sidewalk, patio, driveway and over 40m (140 feet) of paved alley as snow-free as possible (yes, I shovel the alley, it's a complicated story).
Winter Teaching
If you've read my About Us page, you may recall that I became a Certified Ski Instructor in 2021. I learned how to ski before I learned how to ride a bike, but the pandemic shut down of schools, where I spent 1-2 days a week volunteering to help kids learn to read was the trigger to get me to pursue a long-standing dream, and that's when I decided to become a ski instructor, so that I could teach people how to ski. I haven't decided if my shoulder feels good enough to do any instructing this year, but I hope to as I thoroughly enjoy passing on my knowledge and skills on snow as much as on bike.
I wear a tiger helmet cover on my ski helmet and am instantly recognizable among the uniformly-dressed ski instructors.
Keeping Warm
Another activity which I have done since I was single-digit aged is cross-stitching. Sadly, I don't make the time to do much during the warmer months, but it's an excellent cold-weather activity which I enjoy. The stocking I completed for my daughter took far more years to complete than I want to admit. I started on one for my husband a couple of years ago which is calling to me again... if I can just convince myself to work on it, rather than mindlessly web surfing or doom scrolling, it might be done for Christmas 2024.
Curling up with a book - I especially enjoy mysteries but am not ashamed to admit that I have really been enjoying the Young Adult books I get for my daughter (hey, reading is reading and I don't care that the book is aimed at 9-14 year olds) - or watching a TV show or movie, always with a nearby cup of tea, are other things that I do to occupy my time indoors.
Curling up with a book - I especially enjoy mysteries but am not ashamed to admit that I have really been enjoying the Young Adult books I get for my daughter (hey, reading is reading and I don't care that the book is aimed at 9-14 year olds) - or watching a TV show or movie, always with a nearby cup of tea, are other things that I do to occupy my time indoors.
Outside Activities
On weekends, days off school/work or sometimes just because I need to move my body, I get outside.
"If you choose not to find joy in the cold and snow, you will have less joy in your life, but still the same amount of cold and snow."
I'm a born and raised Calgarian and I don't have to work hard to find beauty in winter. Joy can be more elusive, but appreciating the beauty of winter helps get there.
Going for a walk, or a more adventurous snowshoe walk or hike, making snow angels, building snowmen (or using molds to make snow penguins, snow bears, or tiny snowmen), going sledding, downhill skiing or rarely ice skating are all activites that I do with and without my family to make winter more enjoyable.
I'm a born and raised Calgarian and I don't have to work hard to find beauty in winter. Joy can be more elusive, but appreciating the beauty of winter helps get there.
Going for a walk, or a more adventurous snowshoe walk or hike, making snow angels, building snowmen (or using molds to make snow penguins, snow bears, or tiny snowmen), going sledding, downhill skiing or rarely ice skating are all activites that I do with and without my family to make winter more enjoyable.
Hibernate In Winter? No Thanks.
I joke that the seasons in my year are bike season, ski season and 2 mud seasons, but it's kind of true!
Cycling season doesn't entirely end, or at least there's more cycling things for me to do even when I'm not teaching. I haven't tried fat biking, but I fill my off-season with plenty of other activities both indoors and out. Working on my business in the off-season ensures that things continue to improve each year, but I don't close myself into a warm space and get bored: there's lots of wonderful activities to do during the winter!
What kinds of things do you do during the spring, fall and winter?
- Melissa Malejko, Owner of Safer Cycling Calgary
Cycling season doesn't entirely end, or at least there's more cycling things for me to do even when I'm not teaching. I haven't tried fat biking, but I fill my off-season with plenty of other activities both indoors and out. Working on my business in the off-season ensures that things continue to improve each year, but I don't close myself into a warm space and get bored: there's lots of wonderful activities to do during the winter!
What kinds of things do you do during the spring, fall and winter?
- Melissa Malejko, Owner of Safer Cycling Calgary
Recently Read Books
You may have already read these, but a few that I recently completed and enjoyed:
- The City of Ember (book 1 in series; I recently finished the whole series) by Jeanne DuPrau
- Fablehaven (book 1 in series; recently completed the whole series) by Brandon Mull
- A World of Curiosities (book 18 in series; the first one I've read) by Louise Penny
- The Midwife's Apprentice (I listened to the audio book) by Karen Cushman
- Murder Past Due (book 1 in series; I've read the first 3) by Miranda James
Places To Go Outside
Places that I've enjoyed recently for outdoor winter activities:
- Winsport
- Nakiska
- South Glenmore Park pathway
- Fish Creek Park
- Frozen Toad loop in Kananaskis
- West Bragg Creek trail system