Readers speak | Quebec on the move, part two

To tell the truth, we were hoping for a nice response from you, but we were buried with great stories, suggestions, photos. We read it all. But we have received so much mail that we have decided to present your testimony to you in two parts. So, without further ado, here’s the second!

Explore … the Great Wall of China

With my sisters and my mother, we accumulate our kilometers walked or run on Strava to travel a country (with the app Conqueror, which sends us a medal at the end of the challenge). We are currently crossing part of the Great Wall of China, and we are encouraging each mile advanced on a focus group. Last summer we did a loop in Ireland my mom was waiting for hip surgery she walked to the surgery and was motivated to come back soon afterwards racking up 0.4 km at the beginning with his walker, until a quick recovery.

Marie-Elaine Jobin

See more moose than people

We were lucky enough to reserve a small chalet near the Mont-Albert gîte. Five days of snowshoeing in the snow, you say? We alternated at the front to open the path. The lodge as well as the interpretation center were closed. We saw more moose than people. The temperature was ideal, between – 1 ° C and – 10 ° C. Since our return, we walk in the small well decorated streets or we skate on a frozen pond, near our home. We had the PRIVILEGE of looking after our two granddaughters, because the parents worked and their daycare was closed (normally, we see our “zamours” on Zoom). We were able to fall back into childhood and make angels in the snow and slide on a BIG mountain five feet high (a simple snowbank). Hours of fun.

Jean Leroux

We are a 65 year old grandma and a 64 year old grandpa and it is our two grandsons aged 2 and 5 who keep us in good shape. We play with them outside, sliding and skating… we try to make them move, too. They’re at home right now, mum is telecommuting and dad is working away from home, so we give them a hand. For us grandparents, it is difficult, COVID, like many others. We had a social life, but on the other hand, our little ones help us a lot without knowing it… They are the engines of our life. We love them so much and they make us move more. Let’s go outside to get some fresh air! That’s it, life feels good to move.

Anne Dorval

In my region, snow is scarce; impossible to snowshoe or cross-country ski at this time. So I walk, but not just anywhere! I’m looking for beautiful, inspiring landscapes that do me good. I live near a village on the edge of the Ottawa River. The municipality maintains a long path bordered on one side by a canal and on the other by the river. The view is superb. On Christmas Eve, around 4 p.m., from the nearby church, Christmas music could be heard announcing mass.

Danielle Perrin

With the increasingly uncertain conditions for winter sports, we have made the location of our small gym a priority during recent renovations. Contrary to what we often see (gyms are often in the basement), ours occupies a prime location in the house with access to the large TV in the living room and to the landscape of Lake Saint-Louis. When conditions do not allow outdoor activities, its use is a daily priority for us.

Michel Barré

As I am fortunate to be teleworked and have a flexible schedule, I start working a little earlier in the morning, and I finish a little later in order to be able to go for a walk during the lunch hour. . The benefits are numerous: it allows me to clear my head, decompress (lower cortisol levels) and recharge my batteries. Thus, I am more efficient and productive in the afternoon. Walking outside allows me to admire nature, to reconnect, and that makes me in a good mood. It’s good for the form and good for the forms (it firms the muscles and it gives tone). In short, it gives points to my health capital!

Guylaine Lavoie

Outdoor hockey will always be my favorite winter activity. I have just returned from a stay in Gaspésie where, once again, I enjoyed the most beautiful ice cream made with great care by a remarkable volunteer – hi, George Bernard! – and where the caliber of play is still excellent. What could be better ? If you go through Rivière-au-Renard, do not miss this pleasure …

Simon plourde

Rain or shine, for 18 months, whether it’s 32 ° C or – 22 ° C, we have pledged not to let COVID-19 bring our morale down! My girlfriend Maya (58) and I (62) walk three to four times a week for an hour and a half while Montreal is still sleeping. Well dressed, we leave at 6 am to explore the city and oh! What wonders, seeing the sun rise in downtown in front of Leonard Cohen’s mural, admiring the city from the Mount Royal belvedere, strolling along the still silent Avenue du Parc … all this puts us in an excellent mood before starting the tour. daytime. Thus, the grayness and gloom of the days greatly diminish while our friendship is (re) woven.

Maya and Marie-Hélène

I discovered the Move 50+ site: there are plenty of little training videos for all levels of athletes. I got back in shape thanks to these small sessions.

Chantal Fournier

This year, despite the hope of avoiding confinement, we had organized ourselves to be able to practice our favorite sports regardless of health measures. So we took our seasonal passes at our local ski resort and set up an outdoor rink. Children love it!

Maxime Levesque

Playing outside is part of my life and since the pandemic it is even more so. When I wake up, I walk from home to Mount Royal, a good 90 minutes. On Christmas Day, I was skating on the beautiful ice of Mount Royal with my 19 year old son. From a young age, it has been a tradition to skate on this day. On New Year’s Eve, it was with my friend Jean from Quebec that I was skating on Mount Royal in the evening. The crowd had left the mountain to gather, small flakes were falling, it was magic. This winter, we already have cold and snow, let’s take advantage of it. Saturday, I will walk in the mountains for 15 good kilometers, something I have done every week since July 2021! Life is good outside, dress up and go!

Martine Caron

I am a runner. Since the end of April 2020, I have been a member of the Kin-Option virtual racing club. We connect to Zoom and during the race intervals we hear the coach that is live in our ears and giving us direction, encouragement and advice. We also do weight training. Very good supervision and very motivating!

Jean-Francois Beauchamp

Boxing Day, we cleared a regulatory NHL rink surface. As the task was a little too big, we finished the whole thing the next day. With the mild temperatures of the past week, the lake cracked, stalled and released water around the rink, where it was too heavy. The cold setting in the next day, the result was magnificent. A transparent mirror with a mirror finish with air bubbles trapped inside. We even had to change the color of our pucks because the ice is so black. The surface is perfect for playing hockey or taking a leisurely stroll. Teens know exactly where they are going after having lunch at noon. You can invite friends while respecting the rules in force. It occupies the whole family! I even made myself a zamboni, just to keep the ice cream at its original quality. This is how we stay active, creative and get off the hook. It forces us to reclaim our beautiful country rather than staying glued to our phones inside, waiting for the eighth wave press conference and the xth curfew.

Nicolas behm

Discover skateboarding at 65

I’ve always been a fan of extreme and even a little weird hobbies, everything I do is out of proportion. In October 2020, I discovered skateboarding at 65. I consider that I wasted 50 years of my life for not having started as a teenager. Thanks to skateboarding, I have hardly thought about COVID for 14 months. How, in the middle of winter, do I manage to have my dose of skateboarding?

At the foot of my TV there is a swivel base that allows the angle of the device to be changed depending on where I am sitting. I install this base on my living room floor or my balcony and I practice my surfskate (board that simulates surfing and allows 360 degree turns with very, very short radii) every day. You can surely guess that I close the blinds in the living room, and that on my balcony, I wait for darkness.

– A grandfather soon in diaper who rides a skateboard.

– Mom, what’s he doing, the guy?

– Do you think you’re a teenager?

– Are you not tired of going around in circles?

It is out of the question for me to hear this type of comment again. Long live confinement. Couldn’t be happier. You should try. Carving skiers, windsurfers, snowboarders and snowboarders kitesurfing, you will become experts in a few hours. No more waiting for the wind and the beautiful snow, all you need is a swivel TV base and a surfskate.

Guy Sirois