A day…named after me….check that off the bucket list!!

May 12^th 2010 in beautiful Fernie, BC was Emily Brydon Day.

An honour beyond my wildest dreams.  An honour that made me speechless.  An honour that I was proud to share with my Mom, friends and supporters.

Fernie is a little town nestled in the southeast corner of British Columbia; a place that I am proud to call my roots.  What once was just a tiny blip on the radar has grown into an international destination and a much sought after ski resort. It is a community that honours its citizens, lends a helping hand when need calls and inspirations beyond words.

So there I was, Mommy and me riding in the back of a 1950’s Studebaker fire truck, being escorted by a police car, 4 huge Olympic sport mascots, and two Mounties. Trailing behind us were the kids that the Emily Brydon Youth Foundation had helped and the people who were instrumental in my life and career thus far.  It was the ever growing parade as we picked up kids along the way like a giant “swiffer picker upper”. The only complaint to date was the lack of candy – next time!   People actually showed up and people actually cheered.  It was one of those occasions where I dreaded the worst (no one being there) and was blown away by the people whom I saw in the crowd.  It was so important for me to see this and to experience it.  It was a private showing to what happened during the games and a little taste of how the Olympics united this tiny village in the Kootenay’s.    It reinforced my belief that the Olympic Games can be so much more than podiums and results; the power of sport is one of the most unrecognized and underestimated forces of the world.  It grounded me and gave me what I needed to heal my disappointed Olympic heart.

From the fire truck, I was lead in by two local bagpipers (one of whom is a ski racer!) to the local community center.  The people in the crowd were all there because they were somehow connected to my life as a Fernite, ski racer, friend or supporter.  It was the most diverse, inspiration and thought provoking group of people.  Speeches followed and awards and presentations were given.  I kept the tears at bay but the dreaded clenched jaw was in effect. My speech at the end of it all was definitely one that was emotional and difficult; rarely am I at a loss of words, but I was.  How do you thank all these people who have already given you so much?  It is something that I will forever be indebted to the community, my friends, my family and my supporters for.

For all you ski fans, you can now enjoy Emily’s run at the Fernie Alpine Resort.  You can go for a lovely little jog or stroll along the Emily Brydon trail and if you ever get locked out the city just give me a call……I have the key!!!

Thanks for all the recognition, support and inspiration.

Emily

Photos taken by Henry Georgi

Paradise by definition is a place of extreme beauty, delight or happiness. Puerto Escondido just might be added to that definition one of these days.

I just recently returned home from a trip of a life time.  It was a dream vacation in so many ways, living up to each and every expectation I had.  At the end of every ski season, my goal first and foremost is to find a beach.  A beautiful beach where I can swim and play without a wetsuit, “bronze” beside crashing waves, relax and drink and eat as much and of whatever I want. A place of calm.  A place of rejuvenation. A place just like Casa Rubia.

It has been a dream of mine to bring together my closest friends and family to rekindle friendships, relax on calm soil, reminisce about fond memories and good times, and to simply be surrounded by people that I love who love me back.  I have always said that my career was never a solo adventure; there were many people who gave me the tools, the support and the inspiration to keep trying and keep achieving.  Now was my time to thank them for all that they have done.

So off to Casa Rubia it was.  Casa Rubia is a gem hidden on the beautiful pacific coast in southern Mexico.  It is a quintessential beach getaway.  It’s a place that you only ever see in pictures and a place that I was so happy to call home.  A place where friendships we made tighter, new ones where made and lifelong bonds were established.

Casa Rubia welcomed us with open doors, a wonderful staff and an awe inspiring onyx table that sits 12.  One of the highlights of my trip was the night that we filled 11 of those seats.  I have never eaten so well on a holiday and knowing that the food was fresh each and every day from the market made you really savour the taste and the appreciate luxury of it all.  I arrived late at night so on the first night it was a nice dinner, a couple beers and then off to bed.  The sound of the waves crashing on the beach only meters away was impressive but like the train that rolls through Fernie on a regular basis, the sound became calming and soothing. I slept with my doors open and the fan above my bed made the sleeping conditions ideal. I didn’t have to worry about a lonely bear coming to say hi. I didn’t have to worry that I might get cold in the middle of the night.  I placed my head on the pillow that night and fell into a deep “Zenfull” sleep.

The next 2 weeks were nothing short of amazing.  Almost every day someone was either coming or going, like the tide of the ocean.  Adventures were a daily ritual and open to whoever, whatever, whenever. Surfing was definitely the activity of choice as we were in one of the surf mecca’s of the world but deep sea fishing, beach volleyball, wakeboarding and hiking were also on the list.

I will honestly admit that surfing will never be in my cards as I have yet to figure out the art of patience but it sure was a blast giving it a whirl.  I can credit my ski crashes to helping me crash as gracefully and ably as possible in the waves but having said that I did manage to leave a piece of my front tooth on the beautiful ocean floor. The wakeboarding in the lagoon was an experience never to be forgotten.  The calm waters, the mangroves and the bathtub like temperatures made for an amazing experience.  Once again, my competitive and I am invincible train of thought led me to some spectacular crashes and a mild case of whiplash; one day I will learn that there are other gears apart from 5^th! The deep sea fishing was a first for me and I am happy to announce that I did not catch a thing. Yes you read it right.  I was happy to not have to deal with the “catch a fish and kill” idea so the sea safari was a great option.  We saw dolphins, dancing stingray (they get serious vertical out of the water with hilarious flapping “wings”), and many turtles.   We even manage to pet a turtle….not too sure if that it was you would call it, rather patting might be the better verb.  Back on shore we saw a turtle making her nest and laying her eggs which was such a special moment; real life “planet earth”.  The sunset boogie boarding, the pool volleyball and the soccer game with the local builders from next door were also up there on great moments.  The girls bought me a piñata on my “birthday” night which brought back many memories from my young and reckless years; those who saw, know!!!  The nights were often calm though, as we had wasted most of our energy on our day’s activities and by the time the “party” happens in Puerto we were all gazing at the back of our eyelids.

So here I am home safe and sound, feeding off the memories that this amazing vacation created.  Cary Mullen opened his house to me (Casa Rubia) and I will forever be indebted to him for it.  He has a vision for Puerto Escondido and for people who want Mexico to be part of their lives.  This vision is called VivoResorts. Vivo offers great service and lifestyle in the best weather beachfront place that he could find.  It is place that will forever bring families and friends together. It is place to retreat to and get away from our busy lives at home. It is place that wants to showcase authentic Mexico while supporting and maintaining authentic Mexico. It is a place I hope to return to many times in my life.

To my besties (Mommy, Diana, Krista, Michelle, Gen, Jenny, Anna, Anne-Marie, Shona, Larisa and Kristin)  – Thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming together on this unique and memorable vacation. I love you all.