I was feeling the call to find a new way to push myself.
When was the last time I had been a bit nervous about something? When had I said yes to an adventure that may have been outside of my perceived comfort zone and physical ability?

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I met Kyla, the owner of Back 2 Nature Wellness and Adventures, a year ago at a tourism event and we had been trying to find one of her retreat dates that worked in my crazy schedule. Recently, she proposed 2 events and BOTH dates worked. One involved working with clay, which I would have really enjoyed.

The other?

A 15 km stand up paddle board adventure.
I quickly said yes to the paddle board retreat. And not long after, the second guessing came in.

Could I do it?
Why hadn’t I finally gotten into better shape? What if I couldn’t make it that far? Suck it up Christine, you can’t back out now.

And I really didn’t want to. I was ready to push myself and get that feeling of accomplishment that comes with completing a goal you’ve set out for. In all honesty, I knew I could do it.

This retreat was held at Camp Wolf Willow, just outside of Outlook, Saskatchewan. Wolf Willow Winery is on the same property and that’s where we ate all our meals.

There are A framed cabins, tenting sites, and luxury tents, which is what we got to stay in. As a solo traveller, I was paired up with another gal, which never bothers me. She ended up being a fantastic person from Ontario who was on a mission to see every province. The way she booked short trips on her days off was so inspiring! Make the best of where you are at!

After supper on night 1 we got changed and headed to the sauna that I had had me eyes on all year. Kyla’s sauna experiences are amazing. The cold plunge had us all a bit nervous, but it turned outto be just what we needed after the heat.

Day 2.
Paddle day.
I was lightly nervous but equally excited.

We paddled. Quietly reflecting. Looking out for animals to bring us messages.

We ate a delicious picnic on a sandbar and then a few of us jumped in the river for a dip. That was WAY colder than the plunge the night before!
I felt completely at ease on the board. The water is my calm place. The wind pushed and I pushed back. I trailed only slightly behind the others, but truthfully, that’s always how I roll in group activities. There’s no rush. Breathing the fresh air and trying to clear my brain of all the fog that finds its way in.

We made it back to camp thanks to a ride from the winery owners and had time to relax. Our tents had the most beautiful view overlooking the river. We enjoyed another meal at the winery and I discovered I really liked the Pineapple Jalapeno Cider, a seasonal special.
We ate smores around the fire as a group, chatting about life and looking up what message the 4 bald eagles we saw may have been sending.

Day 3 brought another fun experience. Horseback riding with Misty River Trail Rides. She is also conveniently located on the same property. I love the collaboration among all of these businesses!
I have done various trail rides over the years, but being so close to the river and riding through channels of water made it more memorable. Of course, I had the horse that she dubbed the class clown who did not follow rules.

I think that’s the message I needed. Do your own thing. Don’t always follow the crowd. Go at your own pace. I did enjoy when we had to trot to catch up to the group each time Apollo stopped to eat. All of the horses that she has are rescues, making it even more special.

Before lunch, Kyla took us to the top of a hill for a guided breathwork meditation. Mindfulness is a huge part of her retreats and experiences. She doesn’t push it but had affirmation and oracle cards available and she invited us to set intentions and look for personal meaning from events throughout the weekend.

We ended the retreat with another meal and more great conversations. I know that I will be back for another one of Kyla’s adventures. As I dive deeper into the tourism world I have gained a greater respect for all of the small details that go into creating a memorable experience. Kyla could, and should, teach her ways to other operators!

It has been so fun to watch the progress Kyla has made since the day we met, when she was just taking the leap into quitting her full-time job in another field. She continues to expand Back 2 Nature Wellness & Adventures and I am excited to see what comes next.

Thanks for having me out and thanks to everyone in the group who made it special!