Motivation can be fleeting. You may find goal you are working toward is no longer conducive to reasons you train. This is why it is important to set reasonable and attainable goals that match our individual purpose to train and compete. Fatigue, stress, emotional issues, overtraining, time constraints, and injuries can all reduce our motivational levels. Often taking a day or two off to rest and refocus will help restore your training ambition. Training should add to quality of your life, not hinder it. It is important to balance all aspects of your lifestyle and adjust your training level accordingly.

A positive mental outlook supports and enhances motivation. Avoid negative self talk; "I will never be a climber", and focus on positive; "I am becoming a more powerful cyclist each month." Surround yourself and train with positive-minded people who encourage and support you. Accept responsibility for, and learn from your failures as well as your successes. Blaming others will get you no where.

Motivation can be complex, but if you remember why you train, look for your sources of inspiration, and keep a positive mental outlook rest should fall into line. Realize that motivation comes from within, and from accomplishment. It is also a building process. Each goal you attain builds self esteem and confidence, giving you more motivation to accomplish your next goal.

Finally, organizer handles last minute changes. People get sick or have emergencies or “things” happen at work and substitutes have to be arranged. Snowstorms can force last-minute changes to travel plans, requiring telephone calls to entire group, as described in article, “Getting to Chatter Creek: Go Early and Get there“ (http://backcountrywintervacations.com/getting-to-chatter-creek.html )

You may have known your buddies for years, but you don’t really understand them until you try to organize their ski trip. As one cat ski operator noted, “It’s like herding cats”. One or two email messages is not enough to convey critical dates and other information. There is always that benighted soul who forgets or is confused or looses forms or is always late with payments. Experience teaches value of a standby list of people happy to step in and replace “foot-draggers”. That usually focuses attention!

Regular reminders and specific confirmation is needed to ensure that people really do understand what they need to know, and that critical dates and times really have been recorded in next year’s calendar, and not this year’s. If meeting point is in a different time zone, alarm bells have to be rung regularly, or people will forget time shift, or get it backward. People need reminding that there is a day of travel before and after dates of tour. If tour members are married, it’s a good idea to ensure their wives know “the drill”.

Different organizers handle their discount in different ways. Merle McKnight, manager of Chatter Creek, in Golden recommends, “Put it in your pocket, you’ve earned it!” Many organizers do just that. Others share discount with group members, giving everyone a small discount. One organizer rents a bus to take his group from Calgary to Golden, where his cat skiing tour starts. That tour really starts and ends in Calgary and everything in between is a blur.

In end, whatever frustration a group organizer may bear falls right away on that first run of annual tour, as one’s mates charge down hill, with whoops and hollers and powder snow flying. The grins on their faces make it all worth while!

Having written so much about organizing groups, I should add that, over years, I’ve had a number trips with two or three friends, sharing a snowcat with strangers. Without exception, these trips have been wonderful experiences. I’ve made new friends and have thoroughly enjoyed myself. Even though I am an experienced skier, I have rarely felt held back by weaker skiers. Well, perhaps just once. Snowcat skiing is so “laid back” and relaxed and guides are so skilled, that a range in ability within a group can “work” very well. Most snowcat skiing operators encourage just strong intermediate and expert skiers, so “slower” skiers are rarely far behind. More often than not, they end up waiting while hotshots “scope out” special challenges; cliffs, bumps and like.

If you don’t really know what cat skiing is all about, check out Cat Skiing Articles photo gallery at http://cat-skiing-articles.blogspot.com.