From the downy comfort of my king-size bed at Tofino’s Wickaninnish Inn, I’m watching die-hard surfers brave the frigid Pacific and being reminded of some of life’s great lessons: take risks; trust; share what you know–and get back on the board when you fall down.

The view from my picture window over Chesterman Beach on the far left coast of Vancouver Island, BC is not unlike what I saw when I looked up from computer 18 months ago and realized many of my most loyal newspaper and magazine editors had been fired or “retired” and those who were left were offering meagre pay for fewer words.

As a long-time print-based travel writer, my career landscape was suddenly unfamiliar and frankly a little scary. I thought about hanging up my boots. Briefly.

And then I got busy learning how to surf in turbulent waters.

Ten months after launching TheseBoots.Travel as an all-Canada travel blog, I’m relieved to report I’m still upright.

There have been no ugly crashes. The site attracts many new readers and sponsors every month. I’ve had a lot of fun and even made a little money–but I sure haven’t done it alone.

So many people have helped me make this transition and for anything good that’s happened here in 2009, I thank:

• my husband Brad for always being my best teacher
• Rebecca Bollwit, aka Miss 604, and Evelyn Hannon, aka Journeywoman, for sharing all they know so freely with so many
• SFU friends Steve Ray and Josh Laidlaw for pushing me into the tech deep end and then making sure I didn’t drown
• UBC’s Alfred Hermida and SFU’s Richard Smith, whose understanding of and enthusiasm for the journalistic potential of social media makes wish I was in J-school again
• Gloria Loree and Michelle Glave of the Canadian Tourism Commission, and Darren Johner of Tourism Vancouver for “getting it”–and getting me
• Tourism Niagara’s Betsy Foster for buying the first ad
• Fairmont Hotels‘ Mike Taylor for sponsoring the first contest prize (and for the public nod as “Canada’s Wendy Perrin”)
• all the advertisers and contest sponsors who followed them
• Laura Serena (ImmediaPR), Lynda Kaye (KayePR), Jane Ince (JIMediaConnections), and Kate Rogers (TartanPR) for unwavering support in wavering times
• Travel Blog Exchange founder Kim Mance for creating a classy professional development event (TBEX10) for serious travel bloggers–and those who want to be
• all my wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable media and PR colleagues in the Travel Media Association of Canada–you know who you are!
• and you–the 30,000+ TheseBoots readers–for making all this more than a wank. It’s good to know you’re out there.

A hug of gratitude to you all and best wishes for 2010!

And here’s an early Twitter #followfriday for most of the above:

Brad Ovenell-Carter: @braddo

Rebecca Bollwit: @miss604

Evelyn Hannon: @journeywoman

Steve Ray: @seray

Josh Laidlaw: @joshlaidlaw

Darren Johner: @myvancouver

Mike Taylor: @fairmonthotels

TBEX10: @TBEX10

Kim Mance: @kimmance

Laura Serena: @immediapr

Jane Ince: @jince

Betsy Foster: @tourismniagara

Richard Smith: @smith

Alfred Hermida: @hermida