Here is the new podcast on Calgary Living: Real Estate and Lifestyle with our guest this time Lida Frydrychova. Lida and Bryon share a common love for mountains and travel. Lida is a full-time working woman who is also an avid ice skater and mountain climber. She has climbed numerous mountains and often goes on climbs with her boyfriend Rob and friend Tommy. Both Lida and Bryon's passion for mountains and travel brings them together as they share a desire to explore new places and experience the beauty of nature. Overall, their shared interests have the potential to bring them together as they continue to pursue their passion for adventure and exploration.
About Lida Frydrychova :
Although Lida is not a real estate expert, she enjoys living in Calgary and adventuring in the Canadian Rockies. Lida works for Suncor as a manager of Refined Products Accounting and likes to spend her free time in the mountains. She has also been volunteering for many years with the Alpine Club of Canada and more recently with the Lake Louise Hostel.
Calgary Real Estate by The Howard Team eXp REALTY
Email: hello@thehowardteam.net
Bryon Howard - 403-589-0004
Ben Archibald - 403-926-9087
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Podcast - Calgary Living: Real Estate and Lifestyle with Host Bryon Howard https://dashboard.simplecast.com/shows/9da83ac2-e7ba-432a-ac57-9328cd4702e7/episodes/4416b442-1fd1-42b2-be7a-8574639bcdc0
Hey folks welcome
to another edition of.
What's
a show called.
Welcome to another edition of
umm
Calgary we real estate
and lifestyle today I have
on Maya on the show
and very
pleased to have
a friend
leader Frederick koba
on the show welcome to the show
lida.
Thank you.
Hey I'm little we met just
before Christmas December
early December I think
are know it was after
Christmas I forget wind
it was a beautiful gorgeous
day at Rogers pass in British
Columbia we were back contrast skin.
Correct yeah.
The park
we I I think I'd I forget how
a.
And
got myself along on that trip but I probably
I invite it myself along to some of the
some mutual friends and
we'd met for the first time.
And I was and
I was very impressed as this
a woman ahead and he
was charging up
of breaking trail
and it'll not really allowing
anyone else to do any work
with that describe you.
Great
it sounds like my problem.
We.
Have great scheme
that the actually
in terms of sky days.
Like I
tend to be.
You know like
it
I want to say he was one of my favorites
eat a backcountry ski days of ever.
Oh yeah it was the good
snow and know it's tracks so
yeah I dunno if
you are less than it.
Would listeners would appreciate that
because they think most of them done back and
catchy sky bet.
If they dont into
I recommend it.
Well and that's kind of the purpose of the
of his show a living in calgary we call it
real estate in lifestyle
and we met and I was very.
Well
very.
Well first off.
Like before I ever really met
you know you're just
like way ahead of me
and
on the sky track
and and
and
and I like to share the the
podcast with people you know.
Sort of.
You know you live in calgary and and that's
how we met and you enjoy all the things
about calgary and
and access to our mountains I
think is a big thing for you so again
wanted to have you on the show
and.
Excited to have you here are
your.
You
have some we have some similar
interest in the mountains that's for sure.
Yes.
Let me start at a
real question to
serve a quick question what
we what most striking
to about living in calgary.
I I think you just
pretty much set it.
Mountain find the best
part into the only thing
that would make
called getting better if.
If they were closer
to Calgary
That's right if they're
like right next door
or she
can say.
So
I mean you you've
you've been to Calgary
for quite a long time and you
enjoy really the Canadian rockies.
You work at some core for a
manager of the refined products
accounting
and you're an accountant
I have to understand
and obviously spend a lot
lot of your time in the mail
since we had some fun discussions
around mountains and mountain travels and
accessing our outdoors
to like
of talked to a
little bit about that
and sort of my experience with you
know mountains and now to travel.
As you know versus years
and
and I was
also struck and impressed by
your your your your commitment
to the community
and the volunteer
work that you do
I think these days and.
You.
Do a lot of work with lake Louise hostile
which I like to talk a little bit about
and have done
quite a bit of.
Work with alpine club of
Canada and I think as well
name mountaineering
scrambling club.
Giving to which is the club
the club day we met on.
So.
You a.
How long have you been in calgary
and what brought you to gallery.
I have been here for
over twenty six years.
I arrived June six
nineteen ninety six
when I was fast seventeen
and my sister was here.
So she invited me to come on
would have been a come over
When I finished high school and
I have
been here ever since.
Well
and where did you come from originally I
assume some mountainous European country.
From the Czech republic and mountainous
would be an overstatement it's more like
Haley country
but beautiful hills.
Okay
and where you are
like
up until you're a seventeen when
you came here kind of I guess for family
and oh with your
sister being here first was it a what brought
like her what brought you here did you
guys have a childhood experience in
the outdoors where your outdoor people.
Yes.
If my pants I have always been you know
cross country skiing downhill skiing some.
Icy health you know.
There are different skiing experience all
these biking and hiking yeah my parents are
always.
Into the outdoors
yeah
I was
kind
the problem child.
I walked too soon I
climbed everything and
it was kind of a difficult
thing to keep me.
At home or in sight.
I can I can imagine
and and
so he came in ninety six you're you're
a you know really quite young they'd be
spending like could become her sister did
you enter school kind of right away were
you in the university
or what was your thing.
You're you're.
In calgary.
So I didn't speak English so I had to learn
English than than they did not recognize
my high school courses so
I had to take some of those.
Then I thirty the
university of calgary
I did that and then
I did my a CA.
Chartered accountant and yeah.
Ten years later I was done.
So we're talking to like two thousand and
six now that you're finally done screwing.
Yeah
and then and then I am my
undergrad was in finance.
And so I decided to finance Muslim quiet
the place to be an especially in categories
so I switched to a calm things
that took a few
more courses and.
Yeah eventually
I finished my ca.
Know.
umm
The saw an accountant actually and this is
got some of the stuff that we talked about
in the mountains.
umm
Leader you were very that's
let's just jump way ahead.
To today
and
we had some short discussions
and conversation around
the mountain travel
I think that you have
hit at least.
Actually you're pretty
close to finishing
umm
the eleven thousand
footers of the Canadian record
rockies I think you might have like a fifteen
left which means you've done somewhere
around forty maybe thirty five
is that correct.
Yeah I forget to count
they I have over forty
and
yeah if I.
If I finished damages
slow progress many you have too
many other interests and too many other
mountain
on your list.
Know if I finish damage will be
at yeah it would be probably the
My understanding is
the spirit remaining
To finish them so we'll see
I will try.
And for listeners can you
describe with that objective is.
I'll just I'll say it it's.
You know completing.
The
all I I guess fifty eight.
Of the eleventh thousand voters in of
the Canadian rockies what does that mean.
Yeah so they're actually
fifty four the ones.
Or eleven thousand feet but
then you book includes that
near eleven thousand years.
Or so.
Some
the mountain
in the Canadian rockies
over eleven thousand.
Yeah.
Cool and and
the
to what is maybe.
Three or four that most
most calgarians are all Burton's
might know the names of.
The what which
was.
Probably the most people
would know my throb spinner.
Being the highest modern so.
Long Robson
a lot of people they'll know my temple of
that's like the first time many people will
complete
and you know mom with the tabasco
you drive by it on the icefields parkway
another one and there are
many of them in that area.
So yeah many notable mountains people
see as the drive through the rockies.
Very cool.
And
and then
tell US to
talk to those are still
about your some of your
current projects and your you know you're
obviously have a full-time career working
and but you're
kind of a.
mountain athlete or you are
definitely a mountain athlete
then do.
You know.
Your your your I think he just
returned from a rock climbing trip.
In Arizona
where you're
kind of gear bring up in preparing
for some big objectives in the next
know.
Coming months
talked to US about that.
I have many many
activities too many
I need that job
that's less busy.
And yeah from you know rock climbing to
sport climbing trad climbing alpine climbing
mountaineering I'm high
altitude mountaineering
and they've been
traced long hair so.
Lots of back and cheese skiing and
cross country skiing and ice climbing is
you know one of the best places
to live here if you like ice climbing.
It's at it's a dangerous sport
that'd be have a lot of ice around.
You know not too far
from calgary including
the goes which is always an
adventure going into the ghost.
Reservoirs though.
Yeah lots of
activities to do here
and
I go I brought a lot
especially aaa.
Since I am originally
from Europe
I've spent a lot
of time in the alps
and.
It's one of them
you know more recent objectives they
did as soon as we were able to travel.
So last year I went
and climb the eiger
I climb that free day.
Over the three days
big cat traverse of the eiger
and it's called agony integral.
So that was that big one
I.
Did a very big tourist sixty traverse over
the months heroes that range called this
spaghetti tiller.
And then yeah
lots of previous
trips to the alps
climb matterhorn in one blanc tours
which was a five day Teresa mont blanc.
And then you know other once
more close to heal here denali.
Twenty seventeen the highest
month and you're not from.
Well that's in the South America
I'll put.
Always very famous mountain in most
beautiful mountain in the world they say.
It's located in Peru.
Close the six thousand meters.
And around here one of
the big one month old alberta.
Climbed at in twenty to twenty one again
that a mountain debts on the ice wilkes
parkway lots of
people drive by it.
Oh.
Lots of lots of mountains
it there
you can.
Keep going nonstop
and now.
Now trump the
transferring a little bit more
to rock climbing as I
often do in the spring.
Going to do a big trip to sardinia
which is an island of the coast of Italy.
So
need to be read for death.
Row
and that was
in some of your preparation in Phoenix
I think what's your mix was it recently.
Was a drink
I guess hold your rock climbing.
Skills
in sardinia for sardinia.
And the is there some of this particular
projects and sardinia that you'd like to do
or or anything like.
Strong goals and I know that you're
climbing strong with a partner or another
another woman.
Tell US a little bit about that partnership
and maybe some of your goals that you
have a row that the next
coming months.
Yeah I have felt looked
up numerous the boots.
Sardinia is very.
Heavily populated with claims
that have three thousand recruits.
So it's very difficult to
choose what your objective is.
By but that yeah villa
will find will end and
and yeah I climb lots with my my boyfriend
Rob but also with my friend Tommy.
Who is
newer but.
Learning very fast.
For
good.
And so with all that
interested in the.
As a as.
I
got the older I
says are
like truth is an interest
in this as I as I become a
your life for me was like very very busy
with young kids and all career and all that
sort of thing
and then
and then as a
as.
I got like older I
started to figure out.
What I liked to do in the
mountains are in the outdoors
and
and at this point do
it and and I start to.
Understand my own limitations
and my style my personality
around
adventures and
how I organize them or don't
and
and
so that's what as a sort
of really impressed by you
that they'd I'd like to
dig into a little bit on that
and then get back into a
little bit more about I'm like well
real I think that all this lifestyle
that we're talking about right now.
Also relates
to
the this whole
podcasts and real estate.
Can you tell me a little
bit about what you're
in terms of all the
activities you do and
just to sort of recap there's
like there's
there's traverses
there is a
peak begging mountaineering
there's
like rock climbing
and there's ice climbing
these things are completely different things
all in the outdoors and involving some
sort of.
Terrain that goes up.
Can you talk just a little bit about
that it's kind of unusual I think that
somebody does so much at
when you know.
The at such a high level
and and.
Talk this little bit of that.
You have to be
organized and that's that.
My number one as skill or even
my boss jokes about it.
And that I keep him organized than before
he has time to even show me a spreadsheet
I'm already in it than
fixing it up but
Yeah so very organized
my job is very busy
and depending land the role I
have been you know working
you know close to
fifty hours a week so.
Need to be very organized
spreadsheets keep keep an organized
I use those for all of my trips
to make sure that especially if you have a
high altitude trip you really need to make
sure that that clements
hazy she goes well
so spreadsheet works
great for trip planning.
And making sure you
get all the gear because
there is a lot of gear
in the last there for.
You know mountaineering
and climbing trips.
So as if you use your gear
every weekend you get better at it.
And.
So yeah
I I use all the tools some you
know Google sharing Google docs.
It's nice to have people
who are kind of fun to same.
On the same plan
though.
Tommy who is that like climate
with a lot she's also research.
Group
so lots of research.
In fourteen countries that is always
difficult minutes in a different language so
Google translator
becomes to your friends.
To make sure you
don't get into trouble
in the mountains.
Addressing and yeah
that's kind of stuff I
to like.
I I think like within the first few minutes
that we met you know when they finally
caught up to you know
close to you
and I.
Tried to have some
discussion around like.
You know the things you are doing
in the planning and I was like just
like
blown away by
you know some of the things
that you've accomplished
and you know I still dream of of doing
but what I find it but my own personality
style is
I you know I'm not an organizer
and and you and I
talked a little bit about that
in terms of
and then I mentioned that you
know I'm a willing participant
and and then you
know I think that
in some ways and
let's be honest here
you were
kind of like
will know you have to like
participate.
Are organized and you
talked about the spreadsheets.
Now and and
I think.
Like and then and
I was surprised.
In my life I
in my earlier days I own
an adventure travel company
was the sea kayaking a company
on the east coast of Canada.
And.
And so
and so I had to be very org Denise
cause I guess I can do I really I was a
professional guide
and the sea kayaking.
And but
know I got out of that some was
and.
More I just enjoy
doing my own trips
but
the personality style like
can you comment any on like your you know
obviously you're an analytical person by
your chosen profession
and very organized guys.
I'm.
I'm forced into
my own profession
to be somewhat organized but
you know it's not my natural talent
and.
To talk to I mean you've had a
whole life in the outdoors as of I
but I mean
I think that you're very organized and
analytical person and all in your approach
to trip planning and I mean imagine
decisions in the outdoors and you know
keep you healthy and
you know well and safe
and.
Can you speak a little bit about
about that as well as the
typical kind of outdoor person.
I I would say that maybe even my personality
styles maybe a little more typical
and then I want to relate that a little
bit to all the volunteer work that you do.
That.
Is that
okay that's a
it's a big question.
And.
well
obviously
it drives the people you do
activities with right age so.
You know more people
some people like to
just wing it to you know
just
but let's see what happens to
I'm not totally comfortable with that.
You know that read your the your risk
I I like to be a bit more prepared and.
Make sure that to.
Who I go with and the objectives they do
that to I am you know not overestimating my
abilities.
His that would
end up probably badly and.
Yeah
so.
The reducing your risk is is key
you learn over time you kind of
said that.
And but you know things can happen
this this month in so you you never know.
What's going to happen.
But yeah categories
of the great place to I
to get into it slowly you
know it's not like
you know when you
let's say I flew to denali
is people who have never
been on eBay big mountain and.
I can see am the struggle going
from Chicago to denali kind of.
So.
Yeah we have a great gate environment around
here so you know not fire from my house
while I think I can cross
country ski out of my
front door at the moment.
It's a lot of snow allowed there
but you can go go
you know cross-country
skiing hiking mountain
biking is great I lived
on the west end of category.
Which was my primary goal
when I when I moved it has to be.
West of the city I need to be able to get
to kenmore within an hour or can I ask is
in that I need to
be able to bike.
From my house to to downtown.
So all of these thinks and then invest
bracket which has become you know even more
popular.
Best bragg creek has great.
Mountain biking
where I go you know.
Twice a week usually during
the week and then I can go
rock climbing.
Also not fired from there is the big new
rock climb the area has been developed.
Recently so.
It's about forty five
minutes from my house
oh nice I I I can go in
the evenings and the
cross country skiing right
into city shagun api and.
Confederation park
is by my house.
I can go there in about
ten fifteen minutes so.
Nice.
Great place to to
work it up
is
in calgary.
Do.
In terms of the.
So let's get getting back into
like are real estate in calgary out
you've chosen your decisions.
To be in the west
part of the city.
And
and.
Can you to talk
to his little bit
I think we had the
brief discussion.
About real estate
in in in in inner city
and the boom bust economy
and
in
you've been here for a long time
you've seen at least while I guess
probably a two major booms one in twenty
two thousand and six seven
and the other one in twenty
thirteen fourteen
and along with those
booms came bust.
Can you talk to
me a little bit about
the boom bust cycle
that you've experience
and maybe how it affects
you know you and your
your your friends or
your your your family.
Has a.
Okay.
Any any thoughts on that boom-bust economy I mean you're in the oil and gas sector to
with suncor.
So yeah just tell
US a little bit about
boom bust economy
if our our city.
But I don't enjoy it
that's for sure it has
a huge impact on.
People and and you know I have.
My career I have had usually.
You know.
At between five and and ten people
reporting to me and you know when to.
Bus comes it's it's not
usually fun downtown.
So.
The interesting parties is
you know with the younger people that have
been through many reorg which is
like the
favorite.
Whatever you call it every company
has the new name for the new reorg.
Budget they they are kind of.
More used to it you know and
like people who are a bit older
day are definitely much more.
Effective than stressed out about it I
would say that the younger people where they
do they are not as tied to calgary
or have been through numerous.
Restructurings and
reorganise nations which.
Often are not
the another reorganize by the time
you have the next to the reorg so it's.
It's kind of
and and less reorg.
But
they're they're more
you know moral cave it they just
have been through centralization and
decentralization
so many times and.
I would say I.
See their
a lot of people
are kind of getting.
I kind of used to it and.
Yeah it you just never know.
You just try your
best the time and.
Yeah if you need
to find a new job
you know usually you just wait another year
and the will be one in calgary so really
relly
and Hubbard your own real
estate is experience I mean I
think it gone indicated into
hasn't been wonderful always.
Like me I bought my own personal reasons
one current living in two thousand and seven
at the very peak of the are
in July two thousand and seven.
Finally I mean it's been it's been
probably be dropped at least twelve
I dunno at least twenty they'll probably
at least thirty percent from the high that
are bought it in
and currently I would guess that it's
probably only about twenty percent
higher than the
price I paid for it
maybe even less actually
and two thousand and sub
then
and so at at the same time I bought
quite a few investment properties that.
Like a long time ago more
than fifteen years ago.
One of which is still
worthless then I pay first
and
so not everyone has a completely
successful story of realistic.
And I hear I
I I think in in in our world
in are we in our society.
You know you're a lot of people about
all the success they had in the real estate
and not much about the
lack of success or you know
and but to me it's
and and we heard the saying
location location location.
In my experience
in calgary especially.
It's more about timing
timing telling me.
Yeah.
On I'm a like that
in terms of you are
our life here in calgary.
And are your.
Choices and decisions
yeah I have tried different friends the
real estate investing can never thought that
was any any success and.
You know I also knew
that I cannot spend.
Time.
Doing fixer uppers
like that's for sure I can't
even fix anything around
my house because.
I honestly don't know what a lot of things
to the home depot or even called so trying
to find
things that home depot
is not my sixth sense.
So
yeah I knew we'd
always had to be
you know not not actually
owning property and bed.
Yeah I do fun stuff real
estate investing hadn't
haven't been great
like you say you
I agree with you to
timing is it's critical.
But at least they realized that I
don't want to own a big house
with
a lot of works though though I
I purchased a townhouse and.
You know not having family in kind of
getting I don't have family here nobody's
nearby my sister
is in kelowna so.
I wanted something that that allows me
to spend time outside in the mountains not.
Not to maintaining a house which
I had when I lived in Kensington.
For
many years seventeen
years though I I knew
I don't want to mow
grass on the weekends so
yeah I bought a townhouse then
I.
It's.
It's
worked out great.
My boyfriend and moved in and somehow he
got addicted to this townhouse lifestyle as
well
he does no one has.
Excellent.
Jumping again the
the.
Your your volunteer
work curly a what
quite a bit with the lake Louise
hostile as well as alpine club Canada.
Can you tell US
about your work and.
Why you do what you do.
Well alpine club
that allow me to
find what's there to
do in the mountains so
that's where I started to you know
it's easy hikes and scrambles then.
Gradually just worked it
uptime feels like worked it up
a lot in the last few years.
So yeah that's very sturdy
metal of my friends to so if you're looking
to get into the mountains alpine club is a.
Great place to start.
And that calgary scrambling and
mountaineering club is another one.
You know slightly less
formal I would say so little bit.
You know might feel less
intimidating is what I hear.
I am on the board of the calgary
section of the alpine club then
a started a very
successful program
program called I am.
It's an alpine mentorship
program that allows people to
gradually learn and
become independent.
In the mountains says so it's like a
mentorship program the bag guide
and.
So yeah that that has
been very successful.
Now I'm the vice chair so.
You know step back
from that program.
But still.
Still involved heavily I
joined the national section so.
How get a section is the local section that
organizes trips and events and areas and
a cc national which is the
umbrella over all the defections.
So of if my background time I joined
the finance committee that show.
Gives you insights into.
The finances of the club.
Has been interesting that's
that pretty new role for me.
But obviously I know many
people there that I have
done out your activities with.
And then.
Yeah and then also as
you as you mentioned.
The board of the likely is hostile
which is a entity on its own.
And
I'm still learning about
hospitality business
which is.
And then national park which is
very different and
specific to Canada.
It was very cool that's cool
how
long have been involved with the lake Louise
haas hostel for some reason I was little
bit surprised to learn that and.
Like what what
brought you to that.
You know that role I guess
that probably you use the halsall
a fair amount or.
Actually but maybe you do.
How
your that it it's
actually related to to
my alpine club
it's hardly owned
by a punch club.
So.
Related.
So very very very similar.
A lot of things
in the mountains
down here interrelated.
Very good.
Awesome and so am.
I guess you know we were
in terms of our one time your time and a
listers time or maybe we should bring the
things to a close clip me
as a couple more questions.
If.
If.
Well.
This might be a bit of a
if that's let's throw this one
out a surprise question for you.
Haha.
If you had a
billboard on your way
out to the mountains or maybe like
leaving calgary highway one Hetty west.
Or maybe it's coming
other way back in
what would the billboard say.
Oh
have fun I think.
Of a good okay
and then maybe a another.
Question another couple
of questions or question.
How old.
First of.
How if
if
it didn't ask of the audience.
You know
do you or do have
and asked the audience
maybe
and then and
and the
along that lines and.
If he wanted to reach out to you I
would provide some links possibly.
To maybe some of the things we talked about
open cup of Canada lake Louise and stuff.
A hostile
and
how how do how would
people best week joke to you.
And finally a title that in.
Other than the
profession you chosen.
With or another profession that you might
have chosen after all this all these years.
Cave about obvious the something in the
outdoors is that is what I would enjoy I
definitely
would prefer.
A job that less sitting
and more moving.
Though I
yeah that that would be the goal one day
on the other hand when I am very very tired
from a big climb I'm kind of locate
the roll around in this of this chair.
That's great.
So yeah I think it's a it's it's not
a bad balance I like to be at my
brain.
Goes kind of high speed
so having a job that's.
Engaging is important
for me so i'm.
That so it's it's kind of working
well it's just a times it's a bit busy
accountants I think
are always busy people.
And that
you know it goes through cycles though
you just have to know how to fit things in
between them and the
are just a little bit less busy.
And yeah for people in calgary I would say
enjoyed the fact you in calgary that are
not many cities that
have this.
Opportunity and
and you know I'd be.
You simply it'll be like relocated and
office from the greater Toronto area and.
I've heard
know several times that dead the the calgary
of better his bed is a misnomer has so.
I spend a lot of time
of eastern Canada.
People and then they
they complain about
the weather a lot so i'm
and my have
relocated people they say
it's sunny here come here.
That's great oh.
Yeah isn't that the
the weather might.
Might seem cold
but if you do outdoor
for its I I would say you.
You will not be bothered by it that much
and then my friends in the Czech republic
who have.
Not skied the entire winter.
No snow this year in Europe.
They're all
very jealous of the pictures.
Right
or yeah.
Okay well thanks so much for
a be a guest in our show and
I will lose.
To
some of the show notes the end.
I look forward to.
Hopefully spending more time with you in
the mountains may be in march I think he has
some objectives some
back country ski days.
I might have to
invite myself along.
Hey.
No problem yeah I'll see when it's
sunny and register past that will be there.
Absolutely.
Thank you so much
enjoy your weekend
and we will keep in touch.
You today and.
Have a good day.
Thanks so much.