Hike #22 - February 20, 2021

In the lead-up to last weekend, I ended up in a hotel overnight when the power went out in my building. With no lights, no water, no elevator, it didn't make sense to ride it out, especially if it meant carrying Annie down and up 19 flights of stairs to get her outside. 

And then Friday, on my way to see my doctor (in person!), I realized I had a flat tire. Tow truck for the car, uber for me...only to find out they wouldn't be able to fix it on Friday afternoon and they would be closed all weekend. 

No car = no hikes. On a long weekend, no less. A heavy long weekend that included both V-Day and Family Day. 

I made the best of it, I guess. I had some edibles and some beers and enough distraction to say that I don't remember much of last weekend. I didn't cry, I know that much. I did spent the Monday sending in the details and payment for my Toronto and Niagara badges, and the Toronto badge arrived on Wednesday. 

I had started the Iroquois section at the beginning of February, but then I learned of the Caledon Hills winter badge. 5 hikes, at least 90 minutes in length, to be completed during the winter season (I'm assuming this to be before March 21). Before I knew it I was pulling out maps and a new spreadsheet was born. 

We started off at the start of the Caledon Hills section, which takes you through an area attached to the Cheltenham Badlands. What a fucking slog. I was aware that it had been snowing off and on all week, but I did not expect that we would need to break the trail. All through this section was evidence of deer, and coyotes chasing deer. 

It was sunny. So sunny. From the badlands, we did a road stretch and ended up in a forest valley. This tree must have made a hell of a noise when it fell. 

This section spit us out on the road again, but before long we were entering the portion with the Devil's Pulpit. I had looked up photos beforehand, so I knew what it looked like without snow. But with snow...it's a technical mess on the decline. 

It doesn't really get any easier for the rest of the stretch. It's rock covered in snow, with some icy parts. But it's beautiful. The snow was coming thru the trees and at one point the breeze pushed snow off the tree branches and it was so incredible. 

This section was steep and I ended up on my ass on purpose at times, since it was easier to slide than to walk. 

We got to the road and our turn-around spot, where the Credit River flows alongside the road. Unfortunately, we couldn't access the riverbank, between the 10 foot tall piles of plowed snow and not being sure where the bank was and where the river started. 

And then back up the steep hill. There was a group of six ahead of us and they were not prepared. Their leader was optimistic, but obviously lying to his friends as he yelled "It gets easier after this!". I chatted with a couple of the folks and learned that two of them had arrived from Jamaica just a few months previous. 

And then back up the Devil's Pulpit. 

I would love to come back here in the other three seasons and take a photo and climb it all again. No, really. I would! 

The return was a bit easier, since snowshoers had been through and packed the path down a bit. 

We opted not to go back through the Badlands and instead stuck to the road. There's some evidence of the red dirt of this area on the road side, and the Badlands look pretty even under snow. 

Taking the road meant we also got to pass this UFO house! It looks abandoned and I can't find anything on it after 2016, unfortunately. 

Later that night, we discuss doing separate solo hikes the following day and I prep and everything. But when the alarm goes off on Sunday morning, I am BEAT and decide to stay at home to recover. 

Stats:

starting near marker 0.0 (Caledon Hills)

ending near marker 8.9

total hiked today: 8.9 x 2 = 17.8

total Bruce Trail hiked since starting: 144.1 km

Hike #21 - February 6, 2021

It's not until I sit down to plot out the Iroquoia section that I realize I didn't actually finish the Toronto section. The Toronto section doesn't start at Hilton Falls CA, but in the middle of a forest just south of it. 

I've decided to hike the Iroquoia section backwards - from north to south - to help keep me closer to home. This section is 125 km long. The second longest section. I'm hoping to finish it in 15 hikes. 

It's cold today and I'm hiking along the ridge of the escarpment. This is the first time I've put on this balaclava (I've had some hilarious convos about mixing up the spelling of balaclava and baklava) and I realize that I need to choose between wearing glasses and wearing the balaclava. The balaclava wins. 

Heading into this hike, I know exactly what to expect from this terrain, as I hiked this portion with EW in the summer of 2019. I pulled up the pics from that hike beforehand with the idea of taking photos from the same spots. Success!

The views are gorgeous but the winds are brutal. It's -18 with the windchill and the trail comes right to the edge of the escarpment. 

I remember swearing at the inclines here in summer 2019 and with this hike, I have to head down the steep hill before hiking through Kelso Conservation Area. 

This route takes me onto the road, but there's very little traffic. I especially love this blaze, which takes me under Hwy 401. 

Off the road, I end up in this forest, weaving thru trees and over a bridge to the point where I left off with MEG at the end of December. The sun comes out! 

It's good to turn around, even tho I know I'm going to need to climb back up that hill. I had forgotten my map at home, but thankfully this trail map at Kelso helps me locate the side trail that will save me some time on the return. I've paid for two 2-hour reservations for a 4-hour hike and I'm getting close to my check-out time. I take the Glen Eden side trail to cut thru the park instead, which keeps me out of the wind. 

The park is getting busy, so it's good to finish up and get out. I try and use my STP device when I return to my car but my bladder is just not interested in peeing while standing. I find a pit toilet and sit down just to get my bladder moving and then switch to the STP. I think I'm going to need more practice. 

Stats:

starting near marker 114.8

ending near marker 121.8

total hiked today: 15.48, which includes 1 x 2 km of the Toronto section, the Steeles side trail x 2 and the Glen Eden side trail

total Bruce Trail hiked since starting: 225.76 km

Hike #20 - January 31, 2021

Phew. The Toronto section? Done. This last hike was a 17.7 km out and back, on a grey day, but with great company. 

Also, having hard conversations about loss and grief are great for hiking, because you're outside (so calming) and moving (again, so good) and you cannot make eye contact. We chat about grief on this hike, as it's something that has come up via text and he's not unfamiliar with it. This helps me loads, because grief has become of my daily life. 

We started off at our turn-around point from the day before. From my AllTrails app, I could see that I had hiked thru here with EW on one of our first ever hikes (2019? It's all a blur) but this time it was all snow and ice. I remembered the terrain but I couldn't see the 'puzzle rock' under the snow. I did remember the creek winding along the trail and it's especially beautiful in the winter. 

It's really too cold to stop and take photos but I get a few for ID'ing purposes later. 

Before long we're at the road and thankfully the trail doesn't take us onto the road, but adjacent to it. For some reason this snow feels like walking in loose sand. 

At this weird (and highly unrecommended) motel, we start the road walking portion and it is COLD. My weather app puts it at -15 C with the windchill and I can feel it. I had taken off my down layer when we were in the forest and I want to put it back on, but I also just want to keep on going. 

Before long we get to the point where I left off on January 16th and with that, I'm done the Toronto section. 

When I share this photo with RG later, he asks whether my hair is frosted, or just grey. It's grey. I have acquired a lot of grey (I prefer the term 'silver') during this fucking pandemic. 

We take a moment and then head back. To shorten our hikes and to change up the scenery, we take a side trail back and I get to try out my STP. Success! Wow, it's incredible how much easier it is to slide down my fleece pants, and lower my base layer and underwear, to pee. Standing up! No more looking for a covered spot to drop trou and expose my ass to the wind. Less chance of splash back on my boots. Just an all-around glorious experience. Maybe gender affirming as well? 

It's a bit bitter sweet heading back, as he is going to continue on with the Toronto section to finish it up in two more hikes and we will go our separate ways (for now?). 

We slow down a bit on the return and notice this beaver dam. 

Also, check out this beautiful turkey tail. 

We get to the end so quickly that I don't quite believe that we're at the end until I see that, in fact, that *is* my car parked there. We talk a bit more (I don't want to go yet) but eventually it becomes too cold to stand around and we go our separate ways. 

Later that evening, he messages me about how he's enjoyed our hikes and texts and I said that I would like to spend more time together and ask what that could look like. There's a potential for video chats, which will be a bit harder for me because work has me on video meetings so much, but I make him aware of this challenge. 

There is a part of me that wants to not get attached (see: dismissive avoidant attachment style). With this,  I'm able to focus on building a friendship with someone because I'm not relying on my usual 'you'll do, let's go to my place' approach to dating/relationships. I've been talking to my therapist about this style, how I end up dating folks that I wouldn't necessarily be friends with, because I just hop into bed with them and then we attempt to build something from there. It's not been serving me well. In fact, it's probably been damaging. 

I thought I would take a weekend off (I have my first blister), but by Monday I've decided to start the Iroquoia section, starting in the north end in Milton and working my way south. The challenge will be not having someone to hike with, so I'll go back to podcasts, but I'm going to definitely keep up the quicker pace and make a habit of hourly stops to drink and snack. 

Stats:

starting near marker: 26.5 km

ending near marker: 36.1 km

total hiked today: 9.6 km + 8.1 km (return) for a total of 17.7 km (longest hike yet!)

total Bruce Trail hiked since starting: 133.6

Special notes: I hiked a total of 31.1 km over 2 days. With out-and-backs, I've actually hiked a total of 212.26 km. 

And to think I started off with 9.8 km as an average for the Niagara section...