Hike #28 - March 20, 2021

Up early! Who needs to sleep anymore? Who is sleeping well these days? I would like to know their secrets. 

I'm heading back to Iroquoia today. I finished the Niagara section on December 21st, the first day of winter and I'm picking up where I left off on the first day of spring. The bridge is still closed. 

I had forgotten that the clocks changed the previous weekend but this works out well as I hit the trail at sunrise and get to a gorgeous vantage point as the sun rises over the escarpment. 

Sunrise means birds! I'm not a birder but I can appreciate seeing the birds that I haven't seen for six months. This hike takes me through Beamer CA up to Ridge Road and it's actually a nice stretch for birding. I spot red winged blackbirds, dark-eyed juncos, a male cardinal, Canadian geese, chickadees, hairy woodpecker, blue jay and hear what I think is the call of a red-tailed hawk. 

This is my first hike without icers for some months and I feel so much lighter. The only issue is that the ground is starting to thaw and with that...mud season. It's not so bad when I start out because it's so early and somewhat chilly, but by the time I turn around, it's 10 C and the trails in Beamer are messy. They're also getting crowded so I'm glad to head out, after taking some time to do a side trail to the water and a good soak under the sun 

On my way home I stop and do some shopping. I'm in need of a better backpack, as the pack I'm using I originally bought for my then-9 year old. It doesn't have the back structure I need. I double mask and go into a mall for the first time in over a year. It is surreal. 

I finally pick out a 30 L pack, hiking pants and carabiners. With the changing room closed, I actually have to buy all the pants I want to try on and take them to the mall bathroom to try on. I go back and return the ones that don't fit. As I type this, I'm wishing I had bought a second pair of pants. Black pants seemed unpractical but they were only $12. Of course, they're not on the website so I cannot order them and there's no chance of returning to the mall at this point, as that area is returning to lockdown as of tomorrow. 

When I get the pack home, I'm disappointed that the interior is a lot smaller than I thought. With the back frame in place, I could only fit my water bladder in there, and not much else. I decided to return tomorrow and check out bigger options. 

starting near marker 0

ending near marker 7.4

total hiked today: 7.4 x 2 (14.4)

total Bruce Trail hiked since starting: 191.1 km