Running From the Pushed-Down-Signpost All The Way To The Giant-Lego-Blocks

   Someone who is near and dear to me suggested very

One tree kind of picked
its own direction.

recently that I had been "slacking on the blog lately". Now, she didn't make reference to which blog I'd been slacking on but I've clearly been slacking on both of them, so she was totally correct, regardless.
   In light of this, and also because I have been a little stir-crazy lately, I decided to hit the trails yesterday. What made this somewhat different, however, was that I was actually planning on running, of all things!
   I've had this idea for a while now of heading to Komoka Provincial Park and running end-to-end on the portion of the Thames Valley Trail which bisects it. I can't tell you how many times I've

Starting point- The-Pushed-Down-
Signpost

been on this trail (literally, I can't, I go on it all the time) and it has a good mixture of terrain for trail-running. 
   My plan was to start at the old Oxford Street entrance and run all the way to where the trail meets Gideon Drive. I wanted to time myself and use that as kind of a benchmark for future, similar runs. Hopefully, the idea would be to run a little faster each time!
   I parked in the main parking lot at Komoka and slid $5.25 worth of change into the parking machine. This gave me two hours of parking and I thought to myself that there was no way I'd take two hours. I was almost wrong...
   Parking where I did meant that I would need to hike along the trail to the Oxford Street entrance. This gave me an opportunity to warm up. Once I got there, I started up my Garmin and started to run!
   

Ending up at The-Giant-Lego-Blocks

Okay, I'm not really sure that "run" isn't kind of misleading in this particular case. It could be that "shuffle" or "trot" are more accurate, hard to tell. Basically, I was doing whatever it is when walking stops being walking.
   Part of my plan, as well, was not to stop. Relentless Forward Motion! For the most part, I accomplished this---stopped once to fidget with a stubborn water bottle and one other time for about twenty seconds at the end of a steep climb. All in all, I was happy with that part of it.

   At the Oxford end of things, there's an old frame for what used to be a park sign which is now lying on its side, on top the underbrush. At the Gideon end of things, there are several concrete blocks

Upside-down but you can still read it

(which look exactly like Lego) positioned along the entrance, I'm sure to discourage motorized vehicles from entering. I

The Steps--you may recognize them

used both of these as my start and ending points. When I was done and sitting on one of those concrete blocks, I checked my Garmin. The "run" had taken me almost 52 minutes and I had only gone 4.1K! By the time I hiked back to where the car was, I had almost used up my two hours of parking. On streets, that would be a horrendous time but I had no problem reminding myself that I'm slowly working my way back into things and that trail-running is a whole different animal. Next time out---faster.

A great day to be in the forest!

Hiking The Elgin Trail: Hiking With Heather

   A couple of days ago, I received an invitation from my friend, Heather, to tag along with her as she hiked the Elgin Trail. This is a 49K trail which begins in Port Stanley in southwestern Ontario and winds its way up through Elgin County, eventually arriving at Southdel Road, where it then joins with the Thames Valley Trail. It's a trail I've always known I wanted to hike someday so when Heather contacted me, I kind of jumped at the opportunity!

Looking up toward the St. Thomas
Elevated Parkway

   We agreed to meet under the towering railway trestle you encounter as you're traveling from London to Port Stanley, just at St. Thomas. The trestle used to support the Michigan Central Railroad but currently is being converted into something known as the St. Thomas Elevated Park---if you can imagine a park about a hundred feet in the air!
   We left Heather's car parked under the trestle and I then drove us north to the start of the hike, where we left my car by the side of the road. After a ceremonial signing of the Trail log, we headed off!
   

Heather sign us in!

Heather's plan was to hike about a 12K section of the trail, right in the middle of it. Now, if you know me, this goes totally against the way I approach hiking a trail! When I hike a trail, I start at the very beginning and I hike it right through to the end, in the direction the map says to go, and I don't miss any sections. So, to start in the middle of a trail and then hike in the wrong direction is not my usual plan, as you can imagine. Faced, however, with a beautiful Fall day for hiking and someone who, right out of the blue, was willing to give me a guided tour and I really had no problem!
   Part of Heather's motivation for wanting to get out yesterday was to enjoy the Fall colours and also to hopefully come up with some great photo opportunities. She has recently decided to concentrate much of her energy on creating art through photography and is

Me, at the start of the middle of my journey!

already producing amazing work. She has her own website, Exploration Project, (click on it, you really need to!) and has traveled near and far, documenting her hiking adventures in prose and pictures. Recently, she has taken a further leap by submitting selections of her photography to online journals dedicated to the arts. Her pics

This was a mushroom literally
the size of a volleyball!

now appear in the current and upcoming issues of an amazing journal called Barren Magazine. This is an online magazine which features outstanding poetry, fiction and photography and Heather's work fits in perfectly. Follow the link and and you will see one of her pics on the cover of the current edition! She is drawn to deserted things, places and buildings and if you are at all interested in the slightly spooky then you should seek out her work online.
   It was a great day for hiking! The air was crisp and the colours were amazing. I am so glad Heather was there as she was familiar with the trail and pretty well every time the blazes seemed to peter out, she was able to corral the next one. The hiking was also very challenging,

The signpost for Lyle Side Road.
If you enlarge the pic, you can
see where it says the "trial" will
continue a hundred meters down
the road. At that point, I became
judge, jury and executioner.
*giggle*

some of the most challenging I've been on. Much of the trekking was up and down steep, slippery slopes with lots of fallen trees to traverse. Counter to that, though, were the gentle strolls along creek beds, sharing the path with horseback riders. At one point we found ourselves crossing the rolling pastures (paddocks?) of a horse farm. Great photo op there!
   After about four and a half hours, we found ourselves back under the railway trestle. From there, Heather drove me back to my car and my first foray on the Elgin Trail was done! Many thanks to Heather for the invitation!
   

Heather, stopped by horses!

   

The Shoe Tree! A tradition I
did not partake of!

Huge, barbed-wire gate

The Railway Trestle---off in the distance

Almost back to the car

   

Making New Plans And Hiking In Medway

   Okay, a whole bunch of hiking posts in a row, then one running post, and now I'm back to what I expect will be a lot more hiking posts! Perhaps instead of "Ragged Cap Runner", I should call this blog "Haggard Hat Hiker"! (my hiking hat has seen better days....)
   Anyway....this past summer I completed the Avon Trail end-to-end and had already started to make plans for next summer's hiking adventure. The plan was to tackle the Grand Valley Trail, from start to finish. This would involve a 280K hike from Dunnville, on the shores of Lake Erie, up north to Orangeville. This is WAY farther than I have ever hiked and, frankly, I wasn't sure of I could get it done in one summer. With this in mind, I had thought about maybe getting a head start this Fall and getting at least some of it out of the way. Then I got a different idea.
Another trail on my to-hike list is the Maitland Trail. It follows the very meandering Maitland River from Goderich up to Auburn and is 49K long. What appeals to me about this trail is that I'm familiar with the countryside it runs through and I could probably get it done this fall. It's also much closer than the Grand Valley Trail system, so the logistics would be easier, as well. 
   With this newer direction in mind, I set off yesterday to visit the little hamlet of Benmiller, about 18K east of Goderich. This is the home of the Benmiller Inn and the Maitland Trail website advertised that copies of the guide could be purchased there. Well, I guess this used to be true but hasn't been true for a couple of years now. From Benmiller, I then headed west to Goderich, where I had a list of four different places I might find the guide.
    My first stop was the Tourist Bureau. It was closed. Now, I didn't go up and read the sign so it might have just been closed for lunch or, more likely I thought, it was closed due to it not really being tourist season at the moment. No problem, three more spots to try. The second spot was a little

I found it!

bookstore right on the Square in Goderich. The young lady working there went to where she thought the guide would be, shifted a few books around and couldn't find it either. She then gave me somewhat confusing directions to the next bookstore on my list and there I found it! Woo hoo! I had a nice little chat with the woman who worked there, mainly about the weather. It was unseasonably warm yesterday and the lady mentioned that tomorrow it was supposed to be back down in the seventies. It was the "seventies" part which got me---here in Canada, the temperature is officially measured in Celsius. She had quoted the temp in Fahrenheit, the antiquated system. This warmed my heart! We had a nostalgic little chat about how we only truly know what the temperature is when we hear it in Fahrenheit and then I headed on my way once more.
   I had brought my hiking gear in case I actually decided to start the trail but when I looked at how the guide was set up I realized I had not had the opportunity to plan the hike as much as I would normally have liked, so I called it a day, Maitland Trail-wise.
   I did still have the urge to hit the trails, though, so when I arrived back in the north end of London, I headed for the Medway Valley Heritage Forest.

Due to the recent mild weather,
much of London is still green.
There WERE a few splashes
of colour, though!

Nice view!

   I had been there twice before and both times were somewhat unsatisfactory, partly due to the weather and partly due to entering forest at the wrong part. Yesterday, I used the entrance which would give me the longest possible hike and in the best weather.
   I was able to hike for about 3K before the trail petered out and I had to turn back. This was fine by me as it was about 28C (I have no idea how hot that really is, haha) and I had worked up quite the sweat. Much future trail planning ran through my head as I made my way home!

Rushing Medway Creek

Back To The Trails, Running

   Yesterday, I decided to go for a run!
   Last weekend, I finished my hiking project for the summer and now I'm going to try and concentrate on running some trails. I had planned on running end-to-end in Komoka Park but then found out that the powers that be had erected a brand new guard rail right across the little parking area I (and a bunch of) used to use to avoid the parking fee in the main lot at Komoka. So THAT was a no-go. I then changed my plans and headed for Kains Woods, which was only about 2 minutes away (literally). Once there, my plan was to run 4K and then turn around and hike back.
   Well, I had run less than 1K when my knee flared up. It had been fine til I started to run up some hills and then I got a bit of a twinge. Ignored it and then a couple of minutes later got a bigger twinge so, at that point, I shut her down and just hiked back.
   

In retrospect, this kind of mirrors last year at this time. I'd finished hiking and reverted to trail-running but found I had to build back up, almost from zero. So maybe I'll do this again. It WAS a little disappointing because my knee was feeling almost completely back to normal. Apparently, though, it isn't. What is different about this year, however, is that I now have some physio behind me and perhaps can return to doing some of the exercises and knee-taping I had been doing. Disappointing but then all I need do is remind myself that I know people who can't even walk and who would love to have a twinging knee! 

Hiking The Avon Trail: Hike Seven

   Woo hoo! A hundred and thirteen kilometers later and the Avon Trail is DONE!
   Yesterday I managed to complete the remaining 21K I still had to hike to be able to say I had walked the trail end-to-end. Our day started very early as we needed to get my stepson, Keenan, out by the 401 Highway for 4:30 a.m. We had decided the previous night that we could probably get out to the Conestogo area faster taking the highway than by zig-zagging the country sideroads so, as long as we were already at the highway, why not get an early start to the hiking day!  Our plan was to drive both cars to the end point, leave mine there, and than have Doralyn drive me to the start. We managed to accomplish all this and have me walking the roadways by about 6:45 in the morning!
   It was a beautiful morning, crisp and clear, and the walking was good. Out of this final 21K section, only about 6K of it is actually on wooded trails or in fields so a lot of highway walking to be done and the first part of yesterday was along roadways.
   Eventually, though, I made it into some farmers' fields and this was where the going got a little tricky. Basically, I found myself traversing parts of the trail where it didn't appear as though anyone had passed through recently and the grass was now waist-high and, because of my early start, also soaking wet. This quickly led to hiking boots full of water and the inevitable slish-slosh as you walked. At times I found myself trying to balance on very uneven ground, while rubbing shoulders with corn on one side and a barbed wire fence on the other. Rough hiking!
  After this, though, the rest of the day involved country roads and forest so the hiking was much more enjoyable. For a change, as well, the mosquitoes were not not out in the abundance I have been used to. The slish-slosh eventually faded and I finally found myself arriving at Conestogo. Just a short walk through this pretty town and I was back at my car. Hooray!
   Just a word about my amazing wife! Much of the Avon Trail experience involved Doralyn giving up a good chunk of her own time so that I was able to cover larger portions of the trail. She was always happy to do this for me and this is just one of the many reasons why I love her so much! Basically, she ROCKS!
   And now, here is the inevitable photo dump, just to prove that I walked the walk!

Ran into this gentleman, guarding the trail. My
favourite part of the day!

How the day started. Just after sunrise on Wilmot
and the hot air balloons are wafting...

Sun in my eyes on Conservation

A sign indicating a seasonal re-route. This avoids having
hikers pass through the sugarbush during sap collection
season. Yesterday, I got to hike through the bush.

And sometimes the re-route is not a "seasonal" one!

Leaving the sugarbush and arriving at Benjamin.

Another re-route (and I'm glad they did this!) I had
scoped this part of the trail via satellite image
and it seemed as though we were old friends
by the time I got there!

Very pretty but also very wet and tricky!

LOVE passing by pastures of grazing cows!

The trail takes you right up this farmer's laneway and
right through the middle of his farm. It's a little surreal
and also the most visual reminder that much
of the trail runs through private property and it is
only by the grace of landowners that the trail even exists!
Thanks, Farmers!

Just a short jaunt and you arrive at St. Jacobs. A pretty
amazing place and hugely busy on a Saturday.
Believe me, if you're wearing full hiking gear walking
through all this, you kinda stand out!

The beginning of what becomes a very nicely-groomed trail
which runs alongside a very busy roadway. There was
a gentleman with a small tractor on it, grading and
cutting grass. We took turns catching up to each
other and I thanked him for all his efforts.

The trail eventually takes you to a wonderfully-placed
little bench right near the Conestogo River. Stopped
there for a bite to eat and to rest some weary legs!

Just in case you weren't sure which way to go!

Under the bridge over the Conestogo River.

The remnants of a treated Giant Hogweed plant. This
is an extremely noxious plant that can cause severe
burns to humans. Many thanks to the trail workers
who go out of their way to keep us all safe!

Walking along the Conestogo. A very pleasant
portion of yesterday's hike.

Taken from a little foot bridge.

Made it all the way to RIM Park, where the
Blackberry people are.

One-car bridge leading into the village of Conestogo.

View of the Grand River, from that same bridge.

And I made it to the end!

My "tired but happy" face!

   
   
   

Hiking The Avon Trail: Hike Six

   On Saturday of this past weekend, I decided to return to the Avon Trail and attempt to make up for the previous weekend's somewhat disastrous result, wherein I was overcome with exhaustion and heat and found myself unable to complete the section.
   This time out, I was going it alone and drove up to the start-point by myself---it would be a smaller hike and I had it mapped out in such a way that I could drive to a small section, complete it, then drive on to the next longer section. I would then be left with about a three and a half kilometer trek back to my car.
   I started off by tackling a 3K section just northwest of Berlett's Corners. I parked my car by the end point and then had a fairly short highway jaunt to the beginning of the trail. 
   Once again, as soon as I entered the woods, I was swarmed by mosquitoes. Fortunately I came well-prepared and was already wearing my bug jacket. It was just a short section but near to the end of it I lost the trail. I was following the blazes and then, suddenly, not a blaze to be found. I back-tracked to the last blaze I'd seen and tried all over again but still no blaze. At that point, I had a general idea of what direction I needed to head in and eventually made my way back to the marked trail. No sweat but it didn't do a lot for my mindset!
   After this, a lengthy highway walk and I then found myself with the final section of woods I'd planned on hiking. 
   I then entered Musselman Woods. This is a parcel of land owned by the Musselman and Schneider families and its trails are wide and fairly well-marked. It was quite hilly but still a pleasurable hike. It was here, though, that I ran into some problems.
   As is my usual predicament, I found myself having a hard time marrying the written directions in the guide, the map which comes with them, and what I was actually able to see with my own two eyes. 
   As an example, at one point the guide says you will climb a steep hill, at the top of the hill there will be a bench, with a panoramic view of a lake. Well, I clearly had just gone up a hill, I had popped out of the forest, there was a bench with a panoramic view---but no lake. Had the lake dried up?? Following the map, it looked as though I needed to go right, around the edge of a field (the guide mentioned this) and so I did. And promptly found another bench. And then another. There were benches all over the place! There were also many entrances back into the forest, so I took a couple of them, looking for blazes. None to be found. So back to the original bench. Here I managed to find a tiny little directional blaze, pinned to a post, indicating a left turn. So I took it. Found more blazes but seemed to be headed back in the direction from whence I'd come. 
   At this point, I was, in a way, lost. I did have a trail to follow, just wasn't sure it was taking me where I wanted to go. If all else failed though, it would get me out of the woods.
   A lot of twisting and turning later and I found myself out of the woods and at the base of a fairly steep, grassy hill. I powered up it and, lo and behold, there was the bench with the panoramic view of the lake! Huge sigh of relief and vindication that I was actually on the right path. The view from the bench was amazing and it was kind of a cathartic moment, to be honest. 
   From there, the rest of the forest trip was uneventful and I soon found myself back on the roadway, headed to my car. It was a long walk and my feet were burning but my legs were good so we got 'er done. Never so glad to see my car, though...
   And now, as is customary, a walking-the-walk photo dump!

I've just parked at the end of the first section I
wanted to hike and now for some roadwork to get me...

...down to Berlett's Corners, where they have a....

...small cemetery.

Another little bit of highway walking took me
to where I entered the forest. You can just see the
Avon Trail sign from the road.

I always like the look of a wheatfield up against
the forest. Where those trees start was my entrance
back into the woods, although it took me awhile
to figure that out.

Because I took a pic, I musta known where I was goin'!

Back to my car for a bite to eat and then drive to the
next section. Normally I would have hiked there,
but I already did this part last week.

Walking to the next set of woods.

The entrance to Musselman Woods, Ropes and
barriers so we don't block the laneway.

Nice little sign!

Wide and easily walkable. Hilly, too!

My favourite part of the day! After wandering around,
lost, I found the hill with the bench and the view!

After a quick hike through the rest of the forest,
I reach the endpoint. This is the 91.6 K point of the
Avon Trail. Only about 21K to go!