Training Log Archive: Bash

The Spring Scavenger Hunt has some serious challenges including the Memorial March where we choose someone to remember in our time on the trail. Mom passed away two years ago today so she was on my mind, of course. 'Bent, the dogs and I went for a family hike to enjoy the spring scenery in the forest. I also looked around our garden and knew she would be pleased to see perennials popping up. She was an amazing gardener. I knew she'd also be pointing out the weeds and all the work that remains to be done! I miss her and am lucky to have so many good memories.

Spring flowers, leaves in bud, wild leeks, happy pooches and the discovery of our 2nd missing dog boot in two days. Both had disappeared in deep snow around Christmas several kilometres apart.

Today was the start of Ontario’s newest, strictest, most poorly thought out, yet still half-assed and non-science-based Covid-19 shutdown. By this afternoon, the government had already rolled back the playground closures and the special powers allowing police to stop any person or vehicle and demand their address and reason for being away from home. The fact that almost every municipal police force announced that they wouldn’t do this was likely helpful. I’m in favour of strong shutdowns because the science supports them but the Doug Ford government isn’t willing to rile their corporate donors so they keep doing silly s#%t like banning outdoor activities instead of closing non-essential manufacturing plants or funding paid sick leave.

Rowing + lower body

Whoops - almost forgot to include the actual run!

The Spring Scavenger Hunt has a Hometown Highlights challenge where we're supposed to tour the sights of our home town. After some thought, I realized that I don't feel that kind of connection with any town. If I had to pick a home town, I'd say Brantford, where I lived until my 18th birthday and visited my parents for several decades after that. But it's not my town anymore and I never ran when I lived there. I could have run around the hamlet of Palgrave, which is 5 km away, but it wouldn't feel like a tour of home.

So I ran out our back door and visited the highlights of the forest that feels most like home.

Years ago, the listing agent for our house drew a diagram showing how our property backs onto conservation land. She was wrong and we only found out on the day we closed the deal. We need to run through the property of our wonderful neighbours, F&M. Thank goodness they allow us to do that. This trail is 30 seconds from our front door.



Their trail leads about 800 m to Thinker's Hill, which overlooks the Caledon hills to the west.



Fourteen years ago, a different neighbour started a 70-acre bush fire while burning garbage during a fire ban. The landscape around Thinker's Hill used to be very different - mature managed forest.



Here's what's left of the tree I found burning on our property two days after the major fire. I'd been going around with all my hydration bladders, putting out little fires. I thought I could put this one out, then realized it was much more than I could handle. The fire department sent a couple of guys to look, then headed back and got a whole crew!



Palgrave Forest is where we usually run, bike, hike, XC ski and snowshoe. 'Bent commutes to work through the forest.



Over the years, a fun mountain bike trail network has been built. It became very popular during last spring's pandemic shutdown when most other single track trails in Central Ontario were closed to riding.



It's maybe a little *too* popular now. This was mid-afternoon on a Wednesday in a parking lot that's inconvenient to access at this time of year.



It has also become very popular with fat bikers, to the point that it's not that great for XC skiing anymore. But fat biking is fun and things change.

And it's a great place to see friends like Slowrunner, who was at her 200th mile of the 267 mile Badwater virtual race.



Spring has sprung!



The Toronto & Region Conservation Authority manages thousands of acres of land in watersheds in this part of Ontario. We are near the headwaters of the Humber River in an area with many wetlands.



Frogs!



The Emerald Ash Borer has caused a lot of damage in some parts of Palgrave Forest - mostly in Palgrave West near our place.



The ice is never safe on Palgrave Pond! :)



The Great Pine Ridge Trail has become a bit of a bust. Nobody is quite sure where it goes anymore. Its legacy is that Palgrave Forest allows horses on most trails.



Duffy's Lane is closed north of the Palgrave Forest parking lot from Nov. 15 to April 15 each year. It's great because it adds a nice, hilly gravel road to our trail network.



On the way back, I ran The Covid Crusher single track that 'Bent built on our back hill when he was bored during last spring's pandemic shutdown.



We need to do some spring cleaning of our fire pit but you're welcome to come over for a distanced beer. Or a cookie. Or whatever. We don't see many humans so we're very flexible.



And that's the tour of my home "town"!

Upper body weights

A couple of Caron’s 10 Minutes 2 Zen videos. Dog owners often get company on the mat while they’re doing yoga, and today was no exception. It was, however, the first time that a dog has vomited on my mat while I’m in the middle of a deep stretch. Namaste.

The CMTR Spring Scavenger Hunt "Attitude of Gratitude" badge - a run to Palgrave village to give a friend a puzzle that I've finished. We had to focus on the positive while running and think of at least 10 things we're grateful for.

Of course I'm grateful for 'Bent, our health, my late parents, my brothers, good friends, our dogs, outdoor activities, a roof over our heads, a forest behind our house, and so much more. Most people in the Scavenger Hunt have very similar lists but this was supposed to be a challenge so I wanted a few more:

- In 2020, I learned that craft beer could be couriered right to our front door.
- Thanks to social distancing, only 'Bent knows if I've vacuumed the house or shaved my legs.
- How lucky are we that the Internet was invented before Covid-19?
- Coffee. Obviously.
- In a time of pandemic-related shortages, my longtime habit of buying way too much outdoor gear and clothing now looks like a brilliant strategy.
- I'm old enough to buy my own chocolate Easter Bunnies so I had three this year.
- 'Bent loves to cook. I do not.
- I finished my taxes a week earlier than usual so I have more time to spend outside.
- Both of us, my brothers and all the staff in 'Bent's dental office have been vaccinated with our first dose.