Date – August 22, 2014
Location – Maps 39 Cape Chin and 40 Dyer's Bay
Distance – 18.1
Total Trail Distance – 679.1 (214.9 to go)
Hikers – Dean, Marlene, Madeleine, Kent and Benjamin
Start – 98.7 Cape Chin South Road, Peninsula Section
End – 116.8 Dyer's Bay Road, Peninsula Section
Direction – North
Weather – Warm and dry, some sun,
some cloud
Folkerts have gone — left to join a family reunion. They will make up
the distance later.
We have taken a day off, and now, despite the temptation to have
an easy day or to not hike at all, we are determined to put in 18K so we can
attain our goal of 100K for the week.
We drop hikers off at the start and Dean and Kent leave in two vehicles
to drop our van at the end. We wait on the pebble beach where we ended on
Wednesday. It's peaceful and gorgeous and we're sort of sorry when Dean and
Kent reappear in Kent's car. The temptation to rest is strong!
Early in the hike we meet a father and son duo from Kitchener who must
be cottaging in the area because they are on a short out-and-back hike to the
Beaver Pond. It's mid-day, and it's unlikely they'll see any beavers.
Much of the first half of the hike is inland, and the terrain resembles
the terrain in the south: forest, farms, lots of mosquitos.
We see (first hearing) a flock of eight sandhill cranes in a field of
cows. Their raucous cries sound like prehistoric velociraptors. They are
enormous, majestic birds.
It's a rare occurrence, but Ben actually hikes with us — or at least
with Madeleine and Kent.
It's a very foggy day, but as we get back to the cliff edge, we have
some glorious but grey views over Georgian Bay. In some instances, there is no
way to distinguish grey water from grey sky, and we are looking out over a
world with no horizon.
Walking this far has a way of clarifying your thoughts. Problems and
concerns disappear, and all you think about is putting one foot in front of the
other.
An unexpected re-route near the end of the hike puts the trail closer to
the water again, and makes it slightly shorter.
We enjoy victory ice cream for all at Rachel's 50s Diner in Lion's Head.
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| Some odd advice -- especially with so many mosquitoes around! |
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