Connecting the dots…

Tanja, AJ and I earned the Historical Hike Badge last year in September. We walked most of the Caledon Hills section of the Bruce trail, but there are some sections of the main trail that we still need to do in order to earn the end to end badge.

20 October 2018

0 – 5.1 km Map 14  (5.1 km)

Credit View Road to The Grange Side Road.

We were still in the airplane coming back from our Camino in Spain when Tanja asked “When are we walking again?” So here we are!

My husband is our trail angel today and he drops us off at the side of the road where the Caledon BT section begins. 0.0 km. We are off to a good start!

We cannot wait to walk the newly opened trail past the Cheltenham Badlands. This area used to be open to the general public, but has been closed off for quite some time now. It is a very popular destination and people were allowed to access it freely until a few months ago. Eventually the erosion was accelerating too fast and this spectacular site was being damaged. The Credit River Conservancy wants to preserve this area. They put up a fence and build a viewing platform. There is also a separate parking area now from where people can walk or use a shuttle service.

I am pleasantly surprised that you still have the sense of being quite close to the earth and I can take some really nice photographs.

4 November 2018

11.3 – 13.4 km & 16 – 14.5 km Map 15

Even though we only have to do two small sections of the main trail, we are using 1 car and park on the corner of Willoughby and Escarpment Road. On the map we are walking from 16km to 10.0km = 6km and we take the Dorothy Medhurst (.4 km) side trail back to make a loop.

I am walking with my two sons Philip and AJ today. The weather is a little chilly and most of the leaves are now on the ground. We did not see many people until we reached the Forks of the Credit Provincial park. There are quite a few families out walking today.

11 November 2018

16 – 26.1 km   Map 15, 16 (10.1 km) used 2 cars

There is snow on the ground! Not enough to stop us from walking, but unexpected nonetheless. The views from Escarpment Road are really spectacular.

There is a section of this loop where dogs are not allowed. I offer to walk back to the car by road while the others complete the loop. I can always come back some other time.

1 July 2019

11.3 – 13.4 km & 16 – 14.5 km Map 15

16km to 10.0km = 6km used Dorothy Medhurst (.4 km) side trail to make a loop.

We are back in the same spot, but this time in the summer. Tanja never had the chance to walk this loop by herself. It is Canada Day today and we all have the day off. We seem to be so busy these days…

19 July 2019

31.6 – 26.1km Map 16, (5.5 km)

It is mainly roadside walking today.

It is very hot, so we decide to use two cars and start early. After our walk, we also decide to continue in the fall because of summer vacations coming up.

11 October, 2019

60.1 – 50.8km Map 18 (9.3 km)

What a view!

AJ has a job now (his first!) and his work schedule did not allow for him to come today. It is not hot anymore and all the mosquitoes are also gone. We are blessed with so many fall colors this time of the year as well. We are quite happy with our decision to continue our walking now.

This section is quite steep and I am having some trouble with all the uphill sections today. It took us 4.5 hours…

19 October, 2019

No dogs allowed…

We park at the 26.1 km parking area and Philip and I am walking a short 3.5 km loop in the section I did not do previously. Short and sweet…

25 October, 2019

70.2 –  64.3km Map 18 & 19 (5.9km)

Today the weather is cloudy with occasional sunny patches. It is also nice and cool. We are back in Hockley Valley, but this time we are on the North side. As we are walking we can see the ski hill and the golf course on the South side where Tanja and I were walking two weeks ago.

When we leave my car behind at 70.2 km, two ladies that look a lot alike are also getting ready to walk. When they pass me on an uphill in the forest I ask them whether they are sisters they tell me that they are twins and that the one sister lives out west. I tell them that we are on our last stretch before we will have done the whole Caledon section of the Bruce Trail. They tell me that they are almost done. They will finish up on the South side tomorrow. The plan is for AJ is to finish that same stretch tomorrow as well. What a coincidence!

There are a lot of leaves everywhere, the same as when we started this quest (to complete the Caledon BT section) a year ago at the Cheltenham Badlands. It makes you realize how much your life can change within 12 months and makes you wonder where you will be a year from now.

Today’s walk was much easier than the previous one and there was only one steep section at the beginning.

We reach the point where we can now connect the dots. We started off in this very same area on our very first hike together in the Spring of last year. It feels good and sad at the same time. We worked hard to reach this goal, but it is also the end of an adventure. We do feel proud of what we have accomplished together and are happy to have experienced the wonderful scenery throughout the seasons here on the escarpment. We are also in awe of all the volunteers that make the Bruce Trail possible.

26 October, 2019

60.1 – 50.8km Map 18 (9.3 km)

Today is a family outing again.

AJ was not able to join us two weeks ago and Philip is kind enough to walk with him. I am the trail angel today. (I am working on this blog while I wait for them.)

I drop them off together at the 5th line parking lot, but I meet Philip two thirds of the way at the 3rd line entrance. We keep AJ’s backpack to make it easier on him for the last little bit…

AJ has been my walking buddy over the past few years and I am so grateful for his company. I don’t feel safe walking all by myself. He slows down his pace considerably in order to keep an eye out for me. He finished this section in 3.5 hours. One whole hour faster than me!