SUMMER PICNIC

This weeks Senior Hike was the annual summer picnic at the Sunshine Club on the Toronto Islands. We boarded the Hanlon's Point ferry and walked to the Club on Wards Island. After a hamburger lunch we walked with determination to the Marina Pub for a pint. It was such a hot day. 80 members attended the picnic, not everyone walked which covered a distance of 8 km. Barry and I returned home on the GO Train vowing not to use the subway after experiencing this mornings journey. It was disgustingly hot, just like riding in the Amazon Jungle.

MIMICO CREEK

Barry & I led today's Senior Hike along the Mimico Creek starting from the Islington Subway Station. We had 54 participants and a few dropouts. The route including the walk to the pub covered a distance of 12 km. It was a beautiful day so 20 of us enjoyed our refreshments at the St. James Gate Pub. This was the second time we had led this hike and it was hailed a "keeper" by the members who especially enjoyed the ambiance of the pub.

FORKS OF THE CREDIT

My first Senior Hike after being away for 6 weeks. It was a bus a hike that Ann Atkins and I led at Bellfountain and the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. It was the hottest day of the year with humidex values over 40 degrees. The bus ride was a chore in it self with no air conditioning. There were 39 members on the bus including 12 Turtle members that did the shorter hike around Kettle Lake. The main group started Bellfountain along the Trimble Trail. When we reached the road at Dominion Street I phoned the bus driver to pick a member up who was struggling because of the challenging trail and holding the the rest of the group up. We carried on through Brimstone and picked up the Bruce Trail to our lunch spot in the park by the river. After lunch we climbed up the hill and wound our way to the bus in the parking lot. A total of 8 km with generous amounts of elevation changes was achieved. Back in the city a group of us hit Orwells Pub for a well earn't pint.

This photo taken by Ann prompted me to loose weight. Barry can be seen thinking "Fat Bastard".

WATERFRONT WEST

Our hike today was along the waterfront. Mary Ayers led 55 members from Front and York Streets to the Humber Bay Park a distance of 15.4 km. A glorious day was topped off with refreshments at an upscale Bistro on Park Lawn Rd.

AGM HIKE

It was a short hike today, about 7 km, due to our AGM and led by Charles Chaffey. We met a Coxwell Station and meandered around the streets in the vicinity before the meeting. After lunch and the AGM we continued around St. John's Cemetery and then along the streets to the Stone Lion Pub. 

 

FORKS OF THE CREDIT PRE-HIKE

Ann Atkins and I returned to the Forks of the Credit area to find a more suitable walk for a future Bus Hike. On our previous visit we hiked a route which we decided would be to demanding for some of the participants. We commenced at the Belfountain Conservation Area taking the Trimble Trail to the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. We then took the main Bruce Trail to a suitable lunch spot by the river and close to washrooms. We had reached this spot on our previous visit and knew it was about 4 km to the Forks of the Credit Car Park where the hike would finish. This is mind we retraced our way back to Belfountain and estimating the official hike would be about 10 km.

PETTICOAT CREEK

Today's Senior Hike attracted 57 members plus, three of Merel's relatives from Holland. It was a warm and sunny day which made the path along the lakeshore most enjoyable. The hike started at the mouth of the Rouge River and followed the shoreline to Petticoat Creek followed by a circuitous route through creek valley. We continued to Frenchman's Bay Park where we broke for lunch. After lunch we explored more of the Park before heading back to the starting point. The hike covered a distance of 14.5 km including walking to and from the Rouge Hill Go Station.