Our Walk Along The Bruce Trail (BTC)

Completing Sydenham on the Bruce Trail Change in routine, Change in approach on the BTC Waking up and moving this morning, we endured physical challenges the like of which we have never yet experienced.   Our backs hurt, our legs felt like rubber, and the bottoms of our feet were so sore that instead of looking like intrepid hikers, we hobbled around our campsite like aged crones.   Nothing felt any better over the hour it took us to make breakfast, enjoy our repast, and pack our gear into our backpacks.   I think each of us wished that we could afford an extra day to spend more time at the Bass Lake campground.   Despite having to move on, we were nonetheless very grateful for having had the opportunity to shower, clean up, and dry off at the campground last night.   For the past two days, being full of excitement for setting out on our hike and concerned that we would not get to our destination, we had pushed hard.    This approach was clearly a mist...

Stumbling On, Grumbling On the Bruce Trail BTC Thru-Hike The first thought I had this morning when I woke up was of pain ... not in my feet, or my knees, or my back, but really everywhere.   Even the simple act of sitting up seemed to take superhuman effort.   I looked across the tent and noticed that the younger member of our group had pulled his sleeping bag over his face, as though to stave off the morning light and not have to move again.   I could certainly sympathize.   Putting my socks and shoes on, I stepped out of the tent and began the process of boiling water to make coffee and oatmeal for our camp breakfast.   Today’s goal was a simple one - to merely get to yesterday’s goal of Bass Lake.    This might sound pathetic, but our experiences during our first day on the Bruce Trail hiking under full pack weight, with a younger family member, and amid a deluge of rain, have quickly taught us that we needed to ditch our original plans, adjust t...