Hike # 18: September 30, 2016 10.0 km
Finally, at long last, on the trail again. We have not hiked since I broke my ankle/foot on May 15. Thankfully all is healed now and I felt ready to try out the repaired bones with a test hike. It was a perfect trail and distance through Mono Cliffs Provincial Park for our first time hiking after such a long hiatus. The weather cooperated as well, dry and breezy and just warm enough.
Much of the trail took us through beautiful hardwood forests with many tall maples and some beautiful birch. As well, I spotted a beech tree, recognizing the little beechnuts (seed pods) which had fallen along the trail. That brought back memories of childhood in Bala, Ont. where we used to collect them and string them together to make bracelets and necklaces. Most of the trees are still green with a few colourful spots here and there. We did not see many signs wildlife except for a tiny toad, and some very fresh coyote scat (Valerie was brave enough to see if it was still warm) surrounded by some paw prints.
Along the trail we caught up on the activities of each of our summers. Valerie and Karen waited patiently all season for me to get better, bless them. Now that we have had a taste of the trail again, we are eager to plan our next outing. Hopefully on the next hike I will manage 15 km with my good camera (all of these were shot with my iphone).
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| Yay, hiking again! |
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| Nice wide smooth trail through the hardwood forest |
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| From the lookout |
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| Lovely calm pond |
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| Testing how mucky the bottom is |
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| The final stretch was along the road |
