The Mighty Bruce Adventures: Hike 38 & 39: It's About The Journey

October 24, 2020 Hike #38 km 68.9 to 79.0 Sydenham (Ed. 28)

October 25, 2020 Hike #39 km 79.0 to 91.5 Sydenham (Ed. 28)

Little by little, one travels far ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

We often get asked about our journey along the trail and the question that is most often asked is “when did you start?” When we answer “2015”, our instinct is to immediately excuse our tardiness as it was our intention to finish the complete end-to-end in 3 to 4 years. Although we have had many unforeseen circumstances keep us from hiking as often as we had planned, instead of feeling like we are not moving fast enough, we should be feeling very proud of our accomplishment thus far! Does it really matter how long it takes us? After all, it is about the journey, not the destination.

Another question that we often get asked is “what has been your favourite part of the trail?” I think we unanimously agree that every part of the trail has been our favourite. Each kilometer of each section of the trail holds its own beauty. Some hikes are filled with vistas that take our breath away, others with trees that tower majestically overhead and seem to whisper to us as we pass through. There are gently babbling streams and rushing waterfalls, valleys and meadows and rockfaces that rise many meters above us. Sometimes the forest is silent except for the noise we make as we tromp along and at other times it is filled with the sounds of small animals and birds rushing about. It is all exquisite and words cannot do it justice. It must be seen, felt, smelled and heard.

It is difficult to put into words what our time on the trail together provides to us. There is nothing more nourishing for the soul than to be out in nature. It soothes and calms in times of overwhelm; it mends our broken hearts; it teaches us perseverance and reminds us that life is for living. For every drop of sweat, every aching muscle, every blister or bug bite, the trail rewards us in ways that cannot easily be described.

And so, we capture what we can in pictures.