Sunday May 30 - Hike #2, 17 km

Second Verse, Not like the First

Kerry is away at another B&B by the time we reveille and has left us waffles for the toaster and bacon for DIY frying. The magic is gone. We skip the bacon, toast the waffles and hit the road. We arrive at Cape Croker Campground. The directions say Campground Road but as we pass a fellow hiker vehicle turning down Park Rd, we realize there is an error in the directions. We turn around and down the campground's long drive to join the group.

John, our true Leader returned, wears Kevlar gaiters with long pants. He looks like a seasoned hiker. After signing more papers, John tells us that today is going to be different. Too many hiking rules were violated the day before. People got separated and jeopardized their safety. Today, there were going to be two groups. A fast group and a slow group. The Leaders were designated and no one was to pass the group Leaders. The lines were drawn in the sand. People were to car pool based on the group they thought they should be in. Today we had 22 people.

Olivia and I still want to be in the fast group. Craig looks dejected as his plans for a swift escape back to the city seemed kiboshed. Olivia leaves her walking stick in the car but later in the hike several people worry about her fatiguing and offer her food and water. She complains about a head ache which we associate with dehydration. I ask her to take her walking stick from here on in for the other hikes.

Sunday is a glorious hiking day with at least 5 degrees hotter than the day before - maybe 26C. We all run out of water 3 km before the finish. Olivia has finished her frozen water bottle and mine. She has eaten her sandwich plus half of mine plus a peanut butter and banana wrap provided by a kind fellow hiker. We are all very tired by the end of Sunday.

The 17 km hike is magical. Not as much bear scat and the scenery is very interesting. We make our way down three different levels: the escarpment, ancient coral reefs and another geological feature which I need to look up. We see erratics perched in the forest like sleeping trolls. There are cracks in the rock like the San Andreas fault. We walk through forests where prehistoric ferns brush our hands as we walk. The look outs over Cape Croker with deserted crescent sand beaches are breath taking.

Today there is ample time to take photo's. Everyone comments on how much better today's hike is. The slightly more leisurely pace is appreciated in the increased heat. We note to our selves that water is a more precious commodity than food. Next time we will take an extra 500 ml of water each.

At 3 pm, we leave the group with waves of good bye, see you next time and head for home. In Shelburne we stop for a washroom break. Two sleazy looking guys sitting at a picnic table at the local chip wagon nudge one another as we walk closer for a washroom search. They eye Olivia up and down. They make my skin crawl. I can't get out of there fast enough. We take refuge at the PetroCanada station and leave feeling relieved but hungry. This time we stop at Champs down the road and Olivia loads up on food.

We make it home by 7 PM and line up for a well earned shower.

Yes, I am a little weary the next day at work. 5:30 AM does come early on Monday morning but I feel fully refreshed as if I have been gone for a week, as if someone has shared a tantalizing secret with me. The change in scenery has been good for my soul. The forced slow down, great (no cell service at Kerry's cottage). While we have been hiking, the focus is the hike and watching your step. Olivia has been second in the pack the entire time despite her sporadic headache, her young age and the long distances. She is great company and looks forward to our next hike. So far the experience is very good. The long range forecast for the next hike is high 20's and sunny - another hot one.

Weekend#1: May 28 & 29 - 17 km

Get out Of Town

On Friday, May 28, work does not cooperate. I have my people on standby as I communicate my plans to make the great escape at 3 PM with the goal of being on the road by 3:30 PM. My plans are thwarted. My people drift out at their regular times and I stay until 4 PM, as I deal with a last minute crisis. By the time I get home, Olivia is already there, glassy eyed, waiting for me. She is packed and ready to roll. I still have to pack. We are on the road by 4:30 PM, set for prime rush hour traffic on a splendid Friday afternoon. There is an accident on the 403& #5 so we take a secondary route and hookup with the 403 at Winston Churchill. The hiway is ridiculously wide open and slows down on the 410. Once we are past #7, traffic opens up again. The new 410 extension is a wonderful thing. We stop at Pete's donuts just between Orangeville and Shelbourne and Olivia cleans out the store as she hoovers a sandwich, donuts and drinks. We are off again. The driving to the Bruce is so beautiful. We are on this surreal, vivid trip of warmth, colour and fresh breezes.

We arrive at Bruce Gables B&B in Wiarton at 7:45 PM. I am not a fast driver with my daughter in the car and our great hiking spread before us. I don't take risks and just go with the traffic flow.

Bruce Gables

We are the only people staying at Bruce Gables on Friday night, so the concept of a shared bathroom is a non-event. The home is a Victorian beauty with a bit of her petticoats showing. The lady who owns Bruce Gables, owns 10 other properties in the area, so our hostess, Kerry, tells us. Kerry is filling in for the owner and owns another B&B at Red Bay where we will stay on Saturday night. Kerry is very welcoming and pleasant. She suggests we share a room away from the front of the house which is on Hwy #6. Kerry leaves to walk the beach at Sauble. Olivia finds a piano and practices her music. We walk the main drag in the evening light. There are several main street businesses for sale and the town looks a little tired. There is a Tasty Freeze which has very good softserve icecream. We go back to Bruce Gables and we watch a show on TV about wedding dresses.

In our room, there is a ceiling fan which we use, but the temperature is warm and pleasant. The moon is full or close to it and for some reason, I never sleep well on full moon nights. I share my observation with the hiking group the next day and it seems that no one has slept well.

Hiking on Day 1

7:15 AM Kerry has prepared a Belgium waffle feast with yogurt, fresh berries, cheddar scones - lovingly displayed on good china and silver ware - delivered on time. We chat about the day and Kerry tells us about a "fish fry" at Mar in the evening not far from her cottage. She highly recommends we go to. So dinner is planned for the evening once we are back.

We hit the local Tim's to buy our lunch. The locals on the intercom act like we have a horn growing out of foreheads for ordering BLT's for what they think is breakfast. They verify our order twice with a note of incredulity. We arrive at the pre-determined 8:45 AM meeting point at Wright's crescent where the last car to arrive drives up on our bumper. We jump around on one foot as we rush to get our boots on, collect our poles and heave our knap sacks. There are forms to complete, waivers to sign and money to pay. The seniors in the group tend to butt in line and steal the pens. I ask one if I could borrow her pen to move things along. She looks at me and puts the pen in her purse. Hmmm - I think - this could be interesting.

No one is going anywhere without the forms completed so in due course, when we all complete our forms, we organize the rides to the starting point (we car pool in a few cars and then at the end, take the drivers back to their cars at the starting point). There is a young fellow who looks ex-military, named Craig who we later find is a steel worker from Hamilton. Olivia and I gravitate to Craig and together with a couple of 40 yr old ladies, pile into Craig's truck and head into Wiarton, to the statue of Wiarton Willy, our starting point. There are 26 people on Day 1 of Hike #1.

We start hiking at 9:30 AM which the organizers remark never happens. Usually they start between 10 AM and 10:30 AM.

The trail leaders are fill ins and very soon the group becomes spread out. There are the fast hikers, like Craig and Olivia, who set the pace and keep the "fast" group motoring.

Then there is a slow group which includes the two ladies who rode with Craig and some of the seniors. We become spread out on the trail.

I find I would like to take photo's which the fast group doesn't allow for. Craig is looking to get in a round of golf in the afternoon. The spreading out becomes more pronounced after a brief 20 minute stop for lunch. Later we learn, one person gets re-routed on a side trail and has hiked an extra 4 km. At one point, I am steaming ahead from the small pack I find myself in, trying to catch up with Olivia, Craig and a couple of other faster, non-photo taking hikers. I find myself at risk.

During the hike on Day 1, we are walking along the escarpment where Mallory Beach lies below. There are a lot of weekend cottagers along Mallory beach. Last year, the municipality changed garbage pick up day from Monday to Tuesday, which meant weekend garbage was being left out for a day and night. The area has become infested with bears. During day one, we are dodging sizable bear scat along the trail - I mean some of it is cow poo sized. At one point, I am alone and I see a dark form in the bushes. I hear a growl. My scalp prickles and I start wolf whistling as loud as I can. I turn back to rejoin my group. I don't steam ahead by myself again.

Another local item to be aware of is the bountiful crop of poison ivy. I was never sure what it looked like but I definitely know now. It is thick along and on the trail. The trick is not to crush the leaves and allow the oil to get on your legs. Mindful of my healthy allergy to poison ivy, I manage to complete the weekend unscathed. A week later, I have a few rash spots on my legs, but not the incessant itch that goes with it. Another reason to wear long pants.

At the end of the hike on day 1, Olivia and Craig and crew finished at 2 pm, I finished at 2:07 pm (Olivia times me as I reach the parking area). The slow group, we learn later, finished at 4:45 PM. The two ladies that we rode with in the morning, though physically fit, decided to fore go the group hike and just travel at their own speed.

And some typical views and photo's of Day 1:

After dropping Craig off at his truck, Olivia and I head to Sauble Beach. The water is warm, warm enough to swim in but we haven't brought our bathing suits (note to self). We go up to our knees and the water feels amazing on our tired feet. We drive back to the Red Bay cottage and grab a shower and hit the fish fry in Mar.

The travelling fish fry guy has a set up in the back of his van. The local charity has supplied home made pies, peas, baked potatoes, cole slaw and a bun. The fish, from Lake Huron, is splake and is not battered but rather rolled in spices and deep fried. With one hand balancing a delicious fish dinner and the other a substantial wedge of pie, Olivia and I find a table in the basement of the Mar Community Centre. We dig in. The food is beyond wonderful. I finish the last bite of my creamy rubarb pie and I want to find the person who baked it to hug them. We go out to the car with full bellies. Olivia makes a bee line to the horses leaning over the parking lot fence, stretching their necks to be fed and petted. Olivia delivers what the horses are looking for and we all leave satisfied.

Back at the cottage, though it is only 7:30 PM, we lie on our single beds and watch the seagulls float in the evening sun outside our window. It is like watching a silent movie as the light turns to pink in the dusky stillness. Instead of the clacking of a silent film projector, we hear the crescendo/decrescendo of the humming birds thrumming outside our corner room. It is very peaceful and tonight, we sleep very well.

What does it cost?

There are several factors to consider. The dollar price and the price of being away from your social network during prime summer party time.

The Social Cost: Things are never straight forward. There seems to be a genie watching our plans and throwing us curve balls in order to tempt us to bail on our hike or provide us with opportunities that could be more fun.

On the first weekend, May 29th, I have an engineering BBQ reunion announced a week prior. Another friend has offered to host. All I have to do is show up with the coleslaw and cold beer and enjoy catching up with old friends. I think my friends live interesting lives and I miss not getting together with them more often. My cousin is married to one of my class mates (with two adorable children in tow) and so it's a dual bonus - I get to visit family and friends at one event. There are friends flying in from New York. Most of the crew from University are available but I have the first weekend of the hike. What do I do? I've come across this before. The day I decide to bear down on my diet plans, I go to Costco and suddenly they are offering my favourite foods at every sample table. Of course, no other times does this happen. So this time, I stick to the plan but there is a price because it may be a while before we all have this chance to get together again.

Olivia pays a price as well. Her basketball team is having its end of year party on the second hike weekend. Plus, her best friend has chosen to have her birthday party that weekend. Even before the first hike, I explain to her that I would understand if she would like to stay home. But Olivia is committed. There will be other sleepovers at her friends house and she has been with the team for 4 years and has never missed a party until now. Olivia wants to hike. The offer stands, however, if after the first weekend, Olivia hates it, she can opt to stay home to be with her friends.

The Dollar Price

The Membership:
A Bruce Trail Family membership costs $50 CAD. Individual memberships are likely cheaper. You get one free Club membership with your overall Bruce Membership (the trail to divided into "clubs"). So I selected the Peninsula Club as our home club. The end 2 end hike, Wiarton to Tobermory, costs $10 per hiker which they ask for at the beginning of each day's hike. You can pay ahead and get the equivalent of one hike free which equates to $100 per hiker. Because there are two of us, I pay $200. This is tax deductible but you need to ask for a tax receipt.

A roof over your head: A typical B&B in the Bruce runs around $80 to $95. There are a few motels with good reviews which we will stay at later on. During the hikes, (I am writing this after the first weekend - I am not a disciplined blogger as yet) the Glen Miller Motel in Wiarton gets good reviews from the hike group. The club also talks about the Coach House Inn, closer to Tobermory, which has a swimming pool. The Motels run around $80 per night and offer continental breakfast with the plan. There are also camp grounds available which are an option for the more hardy and frugal. I want a hot shower, no sandy flip flops and a soft bed with no mosquito's buzzing around my head. Motels or B&B's are where it is at for me.















The Cost of Good Service
I think the love affair between the Bruce and its B&B's is now old and stale. In booking places, I have found two things to watch out for.
1. If you are allergic to animals such as cats, even when the B&B says "No Pets" , they may have pets. Olivia and I are allergic to cats and to sleep in a home with cats would seriously detract from our sleep and enjoyment. I had to cancel out of two B&B's (well in advance). The B&B's are not forthright with this info because they all want your business. The only way I found out was by perusing the B&B photo's and seeing cat photos or a cat in the background. For one cancellation, the owner actually reprimanded me for not looking at the "right" website which more clearly showed that they had cats. Which leads me to point two.

2. I am finding the B&B service is mediocre so far. There are more than a couple of B&B's that are up for sale where it seems like people just want out or the second generation of owner wants to upgrade to the large groups or go "spa retreat". At one B&B, when I commented to the owner that though they served breakfast starting at 8 AM, we needed to be out the door by 8:15- 8:30 AM - what could we do, she told me that we should eat fast. This doesn't mean we won't have stellar experiences - and I will let you know the ones that stand out - but so far the service is not really great.

The Equipment
I started shopping in February for our hiking needs as I did not want to take the financial hit all in one month. We both bought good hiking boots. I have nearly square feet, so Keen offers a wide boot which is very comfortable for me. I took all of my orthotics with me when shopping so I could size the boot properly. No blisters after weekend #1's 34 km. My boots cost around $130 but good shoes are worth every penny when it comes to comfort. Olivia gets Columbia boots from the States (we picked them up during one of her basketball tournaments) and they cost us $50. Olivia has narrow feet.

We did most of our shopping at Hiker's Haven in Oakville. I find the prices slightly better than Mountain Co-op in Burlington. We both bought Camelback back packs with 2 litre water bladders (total is $261). In addition to the bladders which we kept in the B&B kitchen fridge overnight, we also froze 500 ml water bottles in the B&B little freezers. On the cool Saturday, May 29 - 20 deg C - we had water to spare in our back pack bladders by the end of the 17 km hike. On the Sunday when the temp crept up to 26 C, we ran out of water 3 km before the finish. I mean flat out - frozen water gone, bladders bone dry. A lot of the hikers ran out and we were sharing water amongst the group. This shed light on a very important hiking pearl of wisdom. Food is important but carrying enough water is paramount. Next time, Olivia and I will each carry an extra 500 ml - which means each of us will have 3 litres of water in total at the start of the hike.

We also bought two adjustable ski pole style walking sticks - $40 for a two pack. Though I have never used a walking stick, the $40 is the best investment I have ever made. I am an ankle roller and have had physiotherapy on my right ankle more than once. A swollen, purple ankle could pretty well toast my plans for summer hiking. More than once during weekend #1, I caught myself on the pole as I went down, rolling on my ankle. Olivia used her pole on the Saturday of the first weekend and then didn't on the Sunday. She stumbled more on the Sunday and I have suggested that she use the pole for subsequent weekends. Walking poles are a very good thing.

Olivia buys a plastic spork which she now uses at all of her meals ($2.95). The spork resides in our cutlery drawer - not so far in the back pack. Olivia is techno-gadget freak and stands to inherit the techno-geek crown for our household from my husband. Though I am an engineer and relatively techno-savvy, my husband is even more so. I have a suspicion that Olivia has also surpassed me. I don't have a spork and so far Olivia has not actually used it on the hikes as we have bought sandwiches at the Tim's in Wiarton for lunches (set them next to our frozen water bottle in the pack) - which do not require a spork. But between the spork and water hose that we use to access the back pack bladder, Olivia is pretty happy with her outfit. We need to figure out a way to post our hiking location by GPS - which is only a matter of time before she figures it out.

Finally, after weekend #1, I have one other investment to make which will mean a trip back to Hiker's Haven today. The Bruce has indigenous rattle snakes, the Mississauga rattler. One seasoned hiker in our group was hit in the boot a few years and shook his head at our low boots, ankle socks and shorts. The Hike leader on the second day, wore Kevlar gaiters (with high boots and pants). I am going to purchase Kevlar gaiters today. The snakes are not aggressive but they will strike if provoked - at least from their view point.