The big cock! Guelph, ON

I know. Wierd. We noticed this "cock" while on a road trip to look at a sustainable house on Saturday. This "big old cock" was located just as you enter the city of Guelph from the east on Hwy 7. There was a detour that lead us around some construction - had we not gone this way, we would never have discovered him! Strange! Who thought a giant cock was a cool idea? Seriously - who?

FearFest, Canada's Wonderland

A frightful night of good fun! My friend Dwain’s birthday is next Tuesday, so last night we went to help him celebrate and get in the mood for Halloween! There were lots of mazes themed like haunted houses, spooky forests, "accident scenes" and corn fields and some of them actually were a bit scary! (Dwain asked me why I was pinching his arm – so I think although I wasn’t really into the entire thing – they must have scared me a couple times!) I was more about the rides – in the dark! It’s one thing going there in the summer in the middle of a bright afternoon…it’s another going on a cold night were you can see your breath and going on the same rides in the dark! (Notice the attire - hat and mittens) A good time was had by all!

Burnt Island Lake, Algonquin Park, ON

This was taken during a 3 day canoe trip in Algonquin - on the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend! It was the nicest weather anyone could hope for this time of year! We did approximately 38km of paddling and 13 portages in total, traveling through Canoe Lake, Joe Lake, Little Joe Lake, Baby Joe Lake, Burnt Island Lake, Jay Lake, Treefrog Lake, Sunbeam Lake, Aster Pond, Willow Lake, an unnamed pond that was far from being more than a swampy mess of mud to DRAG the canoe through, Bartlett Lake, Tom Thompson Lake, Littledoe Lake, Fawn Lake, Teepee Lake, and then back to Joe Lake and finally Canoe Lake. It was a great trip - even saw three moose and had a great time with a great canoe partner! So here is the most unique "LeftLeg" photo yet.... enjoy!

Mew Lake, Algonquin Park

This photo was taken after a bike ride when we went to wash the mud off of bikes in the lake. What started out looking like it might be a rainy day - turned into a beautiful afternoon. I even met a couple friend ON THE TRAIL who I knew from Ottawa and who now live in Toronto. How bizarre!!! A great day in September. Who could ask for more - and all the leaves are beginning to change so the trails were looking the most beautiful I've seen them!

Bouldering at Niagara Glen, ON

What a beautiful day it turned out to be! Today we went to Niagara Glen to do some bouldering. It was super duper fantastic fun! The Glen has so many cool problems and it is a beautiful walk down near the Gorge anyhow - so even you aren't climbing it's a pleasant day outdoors. I decided today that I need to work harder at refining my boulding skills in the gym (with my back being messed up for the past few weeks I haven't done much at all) and my hands have gotten way to soft again! If the skin on your hands isn't up for it - you might as well give up. You are only as good as your hands... It's frustrating, but The Glen is beautiful enough and I am sure I'll go back... Look out!

The Friendship Trail, near Fort Erie, ON

On the long weekend, my mother and I went to visit my cousin who has just bought a house in Ridgeway (near Niagara Falls). From her neighbourhood you can access The Friendship Trail which forms the southerly link of the Greater Niagara Circle Route, a 150km multi-use trail system in the east end of the Niagara Peninsula. The trail is just one part of a 17,000 km trail system that stretches from St.John, NFLD to Victoria, BC and as far north as Tuktyuktuk! This photo was taken near the end of the trail at a little beach we found were someone had obviously "forgotten" their furniture!

The Old Railway Bike Trail, Algonquin Park

This was a very easy 30km day. The trail (which was built on an old rail bed from 1895) was FLAT and very user friendly. It did however lack anything even remotely physically challenging or exciting. Not my favorite, but since the other trail had fallen trees every 2 minutes it was an okay alternative. I guess. And no, I don't suggest trying this move at home folks - I am actually riding the bike as I did this. Thanks to my mom who took the photo as on lookers wondered what the hell we were doing!

The Minnesing Mountain Bike Trail, Algonquin Park

Getting ready to tackle the Minnesing Trail... we had no idea what we were in for with the high water levels and mud holes after the storm - not to mention all the fallen trees arcoss the trail. We had no choice but to carry our bikes over them... and needless to say we decided against doing the full large loop and cut our trip down to the smaller loop instead! Would have been a great track otherwise!

Lion's Head, Bruce Peninsula - camping

Lion's Head. Not bad at all. Lots of bugs - some rain, some crazy wind, some lightening, even thunder... but some nice weather too! Enough to get in some good climbing time!

McKay's Harbour

Camping 3.5km from the parking lot - hiked in along the Bruce Trail. This was a beautiful and very peaceful place! I can't believe more people weren’t staying here. We encountered two porcupines and about twenty raccoons on our last night - not so peaceful any more!

Bruce Trail, Georgian Bay, ON

Just after sunset... camping along the Bruce Trail - Georgian Bay... beautiful!

May 2-4 - Lion's Head on top of Wall A

One last climb before heading back to Toronto? Saturday had a brief hour of sunshine, Sunday we spend the day at White Bluffs on the other side of the bay - it's a big overhang wall sheltered a bit from the rain and wind... The easiest climbs there besides one 5.8 with sketchy bolts were 5.11's - so I did my first outdoor 5.11! Had a very long day and by the time we hiked back to camp it was 10:30ish pm... Monday the wind ended up being super strong and it was really really cold so we only did one climb over at Lion's Head before starting the drive back to Toronto! This photo was while we were waiting to see if the wind was going to let up! We couldn't feel our fingers. We didn't get any more climbs in (that day)... but we'll go back!!!

Lion's Head, Bruce Peninsula, ON

At the top of "Kiss of a Spiderwoman" 5.9 - nothing like some of the ol' left leg at the top! The sun came out for about an hour - perfect timing to thaw out fingers and toes.

Tobermory, ON - Camping May 2-4 long weekend

Whenever I go on a hike or go camping -IT RAINS! Most of the weekend was cold, windy and overcast. Since we couldn't climb, we drove to Tobermory to see if we could find something to do -this is Tobermory Lighthouse in the background.

Algonquin Park, Day 2 Western Uplands Trail

Still cold - still wet - and a wet pack is even heavier than a dry one! The rain seems to follow me... A great time was still had by all!

Algonquin Park, Western Uplands Trail

Uplands? I think they could call it WET lands... this weekend I did a 37km hike and camped in the bush... it rained the entire time, it was wet and muddy and flooded in parts, there were trees across the trail every 5-10 minutes, there was still snow in some areas and you could often see your breath! Needless to say - we had a great time despite all this. This was at our camp on the first night!