Training Log Archive: Bash

At age 11, our dear BazingaDog is slowing down. Notorious for a few big escapes, we had to walk him on leash until this winter when he suddenly became trustworthy. We've anticipated this change for years and it made us both happy and sad.

Tipping the scale at more than 80 lb, he would have needed to be especially calm and obedient to join us in a canoe. He wasn't. In our last attempt with Goose and Coach LD, he lasted only a few minutes before he dove out of the canoe and swam toward a mucky shore surrounded by poison ivy. Combined with his habit of running off, canoeing just didn't seem to be his sport.

Until today, that is. We'd really like to take B-Dog on a canoe trip while he can still do it. He's missed out on a lot of fun that our other dogs have enjoyed. STORM and Browner have been keen to join us with their two Labs, who are like cousins to our dogs. So today we took him out on the Beaver River as a test, not sure if we'd be out there for 2 minutes or 2 hours.

He was a champ. We were so proud of him. After some initial wobbling and shaking, he got the hang of sitting and lying down for better stability. He stayed calm as we passed muskrats, a tree full of raccoons, and dozens and dozens of noisy birds, and he even ignored the two frogs who hopped into our canoe. Now we need to start planning his trip. :)

Kolapore Gulch Lollipop + out-and-back on our driveway. A baby run to baby my unhappy Achilles. A beautiful morning in the forest.

Spectacular day! 'Bent and I took our SUPs to Peasemarsh Beach on Georgian Bay and paddled up to the Thornbury Harbour entrance. Although we prefer canoeing and kayaking, there is something really nice about seeing right to the bottom of a clear body of water. The lake was a stunning blue-green. It was fairly calm although there was a light breeze and an occasional set of waves from a passing boat.

It was our first SUP paddle since last summer and I was surprised that I felt it most in my calves. Maybe when I was a long distance runner, my calves didn't notice whatever it is that SUP paddling requires of them. My feet felt it too. I would have expected to feel it more in my shoulders and back.

I was tempted to jump in for a short, chilly swim but settled for a break to sit and dangle my legs in the water.

Ride around Kolapore with ‘Bent and Dee on a beautiful morning. We decided to ride the new trail route that we just started clearing. It was a worthwhile adventure but my bike got tangled in some undergrowth and my right forearm landed on a rock. It was fairly flat so I was lucky but there’s enough blood and bruising that I’ll be trying to hide it if I’m out in polite company.

Our other excitement was the discovery of one of the largest piles of poop I’ve ever seen. Based on location, a bear is the most likely animal but it also looked a bit horse-like. Horses are less likely than bears here. I’ll be making lots of noise on the trails!

My watch turned off. Track is on ‘Bent’s log.

I planned a mountain bike ride in Palgrave today. A First World Problem involving our defective new fridge took from 8:00 to 10:30 and will be continued next week. Then came another First World Problem when a tradesman arrived 90 minutes after his 4-hour window had ended. It was close to 3 pm by then and I still had to drive into town to buy groceries - another first world demand. So my bike stayed in the garage and I will get fat(ter).

My right hand is stiff and fatigued and it feels like I have a little tendinitis from using the pruners for 4 hours yesterday. Weak!

I'm not sure of the best way to log trail building but I'll start with the GPS track of the distance I hiked then I'll log a separate strength session.

Trail building with the Kolapore Wilderness Trails Association. My jobs were digging, pruning, carrying tools, hauling logs and ripping vegetation out by its roots. It was hard work made a little harder by the friendly local mosquitoes but the company was excellent and we made fantastic progress.

From my post on the Kolapore Wilderness Trails Facebook page, which I help administer:

"History was made today on the Kolapore Wilderness Trails! ... A volunteer crew began clearing the first major new trail since Kingsway was built 33 years ago. Next year is the 50th anniversary of the Kolapore Wilderness Trails. This new multi-use trail, which joins Jackrabbit to Paradise Highway west of the Wild Mouse hill, will be open for next year's ski season.

It was fitting that today's work session was organized by Bruce King, who helped build our very first kilometre of trail in 1973 and has continued to work on these trails ever since. (In case you're wondering, yes, we named 'Kingsway' after him."

Here's today's trail crew.



On the right is Bruce King, current Association President and one of the founders of the Kolapore Wilderness Trails in 1973. On the left is Dr. Richard Ellen, who has been skiing here since 1975. Both men have remained very active in the trail association for almost 5 decades, including lots of trail work days.



'Bent took down a lot of trees that were in the way.



I did a lot of different tasks, including so much pruning that my right hand is really sore now.



The Collingwood Off Road Cycling Association (CORC) generously lent us their team of young trail builders. I love this photo of "passing the torch" between generations. Well, technically, it's a shovel.

Dog hike including the two trails we built with our neighbours last weekend. I was in the groove from this morning so I brought my pruners along. Time deducted for faffing about.