These boots were made for - well, you know...

If you go out in the woods today,
You're sure of a big surprise.

Well, you may have found me had you been wandering in the same section of woods I was. I was on a mission though: to cover as much ground as possible before it got dark, AND to break in my new boots. I covered close to 6km in about an hour and a half, and my new boots are finally starting to feel like they belong on my feet instead of on a store shelf. They still managed to leave the backs of my heals a little sore, but a couple more travels from Harrison Park to Inglis Falls over the next couple weeks should make them all ready for me to wear them on my very first overnight hiking adventure. 63km of the Bruce trail during the 3 days of the May long weekend. (And somehow, that's the warmup for our 78km, 8 day trip to Killarney in August - go figure.) If you're going to do something, you might as well do it hard-core, right? ...or die trying.

Anyway, getting out into the woods is great (even if it is an overly traveled, high-traffic path). ...I just wish I hadda remembered the steep climb straight up the escarpment just before reaching Inglis Falls. Oh well, all part of the fun. Heck, by the end of the summer I should be able to run this trail! (NOT)

Great night for a walk. The forest smelled of new tree growth, there's still a ton of runoff making the streams burst at their seams, chipmunks scurrying through the leaves, birds chirping in the trees, the creeping myrtle is all out in bloom making a carpet of green & purple, and the blackflies aren't out quite yet!

Evenings like this are great for appreciating God's great creation.

....yes, that really IS a purple heart spray painted on a tree. I'm sure that's someone's way of showing they really love nature!