A day away...
I've had me one of those weeks. The last seven days have been up and down but mostly down and that sucks. Being exceptionally ill for most of it just doesn't help you cope with life, you know, between sneezes, nausea, coughing and waking up every hour because you can't breath at night.
Yeah... That's just one aspect of the week I endured.
Sometimes you need to recharge. Physically, mentally, emotionally.
...
And other times...
Well, other times you need to get yourself all alone and work out your mind and body and emotions till they are all too damn tired to plague you at night and make you feel like a bruised up turd in an alleyway.
Pretty descriptive huh? Yeah, I know. I'm living it soooooo...
I needed to escape the city. I live in a place that is almost a million souls deep and yet everyone seems to know one another and it's really a little-big-city. It's fine but sometimes I don't want the reminders of things and/or places and/or people. I just want some peace and quiet where I won't run into anyone I know.
Seems like a small thing to ask for but in Winnipeg, it's damn near impossible.
There's a place I love dearly. It's 147 km's out of town and a prettier lake you have never seen. I can extol the virtues of it all day but I won't. I go there to recharge and sometimes (as was the case yesterday) decharge. It's quiet, easy to get to, close(ish) to home, and beautiful in every way. The lake is called West Hawk Lake and it's near the border of Ontario. The lake is cold and deep and always a treat to swim in (no leeches in cold water!) as well as the hiking trails in the area.
My battalion in the army used to hike up the Mantario trail just north of this lake and it's a rugged trip to take. Amazing though.
Anyway, I picked a day trail called Hunt Lake Trail that's relatively easy and takes four to six hours depending on how leisurely you feel. I did the entire thing in three and a half hours. I was moving fast, with purpose, and trying my best to wear myself out.
... It worked. Here's a virtual tour for you , my gentle readers, to enjoy sans sweat, cramps, bug bites and blisters...
It's surprisingly difficult to take pictures from your phone as you drive. The roads were empty so I went for it...
The turn off I always look forward to.. Wait no!
The town is a great little place; you can play tennis, stroll along the beach, have snacks at the beachside snack bar. Amazing ice cream as well...
This lake was made by a meteor and is three times as deep as any other lake in the province. It's used for diving schools, Winnipeg police and RCMP dive training.
Anyway, enough with the fun facts, moving right along!
Ok so it's really not that bad at all. Bring decent hiking shoes and a backpack with food and water for an afternoon picnic and you will be rewarded...
This was off the beaten path not too far into the hike. Not a bad way to begin. Unless you're hydrophobic, then you're straight fucked! And why go to a lake anyway?! Idiot! Ok... Let's keep going!
No, this isn't the Hobbit. No, there are no storm giants around to throw boulders at you
The Canadian shield is some pretty cool landscape... Unless you have to hike/climb/crawl/weep your way over it. The honeymoon ends pretty quickly.
After much scrabbling up and down tree root infested paths, you DO get treated to scenic vistas of lake front property that make it worth the effort. Unless you hate lakes and forests and beauty in general... Then you can just scram!
These three shots are all from a rocky outcropping about half way through the hike. It's very pretty, relaxing and there's even a fire pit if you want to picnic (or cook up that bear you straight rassled to death a few clicks back)
This is a shot of the "relax rock" area that I just described, as seen on the way out of the area.
Apparently that bear had some buddies nearby... YOIIINK!!!
I was pretty beat. Feet were (and still are) bloody and bruised up. My legs, hips, and ass got a phenomenal workout, and I'm feeling it all in my knees whenever I attempt a stair. Yes... Singular. I'm old, alright. Fuck off.
Of note, I ran into 17 groups of people on the hike. The most I've ever seen before in an entire hike? 3. It was a busy trail.
Ironically, In my quest to find solitude and animosity, I ran into an aquaintance on the trail, in from the city as well, with her male friend? Figures, right?
A few awkward moments of chit chat and I was on my sweaty and snotty and achy way...
End result; I slept well last night. I'm feeling more at peace with the way things are. Some of these things I have no control over and that sucks but that's how it goes. Some things I do have control over and I'm making plans accordingly. It's helping. Sometimes decharging yourself actually works.
Tomorrow, I start back into Tae Kwon Do... I'll try not to bleed all over the place.
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