There is something to be said about being on the trail.
Whether you are out for a multi-way trip, a trail run with man’s best friend or even a stroll through local trails with a loved one, it is the perfect place to take a moment to reconnect with nature, observe the world around you and ground yourself.
As a society seemingly built around the idea of putting in the work to get a little further, we sometimes forget to put the work in for and on ourselves. This trip was just that.
It started with an idea while hanging with a buddy. Let’s get out and do something difficult, both physically and mentally. We decided to take on the Algonquin Park Western Uplands hiking trail. The plan was three days, two nights and 70 km of trail under our feet. The plan was set, the bags got packed and we set out on another adventure.
Day one we were fresh both physically and mentally. We hit the trail full of optimism and in high spirits. We put in some work as we cruised from checkpoint to checkpoint throughout the day. As we put kilometres behind us crossing countless beaver dams and various terrains the drudgery we had ahead of us became apparent. It was time to put the head down and push.
After approximately 7 hours of moving time, 25 km of varied terrain and a plethora of emotional states we found ourselves at a beautiful lakefront campsite on Clara Lake. The views were immaculate and the wildlife did not disappoint, as a family of beavers swam back and forth past camp throughout the night.
After making a slight disturbance to the stillness of our surroundings with a cold plunge in the lake we relaxed and thawed out around the fire. While taking time to kick back and relax under a cloudless and clear sky, the discussion about distance began under the stars. Had we bitten off more than we could chew? Did we pack enough provisions? Or had we miscalculated as we ate like kings around the fire? Would our bodies hold up? What are we even doing out here?
As the night progressed and the adrenaline of the day continued to settle we began to take notice of our bodies, our minds and our rations. Risk assessment and understanding limitations in the back country is paramount to safety. Regardless of the original plan set in place you must stay flexible to changing conditions. With this in mind, our bodies sore from an underestimated first day on the trail and the minimal food reserves left after a night of refuelling we decided it would be best to make for the parking lot on day two.
With the dawn upon us, rested and refreshed we did our morning stretches and shouldered our packs. Sore and tired we were able to push through the pain and anguish relying on quality conversation and bouts of pure mental fortitude. Reflecting back, delusion may have set in at times as the pace picked up to a full out run, hooting and hollering dodging trees and leaping over mud bogs as we chased each other through the forrest.
As the last kilometres closed in on us so too did the walls of the pain cave. Through connection to the breath and the realization that we had simply come too far to make camp we persevered. Finishing the day at approximately 7.5 hours of moving time, 30 km of varied trail and over 1000 meters of elevation gained.
As the triumph of another successful adventure set in we celebrated with an end of trip snack we had waiting at the car. The only thing better than shared suffering in the backcountry is hitting a cheers with your buddy on a double chocolate chip brownie to celebrate!
As I’ve learned. The trail is a great place to sort out your thoughts, talk yourself through those hard to manage feelings and even dream up your next big idea.
Your adventure awaits!
Peace and Love,
Uncle G