True Tales from the Trail

   Day 2 Tuesday, August 18                        My 73rd birthday dawned bright and beautiful!  Perfect weather for today's 30 km hike! The plan was to walk to Richmond where I would join family and friends and celebrate another significant milestone on life's journey. Thank you God. Your mercies are indeed new every morning.              After a good night's rest, I headed out at 9 AM jand jogged back to where I stopped yesterday at  18F (Map 18). Walking past the Trail Closed sign (see Day 1 blog), I entered the  forest en route to the Robertson Rd overpass  18E (Map 18) overpass that is situated close to my friend Guy's condo.      Up to this moment on the hike, the Trans Canada Trail and the Rideau Trail follow the same route but now it was time to veer south as the Canada Trail takes one in an easterly direction to Carleton Place. Event...

     This is the true tale of an 11 day solo hike on the Rideau Trail. Here was the plan:  I start on Parliament Hill, Monday morning, August 17th and complete the trek by Saturday evening, August 29th on the Kingston waterfront. Each night is spent in the comfort of pre-booked roofed accommodations. We enjoy a nice recovery mid-hike weekend in Perth.        What could possibly go wrong?  After all, earlier in the year, we had travelled around the world coordinating 3 months of air travel, excursions and accommodations.  And... as a long distance runner, my assumption was that walking is much easier than running.   Right?  RIGHT?       Let's just say that the 2 hour car ride home on August 30th, after all was said and done, never felt so wonderfully comfortable!            I carried a small 5 compartment backpack containing snacks, lunch, a thermos of coffee along...