Sun, Apr 10 2011 - The Bridle Path (View Original Event Details)
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Total hiked: 12.0 KM (14.0 for Chris and I)
Donations: $5
Ahhh.. that "first" TOC event… the one to be remembered, kind of like your first kiss, or first apartment. Four years later, I still remember my first TOC event: backpacking in Algonquin! It's great to have something memorable to look back on years later, and I think I delivered for Hillary and Ted, TOC's newest members!
The plan was to hike from Yonge / Lawerence to the the Bridle path (commonly mistaken for the "Bridal path".) Zigzag through there, and then go north to a street where we'd be able to catch a trail that would cross Wilket's creek. Then down through Edward's Gardens, and so on to end at Yonge / Eglinton. And the weather forecast seemed to be agreeable with our plans: Only 30% chance of rain during the day, thunderstorms not until the evening, and a high of 16!
We all met at the planned spot, and headed out. It was drizzling. As we walked along Lawrence, about 10 minutes into the hike, we heard the first claps of thunder. I assessed the situation, and determined that amongst the houses and trees, we were in very little danger of being hit. So on we went! Once we got to Lawrence and Bayview, I knew that it would take a little creative work to find Lawrence again (where it dead-ends going west-bound). We asked around the Glendon campus, and were able to cut-through one of the buildings to get closer to the road. While there, we took advantage of the "opportunity presented itself" bathroom break! More directions from insiders led us through a parking lot and eventually back to the ill-travelled section of Lawrence!
By now the rain was relentless. And I was starting to discover that quick-dry pants were useless in a downpour, where they were sticking to me and rubbing with each step against my quads. I had noticed that we all had a type of hood or cap to at least keep the rain out of our eyes. Nonetheless, it didn't take long before we were all a sopping mess!
We did make it through all of the Bridle path roads (3) that was in the plan. But it was then that I made the executive decision to cut the day short, and once at Bayview, head south rather than north, and cut out the whole Edwards Gardens/Serenda Gundy section of our hike. It had only climbed by then to 7C. We headed down Bayview, and a northerly wind was taunting us. We lost a couple hikers to a bus along the way, and another when we crossed Lawrence.
When we finally hit Yonge Street, the rain had let up. The wind was helping to dry ourselves out. Looking forward to a hot coffee or tea, we headed south towards Eglinton, and gratefully piled into a pub. The power-dry in the bathroom came in handy for more than just wet hands, and the hot drinks and hot food were fiercely welcomed in good time and with wonderful service.
Chris managed to convince me to walk back to Lawrence where my car awaited me (with dry socks and boots!), and where he could catch the subway. The rain had stopped completely, and the sun was giving its all to dry up the clouds. By the time I drove into my driveway 15 minutes later, big parts of the sky were blue and I could clearly make out shadows. It eventually reached 16C by 5 PM!
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.