Morven to Kingston   |   Hotel: Confederation Place Hotel, 237 Ontario Street, Kingston

I wake at 4:30 am. First of all, this is the latest I have slept so far during this walk, and the sleep was needed. I think that I am still absolutely wrecked from yesterday, but after breakfast is eaten (a cup of GreensPlus, a cup of powdered milk, trail mix), after I begin to move around organizing gear, and after stretching, I realize that my body had repaired itself effectively over the night. Lesson: the body will fix itself if given the opportunity. The bag is packed by just after 6:00 am, and I am walking down a very pretty stretch of Highway 2 before long. I reach a small town called Odessa by 8:00 am. This is a great sign—11 km by 8:00 are great numbers to be reaching, completely opening up the afternoon for more frequent rest stops, snacks, and even slowing down the pace if desired. I push through, with Kingston beginning to materialize far off over the horizon. There are some beautiful marshes and grassland areas along this stretch of highway with the calls and songs of many creatures. A long, steep climb has me lying down in the grass under the shade cast from a young Maple tree growing in a well-manicured park when I reach the top of the hill.  Ten minutes I am back out, and in 30 minutes I am relaxing in the climate-controlled interior of a Loblaws grocery store. Fruit. Pepperettes. One cold, cold pint, and a 45-minute rest with some journalling made before heading back out to finish off the remaining 10 km into Kingston. A woman named Denise approaches me on the sidewalk, walking with trekking poles. She stops me, and we share stories. Hers is that she’s walked the Camino de Santiago four times, taking different routes each time. She prefers to walk alone, as she says it provides more opportunities to meet new people. She and her husband will be traveling to St. John’s next month. I joke that maybe I’ll see her there. Two hours later I arrive at the lovely motel, where unbeknown treasures await. Today is wonderful—bright, sunny, with a refreshing breeze. This is a reminder that each day is so much different than the previous! I walk through a nice, new area of town, then through an older one currently experiencing new building developments in various stages of construction. An hour of walking brings me to “Trailhead”, an amazing store. The upper floor is focused on clothing, while the lower floor focuses on gear, with a split level between the two serving as entrance and check-out. I have a brief discussion with staff in both areas, letting them know what I am looking for, and that I’ll return tomorrow morning to pick up what I need. Some much-needed upgrades are needed, and it looks as though I’ll be able to pick up most—if not everything—I need here. Walk to the hotel with a lovely six pints acquired along the way, taking a few photos of newly-risen architecture. I check in, the room is ready, and I elevator up. 1:30 I am officially a temporary resident of wonderful Kingston. So excited, happy, and grateful to be here seven days into this walk. This evening in a hotel will serve as part rest and part celebration. I fill the tub with warm water and immerse the clothing to soak for a few hours. I watch a SportsNet rebroadcast of a Carolina-New Jersey playoff game, watching as I input recent expenses into a Numbers file. Upon scouting the neighbourhood on Apple Maps I discover a Food Basics and a BulkBarn within three blocks, and these will serve well for restocking the food bag for the upcoming stretch between Kingston and Montréal. I find a Cambodian restaurant around the block, and duck out into the 5:30 late afternoon to pick up two dishes: one composed of beef and vegetables, the second of chicken, shrimp, and rice—both of which are tasty, filling, and pleasurable to eat. It was interesting to talk to the owner while ordering. He was saying how difficult it has been operating over the course of the pandemic. They are still running, and making a go of it, and he is pleased to have survived such a hard time for his business, the most difficult in his 17 years of operation. A few more pints are acquired just to be on the safe side, and I return to the hotel. Eat. Steadily wash all of the clothing, hand-washed in the tub and hung to dry around the room—using the heater cranked up to high to help expedite the process. All new photos are backed up to the external hard drive, with voice memos recorded over the day. Some strategic snoozing is then enjoyed made with one eye open to the game, leading to one of the best sleeps humanity has ever enjoyed.

Today’s distance walked: 36.81 km    |    Total distance walked: 291.94 km

Reflection on Week 1

• Thankful for the training made for this effort over winter.

• Waiting for a window of good weather was a great decision to make before beginning — a full week with only a few millimetres of rain having fallen overnight.

• Beginning to learn strategies for water refilling, finding and setting up in free camping spots, and setting up / pulling down tent quickly and effectively to get walking and sleeping earlier.

• Planning ahead: it is very helpful to understand distances to towns and the amenities each of them contain.

• Meeting interesting, caring, inquisitive people!

• Using free coffee cards collected for this specific purpose are wonderful daily treats.

• Feeling strong, walking consistently longer than ever before.

• Realizing the importance of taking breaks and drinking water periodically.

• Knowing when to hustle in order to open up future comfort and relaxation.

• Experiencing the importance of small victories, larger celebrations, and more major milestones experienced along the journey.