Bainsville to Pointe-des-Cascades   |   Campsite: 45.32719° N, 73.98002° W

Today represents two weeks of walking! By mid-morning I will have walked to the province of Québec and beyond the border. The morning is pleasant and sunny—full of birdsong as I prepare for the day. As always, I am out walking by 6:00 am. It must have been sometime around 7:30 when I crossed the Québec / Ontario provincial border, walking toward another impossibly beautiful sunrise. The electric orange disk hovering in the lightest-of-light azure skies, empty of cloud. At 7:50 I come across a little building with a picnic table. Maps posted of the upcoming landscape are presented, detailing various routes for cycling. One extends all the way to the Pointes-des-Cascades, a route that closely follows the St. Lawrence River, and the route I have been planning to walk. It is longer in distance but should prove to be much more scenic than routes more inland of the river. I finish up my orange and ginger tea, continuing on by 8:10. Approaching 9:30, I enter Saint-Zotique, an intriguingly neat and well-kept little town. Walking north to a McDonalds located at the on-ramp to the 401, I pass lovely small houses, delightful little parks with families enjoying the sun, and shops occupying little buildings along the town’s business centre. Once seated, I charge batteries, transfer files, back up files to the hard drive, and refill all water bottles. I photographed the bike tour map this morning, and am glad that I did, as I notice a paved multi-use trail running for 10 km through forest and along a rail route bordering the backyards of houses lining the path. It is a very pleasant and relaxing walk, and I make numerous recordings of birdsong along the section. The path leads back to the water, and I find a nice picnic table with an angled sunshade. As the time is 12:00, I pause to cook a noodle and couscous lunch. Pint. Writing. I am loving the day! It is sunny, and mild, with a comforting breeze. Birds are singing everywhere, impressing me with their skill at hitting so many perfect notes. Pack up by 12:45 and continue walking eastward. 23.6 km have been walked, and I would like to continue through to Pointe-des-Cascades. I also want to mention a kind and friendly woman named Sandra working at a convenience store from whom I purchased some snacks for the day. In our conversation, she mentioned that she moved to the region three years ago to get away from the city (I presume Montréal as she later mentioned not having returned to the city in over two years). We both seem to be pulled toward quiet places, and she says that moving to where she is presently was the best decision she has made as she now loves her community. I find the trail that wraps through the forest around Saint-Zotique, and it is lovely to walk as large trees cover the trail in a leafy canopy, providing dappled shade. The trail carries me eastward and is a nice change from both highway and shoreline walking, offering much smaller views of upcoming landscapes. This is a wonderful aspect of this challenge thus far: the types of landscapes and environments throughout the walk have been diverse, constantly providing new and unexpected terrain to observe and through which to move. 6 km later, I break from the trail to enter the tiny town of Le Bas-des-Cedres for some post-walk pints, fruit, and as a treat an ice cream cone. From here, the final 6.2 km is a breeze, an enjoyable stroll down a well-maintained path bordered on each side with manicured cut grass. I find another stellar place to camp right along the trail upon a manicured area of grass bordered by a wall of trees and thick cedar hedges. On the map, I am in Le Rocher-Tendu, just west of Pointe-des-Cascades. As I was setting up the tent, two women cycled by asking where I am off to. I reply “Toronto to St. John’s”, and a chorus of cheers and thumbs-ups are given. One thing I have noticed all along these small towns linked by cycle trails and walking paths is an incredible community of people in love with the outdoors and all activities made accessible to the residents. There is a discernible excitement and connection between the people here and with nature. I have missed this over the past 20 years of living in concrete, asphalt, steel, and glass. I have forgotten the rhythms of nature, and how profoundly they once regulated my younger life. It is incredible to be surrounded by it once again, as I am again beginning to feel natural within it and all of its beauty and mystery. Today has been another good one, both in distance covered, in empathy shown, in the connections made, and in the conversations shared. By 6:46 pm I’ve written the day down in the journal. Tired, achy, but feeling the good kind of weariness that comes with a day in which good work has been made. Feeling strong, confident, and peaceful as the evening darkens into night. I read to 8:30, then suit up for the oncoming cold, reflecting on how I came to be here, in this spot, at this moment.

Today’s distance walked: 45.81 km    |    Total distance walked: 576.15 km

Reflection on Week 2

• Finding the store “Trailhead” in Kingston, replacing old and broken gear, and meeting incredibly cool people!

• Visiting Kingston after walking for a complete week was rejuvenating and exciting!

• Walking and camping through The Parkway was amazing—thanks to the advice from Brenda and Tim.

• Meeting incredibly cool bike-packers Susie and Mike, and hearing about their already incredible year!

• Consistent 40 km (and further) days walking.

• Two full weeks of incredible weather.

• Trail magic, good conversations, and very supportive people.

• Finding and carrying a perfect little Robin’s egg to a veterinary clinic perfectly placed along my route.

• Very good camping, very good sleeping—thanks to Scott for assuring me that I could camp on the park grounds he was cutting.