Riverside Heights to Glenwalter   |   Campsite: 45.03187° N, 74.63865° W

By 4:30 I wake into the crispy 2-degree morning. I eat a quick breakfast, stretch, then slowly change into walking gear. The wind pants and shell go on for starting out the day. What a perfect camp area I am walking out of this morning—and I received a good sleep from it! I take photos as I walk toward the town of Ingleside where I stop at a service station for a hot chocolate and bag of beef jerky. I eat and drink as I walk. Through the past few towns, new gravel has been put down along the highway shoulders. It is comfortable to walk on and feels good against the feet, but it is soft so I sink, requiring greater energy to move through it. The rain shell is removed about an hour and a half into walking, but the rain pants remain on through to a town called Long Sault. I walked 18 km by 10:00, which is good. I have been doing my best to achieve at least 15 km by 10:00 am as this opens up more opportunities for the afternoon. As the morning hours offer the most comfortable temperatures for walking, obtaining 15 km by 10:00 am allows for a 15-minute break, followed by 1.5 hours to 12:00 in which another 7–8 km can be walked. Under ideal circumstances, this yields 22–23 km by noon. An hour for lunch, rest, and stretching, and from 1:00 to 3:30 anywhere from 10 to 13 km nicely top off the day with a respectable 36–40 km daily distance. As the hours between 2:00 and 5:00 pm are the most difficult to walk due to the hot sun and humidity, it is very nice to wrap up a day’s walking by 3:30 pm at the latest if possible. Sometimes, it isn’t, and greater distance is simply required in order to find a suitable spot to camp. So far, I have 14 km more to walk toward the city of Cornwall, which is three hours at the most. I will be able to get some banking done as well as get an update on the poison ivy issue at the hospital. Following the highway toward Cornwall is a paved, multi-use trail that winds through forest, along the river, and through wetlands teeming with birds. Today’s walking is made quite peaceful through beautiful nature away from the noise and speed of vehicles. Upon entering Cornwall, the trail turns toward the water, past a massive power plant, and into the waterfront. I find a comfortable bench to boil water for tea and ramen. Finish eating by 12:00, and continue on to Brookdale Avenue which will take me downtown. Angle directly toward the bank and complete my chores within ten minutes, then continue on to the hospital, arriving sometime around 3:00. I wait in the emergency triage room for about an hour, but once called in I am speaking to a doctor within ten minutes. Explain the situation, and he assures me that the poison ivy is healing. He gives me a script for a follow-up on the prednisone in case I should have another run-in with these cranky plants down the road. Walk to a pharmacy to pick up my medication, and as I wait I charge the battery bank. The pharmacist at the cash register asks what I am doing with the pack, and when I explain he says that he would love to do something like this but that his work would never allow him to take the required amount of time off. This saddens me, but I suggest to him that he consider taking time in the future to plan something big for himself to do. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to engage in life-changing challenges. As I leave, he says “Walk safe.” I move quickly through town after acquiring a few pints, down to Montréal Road which turns back into Highway 2. By 7:10 pm I arrive at Precious Blood Cemetery. I notice a number of vehicles parked around the church and find a sign posted communicating that tonight is bingo night. I make my way into the cemetery, finding the most covered, hidden spot next to the water. I cook dinner and enjoy a pint. The evening begins to cool as the sun sets, and I quietly raise the tent. Change, and suit up in everything I have to stay warm. Out of nowhere, I hear two voices. When I peek out through the tent window, I find two guys fishing, casting from shore no more than four metres from my position. Had they arrived as I was snoozing? They don’t bother me, nor do I them. I drift off into sleep before the bingo players leave.

Today’s distance walked: 47.76 km    |    Total distance walked: 497.91 km