Urban Exploring - A Walk in the Winter Woods

"Go to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch, and "the dead months" will give you a subtler secret than any you have yet found in the forest." - Fiona Macleod in Where the Forest Murmurs

Today's walk was the kind that a friend of mine has cleverly coined a "CSI Tour".  One of those treks that is so far off the beaten track that she feels I'm likely to either find a body or become a body.  I will admit to a certain foolhardiness but, as commonly pointed out, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I happen to like knowing what's around every corner even it seems a little scary or dangerous.  Sometimes appearances can be deceiving.

I had to run our vehicle to the shop which was a considerable distance from the dog that I have to walk in the mornings, at least if I were to follow conventional sidewalks.  It was my thought to cut through Crawford-Jones Park and then Pine Point Park and make my way to Islington Avenue from there.  The weather had called for rain.  I usually don't pay too much heed to forecasts other than preparing myself for the worst, the weather is what it is and does what it does and there is very little I can do about it.  However, I was blessed with the rain holding off.  The air was sodden and the sky dim.  It was surprisingly warm and comfortable and I didn't feel the need to dig out my mitts or hat the whole day.


I was a little unsure about the best way to approach the park from Weston Road.  Should I access it from Cardell Avenue or Dee Avenue?  I ended up choosing Cardell, but I could have taken either, both dead end to the park.  The path was not cleared and would have been hard to find if it had not been for the numerous footprints of more experienced visitors of the park.  I had every intention of walking straight to Islington Avenue, running some errands at a nearby shopping complex and then walking over to pick up my pal for his morning exercise, but the explorer bug took over and it was time to get lost in the woods.   I had some time to kill and I knew that geographically I was penned in by the 401, housing, a golf course and train tracks.  Eventually I would find civilization again.  

If you will remember, in a previous entry on Pine Point Park, I had made mention of a small footpath that I had noticed near the pedestrian bridge crossing the Humber River. It had been my assumption that it made it's way towards Islington somehow.  So I was surprised to discover that it actually curves around and makes its way along the South-western bank of the River.  

The path makes its way east a fair distance.  It is obviously well used by both man and beast.  It's hard to tell if it is paved underneath the snow, but I remember that in the fall when I first checked it out, the entrance at least was basically a dirt foot path.  

The constant drone of the highway traffic never dissipates.  Perhaps it is the lack of foliage or the cold, still air, but it is loud and an ever present reminder that I am really still in the city.

The foot tracks peter out considerably at a small, narrow creek, slushily frozen.  A steep hill rises to the south beyond it.  I see some footprints and dog tracks beyond and continue on.

The hill is steep and the snow is deep.  We trod carefully on, my dog and I, unsure of what lays beneath. An old rotting tree, with lots of hollows, reeks of skunk.  Perhaps a den.  Despite my best effort to keep him away, my dog excitedly nosed and sniffed about at the very limits of his leash while I feared a long, smelly walk home.  Thankfully, nothing stirred and I was able to convince my pal to walk on.

Thar be skunks here!

A happy dog is an exploring dog.

The trees grow so tall here, thin, stretching upwards to the sky.  It is so rare to see truly tall trees in the City.  Most urban trees are so stunted compared to their forest cousins.

The tracks that I have been following begin to zigzag through the woods, weaving amongst fallen trees.  Despite seeing many animal tracks, I see not one creature, not even a squirrel.  Even the birds are no where to be found.  The air is still and, despite the omnipresent sound of highway traffic, hushed.

Cresting the hill, we come across a strange formation.  It's hard to tell if it's natural or man-made.  Large, cylindrical and pock-marked like old, worn concrete.  Its presence is jarring.  

Suddenly, we are at the summit of the hill. It is large and flat and treeless.  Tall grasses and other plants tower over the snow.  In the distance I can see familiar highrises.

The footprints that I have been following distinctly end in the middle of the clearing.  Should I turn back?  I've already walked so far, but perhaps there is a reason no one has gone further.  I decide to push onwards, I can always turn back at any point.  I am more curious to see around the bend.  I see mounds of snow and what looks like trees lining a path or road.  It soon becomes clear that the trees are actually at the crests of hills lining a railway track.  As I get closer, I see evidence of what was perhaps a road or paved path once ran near here.  Jagged crusts of asphalt jut out from snow covered piles.

I find myself working my way downhill, forced onto a slender ridge.  There is evidence that a deer ran through here.  To my left, a GoTrain rushes by.  To my right, old, snow-covered train tracks lie abandoned.  Despite all the signs of the city that surrounds me, I feel as if I am in the loneliest place in all of Toronto.

Ahead I can see the ridge narrowing.  The sides are steep.  I will have no choice but to make my way down or go back.  I know better than to try to walk on the train tracks, best to take the abandoned route.

We need to be very cautious.  The old ties are uneven and I come close to tripping several times.  As we walk along, a fence arises to our right, topped in barb wire, with signs urging us to to "STOP!" and warning of demolition activity within its bounds.  All seems quiet today.

Ahead I can see Islington, but begin to fret.  I am blocked on my right by the train tracks and the fencing from my current perspective seems to run right up to the street.  I have driven by here many times, but I can't remember how close the fencing actually runs to Islington.  The tracks run under a bridge and I feel nervous about attempting to cross them.  Trains run fast and quiet sometimes, they can be on you before you know it.  Plus the climb on the other side is very steep, I don't want to risk falling.  But my goal is so close, to double back at this point would be disappointing.  I keep moving on, and am grateful to discover a small street ahead, preventing the fencing from marching up to Islington.  I have a point of egress!  Tired, I am able to cross it and make my way on to Islington.  I still have a long walk ahead.

Useful Information:

• Duration of Walk:  Relatively short walk, but snow makes for difficult terrain in places.  Roughly two hours (based on short legs, picture taking, doggy care and just plain figuring out where the hell I should go)
• Difficulty:  INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED.  Involved walking in deep snow, trekking off beaten path, unpaved trails, no trails, climbing over obstacles, obstacles hidden in snow, steep climbs and descents and a sense of direction.  This is not accessible for those with mobility issues.
• Parking/Getting There:   For Crawford-Jones Park, parking is available off Dee Ave.   You can access via Pine Point Park by TTC by taking Islington Route 37North and getting off at Allenby St. and walking east several blocks until it dead ends in the park.   Pick up the trail south, going under the 401.  You can pick up the trek from there.  
• Washrooms:  No.  I will note that there was a Port-a-Potty this past summer located by the parking for Pine Point Park, however I cannot vouch whether it was available for public use. 
• Local Coffee Haunts:  No.  
• Safety Factor:  RISKY in some places.  Proceed with caution and at your own risk.  Take a buddy.  
• Special Equipment:  Hiking boots - water-proof and suitable for deep snow.  Warm clothes.  Water and food.  A phone in case you get into trouble.  
• Suitable for Dogwalking?:  Yes.

View Urban Exploring - Crawford Jones and Beyond in a larger map

This Ain't No Skatin' Blog! Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Etobicoke

Skates unloved...

I’m about to admit a deep dark secret, one so profound that it will likely cause mysterious men in sunglasses, black hockey jerseys and toques to enter my house in the dark of night, confiscate my passport, my VHS collection of CBC shows and bottles of maple syrup before whisking me off blindfolded to an undisclosed location deep below the 49th parallel.  

I can’t skate.

There, I feel better now that it’s out.  The number of times that I have donned ice skates can probably be counted on one hand.  And each of those occasions involved more time spent on my ass than on my feet.  For a short time before I took the plunge into motherhood, and therefore sensibility, I did inline skate,  but they always felt better and sturdier.  The wheels are pretty thick and it always felt I had a solid base to work with.  I was never any good at it and again had my fair share of embarrassing on-my-ass time, but I could awkwardly propel myself around parks for some exercise and that was all that mattered.  Ice skates I can’t seem to master.  Tottering on those thin little blades, ankles going here there and everywhere, gliding on sharp knives while everyone else is gliding by on sharp knives.  It’s cold, your toes ache, the skates are as hard and uncomfortable as hell.  I have a lot of respect for people who do it for a living because I have never had anything but a miserable experience on them.  

Thank goodness that this is not a skating blog because then were would we be?  With very few entries, that’s for sure!  This is a hiking blog!  But all the hoopla about the new skating trail at Colonel Samuel Smith Park has gotten me thinking about it and so with that I’ll take a few moments of your time to rave about the park. 

I used to live a few blocks away from the park, when my children were still small enough to be carted about in strollers and wagons, and we spent lots of time there enjoying nature and fresh air and the water.  I had all but forgotten about it after we moved until I was lamenting the lack of choices to exercise my dog and a friend pointed out that there was a new dog park there.  Always looking for new experiences for both myself and my dog, I took the time to drive down several times in October to check it out.  Chatting with another dog owner, he mentioned that the City was building an ice rink there, but he wasn’t sure where.  My friend and I kept our eyes open for it while we roamed but never saw heads or tails of an ice rink, but now I understand the confusion.  This the first ice trail in Toronto and I can’t think of a better place than here.  It’s nice to see the City developing new ways to get people using their parks all year long.  I can’t tell you how many great parks that I have explored over the past year that have been relatively empty but popular parks like High Park remain crowded all day long, seven days a week.  Anything that gets people out, exploring their City and putting to good use everything it has to offer is a good thing.  And the buzz generating around the ice trail will hopefully also get people excited about what is in general a buzz worthy park.

Wetlands

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been controversy over the development of the ice trail.  There have been concerns about the impact it will have on the local environment and the species which make it their home.  Compromises were made and the final design was in the end considered tolerable.  I always have very mixed, stomach tightening feelings about such matters.  I like to think of myself as a fairly green person and love nature.  But when you live in the City, surrounded by concrete and smog and traffic and noise, it becomes very easy to forget about the natural world.  We have removed ourselves too much from that natural world and these parks can go a long way to bringing us back.  Finding an appropriate balance between our needs and those of the world around us is difficult and not to be taken lightly and we certainly need to take steps both individually and as a whole to keep our impact minimal.  But if it takes a skating rink, which is located close the to the entrance of the park, to get people, especially children, outdoors and into the real world, then let’s do it.  

Colonel Samuel Smith was a Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada in the early 1800’s.  Born in New York, a loyalist and veteran of the American Revolutionary war, after the war he continued his service under the crown, spending time in England and in New Brunswick  and finally being stationed in the Niagara Region.  Upon his retirement he purchased a 1,000 acre tract (comprising the area between Kipling Avenue and Royal York Road, Bloor Street and Lake Ontario) in Etobicoke and became one of the first settlers in that region. 

The grounds where Colonel Sam Smith Park are located were formerly part of grounds of the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital, an important part of our City's collective history.  Opened in 1889, this hospital complex ran for almost 100 years until it’s closure in 1979.  Despite its use in some movie and television productions, it fell into disrepair for a number of years.  Much of the complex is now used by Humber College, Lakeshore Campus.

A reminder that we're still in the City - A view of downtown Toronto

This particular area of Etobicoke is vibrant and active and one of my favourite areas in all of Toronto.  There are lots of independent shops and small, good restaurants and lively pedestrian activity.  Out of the three waterfront parks in this area, this has always been the one that I have noticed to be most used, at least during the weekdays. There is also great access to the park as the Kipling South bus goes right into it.  Numerous species of birds, turtles and beavers can be found here and there are plenty of new, helpful interpretive signs that provide a little bit of insight on much of the local wildlife and environment.  A small wetlands area has been created, which is one my favourite features of the park, it is very picturesque.  Another feature that I love is that it is right on the lake.  Except on the hottest, most still days, there is always a little bit of a breeze and, just like nearby East/West Humber Parks, there is a really great view of the downtown core on clear days.  There are plenty of trees throughout and it is really pretty to visit in the fall.  Trails take you right out to the peninsula and it's great vistas of Lake Ontario.  The trails are part of the Waterfront Trail system which is an ongoing effort to have an extended trail system along the Lakes and St. Lawrence. 

Trees were getting bare

On my last visit there, I went with a friend.  We hit the new dog park first and gave our dogs a good run and then hit the trail.  It was a gorgeous sunny day, although a little on the brisk side, with a good wind.  There were plenty of people out and about except on the long stretch along the peninsula, fellow dog walkers, students and a lone jogger.  This isn’t a massively large park, you could do the whole thing in a leisurely stroll in less than an hour.  But there are all sorts of different environments to check out, from wetlands, to shrubby, rocky waterfront.  Trails are mixed with mostly light gravel surfaces and some paved paths.  If you want to extend your walk, stroll west through my old haunting grounds on Lake Promenade about 20 minutes to Marie Curtis Park, another charming waterfront park with a forested trail following Etobicoke Creek.  The neighbourhood in this area is an interesting mix of old cottage/bungalow style homes and newer, more upscale development and is a great walk.  This is a great park for families with a small playground nearby and lots of learning opportunities around every corner.  

New dog run.

Useful Information: 

• Duration of Walk:  Roughly one hour (based on short legs, picture taking and doggy care)
• Difficulty:  EASY.  Relatively flat terrain.  
• Parking/Getting There:  TTC:  (Subway) Get off at Kipling Station on the Bloor line.  Take the 44 Kipling South straight into the park.  It is the last stop on the bus run. (Streetcar) The 501 Queen Route heading rest stops right at Lake Shore and Kipling and the park is just a short walk down Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr.   Parking:  There is paid Green P parking available in the park.
• Washrooms:  There is a bathroom at Williams Coffee Shop.  Only available on weekdays.
• Local Coffee Haunts: There is a Williams Fresh Cafe on the Humber Campus.  Strangely, it is not open on weekends. 
• Safety Factor:  SAFE.  There were generally lots of people around, good for daytime treks.  As always though, you should be mindful of your environment and the people around you.  
• Special Equipment: No.  Sneakers should be fine.
• Suitable for Dogwalking?:  YES.  But please keep your dog on a leash.  There are sensitive habitats and dogs can be very disruptive.  

Links of interest:

Colonel Samuel Smith Park

Friends of Sam Smith Park

Waterfront Trails

Guided bird walks:

Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront

Star Article (with video) on the new ice trail:

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/917950--ice-trail-is-like-a-walk-in-the-park-on-skates




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In Other News, Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Today's walk was a short one, courtesy of a sick child.  Enough to get the boys out to do their business.  It was too bad given that the air was clear, crisp and still, but not too cold.  It was the perfect winter day to get out.

I'm a regular CBC Metro Morning listener and was pleased to hear the two interviews they did this morning to help inspire people to get out and embrace the cold.  I need the motivation myself, not being a winter person.  I was particularly excited to hear of the Toronto Outdoor club as I have never come across mention of that before.  This evening's night hike through the central ravines that they discussed this morning was booked solid and had a good waiting list so I was a little disappointed but I've signed on as a member and I hope that I can get a few hikes in with some like-minded souls.  I'm giddy!

Toronto Outdoor Club

On a sad note, a pedestrian was fatally hit by a streetcar this morning.  These events happen far too frequently and break my heart.  Let's be careful out there.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/11/pedestrian-killed-in-queen-st-streetcar-collision-reports/

Urban Exploring - Bloor West Village Graffiti

I'm a huge fan of street art.  Perhaps it's because I grew up in very rural areas where graffiti consisted of boring "Joanie *hearts* Chachi" or "Class of '82" crudely scrawled in spray paint on bridges and granite outcroppings next to the highway.  Maybe it's because much of my childhood television exposure romanticized the gritty urban settings that seemed slightly dangerous and hip, so foreign and exotic to the quiet world I inhabited.  The elaborate paint jobs in the backdrops helped to define in my mind what a city should be.

I love a good museum and spend a lot of time in them.  But while many hate it and decry it, to me graffiti is the art of the people.  You don't need to pay admission to see it.  It doesn't have little white placards identifying the artist and medium or dictating what you should think or take away from the piece.  It's a little mysterious; unless you are really in the know, the artist is anonymous, the intentions behind their art sometimes never really explained.  There's no real or implied rule to speak in hushed tones.  It reflects the zeitgeist of the world that we live in; portrays a little bit of who we are.  It reads between the lines of cultural norms and news of the day and sometimes portrays uncomfortable truths.  It relays information in times of repression.  It often brightens the drab world we live in and makes our home just a little more unique and interesting.

Certainly there is stuff out there that is just unnecessary.  In my personal view, tagging is pretty useless, it really doesn't say anything meaningful or do much to really contribute to the world in general.  But it's obviously it's own culture and reflects meaning to someone, otherwise no one would waste the time generating it.  If anything, it satisfies the primal urge to leave some reminder of our presence, to reflect that for some fleeting moment in time we were here.

The desire to leave your mark on the world is as old as we have been capable of communicating through word and art.  And archeology has shown that it lasts.  History books are written from it and while we may sometimes have the "official" history from dry bureaucratic records and propaganda of the leaders of the time, it is the graffiti that often reflects what the people were really thinking of their leaders and issues of their time.  Scrawling a bison in pigments on a cave wall, etching "Tiberius was here" outside a Roman forum, spray painting stencils of business men and rats are all a way of taking a snapshot of who we are, reflecting our world as we know it and as we see it.  It is a fluid art form.  It is painted over, replaced, lost when structures are torn down or renovated.

Toronto, like any urban area has pockets that seem to attract rich activity.  The following is a picture blog of graffiti that should be familiar to anyone who takes the Bloor Subway line past Keele towards Islington.  For a short stretch the Subway goes above ground and runs along an alleyway behind Bloor St.  These pictures were taken in the fall of 2009 and reflect the alleyway as it existed at that time.  Sadly some of these have now been lost as one building complex has been torn down to make way for condo development.  The bulk of it can be found between Indian Road and Dorval Road, although some of it extends east past Dorval Road.  These pictures run in order from east to west.  If anyone has information on the artists or backgrounds of these pictures I would love the feedback.

This is haunting.  I would love to know who it portrays.

This is found behind the Toronto Hockey Repair shop.

Is this intended to be a self-portrait?  I love the personality of this picture.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.  This was the painting that inspired me to investigate a little closer.  It was very large and could be seen quite clearly from the Subway.  I always thought it beautiful and it was a highlight of my commute.  

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Detail of a larger wilderness mural.

Useful Information:

• Duration of Walk:  Roughly 15 minutes
• Difficulty: EASY.   Flat paved terrain.  
• Parking/Getting There:  Accessible from Keele Station.  Follow Bloor St. eastward to Indian Road.  Turn south.  It is the alley to your immediate right. as you walk south.  
•  Safety Factor:  RISKY.  Visit during day only and with a buddy.  Noticed several shopping carts with personal possessions while I was there.  This is also an access alleyway for a number of local businesses and there is some through traffic of cars and trucks.  The alleyway is narrow and can be hard to share with traffic, although traffic is minimal.  
• Special Equipment: No.  Sneakers are suitable.
• Suitable for Dogwalking?: No.  There used to be a Dog Training School/Day Care in the building that was recently demolished, however the alley itself is strewn with garbage and broken glass.  

Pedestrian Pride in Pickering

It's nice to see some forward thinking and this is certainly a feature that is not used enough along the numerous highways and multi-lane streets throughout the GTA.  Thanks to our obsession with the car, so much of the City and it's surrounding bedroom communities is rendered divided and unaccessible to the average pedestrian.  Walled off highways.   Intersections of six or eight lanes.  Ramps on and off highways slicing through pedestrian sidewalks.  Often, even though your destination may only be a very short distance away, as the crow flies, you may find yourself forced to walk a considerable distance out of your way or drive or use public transit.  This is certainly one very constructive and relatively affordable way to ease some congestion, encourage people to use other more green ways of getting themselves around and would certainly go a very long way to making life a little easier and safer for those who chose to use their own two feet.  

GO Transit will be moving forward to construct a pedestrian bridge from their Pickering Station over the 401 and into the downtown core.  The notion of building a bridge here has been in the planning stage for several years now.  It is a very beautiful design and should hopefully encourage more people to take the GO on their commutes and perhaps actually encourage more visitors and business into the local area.  It will be enclosed and sheltered from the elements and fully accessible, thanks to elevator access.  I think once it's completed I may journey out that way to have a first hand look.   CBC has provided a great photo gallery on their local Metro Morning site which you can check out below:

http://www.cbc.ca/metromorning/2011/01/photogallery---pedestrian-overpass-in-pickering.html

Coasting Around Toronto

I came across these this afternoon while surfing and was very amused.  Not too sure on functionality, but if you're like me and enjoy having little tchotchkes that reflect where you've been in life, I don't think you could find anything more unique than this...

http://www.blogto.com/fashion_style/2010/12/how_cool_are_these_toronto_map_coasters/

Return to Land of the Living

I managed to get my sickly self out of bed.  I had incentives.  Children to see off to school.  Dogs to walk.  I am determined to show this cold or flu or doomsday plague who is boss.  Knowing I was sick, my friend had just requested that I drive over to her house to just let her dog out but my husband had the van.  If I was going to make the effort to walk over to her house I might as well take the time and walk the dog.  Truth be told, I feel better for it.  Sometimes just getting up and moving around and getting back into the routines is all it takes to feel human again. 

Despite the icing sugar dusting of snow, it was surprisingly mild today.  Dark gray sky.  It was a very quiet time this morning, not much in the way of traffic even though a good chunk of my walk takes me along two very busy streets.  Both dogs were quiet as well.  There is an older gentleman that sometimes watches for us and comes out and greets the boys, but we did not see him today.  I ran them through our regular haunts and they sniffed and nosed through the whole route much quicker than usual.  It had originally been my plan to take them to a different park today but I needed the van to get there, so it will have to wait for tomorrow.  I think they're bored and my poor guy hasn't been seriously walked in a week so he needs some good exercise.  I know that I certainly am feeling the need to expand my horizons a bit as well.  So tomorrow and the day after, if the weather holds (it's calling for snow - hoping that passes us by) there will be some new sights for me and the boys and for you too.   Today, I discovered a hidden alleyway tucked between two highrise apartment buildings.  Leading through a neglected park, it connects to a more upscale street which leads to my house, creating a considerable shortcut between my friend's house and mine and certainly creating a more peaceful walk away from the bustle of busy traffic.

In the coming weeks, I'll be posting a series of entries on hiking along the Humber River.  Over the past summer, I managed to cover the whole river's path within the City in segmented walks, with the exception of one small segment in the north of the river.  Next summer I'm planning an attempt to do it in one fell swoop, but that's another trek and blog all on its own.  I also did a number of Discovery Walks and I'll put together a few entries on those as well.  A recent EyeWeekly story on walking in London, England, brought back some memories of my own visit there.  Hard to believe it was almost a year ago and I'll try to post a few reflections and pictures from my time there.

Best Intentions

I started out with the best of intentions.  Over three weeks of time off (with the exception of one half day), without using a single vacation day, all thanks to my weird schedule and the way the holidays fell.  A gift like that can only come from divine karma and must be used wisely.  I had glorious images in my mind of meandering through all the little nooks and crannies of the city that I have yet to explore.  Wonderous dreams of conquering the one last stretch along the Humber.  Of being in full Christmas spirit, singing carols and enjoying my children’s delight on the Wednesday Walk night at the Downsview Festival of Lights.  Doing another downtown walk and discovering the holiday lights of Bloor, Harbourfront, the Distillery District.  I had romantic notions of arriving home from my office in time to walk my dog on the longest night of the year and enjoying the mystical silence and darkness of the lunar eclipse.   

Best intentions are almost always foiled by reality.  The fact that I had been working so much of late had meant that I hadn’t actually accomplished much in the way of Christmas shopping.  Three frantic days were spent aimlessly wandering not tree-lined trails but crowded, noisy suburban malls, same stores, different venues.  Two children could not be disappointed and of course they had to ask for things that sold out months before.  A husband who has way more disposable income than me and all the toys his heart desires.  Me cursed with a horrible dislike of shopping.  All the elements were lined up for epic fail.  Day three of the shopping blitz came close to bringing me to the fetal position in the corridors of a mall, nursing the fine vintage of wine tucked in my shopping bag.  One evening was lost to the inevitable office party which no one ever wants to attend.  Night after night, it was horribly, bitterly cold.  The winter solstice found me working long, hard hours and climbing bleary eyed to bed, magical moon moment forgotten.  A long established holiday tradition in our household in which either my husband or I get miserably sick seemed to fall to the wayside this year until I grandly stepped up to the plate.  Somehow I managed to lose two days this past week, falling asleep and barely moving except to weakly eat and pee.  I got called into the office where I slept at my desk for half a day in a flu fog, completely useless to everyone.  New Years Eve was celebrated in a drowsy NyQuil haze; a sad unopened bottle of champagne still sits in my fridge.  

But it’s the New Year with fresh beginnings and new starts. Santa was generous and brought round a shiny laptop to allow me to write whenever and where I can.  Despite a pesky cough, I’m slowly getting my energy back and expect to be able to hit some trails over the next few days.  I have a bunch of uncompleted blog entries just waiting to be finished.  A road stretches before me and I hope it’s long and winding.  And I hope you’ll come along with me.  Here’s to new adventures in 2011.