Message from the President

As I write this Spring is transitioning into Summer and I hope you have had chances to get out on our trails. I am very fortunate to have had chances to see the Virginia bluebells on the Elgin Trail, white trout lilies on the Thames Valley Trail, masses of trilliums on the Avon and indeed across the province, Jack in the pulpits in Guelph, pink lady slipper on the northern sections of the Bruce Trail, Indian cucumber on the Rideau trail and true and false Solomon’s seal on the Iroquoian section above Dundas. Nature here is kind to those of us who like to stop and smell the Spring flowers in our forests. Fortunately most of the blooming of our woodland flowers tends to peak before the mosquitoes and black flies are in a stage to turn stopping to feast our eyes into a banquet for them.

I can imagine some of you saying to yourself, “Oh, that is what he has been doing: out wandering again”. My reply to that is, “Not all who wander are lost”. I have been fortunate to get involved in hikes, trail maintenance events such as bridge building, hike leader training and other hiking club or trail association activities that have taken me around the southwest of Ontario. With a daughter going to school in Ottawa, a brother in Montreal and parents in Hamilton, I am drawn by family to crisscross the province and by love to explore the trails which I find here. If I have slighted your trail system by not mentioning it above, please invite me to an event and I will try to get there this summer or fall.

I was lucky to experience Spring twice last year as I was in Spain in April where Spring comes earlier. As I walked the Camino de Santiago and was charmed especially where it moves through the natural world, I thought that the nicest sections were only a pale copy of the wealth of Nature we have in our province.

Having given the above praise of nature in Spring and while I can assure you that I am really looking forward to Summer, right now this not so young man’s thoughts are turning to Fall. Ontario Hiking Week is October 1st to 7th and our Annual Summit will be in Lindsay at Sir Sanford Fleming College from Nov 12 – 14. We hope that you will consider both in your planning of events and things to do. I know from experience that we need to give almost a full season of “lead time” to scheduling for hikes and presentations. Please consider using our Ambassador materials (available through your trail rep) in presenting to others or participating in hikes during Ontario Hiking Week. Also I strongly encourage you to plan to come to Lindsay where we believe we have an exciting program and where an active committee has been planning for months to make your visit a highlight of your hiking year.

I hope you have a number of chances to get out on the trails and stop to smell the flowers (after you have made yourself bug proof).

Tom Friesen
info@hikeontario.com