Welcome to our Spring Bulletin for 2026!  We hope you will find the content useful and informative.  We like to think this is your 'go to' spot for finding out what's coming up, to help you plan your outdoor adventures. 

President's Message- Terry Syer

Spring is officially here.

Did you know that LOC is turning 35 years old this year? Let's take a step back to November 5, 1991 when Delmar Ellis called a meeting with sixty other outdoor enthusiasts in attendance at Grace United Church. At this meeting, Tony Arnold was elected President, and his future wife, Barbara Ann Pitchford, was designated as the newsletter editor, along with several other executive positions. It was at this meeting that the name Lambton Outdoor Club was chosen. This meeting sparked the beginning of the club we enjoy today. We plan to officially celebrate this occasion at some point later this year.

Please read – a couple of important items for your attention:

Photos on the LOC website

As with Facebook or Instagram, photos on the LOC website can be viewed by the general public. Our practice is that at the start of our LOC events the leader will mention that group photos may be taken and later posted on LOC social platforms, this gives participants the opportunity to step aside if they don't want to be in the photo.

Contact information visibility on LOC website

You may, or may not, be aware that when you sign up for an event, other members are able to click on your name and see your contact info. This info is only available to our membership, not the general public. This feature is favourable to some who want to contact each other for rides, etc. However, if you would like to change your visibility settings to make them private, here is how to change it:

1) After signing-in to the website, at the top right corner, beside your name click on the drop-down arrow and click on 'Profile'.

2) Click on 'Edit visibility settings'.

3) Click on the drop-down menu under 'Visibility'; there are 8 different options.

4) Click 'Save' after making your selection.

Check in regularly at the 'Events and Calendar' tab to see what's coming up - there are many good things happening in LOC.

Terry Syer

President, Lambton Outdoor Club

 35th Club Anniversary

For the 35th anniversary of the club founding, we reached out to some of the longest standing club members who are still active.

All of them talked about how the club provided them with access to activities, both club organized and non-club organized. Also, all of them mentioned the social aspect of the club and the camaraderie it brings.

Here are some snippets from their contributions:

Since joining the club we have hiked our way around Ontario, North America and internationally …not always with LOC, but largely LOC inspired. The club has provided us with challenging hikes, including leadership, carpooling, and often accommodation arrangements.
We also received encouragement and mentorship for trying new sports (such as canoeing, kayaking, skiing, cycling).

Secondary benefits abound!
It’s been an education …..we’ve enjoyed sharing books, recipes, community events, movies, equipment, travel ideas, health tips, bird watching, forest/wildflower identification.
It’s also been a Party …..Christmas dinners, New Years potlucks, summer socials, and on occasion, special celebrations.

I have really enjoyed participating in hiking and biking locally, regionally and even internationally! One of my favourite vacations was a non-LOC ‘bike 'n' barge’ trip with some members of the Club in Holland and Belgium that I took to celebrate my 60th birthday. After a week on the bike, 5 of us went on to Paris where we toured the sights, ate great food and overall had a blast.

For the last few years, I’ve joined a fun and friendly group who walk together every Tuesday in places around Lambton County. I do it for the exercise, but more importantly for the friendships I have developed. I rarely miss a week and have encouraged quite a number of people to come along and join us. I don’t know if the activity will add years to my life, but it sure adds life to my years!

One of the best things that happened to me was becoming a member of the LOC. I have enjoyed hiking on not only major hikes on the Bruce trail, Grand Valley trail but also many day hikes, short and long, in Ontario.

I joined LOC mainly to hike on the Bruce trail. I finished the whole trail last August, a month before my 75th birthday. The Bruce Trail is a world class trail and I encourage anyone one who likes to get outdoors and explore our province to put your boots on and go!

One of the benefits of hiking with the LOC is the social aspect of the organization. From events like the New Year’s walk and potluck to the camaraderie while being on a walk or hike with like minded people, it offers an important opportunity to socialize with others.

Committee work

Your activity committees have been busy, meeting and planning for the upcoming year of events; here's a taste of what they are working on and what they have been up to.

As usual, check the Event & Calendar tab of the website for upcoming events. Drop in to the 'Meet and Greet' on April 9th, when all your questions can be answered.

Hiking

Hiking continues throughout the year. The Tuesday easy hikes are listed up to the end of August on the Calendar. There are several conditioning hikes planned for April, and three Bruce Trail hikes being offered in May. Planning of fall hikes is in the works including some new ones. With the sap running we recently offered three different hikes each ending with an option to stop for pancakes.

Cycling

The cycling committee is gearing up for the season! While waiting for the weather to improve they have been offering ROUVY rides. This is a subscription program. To join you need to own and be familiar with riding on an indoor trainer.

Paddling

Paddling events are currently paused as the committee is working on required policy reviews and revisions.

Winter activities

Over the season a small group rented a yurt at McGregor Point and at the Pinery. With the excellent snow fall amounts locally we had high hopes of some snowshoeing events, but unfortunately the extreme cold or conditions made it unfavourable much of the time. We look forward to working on plans for Winter 2026.

Social activities

The social committee has been busy planning events for us. The Spring Social will be on Sunday, May 24th in Petrolia. The day will include activities, followed by a social time. Details can be found on the Event page on the website. The golf tournament is tentatively set for Monday, August 17th at Black Creek Golf Course, in Oil Springs – check back for updates. The committee has a few other surprises in mind for us, so stay tuned!