Lambton Outdoor Club
October 2021 e-Newsletter | At our last council meeting on September 14th, there was a long discussion concerning Covid vaccination. Among the eleven of us, there were already many varying personal viewpoints that had to be modified in order for a reasonable consensus to be accepted by everyone. We listened to each other. There were other members who took the time to write letters voicing their concerns regarding excluding non-vaccinated persons from the club.
The need for a change in our policy regarding Covid vaccination status was set in motion by the Provincial government's implementation of the vaccine passport effective September 22nd. Unfortunately, the digital version is not available until later this month. So now we give the event leaders the ability to lead only fully vaccinated events. The compromised decision left some of us unhappy, confused and maybe even frustrated. Among us there are some that are more risk tolerant than others. The take away for me is that outdoor events are safer than indoor events, and I feel a lot safer enjoying the outdoors with people from the club than sitting in a restaurant.
Looking ahead to the annual general meeting (AGM) scheduled for Tuesday October 26th at 6:30 PM via Zoom, limited to 100 participants. Certainly not as much fun as the past meetings in the Sarnia Tourist Centre. Our club will be celebrating 30 years on November 5th. This is quite a milestone and one we should all be proud of. I certainly extend my congratulations and thanks to our founding members and long time still active members Tony and Barbara Ann Arnold. They are an inspiration for the rest of us to volunteer to lead, encourage and share our love for the outdoors with others.
Submitted by Nico van Dyl. President
| BRUCE TRAIL - HIKING THE BEAVER VALLEY | This was the first post COVID Bruce Trail event for the LOC. It was a challenge for the leaders
on how provincial guidelines, restaurants, car-pooling, vaccinations etc., etc. would work out.
The “Beaver Valley” is another wonderful part of the Bruce Trail, located S.W. of Collingwood after the Blue Mountain section. It is a V shaped ridge that has many ski slopes for winter use.
Luck had it that this week we had excellent weather and great fall colours in the Valley.
We stayed at the Luxury Inn in Collingwood and shuttled to and from the Bruce Trail parking spots. Assembly was at 7.45am and start of the hike around 8.45am. During the 4 days we hiked just over 63 km, covering Bruce Trail map kilometer markers 33.3 to 96.9. The terrain was mainly up and down the escarpment, with great views from along the top. We also passed several waterfalls, such as Hogg’s falls, and several ski lifts. Some spots were very soft and muddy, there were lots of rocks to climb over and we had to cross numerous small streams.
First day was spent driving up and hiking 11.7 km. The last day we hiked 13 km and drove home. There is always great comradery on the trail. Prior to the event the leaders had specified that all participants must be fully vaccinated. Because of this we felt able to eat out as a group in the evenings. All the restaurants were very diligent in checking vaccination status, which we were all pleased to see. The main problem we encountered was a shortage of restaurant staff and actually finding somewhere that could accommodate us. We took our own breakfast items and packed a lunch and snacks for the day. Mornings started out cool but by the afternoon it was quite warm and we certainly needed the water etc. that we took. Fortunately, rain gear was not needed at all.
It was a successful trip, enjoyed by all the participants.
Submitted by Jan deVeer
|  | | Ready for the hike
|  | | Waterfall in the Beaver Valley | | |
Getting together was the goal - it’s kind of a social committee thing... a thing that has been thwarted for much too long. We’ve missed getting together for two spring socials, an annual general meeting, a Christmas dinner and New Year’s day hikes.
Finally the dark cloud of Covid-19 lifted enough for us to hold an outdoor gathering and we quickly put a plan together; a plan that would let members of the ‘branches’ of our great club do what they love and visit one another in person. Mike Weir Park was the ideal location and we had a perfect day on September 11th.
Long story short, we got together. Hurray! We hiked, we paddled, we rode, we smiled. We smiled a lot. Then we got together again and caught up with one another over lunch. It was wonderful and we all agreed we want to do it again.
Submitted by Sharon Crowe, Social Committee Chairperson,
being particularly mindful on the day of our event of our many blessings in a world where there is still too much discord and trauma.
| To maximize the number of events available to members, event leaders who are unwilling to lead groups of mixed vaccination status will be able to limit their events to those who are fully vaccinated. This will take effect for events occurring on or after Sept 22, 2021.
If an event is restricted to fully vaccinated persons, that will be clearly stated in the event description field. When registering for those events, members will be asked to confirm they are fully vaccinated as part of the registration process.
Approved by LOC Council, 15 Sept 2021
| Wilderness First Aid Training | The Lambton Outdoor Club has contacted Valerie Wood, a wilderness first aid trainer from Toronto, and has agreed to engage her services to lead a training workshop for club members in the winter. There will be two four hour classes of 15 people each, held on consecutive days to allow for Covid-19 cleaning procedures between groups. The cost to the club is $500 for each class but we have a training allowance and plan to offer the course to members for $20 each. We will let you know by email when it is posted and payment can be made when registering.
The basic wilderness first aid workshop will include:
-Accessing 911 and coordinating with first responders in a remote area
-Adult CPR
-Choking
-Allergic reactions, EPI pen protocol and training
-Heart Attack & Stroke Recognition & Care
-Deadly Bleeding
-Breaks, Sprains, Strains
-Head Injuries & Concussions
-Heat & Cold Emergencies
There are also two advanced courses available which offer certification, at a cost of $70 or $130. You can see what is involved by clicking on this link below
Please let me know (sharon.b.crowe@gmail.com) if you are interested in an advanced course, and which one it would be. Valerie is willing to extend each day to complete the material in the advanced course and I would like to let her know whether or not to expect that. Note that for the most advanced course you would be completing seven hours of online study prior to the in-person component as part of the course.
Valerie has done training with our club in the past and participants were very pleased with her presentation. The workshop session will be designed specifically for our group's needs and concerns.
Submitted by Sharon Crowe. Social chairperson (sharon.b.crowe@gmail.com)
| Kayaking the Trent Severn Waterway | Ryan yan Van Dyl (Nico’s son) and I paddled the eastern 200 Km half of the the Trent Severn Waterway on August 16 to 23, 2021. After a century of construction, this waterway, with 44 locks was opened around 1920 to link Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario. It is is a Canadian Heritage site and is managed by Parks Canada.
To start, we got a ride to Trenton, paddled four days, took a day off to sight see in Peterborough and paddled another 3 days to Buckhorn. We visited The Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were amazed that in the early days, birch bark was extensively used to make canoes firstly for Indigenous peoples and then for the fur trade. Among others, Pierre Trudeau and Gordon Lightfoot's canoes were on display with stories on their enthusiasm for canoeing.
We went through 30 of the 44 locks and camped at the lock stations except for one night when we stayed at a private campground after paddling about 40 Km across Rice Lake. It cost $5.00 per person per night to camp at the lock station and the staff we very friendly and helpful. We kept our meals simple having peanut butter jelly for breakfast, salmon jerky and cheese wraps with fruits for lunch and fresh cooked beans, rice/pasta and canned fish for dinner. We topped off with tea and Rice Krispy's or ice cream if available.
We saw a fair amount of wild life including geese, cormorants, turtles, a fox and even a heron scooping up a fish right at the front of our kayaks. One drawback is that unlike the Rideau Canal, which we kayaked last year, the Trent does not have many accommodations to take out kayaks. Sometimes we had to take-out past the lock stations or compromise and take out over a fairly steep embankments.
We met several people who were amazed that we were doing such a trip and that our tent, clothes, stove, food etc could fit in our kayaks. Not many people are paddling this route. We met two others in a canoe and heard about a solo kayaker who took off ahead of us.
Overall we were fortunate to have good weather and thoroughly enjoyed the trip.
Submitted by Winston Ramharry
|  | | Ryan and Winston selfie on the water
|  | Tall Locks, tiny kayak
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Professor Dacher Keltner at the University of California has a proposition with which members of LOC would undoubtedly concur, “It’s hard to think of a single thing that you can do for your mind and body that’s better than a little dose of awe,” he says. It was Keltner and a team of researchers who published a paper that found that awe can reduce stress, help inflammation, increase creativity and sociability and make you happy. “To me, that all says we urgently need to find awe” he adds.
Keltner’s suggestion is to head out into nature, whether wilderness or your local park or trail, and pay attention to your surroundings. Take heed of the small things, the play of wind and waves when paddling rippled waters, the rustle of leaves on a woodland hike, the chirp of birdsong on an early morning ride. That nature provides comfort and calming is not a new notion, the art of ‘forest bathing’ has won devotees who enjoy a stroll through mature woodlands. Add the benefit of sociability, and it is not surprising that members of LOC flock on our outings. Add in respite from Covid induced ‘cabin fever’, and there is an innate yearning to get outside. Whether your “awesome” comes from a challenging adventure, like the Bruce Trail hike described by Jan deVeer, the long distance paddle enjoyed by Winston or a simple stroll along the Howard Watson Trail, immerse yourself in the wonder of nature. I recently joined the cyclists on a ride to Ipperwash. This was a beautiful Fall day, a foggy morning augering a warm day. The ride along the broad shoulders of Highway 7 may not be peaceful, but there is a tranquility of being in a safe zone coddled from the occasional rushing vehicle, whose vacant drivers miss the delight of ditch blooms and the detour through cottage country. Kettle Point by bike is full of fascination. Snippets of Native Culture, the relax of sleeping cottages, the curiosity of the mounded shale beach and today, the impossible blue of the tranquil lake. Throw in a delightful lunch at the Beach Club, witty and fascinating companions, and that was my piece of “Awesome”. This was not exceptional, and I am sure that readers will substitute their place and times to reminisce about their own slice of “Awesome”, in this very ordinary, but beautiful corner of the world.
Over the past five years I have had the privilege of sharing in print the many journeys of our well travelled adventurers, whether local or to remote ends of our planet. You have climbed Kilimanjaro, hiked the mountains of Patagonia, trekked to Everest base camp, cycled across this country and paddled remote Northern lakes. Enjoyed the dense hardwoods of Bickford Woods, strolled the shores of Lake Huron and ridden the River Trail. We nod in agreement with Professor Keltner, getting outside is good for the mind, body and soul. It has also been a joy for me to share my love of writing and indulge my flights of outdoor fantasy. This will be my last edition of the Newsletter; it is time for fresh eyes and new ideas to inspire an influx of hikers, paddlers and cyclists. It has all been Awesome, see you on the trail,
Submitted by Mike Tanner (Newsletter Editor)
| LOC Annual General Meeting
Tuesday Oct 26, 6:30-8.30pm
Zoom, register online
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| Hike, Paddle, Ride... Smile! |
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Lambton Outdoor Club | P.O. Box 653 | Sarnia, Ontario, N7T 7J7
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