A shorty today…just 40 minutes. The dog put a stop to further exploration of a new monkey trail we discovered. It’s weird to be walking on a path and not know where it’s going to end, with the real possibility of getting lost. The best trails are always those that start that way, but it’s been a while since I was on a truly unfamiliar path. Literally and metaphorically. I would have kept going, but Maggie stopped dead on the leaf-strewn trail and threw me a ‘please, no more’ look. So, we turned around. She’s too big to carry, and I’m a sucker for those eyes.

As I said in another blog post, September, like May, displays the most dramatic change from beginning to end. It was green and now it’s yellow, and we still have a week to go. It will be peak Autumn by Friday. Unbelievable. Also unbelievable? The weather. It’s going to be 30 today.

12:00PM/26C

It’s the second day of Autumn, and it’s supposed to reach 29C. It’s already warm. And dry. Good for the farmers. Great for the wasps. 30C tomorrow. Very strange.

Maggie and I had a lovely romp in the woods among the golden poplars and assorted colourful things, including a Pileated Woodpecker, who failed to pose for a picture. At one point I was stalked by some chattering magpies, who looked absolutely stunning against the yellow, but they too buggered off the second my camera came into focus. We took the loop that ends up in the Westbrook neighbourhood. Very nice houses, I must say, but I prefer trees. It’s a good 90-minute loop, with a particularly nice trail through some dark spruce. Passed by a lady with a dog carrier full of stuffed chimps. She had her child in tow, and a large camera. “It’s for a children’s book.” Oh. How ironic. I’m guessing it won’t show up in my other blog anytime soon. I just did a monkeys.

1:20PM/19C (so far…)

Super nice today. Unusually nice. 25C. And…and….I got off an hour early, so I dived into the river valley. Head first. Started below Saskatchewan Drive, then over to Rossdale (how I missed you), and Louise McKinney (how I really, really missed you.) The river is so low at the moment Seagull Island has turned into Seagull Archipelago. I think it was at this time last year I saw an eagle take out a gull. Pretty exciting. Especially for the gull.

Of course, there was the inevitable 25 minute LRT ride at the end of my walk, but nevertheless, I still had an hour and some in the woods. So lovely now…but just a taste of what it will be like in a few weeks. Get to do the same thing tomorrow, only this time I’ll be in Mill Creek. I really detest relying on public transit for my commute. I’ve been spoiled. So spoiled. Everything else about this temporary relocation is working out beautifully, but I deeply miss the freedom of living close enough to make my commute on foot, and not just to the river valley trails but to everything. Or mostly everything. The weekend walks with Maggie are great, and the mini-walks in the evening with her are fine too, but not having that green space to look forward to after work is kind of depressing. No wonder I could barely keep ass in chair today anticipating my commute.

5:30PM/25C

Coupla good walks this weekend. Took Maggie up to the little man-made lake by the powerline yesterday. Lots of pond scum, and yet the ducks were still bouncing about on the water.  Today, we walked to the second bridge in Whitemud Creek ravine. Lovely morning. Bit of a chill, but I was wearing my jacket around my waist on the way home. Overhead, geese flying south.

Can’t seem to take a decent picture in this neck of the woods. Not sure why. Maybe it’s the lighting. The orientation of the ravine. The different landscape. Operator error. My previous routes touched on several parks and trails, whereas this area only has one ravine.

Next week I’ll be in my old stomping grounds for an appointment. When I moved on the 29th, autumn was only beginning to touch the leaves in Mill Creek. I’m sure it’s much more advanced now. Whitemud Creek looks mid-fall in some places.

Unlike Mill Creek, Whitemud Creek is pretty stagnant. It’s got a lot of water; a kind of river wannabe. Not a lot of rocks, so very little movement, and no sound. I blame the beavers. There are several, large dams. Nevertheless, Maggie always insists on a little dip. Speaking of which, the walk today was two hours, the length of the walk last week that broke her. She’s currently flaked out on her blankie beside me. No whining. Some snoring. Good doggie.

12:30PM/13C

I’m such a nerd. I could hardly wait to walk ‘home’ today, even though it’s a route I’ve taken a bazillion times, fairly recently, and really, I only walked to a downtown LRT station. 45 minutes. And yet…just being on a familiar trail made me very happy. The trail I took started along the western edge of Saskatchewan Drive with a dip into the river valley, ending at the legislature. The rest of it was on cement. Nevertheless, this is definitely the way to go. Even in just the few weeks I’ve been living in the ‘burbs, I totally missed that feeling of anticipation, thinking about what path I would take, and for how long. It’s just not the same thinking about an LRT full of sweaty, hostile people pushing up against my sweaty, hostile self. Very few endorphins and none of them are rushing. I’ve been so lucky, having my commute be the best part of my day. For the next eight months, it’s a means to an end, but at the end, there is always a happy dog, happily anticipating a walk with me. That makes the commute bearable. And now, with a 40 minute daily trek into the river valley, I can see my way through the months ahead.

5:50PM/17C

…after ten days of 30 degree weather. The cooler temperature today was a pleasant change, but it’s windy and overcast making it seem even more autumnal. Could even smell the rotting Aspen and Poplar leaves for the first time. Maggie and I went for a 50 minute walk near the power line beside Whitemud Creek, which is well under my usual duration but adequate for the circumstances. Lots of leaves on the trails.

Haven’t been getting in enough walks, which is distressing. It’s been so hot, and of course, with a broken dog, I had to give her some time to rest. I’ll have to come up with a new routine, beginning with a short commute  in the river valley after work, including either the giant set of stairs near the Glenora, or several hills. Catch the LRT from downtown, thus giving myself some river valley time and a bit of aerobics. The dog and I can go for a walk later in the evening, and then some long walks along the Whitemud Creek trails on the weekends. I think I said that already, but I’m still trying to convince myself. It’s an adjustment. I’ll figure it out…

11:00AM/13C