Last walk in Mill Creek today. Or, last time to walk in Mill Creek while I still live in the area. Off to another ravine, another creek, for eight or nine months. The trails in and around Mill Creek are so familiar to me, in all seasons, it almost seems unfathomable that I won’t be visiting this green extension to my home on a daily basis. Change is good, and I’m sure it will be beneficial to break a routine or two. Exploring Whitemud Creek with my temporary dog will have its own unique pleasures. She is a most affable companion. However, it’s not without a lot of sadness that I leave this area of town. Walking in Mill Creek is the fuel for my gratitude, my visual and sensual library, and whatever bits of peacefulness I possess. Perhaps this is just the walking. I am a walker, and I have walked along many paths and trails in Edmonton’s river valley. But I started this journey more than fourteen years ago in Mill Creek, and every corner of it has a memory. Thank you Mill Creek Ravine. See ya in eight, maybe nine months.

1:00PM/22C

Distracted, distracted, distracted…but I did notice how pretty the river looks now that the mud has settled, or whatever the alchemy is that turns the water aquamarine in late August.

5:45PM/2oC

Against my better judgement, I ventured out in the early afternoon for what turned out to be a marathon walk. It was hot, but I made a point of leaving the shadiest parts of the walk for the second half, to prevent a premature death from heat-stroke. Headed over to Louise McKinney to watch a bit of the dragonboat races, which is always very entertaining. As I strolled by, three teams were boarding their fire-breathing vessels for the final race.

The drummer (coxswain) of one of the teams was dressed in long, curly wig, flowery dress, and some really kick-ass white leather platform boots. Awesome. Simply awesome. Gotta say, I enjoy a hairy-legged man in disco boots, especially when he’s yelling commands at me. Lucky girls. I didn’t stay to watch the end of the race, as I had a date with the shade, but when I left that team was in second. I hope they pulled it off.

Last year, the city was engulfed in smoke from forest fires. There was some question as to whether or not the dragonboat races would proceed, but the valiant rowers persevered. I suppose dragonboaters are used to smoke, albeit smoke from dragons, not trees.

The south Mill-Creek section of the walk was cooler, although when it’s 30C outside, the heat and humidity penetrates right through the shorts. Just sayin’. Followed up my righteous two-hour walk with an equally righteous chocolate milkshake from Route 99. It’s not so much a case of self-sabotage as it is self-cooling. I’m just that smart.

3:03PM/30C (first time this year, hope it’s the last)

Another mindless walk. I am experiencing a sorry state of consciousness where I keep ‘waking up’ and finding myself farther along the trail without any real awareness of the preceding minutes. Of course, this is entirely related to my impending move. When I’m not packing I’m planning, and when I’m not planning I’m eating Mars Bars. Terrible. They say moving is high up on the ol’ stress metre and I would have to agree. However, even if I’m not paying attention while I walk, I am still walking, and that is a huge stress reliever. I’d probably be curled up in a ball of packing tape if it wasn’t for my two feet and the river valley.

On a positive note, the temperature is much more reasonable. Blue sky and 21C. Perfect. At least I think it was…

5:45PM/21C

Within an hour of waking up this morning, I flossed a filling right out of my tooth and a lightbulb I was changing broke inside the socket. As bad things tend to happen in three, I was extra careful on the trails today, hoping not to break an ankle or get bit by a rabid bobcat. I am happy to report that none of those things came to pass; the walk was uneventful if not a little boring. Also hot, although it didn’t start out that way. The first hour was overcast and chilly, but in the second hour the clouds buggered off and the sun came out in full hammer-like force. I should really wear a hat.

2:48PM/22C (seems hotter in the sun)

But not me.

I know our summers are short, but from a walker’s perspective, cooler days are better. It’s been hot for a few days now, and it’s quite lovely, but the walks are a slog, or at least the work-day walks. On weekends, I can walk in the mornings, although I did walk to work on Tuesday, which was pleasant enough.

Things are already looking a little parched in the river valley, and the North Saskatchewan is very low…with not one seagull island, but two. And there are lots of grasshoppers, one of the most affable of the trail bugs. I say this because they hop out of the way of my feet, but not too far. They seem happy enough to share the road. Also watched a procession of ants marching across the path with little white wafers held above their tiny heads. Whether it was food, or nesting materials, the ants had obviously deemed their swag worthy of hauling across the hot cement. It was a large platoon, all in lockstep. Quite fascinating. I may or may not have stepped on a few of the soldiers in my haste to get the hell out of the heat, and for that I am sorry. Mea culpa insectum.

So, other than some lively buggery in the river valley…so to speak…not much else to report. It might rain next week. Fingers crossed.

6:05PM/27C