Welcome to 2023

That number use to read like something out of a futuristic novel. So where are the flying cars? at least we have flying feet, like those of our friends who did the Hair of the Dog at Balmy Beach on the 1st. The smiles seem to say it all.

Robbie Burns Discount

To celebrate the return of the in-person version of the race, the organizers are offering a $10 discount to past participants. Just use the Promo Code “ROBBIESBACK” when registering. The Robbie Burns 8k Road Race is in Burlington on Sunday, January 22, 2023.

Red Green IceBugs

Ruth passed along this interesting approach to converting your shoes to ice gripping. We are not endorsing this as we haven’t actually tried it. Perhaps experiment with a pair that are primed for replacement… just sayin’.

Birthday Wishes

Sunday is Olwyn’s special day and Tuesday is Jan’s. Sorry this got missed on the original posting (another momentous event scrambled my brain) but it’s now here for the official record. Happy birthday 🥳!

Weekly Walks

Saturday is looking good for a walk, so no excuses, right? Loblaw’s at 8:00 for a distance sufficient to counteract any consumed post walk pastry.

Another Year Has Passed

Well here we are at the last post of the year! While we can’t say things have gone back to normal in 2022, it’s been comforting that we were able to see more of you than in the first year of the pandemic. Let’s hope this trend continues.

Weekly Walks

What a difference a week makes! This Saturday looks to be above freezing with possibly very light rain. TBC. Last walk of the year! Might be worth it if we dress well.

Otherwise, there is the Balmy Beach Hair of the Dog the next morning (I hear a few of us have signed up). Here is the link again. https://www.balmybeachcanoe.com/event-details/2023-hair-of-the-dog.

Best wishes to all for a fantastic 2023!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Wishing everyone a Merry (insert Winter holiday of choosing)! May it be gleeful, and surrounded with people and things you love. Remember, the days get longer from now on.

Weekly Walks

As Saturday is Christmas Eve, it’s likely many of you will be deep into preparations of some kind or simply away visiting relatives and friends. But for those of you still around and with the time, I have it on good authority that a group is interested in the usual Saturday walk from Loblaw’s. However, the forecast includes a weather warning with the chance of highly slippery road conditions.

If that turns out to be the case, the PATH may be the safest walking option. Please check in to: a) let everyone know if you are interested in walking, b) looking to do the PATH should conditions warrant. We can carpool for parking purposes. Next steps will be posted in the comments and on WhatsApp.

Weather Watch

The weather outside for the end of this week as you read this is frightful, as the song goes, so conditions for Saturday may be iffy.

A slow-moving Colorado low will approach Ontario and Quebec Thursday through Saturday, delivering a swath of significant snow, some ice, rain and blustery winds

Risk for freezing rain in southwestern Ontario to the western half of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Thursday morning

Snowfall totals will be highly variable, but upwards of 20+ cm is possible for some of the hardest hit

Forecast details are still being refined, but plan for impactful winter weather to arrive Thursday in southern Ontario and early Friday across southern Quebec

Commutes will be impacted, along with the potential for some power outages

From the Weather Network

If we do gather for outside, good clothing and even better footwear will be a must. Otherwise, we may break down and opt for the PATH (for anyone not having done it before, please sign in or use WhatsApp, and we can carpool. If the roads turn out to be impassable, check for a rain/snow date.

In any case, please more than ever, let others know if you’ll be there by signing in. Thank you!

Your Moment of Zen

The winter session of yoga for older adults (that is us, I’m afraid) is now available for registration at the Toronto Fun Guide. A few of us have renewed for January to March The code is 4091539, and it’s about $57. Come and discover muscles you didn’t know were there! There is often coffee with the gang after.

Hair of the Dog

Ruth passes along that there will be an in-person Hair of the Dog next year (as in January 1, 2023). Details can be found on the event website. Walker’s start is 11:30 a.m. for 3 km walk (9 km run starts at noon). Start is on the boardwalk in front of Balmy Beach Club. $50.85. I think that includes schnapps.

Seasonal Pix

Belated Birthday Wishes

Oops! Just adding this here for the record: happy birthday to Eva on the 20th! Good thing others have a closer eye to the calendar.

Fleurs du Mall

Looking for something pretty different to see when out walking? Check out FLEURS DE VILLES NOËL in and around Yorkville. From the website:

From December 7 – 11, join us on a floral trail of discovery throughout the neighbourhood to see over 30 floral installations, including our famous floral mannequins. Enjoy floral cocktails, attend floral workshops in our JARDIN content atelier, and shop for blooms from local florists at our pop-up flower markets.

Fleurs de Villes NOËL is best toured in daylight. Most installations are in open areas from 10 am – 9 pm daily.

Weekly Walks

Saturday looks to be as good as can be expected for December so let’s try that walk to the Distillery District perhaps? See you at 8:00 at Loblaw’s.

Encounters

Besides people, sometimes we meet other city inhabitants. Witness this very healthy looking fox stalking a squirrel just off Kingston Rd near the very appropriately named Hunt Club.

Weekly Walks

The forecast states 60% chance of rain in the morning with 1 mm or so. Temperatures will be above freezing but it may be windy. Tough one to call. Is it time to start using the PATH again? If still outside, then maybe it would be made more pleasant by visiting the Distillery District as the seasonal decorations are apparently up.

Birthday Wishes

Next Friday is Barb S’s birthday! Weekday walkers in her pod will no doubt recognize the event closer to the date, but for those we see only Saturdays, this walk is the time to wish her all the best in person.

Live Music

For those not following Bob’s (me) Facebook feed, there is a show this Tuesday evening at the Linsmore Tavern on Danforth. First act at 8, then my band is up at 9. Hope you can make it!

Weekly Walks

Saturday morning looks gorgeous, above freezing, and climbing up to 9˚C in the afternoon. Loblaw’s at 8, per usual.

Safe Winter Walks

Winter is here and with it slippery conditions. As we know from our walking friends, there is a real risk of injury as we are outside for a longer than usual time compared to many other people. Here are things to keep in mind to minimize the risk.

• Watch the weather forecast carefully, particularly for days where a freeze follows a warmer day
• Sidewalks at the end of driveways are especially prone to icy patches from the runoff
• Walk with a buddy
• Have your phone with you at all times
• Consider indoor walks (PATH, treadmill) when conditions outside are treacherous

Anti-slip footwear is also a big help. There are a few choices and approaches.

• Add-on chains/cleats, such as Yak-Traks. Pros are cheap, easy to find (Shoppers) and fairly effective. Cons is they can slip off and get lost, and not as accommodating when conditions go from snow and ice to bare asphalt.
• Embedded anti-slip treads, such as Vibram’s Arctic Grip and Mark’s IceFX. These are more versatile for various surfaces, including wearable indoors, and provide some enhanced grippage, depending on the surface. However, this type of shoe can be more expensive and harder to find. For running shoes, Saucony seems the one to get (Peregrine Ice+ and model Razor models). Amazon seems to have a good selection.
• Studded soles, such as IceBUGs. The most positive grip of any shoe I’ve tried. Downside is they are the hardest to find, can be pricey, the studs will wear off in time (so far so good though for me) if you walk on mixed conditions and not recommended to wear indoors on hard surface like tiles and terrazzo.

No perfect solution but with a mix of caution and the right gear, it can be safe to be out there.

Weekly Walks

We are watching the forecast carefully for Saturday’s offsite walk. Road conditions will be similar wherever we go, but there is some concern wind could play a factor. It will feel cold regardless, so dress well. The Highland Creek path is sheltered by trees which could mitigate the wind chill so is still in play, but keep checking the comments, your email and WhatsApp should the situation change.

Brunch is definitely on.

Potlucky

Tomorrow we will be gathering as we do yearly to catch up and perhaps plan ahead. If not, at least we can eat and drink together. Everybody wins! All the details have been sent via email and WhatsApp, so unless there are last minute questions, we will see you all in person Saturday evening.

Birthday Wishes

Yup, it’s a double event, with a coda. Not only do we celebrate being assembled on Saturday, it’s also Libby’s birthday so we can ensure she receives many best wishes in person. We can also provide Ruth advance congrats for her day on Wednesday the 16th.

Scarborough Walk Next Week

Details of the offsite walk have been emailed and WhatsApped out. Let’s hope for good weather. Libby has raised a concern about part of the route being inaccessible, so we’ll look into that and confirm asap. It may be simple enough to rearrange a slightly different path. Fingers crossed.

Weekly Walks

The weather app says, “A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 8C. Winds W at 25 to 40 km/h.” Okay, then. A good opportunity to bank some negative calories to counterbalance those consumed at the potluck. 8:00 am, the uge.

Potluck Almost Here

One more post before the potluck! The details (time, place, offerings) have been emailed to you and are on WhatsApp. If you can’t find them, just leave a comment and I’ll send them directly.

As we want to reduce our environmental footprint as much as possible and make the tidy-up as efficient as possible, please bring your own plates, glassware and cutlery. Napkins too!

We could use a few more helpers for set up and clean up. If you can, it would be very appreciated. Please let Trish know through the comments or contact her directly, thanks!

Another Offsite Walk and Brunch

For those interested, an offsite walk is planned for November 19 along Highland Creek Trail to Lake Ontario. Again for privacy, the details on where and when to meet will be emailed, and posted on WhatsApp separately, along with the brunch location and a map. We will follow the same model as last time, with an earlier start for longer distance walkers and a half hour later for a modest choice. Please let me know if you’re interested in the comments, WhatsApp or email reply in Google Groups.

Races Anyone?

Helen forwarded some race/event information that could be of interest.

The Bagpipes are Back!