A Spring Hike

Last week, on April 30th, I went for a hike with my brother, our cousin, and our dog. We left in the morning and came back in the afternoon. The weather was actually pretty great for a hike. It was a bit cool in the morning but it warmed up as the day went by. It was a good thing we went hiking on that specific day since it ended up snowing the next day. Yes, we had snow on May 1st. Welcome to Northern Ontario. The hike and the snow have me reflecting even more on Northern Ontario and why I feel so connected to it. I was born here but some people are born here and don't want to stay. They want to move somewhere warmer where there are different opportunities for them. I am one of the people who actually wants to stay. Although the weather can definitely be a downer sometimes, I like the vast difference between our seasons and the occasional unpredictability in the weather adds a bit of excitement. More than anything though, I love the landscape. I have been feeling a strong connection to nature more and more in recent years and I have been thinking about what the Northern Ontario landscape means to me and what it can teach me. There is a lot of rock and a lot of trees. There is also a lot of peacefulness and mystery. It is simply magical.

During our hike, we did a lot of bushwhacking, visiting areas that my brother has found during his extensive exploration in the bush that he has been doing lately. I had visited these areas but hadn't been bushwhacking to them while our cousin hadn't seen the specific areas at all so it was a new experience for both of us and my brother led the way. My brother loves going out in the bush. He loves bushcrafting and exploring. I am so happy that we share a love of nature. Our family on our mom's side has a passion for the outdoors and I am so grateful to have grown up in this family and to have grown up in Northern Ontario. Cities can be fun but they also drain me. It isn't good for my heart and soul. I need rock and trees as well as the roughness and beauty of the land. That's where my heart and soul reside.

We decided that our ultimate destination for our hike would be an area that my brother refers to as the cliffs. They are not very tall cliffs like the beautiful yet scary ones on Manitoulin Island but you still wouldn't want to fall down them. The area is a beautiful place to have a picnic so we brought along some snacks and lunch. I had just made homemade iced tea and cheese biscuits that morning for the occasion, my brother had bought some dry snacks the day before, and our cousin brought some cans of soup. We built a small campfire, making sure that we were being safe, and used it to cook the soup. It felt very Northern Ontarian to be having a little campfire in the bush and seeing the smoke wisp through the air with pine trees in the background made it feel even more mystical.

That hike was such a powerful experience. It reminded me to just let go and be free. Although the bush is very complex and can also be dangerous, slowing down and enjoying nature makes life seem a lot simpler, at least for a little while. I was able to let my heart and soul open up and explore the beauty and teachings that the land has to offer. It is so hard to describe in words. It is truly something that you need to experience and feel for yourself. I thought that hike was just going to be a fun day out with family but it was so much more. There we were, just three young adults and a dog, hiking through the bush. For a little while, we got to escape our everyday lives and just take some time to breathe and explore. Life moves so quickly and growing up can be tough but nature teaches us to slow down and enjoy the journey. There is definitely some kind of magic there in the bush and I want to explore it even more.

Cheers,
Kaylie