Enjoying the great outdoors in all seasons.
Due to technical difficulties, the Zoom AGM posted in the Spring Edition of The Path Finder is no longer active.
The new personal meeting number is 711 1428 2203 and the passcode is still q6eS5b.
Hoping everyone finds this info in time to join us this evening at 7 p.m., also changed from the newsletter time.
Looking forward to connecting with many of you this evening during Covid lockdown in Ontario.
EHTC Executive
Photo by Joan d’Entremont
With the restrictions finally seeming to be lifting on Covid-19, I thought it about time to update the Elgin Trail map. The map is on the map page and a current GPX file can be downloaded to your cell phone.
I am really liking the ATLOGIS Canada Topo Maps Pro it is only around $11 and supports many map formats such as Toporama and in French, OpenStreetMap and my favorite OSM Outdoors. This was not available last year and is a great addition, unfortunately only for Android at moment, do not see it in iPhone app store.
The trail can be downloaded at zoom level eighteen which on my phone is 100 meters at 1 cm which is fine enough to not get lost. It is a lot of tiles so make sure you download with WiFi before going out on the trail.
We had high winds last night and a few more dead ash trees probably fell on the trail. This is an ongoing and endless project. We have several work parties going out this weekend and early next week to clean up parts of the trail. Even though it was technically closed during the pandemic and no one was doing any maintenance. Many people have taken advantage of the trail and enjoyed it.
Unfortunately some people who were not members chose to take it upon themselves and tell a landowner he should not be using a snowmobile on the trail. This angered the landowner and now we have lost a lovely part of the trail.
Just several years ago that part of the trail had a beech tree fall down several days before we were going to have a large group go through celebrating the clubs fourtieth anniversary. A crew went out and cleared the tree in time. Here is hoping the landowner will realize the value of the club and open his families property back up.
Hope everyone has weathered the isolation and looking forward to enjoying our great trail again.
Enjoy our great outdoors and keep safe by social distancing.
Get rid of the winter blahs, come and enjoy a meal with other club members for supper at the Wayside Dining Lounge. Mark your calendar, Saturday, January 25th, 2020. Meet at 5 p.m. One can order the buffet or anything on the menu. If you would like to join us please call or text Brian Wilsdon at 519-633-3064 to let him know so we can have enough space.
Hope to see you there.
Enjoy a meal with the group on third Wednesday’s this winter. Perch platters are on sale. We will meet at the Buccaneer at 5 p.m. The dates are January 23, February 20th and March 20th. Please RSVP Loretta the morning of meal at 519-782-7550
This years walk has been cancelled account of impending rain approaching during the event. Much work went into the preparation but mother nature had other ideas.
I would like to take this time to express the executives appreciation for all the effort Brian Wilsdon has put into the Spirit Walk. It has been his passion and
he has pulled off great Spirit walks over many years.
The annual club dinner will be at the Wayside Dining Lounge on Saturday, January 20th. We will meet at the restaurant at 5 pm for some socializing. Everyone will be able to order off the menu or enjoy their prime rib buffet. We hope to see you all out for this social event. Please let any of the executive know if you are planning to attend by the eighteenth.
Come and join us on a starry night walk thru a candlelit woods enjoying the performances. This event has been organized for many years by Brian Wilsdon and we as volunteers appreciate all he has done and continues to do to make this event a success. Hope to see you out this year, enjoying the carols.
The trail is now 93% complete and some 22,000 kms long going through 13 provinces and territories. The Great Trail is comprised of 432 individual trail sections of which the Dutton Dunwich trail is one. There is The Great Trail app for IOS and Android designed in partnership with ESRI Canada.
Everyone is invited to celebrate the near completion of the Trans Canada Trail with a hike on August 26th. It would be awesome if we had a real good representation from the club. Long time member Marg Hulls will be leading the hike with a barbecue to follow. Information in poster above and a nice article in the St. Thomas Times Journal last Friday. The first 75 registrants will receive a commemorative embroidered badge.
Hope to see you there.
Be sure to attend our AGM and hear about the adventures of club members Avril and DJ as they relay the story of their journey to Santiago this January. The event is held in the Carnegie Room of the St. Thomas Public Library, 153 Curtis St. Doors open at 6:30pm and business meeting starts at 7pm, then the Way presentation. You will be able to renew your membership or new members may sign up at meeting. There are open positions on the executive available, talk to any current executive if you are interested in joining. Look forward to seeing you all their.
The annual dinner for the Elgin Hiking Trail Club is at 5 pm on Saturday, January 21st. Please let any executive member you are planning to join us. We look forward to seeing you there for a great meal and social hour. DJ will not be able to join us she is backpacking the El Camino in Spain.