Training Log Archive: Bash

Another Heat Warning today (aka Harps weather) and I lost my inspiration for a Hockley run. 'Bent and I went out at high noon for a very warm ride around the Palgrave East single track. At this time of year, the technical level increases due to the need to avoid poison ivy and horse poop. We succeeded and had a fun ride. Trails were dusty and really needed the downpour that caught us five minutes from home. We stopped to pick raspberries in the rain. I wish more had fallen! (Rain, that is, not raspberries.)
-Bike computer distance-

Did a leg strength routine while listening to a TA1 podcast. I incorporated our new balance cushion into a few exercises. Canadian Tire let us exchange our old cushion for one that inflates. That changes everything!

My date with the jury box has been delayed until Monday, then I'll be there every day until it's done - hopefully mid-August. I may spend my birthday in court - a first world problem indeed.

My main complaint with the judicial system so far is that we will be required to listen carefully to evidence for hours on end in a room where coffee is prohibited. Who ever thought *that* was a good idea?! The jury attendant told me she is supposed to bring a glass of water if she sees a juror nodding off. Hello! How about caffeine, people?

Today was my new jury duty date, deferred since it had conflicted with our trip to Italy. Out of a room of about 150 people, I was selected as Lucky Juror #1. So I will be attending a trial related to drugs, probably from this Friday until Aug. 15.

The biggest surprise today was that our jury ended up being 12 women, 9 of us white, most of us over 40. I would have thought the lawyers would want more diversity that represents the wider community. I was also surprised there were fewer men in the jury pool than women and the men were more likely to present some reason (poor hearing, medical problem, family issue, self employment) in hopes of getting off this jury.

One prospective juror said he couldn't answer the question of whether he could be unbiased and impartial, given the defendant's race (same as the juror's). Obviously, he was not accepted.

The lawyers would just look at a prospective juror, listen to them answer one question and observe them as they looked at the defendant. (Part of the process is an uncomfortably long "stand and stare" between the accused and the prospective juror.) More often than not, either the prosecution or the defence lawyer would reject a prospective juror, seldom for any reason I could guess. They went through 37 people until a full jury was selected.

It will be interesting, I think.

I finally got out for a run in Palgrave Forest at 6:30 p.m. I ran into my old friend Radek - which probably doesn't sound too surprising unless you know that he lives in Sydney, Australia! It wasn't a total shock since I knew he was visiting his parents in Brampton and we had planned to get together this weekend.

I ran like a sack of potatoes. The Ambit had a hiccup at the start.

Bug-out Day! Packed up camp and paddled on Louisa Lake to the portage trail, then paddled on Rock Lake up to the access point. We stopped near the cliffs to teach Teeny Tiny how to play "Echo!"

Great vacation! Fun to hang out and relax with Timato, Mrs. Tiny and Teeny Tiny. AdventureDog and Teeny Tiny were awesome on their first canoe trip.

(This GPS track includes both paddling and portaging.)

Portage from Louisa Lake to Rock Lake. We'd finished most of our food and drink so it wasn't as anaerobic as Friday's portage. I doubled back a short distance and took Teeny Tiny's pack. Boy, is she good at trail running when she's in the mood!

Morning Adventure: We crossed to the south side of the lake and headed west to explore a few islands and a different bay. We expected another blueberry feast but only found two individual berries, even though we checked lots of bushes. It was fun exploring the islands. This adventure was christened, "Blueberry Blueberry". After so much adventuring, we took the afternoon off to relax around camp - nap in hammocks, read books, swim and drink espresso. Tiny made some impressive personal pizzas!
Elapsed time: 2 hrs (accidentally wore watch instead of Ambit)

Yoga on the rocks. (With some help from Teeny Tiny.)

Our Morning Adventure: After plenty of coffee in the sunshine, we paddled west from our campsite, following Teeny Tiny's directions to various blueberry picking sites. We had terrific success and managed to collect some firewood too. Mrs. Tiny made sure Teeny Tiny found a frog, and AdventureDog swam after some sticks. This adventure was christened by TT as "Blueberries Blueberries Galore".
(Elapsed time 1 hr 40 min.)

Afternoon Adventure: The breeze came up after lunch so we headed across the lake and upwind toward the bay leading into Pondweed Lake. We tried hiking on the portage trail at the south end of the lake but it is seldom used, if ever. While getting out of the canoe there, I managed to get both my feet stuck in the mud and was afraid to lift them since I would have lost my sandals. Nothing like a nice wallow in the mud to save your shoes! We enjoyed a nice tailwind on our way back to camp.
Elapsed time: 1 hr 40 mins.