If you live in the west end of the Greater Toronto Area and you're looking for a new set of trails to train on, Hockley Valley Provincial Park is your spot.
This day-use Provincial Park that is classified by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as a Nature Reserve, has no facilities (ie. washrooms, running water, roads...) and only has one main parking lot. However, the trails within the park are exceptional for the trail runner.
The famous Bruce Trail runs through the park and there are several side trails looping off it. With a little familiarity of the trails, it is easy to spend a good 3-4 hours roaming the park without doing much backtracking.
Hockley Valley Provincial Park is located on Hockley Road, ten minutes northeast of the town of Orangeville. The main parking lot is basically directly across from the Hockley Valley Ski Resort on Hockley Road. There is a back entrance with a small parking lot off of third line.
What the trail system provides for the trail runner (or hiker) is some steep hills along the niagara escarpment, so nice flat stretches through shaded hardwood forest and, for the most part, smooth and soft trails.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
I'm Back!
I'm back! - the war cry of the blogger who lost interest for a few months (or more) but claims to have renewed interest but will most likely disappear again after a couple of lame posts...
Well - that could very well be true. However, it seems that someone out there is reading the backposts on this site on a daily basis, so maybe people really do want to read about the vegan world.
So, what's been going on? Well, I just finished up a 10-day Raw Vegan challenge and it was a grand success. It's nearing the end of the hockey season and the start of the trail running season. During the winter, I really fell into a rut with processed vegan food (no-meat hot italian sausages are my weakness. smothered in hummus, fried onions and mushrooms, mustard and salsa!). I was constantly bloated and was getting to the point where it hurt to bend over and tie my skates.
The ten days of raw veggies along with no tea or coffee was just what I needed. I lost 12 pounds and began running again like I'd never stopped. I've moved back to cooked food - but NOT processed. I'm also back on my recently rejuvenated coffee addiction.
I had been off coffee for years but in February while on a vacation in Cayo Largo, Cuba, I started having a cup at breakfast and found I really liked it.
Anywho - I will be documenting the challenge and posting it at either Factoidz, Infobarrel or Hubpages with an excerpt and link here.
btw - if you're interested in earning a little cash and you like to write, Factoidz does work. It's free to sign up and it will never cost you a dime to write there. They scrutinize your first 10 articles after you sign up then if you meet their approval you become a staff writer and your stuff is published immediately. You then get an upfront bonus for each article you publish as well as the regular dinero you get for page views. They pay without hassle and without a minimum payout at the start of every month. You may not get rich quick but you will get paid.
If you're interested, go through this link to check it out and sign up. Yes, if you go through that link, I may get paid for the referral - I appreciate it - thank you!
On a closing note - my man Georges Laraque, the former vegan NHL hockey player who last played for the Montreal Canadiens, is playing a prominant role with the Green Party in the upcoming election in Canada. Way to go Georges and good luck Green!
I may be back!
Well - that could very well be true. However, it seems that someone out there is reading the backposts on this site on a daily basis, so maybe people really do want to read about the vegan world.
So, what's been going on? Well, I just finished up a 10-day Raw Vegan challenge and it was a grand success. It's nearing the end of the hockey season and the start of the trail running season. During the winter, I really fell into a rut with processed vegan food (no-meat hot italian sausages are my weakness. smothered in hummus, fried onions and mushrooms, mustard and salsa!). I was constantly bloated and was getting to the point where it hurt to bend over and tie my skates.
The ten days of raw veggies along with no tea or coffee was just what I needed. I lost 12 pounds and began running again like I'd never stopped. I've moved back to cooked food - but NOT processed. I'm also back on my recently rejuvenated coffee addiction.
I had been off coffee for years but in February while on a vacation in Cayo Largo, Cuba, I started having a cup at breakfast and found I really liked it.
Anywho - I will be documenting the challenge and posting it at either Factoidz, Infobarrel or Hubpages with an excerpt and link here.
btw - if you're interested in earning a little cash and you like to write, Factoidz does work. It's free to sign up and it will never cost you a dime to write there. They scrutinize your first 10 articles after you sign up then if you meet their approval you become a staff writer and your stuff is published immediately. You then get an upfront bonus for each article you publish as well as the regular dinero you get for page views. They pay without hassle and without a minimum payout at the start of every month. You may not get rich quick but you will get paid.
If you're interested, go through this link to check it out and sign up. Yes, if you go through that link, I may get paid for the referral - I appreciate it - thank you!
On a closing note - my man Georges Laraque, the former vegan NHL hockey player who last played for the Montreal Canadiens, is playing a prominant role with the Green Party in the upcoming election in Canada. Way to go Georges and good luck Green!
I may be back!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Shame In Hindsight
Just as explained in the movie 'The Cove', I was deceived by their smiling faces. Two weeks ago, near Guardalavaca, Cuba, I swam with the Dolphins. I'm leary of animals in captivity. But... I was dooped by the story that the Dolphins were all rescued from injuries, were treated great and were very happy.
Dolphins always look like they're smiling, even when they're depressed or in pain. Dolphins are meant to travel 40 miles per day (60 km). Their sonar is ultra sensative. Living their entire lives in an enclosed area denies them the freedom of travel. Living their entire lives in an enclosed area causes their sonar to bounce uncontrollably against the barriers and cause pain and confusion.
Unfortunately, a friend didn't give me a copy of 'The Cove' until after we returned. I feel ashamed for contributing to the exploitation of these beautiful beings and certainly will never do it again.
'Swimming with the Dolphins' has become all the rage at a number of Caribbean resort areas. Chances are, these Dolphins came from Taiji, Japan and were the only survivors of what is a regular slaughter. If you're reading this blog, you are passionate about the lives of all beings on this Earth. Please don't make the same mistake I did.
Check out the movie's official website at this link. This is not an affiliate link.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Zoo's - People Playing God
I went to the Metro Toronto Zoo last weekend. I can already hear the gasps and hissing... I know that zoos are nothing but dungeons for animals - kind of a freak show, if you will. But... in their hearts they are doing what they think is right in trying to preserve species that the rest of the world is trying real hard to wipe off the face of the earth.
What I saw during my six hour walk around the zoo was one huge contradiction. While watching the 'talk with the zoo keeper' at the gorilla exhibit, I was struck by the horrified reaction of a gentleman near me when we were all told that underpaid and undernourished mining workers (slaves) in Africa will kill the mighty gorilla and (Oh My God!) eat the meat to stay alive.
When I mentioned (loud enough for a few people around me to hear) that that man eats, three or more times per day, the flesh of other animals that are just as innocent are killed in cold blood, I got a hard nudge in the gut and was told to shut up (by my spouse).
Upon leaving and saying outside the exhibit that I was utterly confused about what animals it was okay to kill and what animals it was not, I was nudged again. What really confuses me is the thought that in a few weeks fat Americans (and Canadians) will jump in their nine-mile-per-gallon Cadillac Escalades and drive out into the Canadian wilderness and murder innocent deer and moose. Yes, I know they and their families must eat to survive in this cruel world... Yet, we're attacking the poor African slave who somehow cannot support his family on pennies per day.
Although everyone there loved the cute animals and everyone was a friend of nature, they had no problem packing into each and every restaurant at the zoo and chomping down on dead cow and chicken. I'd imagine if they were serving up kangaroo burgers, there'd be a line-up. Of all the items on the menu at these fine, animal-loving restaurants, there was just one 'garden burger' for us weirdos. They did not even post that the meat was locally farmed. If you don't post it then one has to wonder if it came from the very same farms in Brazil that McDonalds gets their beef from. You know - the grade z beef that comes from cows grazing where rainforest once stood?
The Canadian exhibit was kind of a farse, at best. The African, Asian and South American animals have large and luxurious homes with enough information on the signs attached to these homes to fill a book. The native Canadian animals had tiny cages with nothing but a simple label saying what they were.
And really... does the zoo need to have a raccoon exhibit when the animal can be found every 20 feet in urban and rural areas in this country? They're nocturnal anyway! You don't get to see them!
Why do humans still insist that they can play god and determine who lives and who dies? "If we didn't hunt the deer they would overpopulate". So fucking what! Mother nature will deal with that problem in her own way. It really is none of our business.
That reminds me of the Canada Goose problem in Toronto that seems to be an on-going battle. People feed food to the geese which is unnatural to their diet. The geese get fat, don't leave and do nothing but breed in their spare time. The geese overpopulate and shit all over Toronto's beautiful parks and beaches. The people who go to these parks to feed the geese demand the city do something about the overpopulation and the layer of goose shit that covers everything. Some suggest killing off the geese to please the people that are causing the overpopulation in the first place.
That's my rant. It went all over the place and may not have made any sense, but... that's my rant.
What I saw during my six hour walk around the zoo was one huge contradiction. While watching the 'talk with the zoo keeper' at the gorilla exhibit, I was struck by the horrified reaction of a gentleman near me when we were all told that underpaid and undernourished mining workers (slaves) in Africa will kill the mighty gorilla and (Oh My God!) eat the meat to stay alive.
When I mentioned (loud enough for a few people around me to hear) that that man eats, three or more times per day, the flesh of other animals that are just as innocent are killed in cold blood, I got a hard nudge in the gut and was told to shut up (by my spouse).
Upon leaving and saying outside the exhibit that I was utterly confused about what animals it was okay to kill and what animals it was not, I was nudged again. What really confuses me is the thought that in a few weeks fat Americans (and Canadians) will jump in their nine-mile-per-gallon Cadillac Escalades and drive out into the Canadian wilderness and murder innocent deer and moose. Yes, I know they and their families must eat to survive in this cruel world... Yet, we're attacking the poor African slave who somehow cannot support his family on pennies per day.
Although everyone there loved the cute animals and everyone was a friend of nature, they had no problem packing into each and every restaurant at the zoo and chomping down on dead cow and chicken. I'd imagine if they were serving up kangaroo burgers, there'd be a line-up. Of all the items on the menu at these fine, animal-loving restaurants, there was just one 'garden burger' for us weirdos. They did not even post that the meat was locally farmed. If you don't post it then one has to wonder if it came from the very same farms in Brazil that McDonalds gets their beef from. You know - the grade z beef that comes from cows grazing where rainforest once stood?
The Canadian exhibit was kind of a farse, at best. The African, Asian and South American animals have large and luxurious homes with enough information on the signs attached to these homes to fill a book. The native Canadian animals had tiny cages with nothing but a simple label saying what they were.
And really... does the zoo need to have a raccoon exhibit when the animal can be found every 20 feet in urban and rural areas in this country? They're nocturnal anyway! You don't get to see them!
Why do humans still insist that they can play god and determine who lives and who dies? "If we didn't hunt the deer they would overpopulate". So fucking what! Mother nature will deal with that problem in her own way. It really is none of our business.
That reminds me of the Canada Goose problem in Toronto that seems to be an on-going battle. People feed food to the geese which is unnatural to their diet. The geese get fat, don't leave and do nothing but breed in their spare time. The geese overpopulate and shit all over Toronto's beautiful parks and beaches. The people who go to these parks to feed the geese demand the city do something about the overpopulation and the layer of goose shit that covers everything. Some suggest killing off the geese to please the people that are causing the overpopulation in the first place.
That's my rant. It went all over the place and may not have made any sense, but... that's my rant.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair
For anyone in the Toronto area, the 26th annual Vegetarian Food Fair is taking place September 10-12 at the Harbourfront. Admission is free - food is not!
Here's what they have to say about the event:
Regarded as the largest event of its kind in North America, the Annual Vegetarian Food Fair gives you an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy a diverse cross-section of vegetarian cuisine. Discover new products and ideas from more than 100 exhibitors and enjoy a wide variety of presentations and cooking demos.
Not a vegetarian? Whether you're looking for new ideas to add colour and variety to your meals or you're a "seasoned" vegetarian interested in expanding your knowledge of nutritious and ethical foods, this is the place for you.
For more information, visit the website.
Here's what they have to say about the event:
Regarded as the largest event of its kind in North America, the Annual Vegetarian Food Fair gives you an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy a diverse cross-section of vegetarian cuisine. Discover new products and ideas from more than 100 exhibitors and enjoy a wide variety of presentations and cooking demos.
Not a vegetarian? Whether you're looking for new ideas to add colour and variety to your meals or you're a "seasoned" vegetarian interested in expanding your knowledge of nutritious and ethical foods, this is the place for you.
For more information, visit the website.
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