Peterborough This Week - Cross-Canada hikers pass through Kawarthas
News Jun 15, 2020 by Barbara-Ann MacEachern Peterborough This Week
This Week reader Johnathan Grey ran into Dr. Sonya Richmond
and Sean Morton, who are hiking across the country, in Beavermede Park in
Peterborough Saturday, June 13. - Photo courtesy of Johnathan Grey
An epic journey across the country brought a pair of nature
adventurists through Peterborough and the Kawarthas this weekend.
“We are hiking the longest trail
in the world to encourage people of all ages, cultural backgrounds, races,
abilities, genders, orientations, and identities to re-connect with nature
through birding and Citizen Science,” says Dr. Sonya Richmond, conservation GIS
analyst with Bird Studies Canada, who stopped in Peterborough Saturday (June
13) with partner Sean Morton.
With a budget of $20 a day, carrying everything they need in
two backpacks and a small cart and camping along the way, the pair began their
journey June 1, 2019 in Cape Spear Newfoundland. Last year they made it to
Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec (more than 3,300 km) before stopping for winter.
Although their route and timeline have been altered by COVID-19, they hit the
trail again in Ottawa May 22.
After hiking all day, Richmond and Morton set up
camp and spend their evenings sorting through roughly 1,000 pictures and
updating their blog and social media, often not turning in until 1 a.m. before
getting up and doing it all over again the next day.
Pre-COVID the pair would give birding
presentations in the communities they travelled through. Now they hike with
extra food and have mailed themselves resupply packages to limit contact with
others.
“The lack of campgrounds, garbage cans, and
public bathrooms has been a bit of a challenge, but since we’ve mostly been
wild-camping so far it hasn’t been too much of an issue yet,” says Richmond.
“Since beginning this trek, one of the most
surprising things to us is the generosity and kindness people have shown
us. Even during the pandemic, complete strangers will stop to chat, and
go out of their way to find contactless and socially distanced ways to offer us
water and help.”
After discovering their love of long-distance hiking on the
Bruce Trail in Ontario, Richmond and Morton traversed Spain, France and
Portugal, before deciding to explore the natural beauty in their own country.
See you on the trail!
Remember to follow our entire adventure here : www.comewalkwithus.online
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