The 3rd annual Adventure Travel Festival was a huge success

Extreme Runner Ray Zahab (left) and Al MacPherson President Kawartha Trans Canada Trail.

By Marnie Callaghan

We met Ted and Katie Hannah while they were taking a break on an unfinished section of trail between Hastings and Campbellford. My husband, friend, and I were on a day trip. The surface was rough and it was tough slugging for us on our unloaded bikes. The motivation for Ted and Katie’s trip was just to have “a break” from Ted’s career as an engineer. Also, as a triathlon competitor he wanted to strengthen what he says is his weakest discipline—cycling. Hoping to find a companion for the journey, he looked to his five children, and twenty-three year old Katie, a student at Western, rose to the challenge. This is the first cycling tour for them both, and an ambitious one. Sticking to trails as much as possible, they hope to cover 1,500 kilometres from Kitchener to New Brunswick in three weeks.

For the most part they are tenting and will take advantage of Provincial Parks when possible. They have enough food packed for two weeks, but are happy to have the comfort of a restaurant meal occasionally. They have already put on a lot of miles and were really impressed with the condition of the trail from Manilla to Lindsay to Peterborough. And they were thrilled with the newly finished section between Keene and Hastings. “It was fantastic!” Katie said.

It is for amazing people like Ted and Katie that we need to rally together to complete the unfinished sections of the Trans Canada Trail. Let’s connect the dots and make journeys like this more appealing to more Canadians and tourists, too.

After a short visit we said goodbye and headed on our way, feeling sorry for the duo loaded down with so much gear. But about five minutes later we had to pull over to let them pass as they powered along leaving us in the dust!

The KTCT will be we conducting a vegetation spray program from May 20 to June 15. Herbicide spraying of roundup will be applied pending favourable spray conditions. The application of roundup will be conducted by a Licensed Sprayer. It is safe to humans. As a precaution the trail will be posted closed as the work is conducted. For further information please send your comments to our website.

The Fowler’s Corners and District Lions Club is a managing partner who has done a lot to keep the trail safe and in good shape between Highway 7 and Emily Park Road.

• The trestle bridge is a major feature along this section.
• Thanks go out to all the members of the Lions Club, especially Dave Birch.
• Lions Community Hall 959 Meadowview Rd. Omemee Ontario

Enter the trail from the east off Logie Street at the north end of Logie Park or from the west off Logie St. at Lindsay St. South.

Newly completed in the fall of 2009, this hard top surfaced portion provides accessibility as it meanders beside the unique Memory Walk with views of the river and through the perennial Welcome Gardens, the Gateway to the Lilac Gardens of Lindsay, stewards of this portion of the trail.

The Gardens is a haven for nature lovers where 41 different bird & several butterfly species have been recorded, encouraged by select plantings and the ‘Butterfly Garden’ which provides a perfect habitat. Park benches allow for pleasant resting places to take a lunch break and to enjoy nature and the beauty of this ‘jewel’, especially at the end of May when the lilacs are in full bloom.

This year, 2013, International Trails Day, June 1st falls on the last Saturday of our Open House Lilac Festival. Come & join in the festivities.

See more www.lilacgardensoflindsay.org

Just north of Scott Young Elementary school there is a pathway the leads from the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail to top of a hill overlooking the trail and school. This land is owned by the Trillium Lakelands School Board and under the leadership of Kevin Adams (former teacher) students have been and are stewards of this land planting hundreds of trees and shrubs.

Steve Callaghan was honoured by Al MacPherson President of the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail Association Annual General Meeting (November 29th, 2012) for his dedication in helping maintain the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail.

Summary – Summer 2012

A similar survey was conducted summer, 2011. There were 100 trail users interviewed at four different locations, different days and times on the trail.

1. Top 3 reasons for using the KTCT were:
   • Exercise
   • Enjoy Nature
   • Recreation
2. The months most often used were:
   • July
   • August
   • June
   • September
3. 35% of the trail users stop in at businesses to purchase items.
4. On the average between- $10-15 dollars was spent.
5. 65% of the trail users did not encounter any ATVs or Dirt Bikes on the trail- 35% did.
6. 30% felt signage was adequate; 30% not adequate and 40% did not respond.
7. 75% knew about the trail by Word of Mouth- someone told them about it.
8. 50% drove vehicles to access points to cycle/walk the trail; 35% cycled the trail from home; 15% did not respond.
9. 75% were not aware of the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail web site; 25% were aware of it.
10. 95% of the trail users felt safe on the trail.
11. Installation of benches was the major recommendation made.
12. 100% of the trail users rated the quality/condition of the trail between Excellent and Very Good.
13. Special events and donation boxes on the trail were the most common suggestion to raise funds for the trail.
14. 100% of the trail users felt the trail was very important to important to have in the community.
15. Top three improvements to the trail were:
    • Garbage cans
    • Washrooms
    • Parking
16. Top three place of residents for trail users were:
    • Peterborough
    • Omemee
    • Lindsay
17. Those interviewed – 50% were walkers and 50% were cyclists.
18. Those interviewed- 50% were female and 50% were male.

Colin Angus with Al MacPherson after an amazing presentation during the Adventure Travel Festival about his travel around the world using ONLY human power.

A big thank you to the Fowlers Corner Lions Club for their successful repairs of the trail barrier in Fowlers Corner.