Kentucky at last

I have arrived!

After many, many, many hours of driving, I have made it to my first destination. I arrived last night to friends, a campfire, warmish weather and beautiful stars. As I drove in, I could smell the freshness, I have left the smog of the city.

The weather today has been beautiful, not too hot and a great day of climbing it has been.

Looking forward to more of the same in the coming days.

A weekend away

And so, there is more to Toronto than traffic and cars.

Though I know there are nice areas like the beaches, or the islands off of downtown Toronto, this weekend it was nice to get away a little bit from the hustle and bustle of this crazy city.

After a massage by a friend studying in naturapathic medicine and a quiet evening on her balcony overlooking a beautiful courtyard full of plants, I drove to Stouffville, 1/2 hour north of Toronto where the scenery is beautiful. Flowers, trees and fields abound. Winding country roads, small towns and tractors were in my sights, as well as the strip malls (this is of course not far away from the main city). I stayed in a beautiful country home on a quiet street and had a wonderful Thai supper at a family restaurant. Though the ride was long, it was beautiful to be away from Toronto and breathe some fresh air. It made me really excited to leave the city and head down to Kentucky, finally, on Tuesday.

Niagara Falls and more..

Though Toronto is not my favorite place to be, when you are surrounded by friends and family, it's not that bad. I have gotten quite comfortable in this vast city of many highways, people and cars. I have managed to navigate quite well, thanks in part to my uncles detailed instructions and a map, and have visited many areas of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) so far.

Observations:

There are lots of people and cars, did i say that already?

There is lots of crime (maybe because of lots of people)

There is traffic, no matter where you are, no matter what the time.

When downtown, I feel like i am in New York City with the TV billboards and the tall buildings.

The subburbs are really nice, away from the many people, lots of trees and parks.

Hospitals in Toronto are much nicer than in Montreal (Don't worry, it wasn't for me).

Everybody here talks on their cell phones, all the time.

Not a lot of people walk here.

I have had some great visits while i've been here, including a stop in Niagara Falls which included the many fun rides that make for a tourist stop. I saw water, and water and water and some butterfly's. I have also managed a bit of biking on my new toy and lots of driving in my new home. I have spent some time with my lovely little cousins, who wore me out after 3 hours (there are 3 of them under the age of 8) and discovered the joys of Kensington Market, a must see when coming to Toronto.

And alas, friends from Montreal keep unexpectedly arriving in Toronto, keeping life here interesting and busy.

After a couple more days in Toronto, i head to St. Catherine's to visit my niece who lives there, and then to Kentucky on Monday. After so much inactivity, I am excited to make it to the moutains. Though, i will miss a bed.

And the journey begins...

Amid rain and traffic, i set off yesterday from Montreal to Toronto. The road trip has begun. I have set out solo on a climbing/biking/road trip that will lead me from Kentucky to California and down to Mexico. There will surely be many stops along the way as the intinerary remains as yet undefined. Certainly, there will be a lot of activity, a lot of nature and a lot of beauty. The rest remains to be discovered..

I will be in Toronto for the next week, spending time with friends and family, stories to follow.

Pictures of my Yukon trip this summer can be found in My photo album (see links).

I will keep you posted as things come along.

So long Montreal, I'll be back soon..