Walking

After having a breakfast of prosciutto, crackers, hummus, and apple in our room, we were off to the Peace Bridge and Prince’s Island Park. We’d had a cup of insipid coffee at the hotel, however we rewarded ourselves with a delicious cup of dark brew at the Hutch before beginning our walk in the park. Franklin gulls, mallards, house finches, black capped chickadees were around, perhaps American widgens (I’m not sure of ID), 3 common mergansers. A gazillion Canada geese with goslings of all ages, at least these in their home country, not an American golf course with all their buddies. There were signs to beware of coyotes, but I’m sure they were too fat from eating geese to bother people. Highlight was 3 hairy woodpeckers calling and flying. I spotted a nest, in a dead conifer, with an adult sticking its head out. 

Grant had forgotten his hearing aids charger at home. We thought about having Steph overnight it to us, but we’re afraid it wouldn’t arrive before we continued on our trip. Fortunately, he found an audiologist who had one we could buy. We decided to walk to the shop. After a couple of hours in the park, we left Peg and Betsy to more parking wandering, crossed a pedestrian bridge over the Bow River, and hiked up a fairly steep set of switchbacks to get to the north part of town. 85° and clear, no shade made the walk a little harder than we’d hoped. However, we cooled off in the shop’s AC while we waited for his hearing aids to charge a bit. 

On the way back, we stopped for lunch at K Town Korean Fried Chicken. Eschewing their KFC knockoff, we had the bbq flavored 5 piece set with 2 rice balls, a kale Caesar salad, and local beers. Continuing down Centre Street, we recrossed the Bow River and walked around China Town. Fairly tired, we sat to regroup.

According to the map, a Canadian Superstore was only .5 miles away. My hope was to walk there and get food for dinner, then take a Lyft to the hotel. We walked back through China Town and along the river, not getting hit by any of the bikes zooming along the bike path. At the store, nothing jumped out as particularly desirable, so we got a salad kit, some turkey from the deli, a can of sardines, hummus, and some crackers. Beer was available at the liquor store next door. 

For some reason, it seemed like a good idea to walk back to the hotel even though we heard thunder. We were almost there when the misting turned to a heavy downpour. We hid under a building overhang until the worst passed, then finished our trek. All total for the day: 15,563 steps, or about 7.5 miles.