A third trip up to Griffith for a bit of a more relaxed few days of camping and the first day of just wandering and exploring part of the flatter areas. It still allowed the potential on the second day to bag a peak.
Though this trip would require a wee bit of a change to the usual route plan. Say that as since was up in Griffith last the Forest Service Road was now in use for active logging. So this would require a bit of thought of a work around to being on the FSR with logging trucks. Say that as had noticed Ontario FSR's are narrower than BC FSR's. So less room for big logging trucks.
The work around was to drive to the West peak of The Three Mountains DH trail exit and park the Ute near there. Ended up parking 400-500 meters away and the plan from there was a more direct approach. The direct approach being up the DH trail to the peak which was a shorter route and less potential issues with large heavy trucks.
Getting up required a bunch of hike bike when areas weren't rideable. Unfortunately this late in September still had some mosquito's. Though when was more wind they weren't as annoying. After some time and grunt work made it to the peak of West Peak of The Mountains.
This peak would make 132 Peaks or high points earned in total. This time was earned with a speed ascent using the more direct route option.
Once did the summit pic it was a slight descent to the spot where could sit and drink the beverage This time brought a home brewed beer for a earned summit pause and chill. Before resuming the descent to the FSR and then the Ute.
After a bit there it was mount up and resume the full descent. No pics from the descent though can see the video of the descent in the Youtube link.
After the rest of the descent reached the trail junction with Three Mountain Road. And with the speed ascent accomplished it was back to the Ute nearby. Load up and slowly start heading back to the place with larger groups of people ....Kingston. And a low key visit this time to Griffith that wasn't the previous trips of a mission to get or attempt a high point every day. Just one was aimed for and that made it 132 to date.
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Woke up and had the idea to go watch the setting sun from the top or Areny Mtn. SO this would be a wee bit different. Though this could be derailed if the spot in the access track where the Beavers flooded it was too deep again.
Only one way to find out that depth and if could happen was to go. Though there was another reason would be going that was slightly darker. Which will come later. Though decided to add a bit of a recce drive to the trip to see if there was actual crown land accessible near Crow Lake.Unfortunately couldn't find where the crown land was so guessing it is one of those things where it exists however surrounded by no access land.
Went to the spot to park near Wagarville and ride into where the trail into the base of Arney mountain is. Which would of course lead to the Beaver flooded area. Like past blog posts there is more to see in the YouTube video linked below.
Fortunately the flooded area was passable and being warmer it was easier to make it through again. Especially with the water level being slightly higher then earlier. So once past that it was onwards to the climb up Arney Mtn. Made it to the peak to make it 131. Though this day would be slightly different.
This would be the 40th anniversary of when was dropped off at RLA aka That School where over 5 years my life was destroyed. And gained several mental illnesses with several other issues. One of those issues is potential suicide. Not the planned and so on kind. The type that is more along the lines of...Ok this is the end ok so be it type. This is a by product of that 5 years.
So with that...at the peak of Arney Mtn awkward overhead press with bike. 5 reaps for the 5 years of hell I survived and 3 reps for the 3 fellow cadets/students of that school that took their lives. 3 of the 109 known former cadets/students that took their lives before the age of 35.
After the overhead presses and a beer at the top. With the fully near set sun it was time to descend and head back to the Ute. With the peak bagged and having kinda done something other than sit and stare at walls while over analyzing all the thoughts in my head around all the crap learned in the last 2 years.
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It has been two years since last bagged Eastern Ontario's Blue Mountain and decided it was time for a revisit. Plus it was as Munro Biker in the UK would observe it was known and wasn't going to a navigation and potential bush bash exercise.
Decided to head up and do Blue Mtn again and this would make the 3rd time bagging it. This is a doable peak that doesn't take extensive map reading or driving to access like going further north.
I do admit the YouTube video will show way more then I can write as this is kind of a more easy peak to bag. At least compared to some of the ones have done here in Ontario.
This was also about getting out and not repeating the same routes over again that have done way to many times over the last 5 years. And Is in my case kind of not healthy long term with the multiple cases of PTSD or PTSI I carry.
After the summit and careful descent it was back to the Ute with a good little outing and peak number 130 bagged. After getting back to the Ute it was the drive back home. And with my mental illness situation somewhat managed.
8 days after the Big Dirty Trenton 10 Peaks Bagging ride got the call for another road trip to Mt Rigaud. And a day of lift serviced Enduro runs for the gravity fuelled rock hopping, slalom like descending turns and berms type fun.
Having been to Mt Rigaud back in May this would be a break from the usual though would be initially a wee bit more challenging to start initially with it still being a bit damp on the trails during the morning.I was using the ultimate bike Lego frame and bike the Starling Mega Twist. Though do admit to date still after a year haven't tried the longer travel set up on it as have been pretty fine with how it is set up now.
This day it would take a while to warm up and feel like was functioning as a rider. Suspect part of the issue in the morning was to busy trying to keep up and forgot the things I attempt to do. Which is basics like ride my own run and do the lines that work for me as well as attempt to ride as smooth as I can as best can. Admit mentally forgot that during the morning runs and wasn't till basically noon was riding more the way I need to.
The afternoon went much better with two tracks seeing improvement performance wise since last trip in May. Dug through the data and as best could matched to the GoPro footage I took. The first improvement was on Rigolo 2026...May saw 3:57 and this visit left with a run of 3:17.
The next run to see improvement was the full Yakima. In May my time was 1:57 and this visit saw a PR of 1:49 on this trip This was another not insignificant improvement and shows how I am working at this at least for me works. And that is what matters.
While I will take a PR on any run I take more from a PR on Yakima. That feels to me more like what an Enduro or DH run should be. A mix of everything with minimal jumps and such. Where you are rewarded by how well you can flow through the entire run. Mean if you can't navigate the rock sections your done. To me it also reminds me of being a ski racer where you have to work through the run it isn't just about how much air you can get. That is what I seem to be good at.
In the end despite the overnight rain making the initial morning runs a bit all over the place. Once it got a bit drier out and got my idiot brain back on the process it decided to forget that works. The end result of the day was two PR's on two runs. And while to me Yakima's PR feels more satisfaction on achieving two is still good to come home with.
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It began with a wee bit of boredom and what next that didn't involve a longish drive and a plan that didn’t involve a two night camp out. As well as not involving a bunch of map reading and gear prep for an unknown challenge. Then I got an idea.
What about combining the 2 Brighton Wild life Area high points ridden previously with?.
With he previously ridden 7 peaks bagging ride in Trenton itself. Combining the two into a big effort kind of day.Though could take a slight bit of creativity.
Say creatively as there is not really much of a safe non busy road option to connect the two parts. However if one drives back to Batawa from the wildlife area it is doable. And reality is this was far more about doing it then nit picking about it all and driving myself into frustration attempting to find options. Far better to just do what can at the moment. So rough idea in place of combining the two with a drive fro the Wildlife Area to Batawa to make it happen. Well as simple as possible.
Obviously there is more to see in the YouTube and most likely stuff I have forgotten. I mean like I live with TBI, ADHD, and PTSD memory issues. That will be way down below.
So the first part would be the Brighton Wildlife Area and would be following the same route from 2023. With a slight variation being would do the East Summit then the West Summit and on the way back would tag the East Summit a second time. So headed to the Provincial Wildlife Area. Where after a bit of uphill push a bike bagged the 1st high point of the day at the East Summit.
Descent down the backside of East Summit and headed towards the West Summit following the route previously. This also involved with a rideable shallow creek crossing. Of course once am near the location had to engage in a wee bit of hike a bike to get the ridge and near the West Summit. This time looked for something to use as the actual marker and found the post with the sign saying Provincial Wildlife Area. This would be summit 2 of the day.
Pic of me at the second high point and descent back to the double track and back the way came. Retraced my route all the back to the East Summit which I tagged to make it three bagged so far. This you could say was just the warm up for what was next.
Returned back to the parking lot and the Dirtbag Ute to load up and head to Batawa for phase 2 of the day. For this phase would be following the route of the 2024 7 Peaks Bagged ride. Reloaded water and some energy drink for Mt Pelion. And headed out and south bound on the Trent River Rail Trail for the Bleasdell high point and on the way had the headache of the day. A flat tire. For this epic big dirt ride was using the Starling.
The Stylus aka Mistress Mk1A3 had a busted spoke and was waiting for some parts to arrive. And the Starling was running as it was built with non tubeless wheels. After doing the tube swap and was ready to go resumed heading to high point 4.
After getting to Bleasdell Boulder headed over to the spot where the high point was to get number 4 of the day in the bag. Climbed up the ridge to the spot with no view for high point number 4. Then it was a descent to head for Mt Pelion within Trenton ON itself.
After navigating the side streets was at the base of Mt Pelion. And the staircase of carry to get to the peak.Being a humid day was kinda feeling the humidity a wee bit Though it definitely wasn't as hot as the last time in 2024 did one of these Big Dirty Type Rides.
So this would make number 5 of high points for the day. At this point it was the first high point where you could see any sort of view as everything else hase trees and such.
At this point took the moment to sit and drink the Beaver Buzz had carried in the pack from Batawa. Need to get a wee bit of actual sugar in so don't have a bad moment. Because those suck.
After the Beaver Buzz descended Mt Pelion via the backside of it and began the backtracking of the route took to Mt Pelion back to the Bleasdell Bolder area. Though part way the humity was kinda getting to me so made a stop at Front St Variety for some goodies to help. While doing discovered this corner store carried some of the other Ghost Energy drink flavours that is rare to find. Bonus.
After the Front St Variety stop resumed heading to Bleasdell Boulder area feeling slightly better. Though being wary of the heat and it;s effects. I would when get to the Ute at Batawa have to pause a little longer to get more food and liquids in.
Followed the route back and took the climb trail up to the ridge where the Bleasdell High Point was. This would be high point 6 of the day. Then the descent and back to the Trent Rail Trail and the rest of the way to the Ute at the Batawa Ski Hill parking lot.
Back at the Ute took time to drink more and eat some food. And got ready for the next 4 high points in the Batawa area. So headed for the the 7th which is the top of Batawa Ski Hill.
Got the top of Batawa for summit number 7 of the day. After a brief look of the view and the of course mandatory photo to show got there. It was the descent back down to the bottom.
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After getting down it was to the transfer trail that connects to the north trails. Which gets you to the base of Frankford Hill 180 and it;s summit. With it late in the day didn't muck around and hike a biked straight up being as efficient as could be. Got to the tope and headed towards the high point.
This is where the headache of the day began. Headache as the spot on Peakbagger where the high point of Frankford Hill 180 doesn't match what is on the ground. The high point is very obviously way off compared to what is on the ground.
Descended down from Frankford Hill 180 re-climbed back up to the rough high point to get it for the second time. And making summit number 9 of the day. Quick summit pic of the bike before heading back to bag Batawa Ski Hill a second time.
Descended and followed the transfer trail back to Batawa Ski Hill for the last grunt climb of the day.Being careful as good be as was a long day at this point and feeling the effort put in. Perfect time to let guard down and need a medic.
Climbed up to the top of Batawa Ski Hill for the second time of the day. This would make the 10th summit or high point of the day. With the fading light it was not time to celebrate with a summit beverage or celebrate the 10 high points day.
Final descent of the day down Batawa and to the Ute in the ski hill
parking lot. Tired and sort of sore after 5 plus hours of effort. And
was feeling it. However tasking accomplished....10 summits or high
points bagged in the rough Trenton/Batawa area. Making for 129 total to date. Drink in fluids and load up the bike and kit. It was next stop the Trenton Tim's then the slow drive back to Kingston.
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Years ago someone had said something about why didn't the individual fighting their mental illness and lost their battle. And ended their pain. I said the correct question one should be asking is what stopped them from saying anything.
Obviously I was talked down to how it was "None of their business' and all the other usual talking points that in the end puts all the work on the individual fighting mental illness. While those who say " Why didn't they ask for help?' to be honest have never done any work. This doesn't encourage people to say anything and looking back in my case it was more of the same endless "your not trying hard enough" or other useless ideas. As one who has been twice now..civvy and VAC diagnosed as in the right situation maybe suicidal.
I could go on however This blog entry is about making it easier to share when needed this article from a UK cycling magazine about mental illness and potential suicide. It needs to be shared because the alternative outcome one I would like to believe others want to see less of. And all it takes is one person as Doctor Who advises.....
I have taken photos of mtb magazine articles that focus on mental illness. I will keep doing so because it needs to be accessible even if it only aids one person whether adult or under 18.
It is why will support Singletrack Magazine out of the UK who in their recent issue show why I will continue to do so. Singletrack have written several stories about mental illness and still do.
DyFi Groms is a film that follows the young under 19 riders of the DtFi trails. And it's filming direction was guided after la ocal rider Ethan took his own life at 14 years old. It shares the struggles of those under 18-19 face when it comes to mental illness and health.
Because of what have been through and things I know I will if necessary take pics of articles written by Singletrack or other magazines because not doing it has a good chance for more negative outcomes.
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