Eight years ago, Lily and I found a killer deal on flights from Toronto to Tokyo on YYZDeals.com. We booked in haste and left the logistics for later. Very little research went into the trip beyond a few points of interest and the location of our stay, a room-sized apartment booked through Airbnb. To our … Read more
Recently, after a two-month absence, I drove north to visit my parents. They live on the shore of Lake Simcoe, which typically freezes over each winter. I’ve taken many photos of the lake from the vantage point of their home and the surrounding area over the years, but always from ground level. This time, I … Read more
This winter has been unusually cold and snowy, at least compared to the trends of the past ten years. I’m not ashamed to admit my preference for winters that lean milder and drier, meaning not snowy. Snowy landscapes are scenic, beautiful, and often nostalgic. Snowy cityscapes can be those things, too, but only for a … Read more
Last August, eight days after I completed my first solo overnight canoe trip to Franklin Island, Lily, Porthos, and I drove up to Killarney for a canoe trip around Philip Edward Island. I had only heard about the island a month before heading out. There was a brief period last summer when I binged on … Read more
Not every adventure requires travel—some come to you. Yesterday, while I was writing my previous entry about my first solo overnight camping trip last August, the northern portion of what American media—specifically The Weather Channel—were calling Winter Storm Fern dumped between 40 and 60 cm of snow over Toronto. Canadian media don’t have the habit … Read more
Last August, I returned to the archipelago around Franklin Island on Georgian Bay. I’ve now visited this location three times in as many years, and plan to continue the tradition in 2026 and onwards — the region is simply too beautiful, and too close to home, not to revisit periodically. This trip differed from our … Read more
I don’t recall what sparked the idea, but at some point in early August, I decided to hike the La Cloche Silhouette Trail in Killarney Provincial Park. The Silhouette Trail is notorious for being difficult, both in terms of the hike itself and also in making reservations. Most campsites are snatched up as they become … Read more
An aerial photo of the Vanguard Boaters Association, viewed from above Ashbridges Bay during sunset. Toronto. 18 July 2025.
