Sun, Mar 16 2008 - Kortright Centre Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival (View Original Event Details)
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Thanks to Kate for this great write-up!
The answer is: One Sticky Mess
The question? What do you get when you mix about a billion tiny children - each with their own cup of maple syrup - and cafeteria tables and chairs that are not cleaned after each use.
Sure, you almost miss your stop on the way home because you have to pry your coat sleeve from the subway car's window ledge where you'd been resting it. And, okay, the chair cushion at home comes with you when you get up from the computer. And, well, the next day, when you do laundry, you find a big ball of clothing clinging together, unable to unstick it from the hamper.
And the sound of all those children in the cafeteria - with the added violinist's music (meant to calm the wee ones(?) but which was the same pitch of the children's voices, so just added to the squealing din, really) - still feels like someone drove a nail through your head.
Of course you used ALL the maple syrup they gave you on the two thin, little pancakes and still feel a bit queasy because of it - a day later.
Would you do it again? Absolutely!
It was a wonderful day! Good hiking. Great conversation.
As intended, it was a fabulous learning experience. We learned the following:
1) Maple syrup doesn't just show up in the supermarket, as most people think - maple trees have to suffer by giving up 10% of their food to human beings.
2) To recognise the looks and sounds of utter defeat in young fathers. Oh, the humanity...
3) Katherine - having flashbacks from another outing, where about 50 strollers came frighteningly down a hill at her - remains calm and dignified in the face of this renewed horror. She is a true leader.
4) There are children named Lola.
5) Rob knows how to DO LUNCH: he brought a three tiered extravaganza - beautifully presented - which he SHARED!!!
6) Ten year old boys are quite vindictive if you get involved in their snowball fight and will chase you all the way back to the main building trying to get even. You have to admire their tenacity, even if their aim does stink...
7) Courtney is not actually related to anyone at TOC.
8) And finally, for a small group of women - who took the roads (trails) not taken - you CAN talk about anything on trail and solve a lot of life's mysteries and conundrums that way. They felt, in fact, the presense of several native women, some 400 years ago, walking the very same trail and discussing the very same issues.
So, the day was cathartic, spiritual, informative and a whole lot of fun! And the weather was perfect!
The one thing the Kortright Centre didn't teach: how to sneak past two ten year olds that have camped overnight on your front lawn - waiting to ambush you? Another conundrum......eeek!
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.