Out & About #745 | Week #78 Quarantine Update Feat. Cycling along Culham Trail

I am a subconscious planner - one that forecasts plausible situations and adjusts in preparation for such occurrences. The adolescent version would contemplate highly unrealistic scenarios to justify absence in avoiding class (the classic "Cause and Effect" tale from elementary creative writing), though it is safe to declare that the modern evolution evaluates circumstances strictly conceivable in the real world.

Invoicing period rolls around on the same calendar day of every month, yet the amount of associated anxiety is unchanging. Unexpected changes often arise, leading to prolonged torture and exasperation. The process is far from straightforward, or maybe it's because there are those that wish it not to be for fear of routine.

​The day drags on with uncertainty, driving me to the point of extreme fatigue, unmanageable migraines, and near the point of vision loss from spreadsheet scrutinization. It is at these times that my body demands liberation into the LED-devoid skies and greenery of suburbia.

Paperwork preparation day coincided with temperatures hovering about the 20-degree mark. Humidity was at a mininum. Thus, I found my helmet in a hurry and hobbled onto the concrete sidewalk. My brakes were screeching nearly every tap (or half-tap) of the way.

​Roughly three months had passed since my last cycling adventure. Lack of motivation had been owed to unbearable levels of troposphere moisture, along with a distinct preference for familiarization of new choreography. The latter was currently less appealing in the face of untreated shoulder pain; moreover, my eyes begged direly for a break.

My go-to trail led me to the Burnhamthorpe overpass, where cyclists and pedestrians had the opportunity to gaze upon the Credit River from both north and south sides. I continued towards the Riverwood Conservation Area, making a sharp turn for a flight of wood-reinforced stairs that had never caught my eye before.
The descent made for rather unenjoyable bike handling, but was a great car-less/board-less option otherwise.

I took the first right onto Culham Trail, not knowing there were easterly and westerly sections. The easterly one guided me to an all-too-familiar gravel path. Its deep ridges and downright declivitous profile jogged memories of a summer afternoon. An uninformed decision to bike down was met with injury and scarring of the limbs; inability to control the bike had resulted in a season's worth of trauma and wound nursing. This time, I had disembarked well in advance and made steady downward steps.

​​Well into the marshes, I continued along the dusty, dirty path until a clearing of the Credit River. I proceeded along until reaching the underside of the 403. I hadn't initially been aware of my location, and had even assumed to be underneath Eglinton. From the rumbles above my head and utilization of bents though, I should have known that the grade separation belonged to a high-speed, heavy volume passage of sorts.

A calmer section of the Credit River was visible here. Climbing up the trail, I observed a split. The right would lead me to a grassy, narrow path along the highway, into even narrower trails amongst the trees, then loop back to where I started. The left led to me Ellis Leuschner Challenge Park and Somerville construction grounds. Looping through the residential roads, I found the MUP on Eglinton and commenced my trip home, thoroughly exhausted from the desultory detour.

Injeolmi Shortbread constituted the sole creation of the week.

Crafted from Sunday Baking's tried-and-trusted formula, 20 g of cake flour was swapped out for nutty soybean powder. Variances in texture and flavour were minimal, prompting a greater quantity for substitution in the next attempt.

The tangy essence of cultured butter was more evident in this variation, though may not be mandatory if the endeavour to incorporate addition flavours is considered. While Sunday took to toothpicks for docking of holes, my preference lay with a round metal chopstick. Its non-stick, temperature-controlling properties were ideal for uniform indents and creating scalloped edges.

Tips of the triangular segments emerged darker than desired. Impacts to consistency, however, were largely indiscernible.

​Other items sampled throughout the week included banana rolls made of glutinous rice flour, otherwise known as 香蕉糕, a scrumptious Labour Day takeout of Nando's Chicken, and my birthday buddy's homemade Blueberry Cream Cheese Crumble Muffins.

​We forgeoed the spicy sauce, but devoured the remainder of the order in its entirety. The Garlic Bread was fragrant, while the Potato Wedges crisp and satisfying. Earning fewer favours were the peppery grilled veggies and soggy Nata. With that said, the star of the show proved succulent, adequately seasoned, and utterly fabulous.

Despite a dismal experience with the Shortbread Fingers, curiosity towards the Walkers brand prevailed. The sugar-decked Shortbread Rounds were secured during a (bi-)weekly Loblaws run at approximately 1.5 times the price of the Fingers. With that said (and funds relinquished), it can be confirmed that product quality adopts a linearly proportional relationship with cost.​

The work week concluded with an impromptu visit to The Rec Room.

​High scores were obtained on the Grand Piano Keys as well as Mario Kart.

A golden glow seeped through the windows at the time of our departure. I took my suppressed salad needs to Cultures, where a Greek Salad with Chicken Breast was obtained. 

We strolled past BLACKPINK in the Bentley display window and readied ourselves - or rather, myself - for consumption in The Square. Slated for an 8 o'clock closure though, I only managed one forkful before our coerced egress. Needless to say, remnants of my bowl were devoured from the trunk, ambiance provided only from streetlighting and incoming nearby vehicles.