FAB - Feet and Bites

About Our Group
Outdoor exercise is good for the mind and body; our organizers have been doing forest and city hikes in the Mississauga, Toronto, Caledon, Milton, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton and Niagara Regions. We’ll also do day trips by carpool, coffee meetups, breakfasts, dinners, bar nights, music events, and movies. There will be an ethnic culinary focus for some of our dinners and nights out. Our primary focus is 55+ people; this is a safe space for women to socialize without pressure. Our hikes will be labelled by difficulty level, so you will know which hikes are a fit for you. Feet and Bites is a diverse group dedicated to getting in shape while having fun, and enjoying outdoor adventures. Our group offers a range of activities for all interests; whether you enjoy long or short hikes, tough or gentle hikes, there is something for everyone. Feel free to suggest/host hikes, dinners, concerts, etc; variety is good. Let's have some fun and get fit!
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By joining this group, you agree to hold the organizers, and the group at large, harmless in the case of any real or perceived injury sustained while enjoying group events. You also agree that all decisions are your own, and that you will abide by all requirements and best practices of the group. Those terms appear below.
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Carpooling
(Please pay the carpool cost to your driver before departing the meeting spot)
One of the longstanding features of Meetup groups is carpooling. It is a cost-effective and social way to get to events that are further away and out of transit zones. Some people will have friends in the group that they prefer to travel with, and will arrange rides privately with them. If you need a ride, just post your request in the comment section for the event, and see if any driver responds. If offering rides, please do the same. Do check your message inbox, as some responses/requests may be direct messages.
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Access Fee
A one-time access fee of $10.00 will be levied every January. This is not a membership fee; it is a donation which grants yearly access to our platform and information. As such, once a member accesses our group for the first time, the fee's benefits will have been enjoyed, and access to group information and events will be valid for the balance of that year. As a consequence, the fee is not refundable, including in the case of a member's removal for bad behaviour. Paid-up members will have priority access to certain events, and may have exclusive access occasionally. Members who have never submitted the access fee may be removed eventually. Members who have submitted the fee, or who have contributed much more than the fee, will see (E) on their profile, or the year paid for, in brackets; example - (2025), (2026), etc.
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Event Attendance
Organizers need to rely on the accuracy of members' RSVPs; please show up to events you signed up for, and do not just show up at events without having signed up. As mentioned under 'Access Fee' above, attendance at certain events may eventually be restricted to those who have submitted the access fee, or who will be paying the fee at the event. In the case of someone attending such an event without submitting the fee, they may be removed from the group at the organizers' discretion.
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No-shows
Meetup is very good at keeping statistics; therefore, not showing up at an event that you signed up for will result in your being listed as a no-show. Cancelling after the deadline will be regarded as a no-show, as well. Being a no-show more than twice will result in (NS) appearing on the member's profile. In that case, if the member is late for an event, it will be assumed that they are not showing up, and the group will not wait, or their spot will be cancelled. In the rare case of an event with reservations, a guarantee deposit may be required before being allowed to RSVP, which will be returned at the event, or converted to an access fee donation for the current year. Not showing up, or cancelling after the deadline, will result in the fee being kept. Unpaid members with (NS) on their profile are at risk of being removed from the group without notice.
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HIKE RATINGS FOR FAB GROUP
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Easy
(Crampons/spikes/icers are mandatory for all Winter hiking)
Distance: 0 to 8 km
Pace: 3 km/hr or more
No experience needed
Equipment optional
Hard-packed surface, no obstacles, minimal climbing
Little or no change in elevation
Estimated time: no longer than 2 hours
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Moderate
(Crampons/spikes/icers are mandatory for all Winter hiking)
Distance: 0 to 10 km
Pace: 3-4 km/hr
Some basic trail experience needed
Hiking boots, snacks and water recommended
Mostly stable surface with infrequent obstacles, there may be stairs
Moderate changes in elevation, some short steep sections
Estimated time: no longer than 2.5 hours
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Workout
(Crampons/spikes/icers are mandatory for all Winter hiking)
Distance: 0 to 15 km
Pace: 4-5 km/hr
Some basic trail experience needed
Hiking boots, snacks and water recommended
Mostly stable surface with infrequent obstacles, there may be stairs
Moderate changes in elevation, some short steep sections
Estimated time: no longer than 3 hours
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Rugged
(Crampons/spikes/icers are mandatory for all Winter hiking)
Distance: 0 to 15 km
Pace: 3-5 km/hr, as terrain allows
Trail experience recommended
Hiking boots, snacks and water recommended
Persons without hiking boots not allowed to officially hike with the group
Uneven sections, obstacles, occasional protrusions of rocks and roots
Varying changes in elevation, some steep sections
Estimated time: longer than 3 hours
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Difficult
(Crampons/spikes/icers are mandatory for all Winter hiking)
Distance: 0 to over 15 km
Pace: 3-5 km/hr, as terrain allows
Trail experience needed
Hiking boots, snacks and water recommended
Persons without required equipment not allowed to officially hike with the group
Food, snacks, water and some first aid supplies recommended
Different surface types, including some that are not maintained
Uneven sections, obstacles, frequent protrusions of rocks and roots
Possible major changes in elevation with long steep sections
Estimated time: longer than 3.5 hours
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CYCLE RATINGS FOR FAB GROUP
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Beginner
Distance: Up to 10 km
Pace: 8-10 km/hr
No experience needed
Moderate
Distance: up to 20 km
Pace: 10-12 km/hr
No experience needed
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Average
Distance: Up to 30 km
Pace: 12-15 km/hr
Some experience on busy trails needed
Workout
Distance: 35-50 km
Pace: More than 15 km/hr
Some experience on busy trails needed
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Challenging
Distance: 50-70 km
Pace: Varying between 15-25 km/hr
Experience on dirt/paved/multi-use trails needed