Vacation Day 17 - August 15 - Hanover to Desboro
Our destination today is to go to visit my brother on his farm. We don't want to arrive too early as he has just arrived from out of town himself last night. We need to be out of our lodgings by 11 a.m. So we got up and walked to a local restaurant for breakfast. The morning is already very hot and humid. It's oppressively sweltering as we walked across a newly paved parking area. The heat was just reflecting back up to us through our shoes and from the ground. As we ate our breakfast, we planned our day. We decided to be fair to my brother and not arrive there until after lunch. So we decided to go looking for geocaches in Hanover before climbing on the bike and taking the back roads to my brother's farm. After leaving the restaurant, we walked across to the raceway to find 2 geocaches. One was a quick find although we were out in the open and I'm sure we were watched by the trainers sitting outside the barns while one of their horses was put through the paces on the track. I'm also sure that customers from the racetrack dining area were able to see us look for the one geocache. The other geocache was trickier. We decided not to go into the woods to look for it. We were wearing shorts and short socks. I did not want to accidentally walk into a patch of poison ivy or get some ticks on us. So we walked back to our lodgings, loaded up The Goldwing and checked out.
Our next stop was to find a geocache nearby. Hubby looked and looked. I figured it out pretty quickly because I had seen one like this in North Carolina a few years ago. We hopped back on the bike and made our way to our next geocache location. We spent a good hour or more here as we enjoyed the peacefulness and shade. We did see a white caterpillar that we recognized from a news article as being labelled as poisonous. We were sure not to touch it. It was beautiful but there are spines on it that are poisonous and can cause swelling, pain and itching similar to bee stings. Finally it is time to hop on The Goldwing to continue our trip.
Our back roads trek to the farm was beautiful. The fields look good and healthy. We rode through a Mennonite area and saw a farmer with his big wagon full of hay bales being pulled by a couple of horses towards his barn. We saw women and children working in their gardens. We saw a young man driving his horse and cart along a side road. He waited for us to go by on The Goldwing and he waved as we went by. Then we arrived at "The Farm". My sister-in-law welcomed us with warm smiles and enthusiasm. My brother was out in the field working hard to bring in the harvest before the forecasted rain for the next day.
My sister-in-law visited with us and then included us in her travels as she had some errands to do. She showed interest in our geocaching hobby and so on the way, we stoppped to find a local geocache around the corner. She seemed to be hooked. We went into Chesley to do the errands and she took us to a beautiful little memorial park with an old railway trestle. Lo and behold, there was a geocache in the park! We really enjoyed learning about the history of the area with the display that was set up. In the park, we also saw a van and driver who had brought some Mennonite young people to the park. They were from the Kitchener area and in the Chesley area for a wedding. Before we made our walk to the railway trestle, we looked for the geocache. I had the GPS but my sister-in-law saw the little cache before Hubby or I. She was so excited to see it. We enjoyed our walk through the park and the visit with my sister-in-law. When we climbed back into her car, she took us with her as she picked up a couple of items from the grocery store. Then on the way back to "The Farm", she took us to a beautiful lake that I had no idea was in the area. There was a small public access park that she knew about. She used to take my nephews here when they were little boys. After spending some peaceful time wading in the water, it was time to climb back in the car and return to make dinner.
We enjoyed a lovely dinner with my sister-in-law and nephew while my brother continued to work a very long day getting his grain in. We did see him and visit briefly with him when he came in after 9 p.m. for his dinner. He was very tired and I had great sympathy for him. We all headed to bed as we all were feeling tired but my brother was exhausted.
Vacation Day 18 - August 16 - Desboro to Kitchener
I awoke around 7:00. I realized my sister-in-law was not up yet and my brother and nephew were most likely in the barn doing the milking and chores. I quietly read some farm magazines and then got myself dressed and went upstairs to the kitchen. My sister-in-law was up and we spent time on the front porch with our coffee. Hubby joined us a little bit later. It was warm and muggy but there was a nice breeze. It was decided to have a fully cooked breakfast and treat my brother to this when he arrived in from the barn around 8:30-9:00. My nephew had already been in, changed and left for his day at the office. It was great to see him. I saw my other nephew briefly as he had arrived from a business trip late the day before. He dropped in on his way to work just long enough to say hello. We enjoyed our breakfast with my brother but he was still so tired. The skies were full of cumulous clouds that looked like they could build up to a thunderstorm. After my sister-in-law and I had cleaned up from breakfast, my brother went for a nap and Hubby treated my sister-in-law to a ride on The Goldwing. She was full of smiles when she arrived back about a half hour later. While they were gone, I had continued to clean up from breakfast and get our things packed up. Once The Goldwing was back in the laneway, Hubby and I loaded up the bike and said our goodbyes. My brother had been up and away on the ATV do check on something but he was back and we were able to say a brief goodbye. Off we went back onto the roads leading to Kitchener.
Due to the construction season, our ride down to Kitchener took us along roads that I had not been on in over 30 years! It was wonderful and a ride down memory lane for me. As we approached the area of Waterloo Region, we could see the sky getting nasty looking. Not far away were two systems of clouds that were very dark and threatening. We were still riding in sunlight but it wouldn't be for long. Hubby was looking for a place that was safe to pull over and we could put on our rain gear. He finally found an intersection where both roads were paved. He pulled over to the side on some pavement and we quickly donned our rain pants and coats. Thank goodness we did! The wind picked up and the sky went black. Then the rain pelted us so hard it felt like hail but it wasn't. Visibility was terrible. Hubby had his hands full trying to keep the bike upright. The wind was so strong, my helmet felt like it was being pulled upwards. I'm sure if it wasn't a good fit and the it wasn't strapped on, it would have been gone. We were so glad to survive that storm and arrive at my brother's home in Kitchener! We stripped off the rain gear and had to hang it to dry. The rain had even managed to make my seat wet where I had been sitting! But our rain gear did its job and our motorcycle jackets and our clothes were good and dry. Hubby had made an appointment while in Desboro to have his front tire replaced at the Honda dealership in Kitchener. So he and my brother went off to drop off The Goldwing and bring Hubby back home. The bike will be picked up in a couple of days.
We ended our day with a great visit with my brother and sister-in-law. It was good to get some laundry done and have clean clothes again. We enjoyed a sushi dinner at one of their local restaurants. I guess my son had introduced my sister-in-law to this restaurant when he had visited them earlier in the summer.
Vacation Day 19 - August 17 - Kitchener
I really enjoy visiting my brother. He is a morning person just like me and we always have a visit to ourselves while Hubby and my sister-in-law sleep in. I always look forward to enjoying my coffee on my brother's back deck in the early mornings with him. We just visit quietly and listen to the birds. Once we were all up on this day, we went for brunch at a restaurant called A Dish Called Wanda. This tickled my funny bone because I love the movie "A Fish Called Wanda"! It was very busy and we weren't in a hurry. We chatted and earlier we had decided to go the horse races this particular night. The longer we waited, we realized that we would not need to worry about trying to fit dinner into our race plans. This suited us just fine! I felt sorry for the poor server who was the only one serving a packed restaurant. We did enjoy making her laugh and give us brief smiles as she was run off her feet. Even one of the kitchen staff had to come out and help the server deliver food. It was good food though. After our "brunch", we returned to my brother's home and put in time until it was time to head to the races.
We all had a great time! My brother was the "big" winner of the four of us. Even he didn't win "big" but we all had fun.The ride back to my brother's home took us through a torrential downpour and thunderstorm. We had to wait in the car in the driveway for the rain to let up slightly so we could make the dash into the house.
Vacation Day 20 - August 18 - Kitchener
The rain from the night before finally broke some of the oppressive humidity and the morning visit on the deck was very enjoyable. It was decided to have my mother come for dinner at his house that evening. I love visiting my brother because it is always very laid back and I always seem to relax and feel refreshed. This day was no different. Once Hubby awoke and was coherent, my brother, Hubby and I went in my brother's car to drop Hubby off at the Honda dealership to pick up The Goldwing. Then my brother and I went off to do some groceries before returning to his home. I have always been close to my brother and we enjoy whatever time we have together. Once we arrived "home", we all settled down to watch the Blue Jays play baseball until it was time to make dinner. My mom arrived and we enjoyed a visit with her too until dinner.
For dinner, my brother barbecued some steak and baked potatoes. I made a caesar salad and my sister-in-law made some vegetables. My mom brought rhubarb pie for dessert. I opened my mead that I had bought earlier on in our vacation and shared it amongst all of us. It received mixed reviews. Hubby thought it was too sweet. My sister-in-law and I liked it. My brother thought it was OK but a bit on the sweet side. This was the semi-sweet mead. I liked it just fine. We enjoyed some coffee while we played a game of Hearts (cards). My mom won the game.
We were all tired and after my mom left to return home, we were soon in bed for the night. I didn't hear it but I guess there was a party going on behind the house that kept Hubby and my sister-in-law up until after midnight. I must have been very tired to not have heard it.
Vacation Day 21 - August 19 - Kitchener to Kingston
I woke up around 7 and made my way to the deck to visit with my brother. I was very surprised to see my sister-in-law on the deck too! She is not a morning person! This is when I heard about the party from the night before. We visited until close to 8 when I woke Hubby and we all went to my brother's regular breakfast spot. We enjoyed a full breakfast together and then returned "home". My brother had to head over to my mom's to do some chores so Hubby, sister-in-law and I visited a little longer. She took their dog for a walk while Hubby and I packed up our belongings and started loading the bike. We said our good byes after she arrived back home and we were on the road by 10 a.m. We chose to ride across country and avoid the major highway 401. Our big breakfast held us through so we didn't need to stop for lunch. We stopped for gas and a snack in Hastings. There was an antique car show going on and the little village was very busy. The roads were also busy probably due to the end of The Havelock Country Jamboree. Our son had gone there for 4 days and I half expected to see him on the road. The line up this year included Toby Keith, Tim Hicks and Dean Brody among others. We didn't come across our son but the roads were busy. Closer to Napannee, we were on a paved back road that we had never been on before. A small river ran along beside the road and I saw a turtle sunning itself on a rock in the middle of the stream. It must have been there for some time because the shell wasn't shiny and wet. It was alive though as I could see the head lifted up and looking around.
We finally made it home about 5:30. I am really tired. Our son was home as well and he was also tired. We had been in touch with him while we stopped for gas in Hastings. We had indicated to him that we would take him out for supper once we got home and unloaded. We kept our word and ended up at the local St. Louis Wings restaurant. They had a promotion for all you can eat ribs so we took advantage of that. I didn't realize I was so tired. I ate my ribs and just wanted to go to bed. It was an early night for both Hubby and I.
August 20
I am still very tired after a disrupted sleep. Our cat has obviously missed us. He did not want to leave me alone during the night. Today I will unpack and start some laundry. My garden is full of tomatoes ready to be picked. My beets need to be picked. My garlic needs to be harvested. My garden is full of weeds and needs to be cleaned up. I have some dog strangling vine has shown up in my flowerbed. I need to get it out of there. So today will be a busy day but at a pace that my tired body can handle. I am looking forward to seeing my chiropractor late this afternoon. The 3 week vacation has been wonderful! But sometimes the beds and pillows have not been as wonderful. I am really happy to back in my own bed and using my own pillow again. Life is fantastic and I'm physically feeling well!
Monday 20 August 2018
Wednesday 15 August 2018
VACATION DAYS 14 to 16
Day 14 - Sight Seeing
Our friend took us for breakfast and then took us sightseeing south of the area where he lives. We travelled many back county roads and saw prosperous farms. As we continued along, I started to recognize villages that we had recently ridden through on our motorcycle. I recognized areas where we had found some geocaches. Our travels on this day with our friend took us to Oil Springs. We visited the Oil Museum which is on the site of the very first oil North America! As we climbed out of the car, all I could smell was oil. This was a great museum! We thoroughly enjoyed the experience. After going through the museum, we went on a wagon ride through an oil field that is still producing oil using the same techniques of the late 1800's!
After this marvelous experience, our friend took us to a craft beer pub in Sarnia. We had a flight of 8 beers. They were unremarkable but we enjoyed good conversation. The next stop on our friend's tour was Dairy Queen for a cold treat on a very hot day. Off we went again with only our friend knowing what was next on the day's agenda. We ended up taking a direct route to his home. We enjoyed a hearty steak dinner followed by another campfire. I was quite tired and my day ended around 9:30.
DAY 15 Lambton Shores to Port Dover
After going out for breakfast with our friend, we were "on the road again". The Goldwing took us down several secondary roads en route to Port Dover. I did find the country song On The Road Again going through my head on this very hot day. We arrived at our destination around 4 p.m. We checked into our Airbnb lodging which was on the main street. This meant we could walk to wherever we wanted to go. On our way to The Beach House for dinner, we stopped to find a geocache along the way. For dinner I enjoyed Port Dover perch and a local blueberry beer made in Langton. We relaxed with a view of Lake Erie while we ate dinner. The sun was beginning to set and the water was full of beautiful, soft hues of blue, pink and purple. The lake was calm as the last of the pleasure boats came back to the harbour. After dinner, we meandered around the town while looking for more geocaches. Again, I was tired and Hubby and I returned to our lodging where we watched some television. Then I settled in for a good night's sleep.
DAY 16 - Port Dover to Port Rowan to Hanover
After breakfast at a local diner, we packed up The Goldwing and went geocaching around Port Dover before heading out. We took the scenic Water Front Trail to Port Rowan. We had made arrangements to visit with my mom's cousin who has been one of my supporters throughout the years of fighting lymphoma. We had a lovely warm visit filled with refreshments and lots of fun. Before I knew it, Hubby indicated it was time to return to the road. I found myself feeling teary eyed as we said our goodbyes.
We rode along secondary highways and county roads on our way to Hanover. We went through through Woodstock, Tavistock, Palmerston and arrived in Hanover around 6:30. We checked into our motel and then went for dinner across the road at the racetrack. Although there were no races this night, we saw a horse being taken around the track while the driver seemed to be timing the horse. We visited the slots after dinner but we were not big winners. We returned to our motel and made plans for tomorrow.
Our friend took us for breakfast and then took us sightseeing south of the area where he lives. We travelled many back county roads and saw prosperous farms. As we continued along, I started to recognize villages that we had recently ridden through on our motorcycle. I recognized areas where we had found some geocaches. Our travels on this day with our friend took us to Oil Springs. We visited the Oil Museum which is on the site of the very first oil North America! As we climbed out of the car, all I could smell was oil. This was a great museum! We thoroughly enjoyed the experience. After going through the museum, we went on a wagon ride through an oil field that is still producing oil using the same techniques of the late 1800's!
After this marvelous experience, our friend took us to a craft beer pub in Sarnia. We had a flight of 8 beers. They were unremarkable but we enjoyed good conversation. The next stop on our friend's tour was Dairy Queen for a cold treat on a very hot day. Off we went again with only our friend knowing what was next on the day's agenda. We ended up taking a direct route to his home. We enjoyed a hearty steak dinner followed by another campfire. I was quite tired and my day ended around 9:30.
DAY 15 Lambton Shores to Port Dover
After going out for breakfast with our friend, we were "on the road again". The Goldwing took us down several secondary roads en route to Port Dover. I did find the country song On The Road Again going through my head on this very hot day. We arrived at our destination around 4 p.m. We checked into our Airbnb lodging which was on the main street. This meant we could walk to wherever we wanted to go. On our way to The Beach House for dinner, we stopped to find a geocache along the way. For dinner I enjoyed Port Dover perch and a local blueberry beer made in Langton. We relaxed with a view of Lake Erie while we ate dinner. The sun was beginning to set and the water was full of beautiful, soft hues of blue, pink and purple. The lake was calm as the last of the pleasure boats came back to the harbour. After dinner, we meandered around the town while looking for more geocaches. Again, I was tired and Hubby and I returned to our lodging where we watched some television. Then I settled in for a good night's sleep.
DAY 16 - Port Dover to Port Rowan to Hanover
After breakfast at a local diner, we packed up The Goldwing and went geocaching around Port Dover before heading out. We took the scenic Water Front Trail to Port Rowan. We had made arrangements to visit with my mom's cousin who has been one of my supporters throughout the years of fighting lymphoma. We had a lovely warm visit filled with refreshments and lots of fun. Before I knew it, Hubby indicated it was time to return to the road. I found myself feeling teary eyed as we said our goodbyes.
We rode along secondary highways and county roads on our way to Hanover. We went through through Woodstock, Tavistock, Palmerston and arrived in Hanover around 6:30. We checked into our motel and then went for dinner across the road at the racetrack. Although there were no races this night, we saw a horse being taken around the track while the driver seemed to be timing the horse. We visited the slots after dinner but we were not big winners. We returned to our motel and made plans for tomorrow.
Tuesday 14 August 2018
VACATION - Day 12 and 13
Day 12 - Chatham to Lambton Shores - August 10
This was our 27th anniversary. We had a large breakfast and went for a long walk around the town while finding some geocachers. We were allowed to leave The Goldwing in the hotel parking lot even though we had already checked out. We finally hopped on The Goldwing around 1 p.m. While we were filling up on fuel before leaving Chatham, a gentleman asked me for directions to the Fergie Jenkins Ball Park. I explained that I was not from Chatham and couldn't help him out. Our son played baseball there many years ago.
Hubby and I hopped on The Goldwing and went to our next stop in North Buxton. We visited The Underground Railroad Museum. This was the last stop for The Underground Railroad. If you ever are in the area, this is a great site to visit! We also found a geocache st this location. We finally continued on our motorcycle to our next destination near Grand Bend where we visited with our friends for a few days. He was one of our groomsmen at our wedding 27 years ago. We arrived at his home and we all visited around a campfire while looking at the stars. It was a full day.
Day 13 - Grand Bend - August 11
Our day was planned by our friend. All he would say about the day is that it was a surprise. We started out with a visit to the Grand Bend Historic Gaol. We took a tour of it and then went to find a geocache that was hidden nearby. Our friend did not know much about geocaching and so we introduced him to it. After the gaol, our friend drove us to the Sifto Salt mine on Lake Huron. We drove right down to the harbour. Then we drove to a local trail called the Tiger Dunlop Trail. We walked along to a tomb that our friend wanted to show us. It was a long but enjoyable walk. Of course we just had to stop and find more geocaches. After returning to the car, our friend drove us around the area and we saw many beautiful sights. We meandered around in the car and found ourselves stopping at the Cowbell Craft Brewery. Our friend had a reservation for a tour of the brewery. It has only been open for 1 year. It was an interesting tour but none of the lines were in operation because they shut down on weekends. We did stay for dinner on the brewery's patio where we ate delicious pizza. We returned to our friend's home and enjoyed another campfire. It was another great day!
This was our 27th anniversary. We had a large breakfast and went for a long walk around the town while finding some geocachers. We were allowed to leave The Goldwing in the hotel parking lot even though we had already checked out. We finally hopped on The Goldwing around 1 p.m. While we were filling up on fuel before leaving Chatham, a gentleman asked me for directions to the Fergie Jenkins Ball Park. I explained that I was not from Chatham and couldn't help him out. Our son played baseball there many years ago.
Hubby and I hopped on The Goldwing and went to our next stop in North Buxton. We visited The Underground Railroad Museum. This was the last stop for The Underground Railroad. If you ever are in the area, this is a great site to visit! We also found a geocache st this location. We finally continued on our motorcycle to our next destination near Grand Bend where we visited with our friends for a few days. He was one of our groomsmen at our wedding 27 years ago. We arrived at his home and we all visited around a campfire while looking at the stars. It was a full day.
Day 13 - Grand Bend - August 11
Our day was planned by our friend. All he would say about the day is that it was a surprise. We started out with a visit to the Grand Bend Historic Gaol. We took a tour of it and then went to find a geocache that was hidden nearby. Our friend did not know much about geocaching and so we introduced him to it. After the gaol, our friend drove us to the Sifto Salt mine on Lake Huron. We drove right down to the harbour. Then we drove to a local trail called the Tiger Dunlop Trail. We walked along to a tomb that our friend wanted to show us. It was a long but enjoyable walk. Of course we just had to stop and find more geocaches. After returning to the car, our friend drove us around the area and we saw many beautiful sights. We meandered around in the car and found ourselves stopping at the Cowbell Craft Brewery. Our friend had a reservation for a tour of the brewery. It has only been open for 1 year. It was an interesting tour but none of the lines were in operation because they shut down on weekends. We did stay for dinner on the brewery's patio where we ate delicious pizza. We returned to our friend's home and enjoyed another campfire. It was another great day!
Friday 10 August 2018
Vacation - Days 10 and 11
DAY 10 August 8 - Sauble Beach to Goderich
After a wonderfully full breakfast at my aunt's trailer, I went for a walk down to the camp laundry to clean our clothes for the next leg of our trip. We really don't have a plan for where we are traveling to next. Each day now is a great adventure. Unfortunately, there was a long line up in the laundry room. So Hubby and I walked back to my cousin's trailer to pack up. Then we enjoyed a visit with my family. It was full of laughter and good conversation while we watched the funny antics of my cousin's young children. Too soon it was time to load The Goldwing and leave. Hubby made one of my cousin's little girls' day by taking her for a short ride around the park. We then hopped aboard the bike and hit the road. We took Highway 21 all the way to Goderich. I am so thankful that Hubby is a very cautious and defensive rider. We were in Southampton and waiting to turn right to follow the highway when a woman driving a SUV approached from our left. She had her right signal on, slowed down and started into her turn. Hubby started out slowly to make his right. Next thing we know the woman in her SUV has changed her mind and is going straight at us. Hubby braked abruptly and was able to keep our motorcycle upright. The woman had also stopped with her eyes wide, and both hands covering her mouth. Hubby motioned for her to continue. It is safer for us to follow a driver like that.
We had a great time on The Goldwing for the rest of the ride to Goderich. The views consisted of farms and views of Lake Huron. We enjoyed our dinner in downtown Goderich where they have beautifully rebuilt the town centre after the tornado in 2011 demolished all the buildings. We found a geocache after dinner and then hung out at the local laundromat to finally have clean clothes.
DAY 11 August 9 - Goderich to Chatham
After my favourite breakfast at McDonald's, we went geocaching around Goderich. We were back on the road around 12:30. We again enjoyed fantastic views of Lake Huron and bustling farms as the farmers harvested their grain and spread manor. I don't mind the cattle smell but I really don't like pig or chicken smells. We did stop for a stretch and to find a geocache in a cemetery along the way. At the same time, a man was mowing the grass in the cemetery. In order to retrieve the geocache without being seen, I ran to get it while he was riding the mower away from the cache. I signed the log while sitting on a bench and it appeared to the worker that I was paying my respects to a grave. Hubby then waited for the worker to ride away from the cache location and he ran to replace the cache.
We arrived in Chatham in the late afternoon and checked into Retro Suites Hotel. We enjoyed a lovely dinner to celebrate our 27th anniversary a day early. After dinner we went geocaching before the expected rain and thunderstorms began in the area. We will finish our geocaching in the morning before going to our next destination.
After a wonderfully full breakfast at my aunt's trailer, I went for a walk down to the camp laundry to clean our clothes for the next leg of our trip. We really don't have a plan for where we are traveling to next. Each day now is a great adventure. Unfortunately, there was a long line up in the laundry room. So Hubby and I walked back to my cousin's trailer to pack up. Then we enjoyed a visit with my family. It was full of laughter and good conversation while we watched the funny antics of my cousin's young children. Too soon it was time to load The Goldwing and leave. Hubby made one of my cousin's little girls' day by taking her for a short ride around the park. We then hopped aboard the bike and hit the road. We took Highway 21 all the way to Goderich. I am so thankful that Hubby is a very cautious and defensive rider. We were in Southampton and waiting to turn right to follow the highway when a woman driving a SUV approached from our left. She had her right signal on, slowed down and started into her turn. Hubby started out slowly to make his right. Next thing we know the woman in her SUV has changed her mind and is going straight at us. Hubby braked abruptly and was able to keep our motorcycle upright. The woman had also stopped with her eyes wide, and both hands covering her mouth. Hubby motioned for her to continue. It is safer for us to follow a driver like that.
We had a great time on The Goldwing for the rest of the ride to Goderich. The views consisted of farms and views of Lake Huron. We enjoyed our dinner in downtown Goderich where they have beautifully rebuilt the town centre after the tornado in 2011 demolished all the buildings. We found a geocache after dinner and then hung out at the local laundromat to finally have clean clothes.
DAY 11 August 9 - Goderich to Chatham
After my favourite breakfast at McDonald's, we went geocaching around Goderich. We were back on the road around 12:30. We again enjoyed fantastic views of Lake Huron and bustling farms as the farmers harvested their grain and spread manor. I don't mind the cattle smell but I really don't like pig or chicken smells. We did stop for a stretch and to find a geocache in a cemetery along the way. At the same time, a man was mowing the grass in the cemetery. In order to retrieve the geocache without being seen, I ran to get it while he was riding the mower away from the cache. I signed the log while sitting on a bench and it appeared to the worker that I was paying my respects to a grave. Hubby then waited for the worker to ride away from the cache location and he ran to replace the cache.
We arrived in Chatham in the late afternoon and checked into Retro Suites Hotel. We enjoyed a lovely dinner to celebrate our 27th anniversary a day early. After dinner we went geocaching before the expected rain and thunderstorms began in the area. We will finish our geocaching in the morning before going to our next destination.
Wednesday 8 August 2018
Vacation - Day 5 to 9
DAY 5 Friday August 3
Hubby and I stayed in Killarney at Killarney Mountain Resort. This is a 5 star resort that attracts visitors from across the world. We needed a day off The Goldwing. After enjoying a full breakfast, we decided to go for a long walk. It was already hot and humid by 9 a.m. Off we went to hike along the Lighthouse Trail. To our dismay it was closed due to construction on the new conference centre being built at the resort. So we walked along the road into the village of Killarney. We followed the signs to the Killarney airport and also saw signs to the lighthouse. The walk to the lighthouse took us past some areas that were normally swampy wetlands. It was sad to see the lily pads all shriveled and dried up. The ground was baked and cracked. The reds were also dried up. When we arrived at the lighthouse, the views were stunning. This area of Ontario is full of red rocks. The shoreline was a tumble of red boulders that swept sharply into Georgian Bay. It was like looking at a Group of Seven painting. We did not see much wildlife on our return to the resort.
Once we arrived back from our walk, we enjoyed a nice cold bottle water and we shared a scone. We spent some time in the pool before it got overrun with the young families. We spent the rest of our afternoon sitting in Adirondack chairs on the rocks near our cabin. We read and watched the antics of the weasels playing in the water. There was lots of boats arriving in Killarney Bay for the long weekend.
Our evening started with a high end meal for Dinner overlooking the pool and the bay. After dinner, we made our way to the Carousel which was the lodge's bar. There was live music which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was a wonderfully relaxing day which allowed us to recharge our batteries.
DAY 6 Saturday August 4
After a full breakfast, we packed up The Goldwing to get back on the road again. Just as we were ready to climb aboard, a lady approached us to ask if we were riding south. We actually were going to head north. She was the mayor of Killarney and had been evacuated from her home on a sideload south of the village. During our stay, we did not see or smell any smoke from the forest fire in The Killarney Provincial Park. We got on The Goldwing and made our way to Manitoulin Island. We met up with my sister and her family at a a cottage. What a wonderful time we had together.
DAY 7 - Manitoulin Island
We continued our visit with my sister and her family. They took us to a local village where we indulged in some homemade chocolate and also visited a candy store. We also enjoyed an easy walk along a municipal trail to see Bridal Veil Falls. It was a very hot day with lots of humidity. During the night, I did hear some wolves howling.
DAY 8 - Manitoulin Island to Huntsville
This particular day rain was in the forecast. We stopped for lunch and gas in Lively. After lunch we put on our rain gear and continued on our way east to Highway 69 then south to Huntsville. We stayed overnight with friends and enjoyed our visit. We ate dinner at The Lake of Bays Brewpub. The food and drinks were very good.
DAY 9 - Huntsville to Sauble Beach
We were on the road by 9 and meandered our way to Highway 26 where we continued our trek toward Sauble. It was a walk down memory lane for me. We visited my several graves of family members. This provided opportunities to stretch our legs during the trip. We arrived at Sauble Beach in the late afternoon. We have enjoyed an excellent emotionally warm visit with my aunt, uncle and cousins. We stayed overnight here and are not fully sure of our travel plans for the next few days. Keep tuned as I'm sure I will have a blast.
Hubby and I stayed in Killarney at Killarney Mountain Resort. This is a 5 star resort that attracts visitors from across the world. We needed a day off The Goldwing. After enjoying a full breakfast, we decided to go for a long walk. It was already hot and humid by 9 a.m. Off we went to hike along the Lighthouse Trail. To our dismay it was closed due to construction on the new conference centre being built at the resort. So we walked along the road into the village of Killarney. We followed the signs to the Killarney airport and also saw signs to the lighthouse. The walk to the lighthouse took us past some areas that were normally swampy wetlands. It was sad to see the lily pads all shriveled and dried up. The ground was baked and cracked. The reds were also dried up. When we arrived at the lighthouse, the views were stunning. This area of Ontario is full of red rocks. The shoreline was a tumble of red boulders that swept sharply into Georgian Bay. It was like looking at a Group of Seven painting. We did not see much wildlife on our return to the resort.
Once we arrived back from our walk, we enjoyed a nice cold bottle water and we shared a scone. We spent some time in the pool before it got overrun with the young families. We spent the rest of our afternoon sitting in Adirondack chairs on the rocks near our cabin. We read and watched the antics of the weasels playing in the water. There was lots of boats arriving in Killarney Bay for the long weekend.
Our evening started with a high end meal for Dinner overlooking the pool and the bay. After dinner, we made our way to the Carousel which was the lodge's bar. There was live music which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was a wonderfully relaxing day which allowed us to recharge our batteries.
DAY 6 Saturday August 4
After a full breakfast, we packed up The Goldwing to get back on the road again. Just as we were ready to climb aboard, a lady approached us to ask if we were riding south. We actually were going to head north. She was the mayor of Killarney and had been evacuated from her home on a sideload south of the village. During our stay, we did not see or smell any smoke from the forest fire in The Killarney Provincial Park. We got on The Goldwing and made our way to Manitoulin Island. We met up with my sister and her family at a a cottage. What a wonderful time we had together.
DAY 7 - Manitoulin Island
We continued our visit with my sister and her family. They took us to a local village where we indulged in some homemade chocolate and also visited a candy store. We also enjoyed an easy walk along a municipal trail to see Bridal Veil Falls. It was a very hot day with lots of humidity. During the night, I did hear some wolves howling.
DAY 8 - Manitoulin Island to Huntsville
This particular day rain was in the forecast. We stopped for lunch and gas in Lively. After lunch we put on our rain gear and continued on our way east to Highway 69 then south to Huntsville. We stayed overnight with friends and enjoyed our visit. We ate dinner at The Lake of Bays Brewpub. The food and drinks were very good.
DAY 9 - Huntsville to Sauble Beach
We were on the road by 9 and meandered our way to Highway 26 where we continued our trek toward Sauble. It was a walk down memory lane for me. We visited my several graves of family members. This provided opportunities to stretch our legs during the trip. We arrived at Sauble Beach in the late afternoon. We have enjoyed an excellent emotionally warm visit with my aunt, uncle and cousins. We stayed overnight here and are not fully sure of our travel plans for the next few days. Keep tuned as I'm sure I will have a blast.
Friday 3 August 2018
Goldwing Vacation - Days 2 to 4
DAY 2 North Bay to Sault Ste. Marie
When we awoke Tuesday morning, our room now smelled like the remnants of campfire smoke. We loaded up The Goldwing and hit the road.
We travelled Highway 17. The smell and haze of smoke did not disappear until almost Sudbury. It was a great day for riding. Being the passenger allowed me to look around and sightsee. I saw a family of osprey fishing in the Mississauga River which meandered beside the highway. Every time we met a logging truck, we could smell the lovely pine scent. As we rode through the rugged Canadian Shield, I was awestruck by the sheer size of the cambrian granite rock cuts we saw. It was neat to see small pine trees clinging to whatever bit of soil and moisture they could find in tiny cracks in the rock.
It was a full day's ride and we arrived in Sault Ste. Marie. We stayed at the Northlander Inn which suit our purposes just fine. After arriving, we walked to the restaurant strip and had dinner. It was an early night as we had to be at the Agawa Canyon train by 7:30 a.m.
DAY 3 - Agawa Canyon Tour
We had a quick McDonalds breakfast and rode The Goldwing to the tour train station. The views from the train were inspiring! I certainly could see where the Group of Seven artists got their inspiration and views for their paintings. Unfortunately, we did not see any wildlife on this day. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining and it was a clear, warm day. Hubby bought us box lunches from the train's dining car. When we arrived at the Agawa Canyon, we found a picnic table in the shade and ate a quick lunch.
Now we were ready to tackle a hike on the canyon trails. At the same time, we looked for the only geocache in the park. We managed to hike the Talus Trail and the River Trail before it was time to return to the train. We were tired and enjoyed the train ride back to Sault Ste. Marie. As we approached "The Soo", the rain started to fall. Hubby realized he had left out rain gear and the motorcycle cover at the hotel. Our original plan was to walk around the waterfront in "The Soo", find some geocachers and enjoy dinner on a patio. Our plans were about to change.
When the train pulled into the station, we could see the rain had already been there. We went to The Goldwing and it was soaked! We decided to forego changing into our jeans and just ride in our shorts for the short distance to our motel. The parking lot for the tour train was directly in front of the local mall. Hubby put his key in the ignition to start The Goldwing. "ALERT! ALERT! THIS IS AN INTRUDER! BEEP BEEP BEEP!" This message screamed its repeated message so loud that it hurt my ears. Hubby thought it was someone else's vehicle but quickly realized that it was his Goldwing. He did not know his bike had an alarm. The message continued to scream. Fellow train passengers stared at us as they walked to their vehicles. Shoppers leaving the mall started at us. One couple came by to help. By this time, Hubby had opened the bike up and was trying to find which of the many wires might be the alarm. The gentleman tried to help by calling his friend who has a goldwing. He was not be able to reach him. This man owned a Harley Davidson. Meanwhile, the alarm continued its screaming. After at least 30 minutes, Hubby finally realized he could contact the gentleman who he bought the bike from 3 years ago. Via the cell phone directions, Hubby managed to finally pull the fuse for the security alarm. Ah! Blessed peace and quiet!
While Hubby put The Goldwing back together, I went into the train station to use the facilities. I promptly got myself locked in. After much maneuvering I was able to rejoin Hubby. What a pair we are!! We climbed on The Goldwing and off we went to the motel. Dinner was a short walk away to a fast food joint. Needless to say, we were both a little frazzled. We settled in for an early night. We had a good laugh. This was one vacation day that will be retold numerous times and with much laughter!
DAY 4 - Sault Ste. Marie to Killarney
We awoke to a major downpour. After looking at The Weather Network, we realized that the rain was going to be stopping by 10:00 a.m. We got ourselves ready and in our rain gear so we would still be dry from the spray off the highway. We got back on Highway 17 East and enjoyed a great ride. The sun came out. It was cool and dry.
Not long after we left Sault Ste. Marie, I saw a small dose (deer) off in a forest pasture to my right. She was at the edge of the treeline. She was a light tan colour. Her face was so delicate! She was beautiful as she rubbed her little black nose along the fine, delicate right foreleg. I felt truly blessed to witness this little bit of nature. This is why I love riding on the back of The Goldwing! I would never have seen this from a car.
We stopped for gas in Blind River. We were on the lookout for more smoke from a new forest fire near Sudbury. We never did see any on our travels this day. We stopped for lunch in Espanola and continued on our way. We had to stop for gas again in Lively.
We took the road towards Killarney off Highway 69. Not far along that road, I looked off to my right along an open area with a meandering creek. I was so excited. I saw a small (young?) black bear drinking from the creek!! It lifted its head at the sound of the Goldwing. The ears were pricked forward in interest. He was so cute looking. But I'm glad I saw him (or her) from a distance.
We arrived at our destination in Killarney. We are staying at Killarney Mountain Lodge. We walked into Killarney for supper and ate fish and chips at Herberts Fisheries. It was great food. We saw sharon along the way. We enjoyed a couple of games of table tennis as we worked off our supper. We need to return and play the tie breaker game. We had a night cap on the lodge's patio. We then enjoyed walking around the resort and marina as the sun started to set. We discovered a couple of Adirondack chairs at the Killarney Bay's edge. We sat and enjoyed the gentle lapping of the water while we saw Georgian Bay in the distance. While we sat there, a weasel ran across the rock in front of us. It jumped into the water and swam along the shoreline. A family of Canadian geese also seem to live in the little cove to the left of the cottage we are staying in.
When we awoke Tuesday morning, our room now smelled like the remnants of campfire smoke. We loaded up The Goldwing and hit the road.
We travelled Highway 17. The smell and haze of smoke did not disappear until almost Sudbury. It was a great day for riding. Being the passenger allowed me to look around and sightsee. I saw a family of osprey fishing in the Mississauga River which meandered beside the highway. Every time we met a logging truck, we could smell the lovely pine scent. As we rode through the rugged Canadian Shield, I was awestruck by the sheer size of the cambrian granite rock cuts we saw. It was neat to see small pine trees clinging to whatever bit of soil and moisture they could find in tiny cracks in the rock.
It was a full day's ride and we arrived in Sault Ste. Marie. We stayed at the Northlander Inn which suit our purposes just fine. After arriving, we walked to the restaurant strip and had dinner. It was an early night as we had to be at the Agawa Canyon train by 7:30 a.m.
DAY 3 - Agawa Canyon Tour
We had a quick McDonalds breakfast and rode The Goldwing to the tour train station. The views from the train were inspiring! I certainly could see where the Group of Seven artists got their inspiration and views for their paintings. Unfortunately, we did not see any wildlife on this day. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining and it was a clear, warm day. Hubby bought us box lunches from the train's dining car. When we arrived at the Agawa Canyon, we found a picnic table in the shade and ate a quick lunch.
Now we were ready to tackle a hike on the canyon trails. At the same time, we looked for the only geocache in the park. We managed to hike the Talus Trail and the River Trail before it was time to return to the train. We were tired and enjoyed the train ride back to Sault Ste. Marie. As we approached "The Soo", the rain started to fall. Hubby realized he had left out rain gear and the motorcycle cover at the hotel. Our original plan was to walk around the waterfront in "The Soo", find some geocachers and enjoy dinner on a patio. Our plans were about to change.
When the train pulled into the station, we could see the rain had already been there. We went to The Goldwing and it was soaked! We decided to forego changing into our jeans and just ride in our shorts for the short distance to our motel. The parking lot for the tour train was directly in front of the local mall. Hubby put his key in the ignition to start The Goldwing. "ALERT! ALERT! THIS IS AN INTRUDER! BEEP BEEP BEEP!" This message screamed its repeated message so loud that it hurt my ears. Hubby thought it was someone else's vehicle but quickly realized that it was his Goldwing. He did not know his bike had an alarm. The message continued to scream. Fellow train passengers stared at us as they walked to their vehicles. Shoppers leaving the mall started at us. One couple came by to help. By this time, Hubby had opened the bike up and was trying to find which of the many wires might be the alarm. The gentleman tried to help by calling his friend who has a goldwing. He was not be able to reach him. This man owned a Harley Davidson. Meanwhile, the alarm continued its screaming. After at least 30 minutes, Hubby finally realized he could contact the gentleman who he bought the bike from 3 years ago. Via the cell phone directions, Hubby managed to finally pull the fuse for the security alarm. Ah! Blessed peace and quiet!
While Hubby put The Goldwing back together, I went into the train station to use the facilities. I promptly got myself locked in. After much maneuvering I was able to rejoin Hubby. What a pair we are!! We climbed on The Goldwing and off we went to the motel. Dinner was a short walk away to a fast food joint. Needless to say, we were both a little frazzled. We settled in for an early night. We had a good laugh. This was one vacation day that will be retold numerous times and with much laughter!
DAY 4 - Sault Ste. Marie to Killarney
We awoke to a major downpour. After looking at The Weather Network, we realized that the rain was going to be stopping by 10:00 a.m. We got ourselves ready and in our rain gear so we would still be dry from the spray off the highway. We got back on Highway 17 East and enjoyed a great ride. The sun came out. It was cool and dry.
Not long after we left Sault Ste. Marie, I saw a small dose (deer) off in a forest pasture to my right. She was at the edge of the treeline. She was a light tan colour. Her face was so delicate! She was beautiful as she rubbed her little black nose along the fine, delicate right foreleg. I felt truly blessed to witness this little bit of nature. This is why I love riding on the back of The Goldwing! I would never have seen this from a car.
We stopped for gas in Blind River. We were on the lookout for more smoke from a new forest fire near Sudbury. We never did see any on our travels this day. We stopped for lunch in Espanola and continued on our way. We had to stop for gas again in Lively.
We took the road towards Killarney off Highway 69. Not far along that road, I looked off to my right along an open area with a meandering creek. I was so excited. I saw a small (young?) black bear drinking from the creek!! It lifted its head at the sound of the Goldwing. The ears were pricked forward in interest. He was so cute looking. But I'm glad I saw him (or her) from a distance.
We arrived at our destination in Killarney. We are staying at Killarney Mountain Lodge. We walked into Killarney for supper and ate fish and chips at Herberts Fisheries. It was great food. We saw sharon along the way. We enjoyed a couple of games of table tennis as we worked off our supper. We need to return and play the tie breaker game. We had a night cap on the lodge's patio. We then enjoyed walking around the resort and marina as the sun started to set. We discovered a couple of Adirondack chairs at the Killarney Bay's edge. We sat and enjoyed the gentle lapping of the water while we saw Georgian Bay in the distance. While we sat there, a weasel ran across the rock in front of us. It jumped into the water and swam along the shoreline. A family of Canadian geese also seem to live in the little cove to the left of the cottage we are staying in.
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