Jacqui & Mike after trying out the new tent. Click on the image for more.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Old Mill @ Bedford Mills
Bedford Mills is a very quaint, pretty place. It's just off the beaten track, not too far from Newboro or Westport.
More importantly, Frontenac Provincial Park owns a strip of land, a portage, that allows access from the Rideau system to Devil Lake. This allows a canoe trip to the northern border of Frontenac Provincial Park.
This was the missing link. My gratitude to those who had the foresight to obtain this very, strategic portage.
Jacqui & I started our 2011 camping season, back on the Feb, 5, 2011 at Mew Lake Campground, in Algonquin Park. It was the first time in decades that either of us had camped, albeit in the Santa Fe, winter notwithstanding.
Recently we purchased a tent From Mountain Equipment Co-op in Ottawa. So next week we will hike into Frontenac and do an overnighter in the tent ... sleeping bags, etc. I better get a compass and a map.I'll call the park and get some advice about that.
I need to get in shape, exercise a little more.
Stay tuned, Jacqui will be here soon.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Bald Eagle
Ok, ok, ... here it is being offered up again. Anyway, this was taken on February 5,2011.
We were en route to Algonquin Park. Jacqui and I celebrated our year long friendship, by camping at Mew Lake. The weather was excellent. The wind was calm, it was a crisp -23C.
We slept in the Hyundai Santa Fe. I am 6 feet tall, and when the back seat is folded down, there is enough room for us to sleep comfortably.
We put a tarp down, then lay the closed cell foam insulation on the tarp. Then the opened up summer sleeping bag was put down. Then I put down my opened up parka, (it has a hood), then we climbed onto our 'bed'.
Then we covered ourselves with Jacqui's down sleeping bag. We opened two windows just a crack to allow air in, and to let the moisture vent out.
Surprisingly, we both slept soundly. I woke up once to relieve my bladder. When I returned to the car, I started it and let in run for 20 minutes, to get the coolness out of the air and to let the heat dry off the residual moisture.
We were up by 0715 on Feb. 6.
Neither Jacqui or myself had winter camped since our 20's. This experience has whetted our appetite for more winter, and now ... spring camping! When Jacqui get's back from work in 11 days, we're off to Frontenac Provincial Park for another learning experience.
Frontenac is a back country, natural environment park. You cannot drive to your campsite. There is no car camping. You have to hike in or canoe in. The geography and geology is the same Canadian Shield that Algonquin Park enjoys. Frontenac is 98 kms from here by car, but I am speculating that it is about 40 kms by canoe from here. There is one short, uphill portage near Bedford Mills.
So it's getting to be a pretty interesting. We're learning how to live with the possibility of coming face to face with a black bear. They want to be near us as much as we want to be near them. Our bear education is from the knowledgeable staff at the 3 provincial parks we've visited recently, Kevin at the East Gate at Algonquin, Toby at Murphy's Point, and Bert at Frontenac.
The other issue we are learning about is a nasty thing called giardia, or "Beaver Fever". It is contracted from ingesting human or animal feces, usually from water. So we need to have a small burner of some sort, to boil water, and also some type of water purification system.
We checked out stoves at Mountain Equipment Co-Op, while there last week. You can get a good one for about $71.00 to $170.00. We did buy an MEC Camper 2 tent, low profile air matresses and insulating foam, and a couple of small, light stools. The stuff is very compact, quite light.
Less than 100 kms from here are another 3 provincial parks, Silver Lake, Sharbot Lake, and Charleston Lake. Another 2 parks, closer to Ottawa, Rideau River and Fitzroy, north of Ottawa.
All brought about by a sweet anniversary ... what a fun, little project!
Stay tuned, the camping starts when Jacqui gets back!
We were en route to Algonquin Park. Jacqui and I celebrated our year long friendship, by camping at Mew Lake. The weather was excellent. The wind was calm, it was a crisp -23C.
We slept in the Hyundai Santa Fe. I am 6 feet tall, and when the back seat is folded down, there is enough room for us to sleep comfortably.
We put a tarp down, then lay the closed cell foam insulation on the tarp. Then the opened up summer sleeping bag was put down. Then I put down my opened up parka, (it has a hood), then we climbed onto our 'bed'.
Then we covered ourselves with Jacqui's down sleeping bag. We opened two windows just a crack to allow air in, and to let the moisture vent out.
Surprisingly, we both slept soundly. I woke up once to relieve my bladder. When I returned to the car, I started it and let in run for 20 minutes, to get the coolness out of the air and to let the heat dry off the residual moisture.
We were up by 0715 on Feb. 6.
Neither Jacqui or myself had winter camped since our 20's. This experience has whetted our appetite for more winter, and now ... spring camping! When Jacqui get's back from work in 11 days, we're off to Frontenac Provincial Park for another learning experience.
Frontenac is a back country, natural environment park. You cannot drive to your campsite. There is no car camping. You have to hike in or canoe in. The geography and geology is the same Canadian Shield that Algonquin Park enjoys. Frontenac is 98 kms from here by car, but I am speculating that it is about 40 kms by canoe from here. There is one short, uphill portage near Bedford Mills.
So it's getting to be a pretty interesting. We're learning how to live with the possibility of coming face to face with a black bear. They want to be near us as much as we want to be near them. Our bear education is from the knowledgeable staff at the 3 provincial parks we've visited recently, Kevin at the East Gate at Algonquin, Toby at Murphy's Point, and Bert at Frontenac.
The other issue we are learning about is a nasty thing called giardia, or "Beaver Fever". It is contracted from ingesting human or animal feces, usually from water. So we need to have a small burner of some sort, to boil water, and also some type of water purification system.
We checked out stoves at Mountain Equipment Co-Op, while there last week. You can get a good one for about $71.00 to $170.00. We did buy an MEC Camper 2 tent, low profile air matresses and insulating foam, and a couple of small, light stools. The stuff is very compact, quite light.
Less than 100 kms from here are another 3 provincial parks, Silver Lake, Sharbot Lake, and Charleston Lake. Another 2 parks, closer to Ottawa, Rideau River and Fitzroy, north of Ottawa.
All brought about by a sweet anniversary ... what a fun, little project!
Stay tuned, the camping starts when Jacqui gets back!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Xmas Cactus
Here is this years crop, literally. This is the only bloom on the entire plant.
Click on the image to see the post at Flickr.
Click on the image to see the post at Flickr.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Icewall
Here we are heading east out of Algonquin, after camping at Mew Lake camping area in the park. Mew Lake is the only campground open right now.
We saw a couple of groups snowshoeing. I should have got a shot of the yurts, they seem pretty popular at this time of the year because they are heated.
We didn't take many photos, but the ones we got we liked.
Click on the image to see more at Flickr.
We saw a couple of groups snowshoeing. I should have got a shot of the yurts, they seem pretty popular at this time of the year because they are heated.
We didn't take many photos, but the ones we got we liked.
Click on the image to see more at Flickr.
Monday, February 07, 2011
Bald Eagle
Here we are just north of Calabogie, Ontario.
We came around a curve and crested a hill and this dude was perched in a tree.
Fortunately the camera settings were correct. This was the first and only good frame.
The camping was good. Jacqui brought her arctic sleeping bag, that had seen very little service since her time in Yellowknife and Rankin Inlet.
We had a big campfire, there was very lttle wind. Despite the -16 degree temps, we were comfortable, whether awake or asleep.
Algonquin Park is beautiful any time of the year.
To see more images from our recent outdoor adventures, check out Jacqui's flickr account, lifecatcher2010.
Click on the image to go to flickr.
We came around a curve and crested a hill and this dude was perched in a tree.
Fortunately the camera settings were correct. This was the first and only good frame.
The camping was good. Jacqui brought her arctic sleeping bag, that had seen very little service since her time in Yellowknife and Rankin Inlet.
We had a big campfire, there was very lttle wind. Despite the -16 degree temps, we were comfortable, whether awake or asleep.
Algonquin Park is beautiful any time of the year.
To see more images from our recent outdoor adventures, check out Jacqui's flickr account, lifecatcher2010.
Click on the image to go to flickr.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Breakfast
We have to eat. A small, solid start to the day.
Click on the image to go to Mike's Flickr account, if you like.
Click on the image to go to Mike's Flickr account, if you like.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Snowshoeing
Exploring Murphy's Point Provincial Park, on Big Rideau Lake, near Perth, Ontario, Canada.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sunset On The Rideau
A beautiful winter evening on the Rideau. The ice fishing huts have started to appear.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
The White Queen
Happy New Year.
2010, with the luxury of 20/20 hindsight; it was an incredible year.It was not without situations that required solutions.
The best year ever!
2010, with the luxury of 20/20 hindsight; it was an incredible year.It was not without situations that required solutions.
The best year ever!
Monday, January 03, 2011
Sitting On The Frozen Waves
Happy New Year!
This is in Port Burwell, the day before Xmas. It was a beautiful winter day.
This is in Port Burwell, the day before Xmas. It was a beautiful winter day.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Hog Island On The Right
The channel is frozen. Drilled to 7 inches. Another inch of snow overnight.
We got some snowshoes, so we'll be able to get out on the lake.
It's an enjoyable week leading up to Christmas.
We got some snowshoes, so we'll be able to get out on the lake.
It's an enjoyable week leading up to Christmas.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
CP 9703
It felt so good to walk away from this. Not a scratch, not a bruise for either one of us.
Nothing is the same anymore. This has changed my perspective on life ... and death.
What a good life.
Nothing is the same anymore. This has changed my perspective on life ... and death.
What a good life.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Monday, August 09, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Hog Island On The Starboard
Hog Island on the upper right. The channel between the mainland and Hog Island.
This has been an amazing summer. The people we have met, even the fact that we met each other, has all been so enjoyable.
It comes down to the people in our lives.
I did the laundry in Perth and had a beer while doing it. The bookstore had free books left out, and I got three; poems by William Wordsworth, a book by Herb Cohen, and lastly a hard cover, two volume missive about the American Civil War: The Blue and The Grey.
Also had a chat at the laundromat with a dude named Jade, now invited to supper with John and Gillian. My wonderful lady is in the Bruce for another night, and then it's work for her for a couple of days, before she arrives early next week. The backlog at the Port of Montreal is large, and work is regular and busy.
The D200 did not survive the canoe tipping, but it is an excellent paperweight and an entertanining story-telling subject.
Life is good.
This has been an amazing summer. The people we have met, even the fact that we met each other, has all been so enjoyable.
It comes down to the people in our lives.
I did the laundry in Perth and had a beer while doing it. The bookstore had free books left out, and I got three; poems by William Wordsworth, a book by Herb Cohen, and lastly a hard cover, two volume missive about the American Civil War: The Blue and The Grey.
Also had a chat at the laundromat with a dude named Jade, now invited to supper with John and Gillian. My wonderful lady is in the Bruce for another night, and then it's work for her for a couple of days, before she arrives early next week. The backlog at the Port of Montreal is large, and work is regular and busy.
The D200 did not survive the canoe tipping, but it is an excellent paperweight and an entertanining story-telling subject.
Life is good.
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