Mer Bleue Hike: A Few Photos

"And so I go into the woods. As I go in under the trees, dependably, almost at once, and by nothing I do, things fall into place."
- Wendell Berry, A Native Hill

home

birches standing tall

silhouette of a Northern Flicker

trout lily

hiking compadres

trillium

The Inaugural Trek

We got our new snowshoes out this morning and spent over an hour trekking through the woods at a park less than a five-minute drive away. How convenient is that?!

A few pics ...

D lacin' up

Steph's girly snowshoes

silent snow

Nature's latticework

berries

A Walk in the Woods

It's food for the soul I tell ya. For the first time in four months, D. and I loaded Cassie into the car to hit the trails for a morning hike and oooooohhhhhh so lovely it was.

I inhaled deeply, soaked up the sun and entertained a chickadee on my palm. I felt buoyed.

Here are a few pics:

blue skies

brown earth

a spot of red

golden curlicues

golden sun

Retreating to Nature

As the first no-rain (or at least lower-chance-of-rain) weekend of the summer approaches, D. and I decided to take advantage of it by booking a last-minute camping trip. I can't wait. This country girl urbanite feels a deep need to get away and commune with Mother Nature!

We booked two nights at Bon Echo Provincial Park, a place I've been itching to explore for a few years. Campfires, breakfast and morning coffee in the great outdoors, hiking, silence - blessed silence. It may not be a retreat by the water (see Pondering post, item #11), but right now it's close enough for me.

Scenes from a Sunday Bike Ride

D. and I took the bikes out for Sunday Bikeday along the Ottawa River Parkway today. We played with my camera ...

rest stop view of the Ottawa River

lace

action shot

savetheparkway

back home

Is It Hiking Season Yet?

I'm pumped. D. signed us up as members of the Rideau Trail Association and bought the Guidebook. I've spent the past two mornings engrossed in detailed descriptions of each section, tracing each one on the map that accompanies it. Three hundred and five kilometres later, I'm done reading the book.

I can't wait to meander, climb, and work up a sweat under the sun; to reflect, discover, and bask in the beauty of Mother Nature.

We're toying with the idea of becoming end-to-enders this year - hiking the entire distance between Kingston and Ottawa. Because it's a hefty commitment (305km divided by approx. 15km/hike = approx. 20 hikes) and we expect this year's hiking season to be shorter than usual due to the snow, we've decided to work towards it but not let it become an obsession. I'm totally pumped at the possibility of completing this though; in January it became an item on my Mondo Beyondo list.

On a related but slightly different note, this morning I was reminded that Mother Nature is ever present in the city right here, right now. From the comfort of my sunroom I heard and/or watched Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, a Cardinal, a Downy Woodpecker, and what I think was a Dark Eyed Junco. I am blessed.

And It's Open!

The Rideau Canal is open for business! I just came back from a one-hour walk along the Canal and it's beautiful. People of all ages, shapes and sizes are enjoying the outdoors and the experience of skating on the World's largest skating rink.

There was so much to take in.

I delighted in watching skaters confidently weave their way in & out of the crowd as much as I enjoyed watching beginners teeter through their first strides - children and adults alike. I smiled at the sight of a group of young girls wearing ankle-length skirts and bonnets on their heads, laughing and chattering as they skated almost in unison. But the highlight was without a doubt watching a little bundle of pink Gore-Tex discover the properties of ice as she repeatedly kicked a piece of frozen snow, oblivious to the world around her.

It took a lot of energy to get my butt off the couch and into the cold but the energy gained from the experience was well worth it. Next time I might even strap on the skates.

The Discovery Trail

I love being outside on a sunny afternoon at this time of year. It can be pretty nippy but if you bundle up it's downright invigorating!

D., Cassie and I took advantage of yesterday's great weather and spent time in Gatineau Park hiking the Discovery Trail - don't you just love the name? The trailhead is located at the O'Brien Beach parking lot. The entire loop is 20km but we were content with walking for about an hour and a half, finding a nice spot to enjoy our homemade chicken wraps (thanks D.!) and backtracking for a total of about 5km.

I was a little camera-happy; here are a few favourite snapshots:

Grand Manan Pics: Post-fog

As promised, here a few of my favourite post-fog pictures from Grand Manan.

Most of these were taken on Hike #2. Although we couldn't see much beyond the coastline, I enjoyed our trek through the mist. It had a surreal, almost ethereal feel to it. I connected with the imperfection of it all: the dampness, the rugged terrain, the crooked wind-shaped trees and the thick bushes of wild roses and potentilla blooms that seemed determined to thrive in such an unfriendly climate.

I wish I could convey the experience of the fog - how it felt on my cheeks, how it constantly transformed the landscape or how the chime of the foghorn echoed on the ocean's surface. I wish you could feel the muffled silence of the fog, broken by the crisp blow of a whale beneath the cliff. But alas you can't. With humility before Mother Nature's prose, I offer you these few snapshots to compensate.

Enjoy ...

(Thanks to D. for pic #5.)

Grand Manan Pics: Pre-fog

Finally! A few of my favourite pictures from our trip to Grand Manan in late July.

I was enchanted by this island hidden somewhere between New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Maine. Try as I may to show you with a few snapshots just how enchanting it is, they won't do it justice. But I'll still try. :)

We were lucky enough to get a full day of sunshine after which the fog rolled in and never left. I've divided my pictures into two posts: pre- and post-fog. These pre-fog pictures were taken on Hike #1, along what I think is the northern coast of the island. (Thanks to D. for pics 1 & 2!)

Thanksgiving Weekend Hike - Luskville Falls

onward and upward!

D. and I spent yesterday hiking under the sun, taking in the gorgeous fall colours of Gatineau Park and the Ottawa Valley. We did the Luskville Falls trail - a new trail for me.

What a trek!

It's not a long trail - about 4-5km return trip - but it's a demanding one. It climbs 300m up the steep face of the Eardley Escarpment, rewarding us with stunning views of the Ottawa Valley along the way. More than once I had to stop and bend over to catch my breath, but it felt so great to be out there! Once we reached the top, we enjoyed a picnic lunch and cracked open our tetra pack of Chardonnay.

All in all not a shabby way to start the long weekend.

Summer Vacation

D. and I booked our accommodations for our upcoming trip to New Brunswick: three nights camping on a cliff's edge in Grand Manan, NB, and one night at a swanky boutique hotel in Old Quebec city.

We've got two weeks off. We're kicking off the holiday with the Savoie family bash, then planning to spend a few nights at Mom & Dad's. It's D's first time in NB during the summer so I'm looking forward to showing him the local scenery.

After Mom & Dad's, it's off to catch the 90 minute ferry to Grand Manan where we'll be Cliff Edge camping with an ocean view. From the campground's Web site:

"You will be beside the feeding route of whales and in the night you would listen, or may be awakened, as they blow and breach. Sometimes their singing breaks through the ocean surface below you."

Next it's a stopover for a little more luxury in Old Quebec city and then it's back home for a second week of rest, relaxation and whatever tickles our fancy.

Family, adventure, luxury and relaxation - sounds like a perfect summer vacation to me!

A Few Camping Pics

I had fun playing with my camera on our backcountry camping expedition to Frontenac Provincial Park a few weekends ago. I thought I'd share a few of my favourite pictures. I hope they don't take too long to load. :)

campsite in the morning sun

McNally Bay at dusk (this was taken from the shore of our campsite)

green creek with sun & shadows on Tetsmine Lake Loop

wild Columbine by Moulton Gorge

the weekend's last pic: a tired Cassie, a tired Steph

These are just a few that tickled my fancy. I hope you like them too!

And We're Back!

We're back. YAY!

The weekend was mixture of panic attacks, accomplishments and contentment. I'm exhausted. Friday afternoon thunderstorms excepted, the weather cooperated beautifully. I'll post some pictures and expand my recap in a further post or two. In the meantime here are a few highlights & lowlights for your reading pleasure:

Highlights:

• loons singing on the lake
• figuring out how to cross a stream using rocks and two sturdy walking sticks
• playing with my camera
• scenery along Saturday's 12km hike
• observing a beaver and hearing an owl for the first time
• breakfast in the great outdoors: bacon, eggs and cowboy coffee with a twist

Lowlights:

• panic attacks induced by thunderstorms and narrow footbridges
• mosquitoes and wasps
• packing woes (if I do this again, I'd get a bigger backpack)

Surprises:

• the delightful taste and consistency of Beef Stroganoff with Wild Rice in a bag

This morning someone asked if I'd try it again. Although it wasn't all peachy, I think I'd like to give it another shot. I think I'll allow myself a little time to recoup first though. I need it.

And We're Off!

It's the eleventh hour. My backpack is full and my sleeping bag & sleeping pad are strapped to its bottom. My travel mug and trusty ball cap dangle from the sides.

It was touch & go for a while between D. and I while packing and shopping for food last night. At one point a frustrated D. pointed out to a frustrated me, "Camping with a girl is different than camping with the guys." I'm not sure about all girls, but with this girl it is honey. :)

I think my equipment will hold up for this first try at backpacking into a campsite. The only piece that might make me grumble is my daypack. There's a reason they call it a DAYpack. It's probably not made to hold the amount of crap I stuffed in there to last me a few days. Mm.

D.'s done his packing, which means it's time to go. Woohoo!


TTFN ...

Camping at Frontenac Park

I'm getting excited. Friday morning, D., Cassie and I are heading out to Frontenac Provincial Park for two nights. It's my first foray into backcountry camping - we can't drive up to the campsite, we hike to it. Our lakeside campsite is about a half hour hike from the car which suits a beginner like me just fine. The weather forecast seems reasonable with highs in the mid-twenties, 40% chance of showers on Friday and even less for Saturday.

Tomorrow we visit Mountain Equipment Co-op for some last-minute supplies: camping dishes & utensils for myself, a bear bell for Cassie (thanks to Sis and Bro-in-Law's foresight and thoughtfulness, D. and I each have one already) and a few packs of freeze-dried camp food. Mmmm.

I look forward to immersing myself into Mother Nature's glory for a few days. I just hope she'll keep the bears away.