Yesterday Laura and I put in a good days work and went to bed straight after supper.
There was a major storm last night with rain and thunder and lightening that lit up the whole sky, but Laura said not to worry. She said our tent is a good tent. It would withstand the storm. And Laura was right. We woke up this morning warm and dry and well rested. Still, I pulled princess privilege and stayed in bed while Laura made breakfast.
(I know that princesses need to look after their people, but I walked as far yesterday on my short little legs as Laura did on her great big tall legs, so think how many more steps that was for me! I think I was entitled to a little lie-in this morning!)
Laura was a long time about making breakfast. (I didn't mind because I was enjoying Laura's bed.) It was so windy this morning, even the fire-starter stick blew out -- three times! Laura was determined to have her omelette however. (Who can blame her? Onions, garlic, Oktoberfest sausage, red pepper, hot pepper & feta cheese. Yummmm!)
Finally breakfast was cooked and eaten and the kitchen cleaned up and Laura was back in the tent asking if I was ready for today's adventures.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Kendal's First Camping Adventure - Day 2 - Homeward Bound
After resting up at the beach, Laura and I walked back to the junction of South Point Trail and Harrison Trail and started the trek back to camp along Harrison. When we got to the Visitor Centre, we took a short detour for the loop around Tulip Tree Trail. (Laura thought we might as well do it today, since we were already in the neighbourhood.)
We saw the nesting boxes of Rondeau's famous prothonotary warblers along the Tulip Tree Trail, but the tenants were not at home. We did see a person on the Tulip Tree Trail, however -- our first in our trail travels this week! -- and two more on the northern half of Harrison Trail.
What else did we see on our journey's today?
Two chipmunks, three black squirrels, a bird of prey (not sure what type, it flew overhead and was lost quickly in the canopy of trees, but it was dark and massive and beating its wings loudly -- we think burdened down with a fresh catch) and an itsy bitsy little snake (black with yellow stripes along its sides and not more than 18 inches long, this little critter crossed our path on Harrison Trail).
We also saw lots of flies today, and mosquitos. Did I mention the mosquitos? The trails were swarming with them and Laura and I apparently the only suitable blood supplies in sight. Laura says we clearly have not been consuming enough garlic lately. She is making us pesto for dinner.
When we finally made it back to Oak Grove (that's the name Laura has given to our camp) we had hiked 24kms! That's the farthest I have ever walked in one day and I was tired! Laura stretched out a blue tarp on the ground in the middle of Oak Grove and put my bed on it for me. Then I rested and listened to the blue jays causing a ruckus overhead while Laura started the fire.
We saw the nesting boxes of Rondeau's famous prothonotary warblers along the Tulip Tree Trail, but the tenants were not at home. We did see a person on the Tulip Tree Trail, however -- our first in our trail travels this week! -- and two more on the northern half of Harrison Trail.
What else did we see on our journey's today?
Two chipmunks, three black squirrels, a bird of prey (not sure what type, it flew overhead and was lost quickly in the canopy of trees, but it was dark and massive and beating its wings loudly -- we think burdened down with a fresh catch) and an itsy bitsy little snake (black with yellow stripes along its sides and not more than 18 inches long, this little critter crossed our path on Harrison Trail).
We also saw lots of flies today, and mosquitos. Did I mention the mosquitos? The trails were swarming with them and Laura and I apparently the only suitable blood supplies in sight. Laura says we clearly have not been consuming enough garlic lately. She is making us pesto for dinner.
When we finally made it back to Oak Grove (that's the name Laura has given to our camp) we had hiked 24kms! That's the farthest I have ever walked in one day and I was tired! Laura stretched out a blue tarp on the ground in the middle of Oak Grove and put my bed on it for me. Then I rested and listened to the blue jays causing a ruckus overhead while Laura started the fire.
Kendal's First Camping Adventure - Day 2 - Private Beach
The end of South Point Trail meets up with the end of Harrison Trail, but Laura and I walked out along Lakeshore Road for a bit so we could return to the dog beach.
It's nice having this little beach all to ourselves -- kind of like having our own private beach in Rondeau Park!
There are fewer flies here than at South Point Beach too. (Perhaps it was the dead fish?)
Laura and I stopped for a rest and some lunch. Laura had yummy apple spice cake that she made with apples from our Mum and Dad's tree, and I had special all natural veal treats that the nice people at Home County Folk Festival gave to me. (When you are a rock star people feed you all kinds of wonderful things!)
Laura exchanged the memory card in our camera while we were sitting on the beach and I dug out a nice cool spot for a nap in the sand.
We saw lots of gulls
some cormorants
cute little brown and white sanderlings that ran along the edge of the beach
and some white terns with bright orange beaks, black wing tips and faces, and black under their tails. The beaks were noticeable because these birds flew with them pointing straight down. (Fishing, Laura thought.)
A small brown butterfly came to visit us while we were lying in the sand but it was camera shy and flew away when Laura picked up her equipment.
It's nice having this little beach all to ourselves -- kind of like having our own private beach in Rondeau Park!
There are fewer flies here than at South Point Beach too. (Perhaps it was the dead fish?)
Laura and I stopped for a rest and some lunch. Laura had yummy apple spice cake that she made with apples from our Mum and Dad's tree, and I had special all natural veal treats that the nice people at Home County Folk Festival gave to me. (When you are a rock star people feed you all kinds of wonderful things!)
Laura exchanged the memory card in our camera while we were sitting on the beach and I dug out a nice cool spot for a nap in the sand.
We saw lots of gulls
some cormorants
cute little brown and white sanderlings that ran along the edge of the beach
and some white terns with bright orange beaks, black wing tips and faces, and black under their tails. The beaks were noticeable because these birds flew with them pointing straight down. (Fishing, Laura thought.)
A small brown butterfly came to visit us while we were lying in the sand but it was camera shy and flew away when Laura picked up her equipment.
Kendal's First Camping Adventure - Day 2 - Fields of Gold
On the back end of South Point Trail we passed through some tall reeds and blue grasses.
Look up
Look WAY up!
Then we walked through fields of gold...
and orange!
The monarchs loved these beautiful woodland sunflowers and goldenrod.
A pretty little Clouded Sulfur paused long enough to have its picture taken
as did this delicate Cabbage White
Then Laura's camera ran out of memory!
She was worried about the batteries running out on us because they weren't fully charged when we left home and Laura only has the one set for this camera, but the first thing to go was the memory card. On our first full day too!
Fortunately, Laura had brought along a spare memory card. It needed wiping, however, so we chewed up some more battery power doing that, but we'll hopefully be able to squeeze out a few more pics for you before the juice runs out.
Look WAY up!
Then we walked through fields of gold...
and orange!
The monarchs loved these beautiful woodland sunflowers and goldenrod.
A pretty little Clouded Sulfur paused long enough to have its picture taken
as did this delicate Cabbage White
Then Laura's camera ran out of memory!
She was worried about the batteries running out on us because they weren't fully charged when we left home and Laura only has the one set for this camera, but the first thing to go was the memory card. On our first full day too!
Fortunately, Laura had brought along a spare memory card. It needed wiping, however, so we chewed up some more battery power doing that, but we'll hopefully be able to squeeze out a few more pics for you before the juice runs out.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Kendal's First Camping Adventure - Day 2 - Carrion-Eating Lepidoptera
At the very south point of the trail we came to a beach.
There were no "no dogs" signs there, and no one was swimming, so Laura and I sat on the beach for a while and watched the water and the birds. Laura took off her shoes and walked in the water, and I had a nice drink.
It was on the South Point Beach that we saw our first monarch. They are supposed to be in the midst of a big migration that passes through Rondeau park this week, but we only saw the one specimen at South Point today. He hung around a long time so that Laura was able to snap some photographs.
Unfortunately, this butterfly was overly-enamoured with the rotting carcass of a beached fish, so the backdrop to these shots is none too pretty.
Turning her camera sights elsewhere, Laura snapped a photograph of this magnificent heron soaring overhead:
Laura and I rested on the South Point Beach for a little while -- but not for too long. We managed to leave the mosquitos behind in the woods, but the beach was swarming with flies which kept trying to eat me. (I attempted to return the gesture, but there were just too many of them.) So, shoes and socks back on and pant legs rolled down again and we were back on the trail.
There were no "no dogs" signs there, and no one was swimming, so Laura and I sat on the beach for a while and watched the water and the birds. Laura took off her shoes and walked in the water, and I had a nice drink.
It was on the South Point Beach that we saw our first monarch. They are supposed to be in the midst of a big migration that passes through Rondeau park this week, but we only saw the one specimen at South Point today. He hung around a long time so that Laura was able to snap some photographs.
Unfortunately, this butterfly was overly-enamoured with the rotting carcass of a beached fish, so the backdrop to these shots is none too pretty.
Turning her camera sights elsewhere, Laura snapped a photograph of this magnificent heron soaring overhead:
Laura and I rested on the South Point Beach for a little while -- but not for too long. We managed to leave the mosquitos behind in the woods, but the beach was swarming with flies which kept trying to eat me. (I attempted to return the gesture, but there were just too many of them.) So, shoes and socks back on and pant legs rolled down again and we were back on the trail.
Kendal's First Camping Adventure - Day 2 - Rondeau Road Life
South Point Trail is not only the longest trail at Rondeau but also the furthest from our camp. We had to walk 4.5km down Rondeau Road just to get to the start of the trail. It was a nice walk though, down a beautiful tree-lined boulevard. This pretty Black Swallowtail butterfly escorted us part of the way down Rondeau Road and obligingly alighted on a nearby leaf when Laura asked if we could take its photograph.
We saw lots of flowers along the side of the road. White asters and purple asters and yellow woodland sunflowers. Thistles taller than Laura. Ferns and mosses. Fields of golden rod and thickets of raspberries even larger than the one Laura and I left behind in London. We saw grapes and white berries and red berries and pink berries. Blue bells and pretty orange flowers as well as big orange spiders and tiny orange toadstools.
This fuzzy bumblebee was feasting merrily on pollen from the woodland sunflowers:
On South Point Trail we saw more of all the same plants. Lots of different trees with old grape vines gnarled and twined around their branches. We heard a lot of birds too, and saw some, but they were all moving too quickly to photograph - save for the pair of big birds we saw walking on the path ahead of us -- but they left the path before we could get too close.
We saw a pretty blue butterfly too. He was small and light blue all over but camera shy.
We saw lots of flowers along the side of the road. White asters and purple asters and yellow woodland sunflowers. Thistles taller than Laura. Ferns and mosses. Fields of golden rod and thickets of raspberries even larger than the one Laura and I left behind in London. We saw grapes and white berries and red berries and pink berries. Blue bells and pretty orange flowers as well as big orange spiders and tiny orange toadstools.
This fuzzy bumblebee was feasting merrily on pollen from the woodland sunflowers:
On South Point Trail we saw more of all the same plants. Lots of different trees with old grape vines gnarled and twined around their branches. We heard a lot of birds too, and saw some, but they were all moving too quickly to photograph - save for the pair of big birds we saw walking on the path ahead of us -- but they left the path before we could get too close.
We saw a pretty blue butterfly too. He was small and light blue all over but camera shy.
Kendal's First Camping Adventure - Day 2 - Breakfast & Plans
I wasn't so sure about going inside the big dome last night. I thought I would lie down outside the door to be near Laura and keep her safe, but Laura said no, to come on inside, so I did. Turns out it is pretty nice inside the tent. Laura has a big poofy red sleeping bag for her bed and I have my special red travelling bed, so we were cosy and comfy and warm and had a good night's sleep.
This morning, Laura built a fire to cook breakfast. Laura had whole wheat apple pancakes with spicy sausage and maple syrup, and I had one of my favourite peanut butter cookies and some apple which I shared with Laura. Then we gathered some more firewood and returned to camp to plan our day.
There are over 27km of hiking trails in Rondeau Park and Laura and I have three days to cover all of them. They're not all loops, so we will need to walk some of them twice to get back to camp, and they don't all start near the campground, so it will be a lot of hiking! We decided to walk the longest trail on our first day.
This morning, Laura built a fire to cook breakfast. Laura had whole wheat apple pancakes with spicy sausage and maple syrup, and I had one of my favourite peanut butter cookies and some apple which I shared with Laura. Then we gathered some more firewood and returned to camp to plan our day.
There are over 27km of hiking trails in Rondeau Park and Laura and I have three days to cover all of them. They're not all loops, so we will need to walk some of them twice to get back to camp, and they don't all start near the campground, so it will be a lot of hiking! We decided to walk the longest trail on our first day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)