a one day drive in an amazing area

I haven't  been for a long drive since I returned from Manitoulin Island in May. And with a drive to Toronto in a month to collect Julie from Lester B Pearson I need to get out and practice. While it wasn't a drive in traffic along the 400 or 401 my drive was for about 4 hours so it was a start.

Now where did I go and what did I see? When someone was explaining what our Muskoka Region was like, said it was "Rock, Lake, Tree over and over and over again". Now I know that the big lakes, Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph get plenty of use and lots of publicity but if you thought that where the lake story ended you are wrong, wrong, wrong!

After calling into Petrocan for fuel ($1.18 ltr) I armed myself with a familiar travelling companion, a McDonalds small coffee and muffin ($1.46). I then pressed Mrs Garmin's buttons and headed past the first of the lakes (Gull) along Bethune Drive and then the CuRVy headed north into slightly ominous weather on Highway 11.

Just beyond Bracebridge I left the longest street in the world and took Highway 117 and headed east past Bracebridge Golf Club. (Canadians have an amazing love of golf even though the season is only about 6 months long and it is horrendously expensive.) After we (me, Mrs Garmin, CBC2 and the CuRVy) left the manicured niceness behind we headed at 80kph (50mph) which is the speed limit for roads like this past the aforementioned Rocks, Lakes and Trees on our way to Baysville.  

While you notice lots and lots of trees one thing that seems to be missing is topsoil and with the lack of topsoil there is a distinct lack of farms. But the drive through the area is certainly nice and there aren't a lot of cars which suited me. My first stop was at Yummies in a Jar http://www.yummiesinajar.com/index.html This is not only a shop selling homemade Jams, Dessert Toppings, Pepper and Herb Jellies, Fat Free Vinaigrette Dressings and Marinades and pure maple syrups infused with fresh fruit or liqueurs made by Lynn Murden but also an Art Gallery featuring the work of her husband John. Both fine artists and a lovely gallery.



Lunch was the muffin by the waters of the Lake of Bays at Dorset. Would have been a really nice stop but it was breezy and cool although if I was here a week ago the 35C (95F) heat would have flattened me! It is another town that comes alive during the summer and people and pooches were out in force.

 

Don't know whether the doggies were for bait for the trip home but they look cute! The Bigwin is named after a Chippewa Chief and will be sailing when a replacement motor is found. Dorset was a very nice break but it was all aboard the CuRVy to head south on Highway 35 towards Minden.

Passed the sign for, called in on and enjoyed the Stanhope Musuem 

http://www.stanhopemuseum.on.ca/  and where else would the volunteer give you great knowledge of the area but tell you about and then give you a recital on the Pump Organ?

South to Minden but as the day was getting on I decided to head back towards Gravenhurst taking at first Bobcaygeon Road and then Highway 118. As I had travelled this highway before with Julie I mutinied against Mrs Garmin and despite her protests of "recalcuIatingggg" headed down Uffington and Doe Lake roads to home.

A great day's drive in a wonderful part of the world!!!! 

And if you look at the map http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl I think I went by 38 lakes during the day give or take a few.......

100 Mile Cruise

One of my most regular email contacts is Louise who is the volunteer coordinator from Grace & Speed. As almost all of the people that "work" at the Heritage Centre are volunteers Louise has a big job but it is a job that she seems to enjoy. Then most of the volunteers are nice people which I am sure helps. And she does send good offers!!!!!!!!

GRAND MUSKOKA COTTAGE TOUR

Imagine, if you will … boarding the grandest of vessels, the R.M.S. Segwun, for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure including an exclusive tour of one of Muskoka’s most sought after summer estates! Your day will include a cruise highlighting the magnificent scenery & shorelines of the Muskoka lakes & lunch served in the elegance of the ship’s dining salon. And, for the ultimate in decadence, the Segwun will dock at a majestic summer cottage for a private tour of the manicured grounds and the luxuriously appointed cottage interior. Truly … a magical Muskoka experience!

 

This offer arrived a few weeks ago and after some thinking and discussions on SKYPE. I was walking along the the steamship wharf towards the RMS Segwun http://segwun.com/pub/muskoka-steamships.html prepared for the 100 mile cruise...

I couldn't help noticing the van from North http://www.northinmuskoka.com/ in front of the Segwun so I guess there was going to be some food as well. Hopefully some food that my diet allows although I figure there will find something....

One thing for certain today, there will be no shortage of things to look at and dream about.. For the trip today we were lucky to have a guide who had both an enormous knowledge of the lakes and their history but had an easy way of delivering the information. It turned out he was a retired Principal who had lived in the area for many years, they're everywhere!!!

Environment Canada promised that the day would be hot and humid and unfortunately they were spot on with that forecast. Because of that I had chosen an area towards the stern of the Segwun which had a very welcome cover!! And even better I was first in line as we were served coffee and Chelsea Bun.

Bun was good coffee was Canadian... Canadian coffee is interesting and Canadians love it. I love coffee but I'm ambivilent about the coffee here and wish I could find somewhere that would make me a good Long Black. Particularly with Montague Coffee Roasters strong dark beans. Oh well I guess the saying "suck it up Princess" comes to mind. 

RMS Segwun and her motley crew headed through "the Narrows" and passed by  some of the many little islands that all seem to have one or  more cottages. These are not cottages in the Australian sense!!!!

Cottages on islands were originally somewhat cheaper as difficulties with transport and services made it harder for cottagers, but technogy has certainly changed this. The fact that during the winter you can ride a snowmobile or even drive a truck across the ice is also an advantage.

Another interesting fact is where you are barely seeing the cottages these days the trees that hide them are almost all regrowth. The loggers in the late 19th and early 20th century basically clear felled the area. Because Canadian lumber floats, the steamers were also used to tow the logs back to the many sawmills  around Gravenhurst.

While the Cottage is often hidden or at least difficult to  see one building that is far more visible is the boathouse. Although these boathouses are generally just to store a boat or two or three or .... They are very often magnificent but mind you so are the boats!!!

I was called for lunch and although the Chicken Caesar salad wasn't exactly Swank/ Jelinek friendly I was able to get the one with the least dressing and I must admit it tasted pretty good. And the view from the dining room was still very good.

Our next obstacle would be the locks and bridge at Port Carling but luckily for us the bridge goes up and the Captain was able to manoeuvre the Segwun into a very tight space.

The mural and Port Carling does look a little different from the water.....And don't Canadians seem to love flower boxes! But having seen Port Carling and this bridge during the winter I think I can understand why.

Once through the locks we headed along the Indian River and into Lake Rosseau and the cottages (and boathouses) seemed to get bigger and even !

The lakes are relatively narrow with lots and lots of inlets and bays and winding in and out is necessary which makes for a slow but beautiful trip. And all along the shore we saw cottage after cottage! We were winding our way along the south western end of Lake Rosseau and when we went past the swing bridge at Port Sanfield we entered Lake Joseph.

Our next destination was to be Summerholm which would be as far as we went on Lake Jo

http://www.cottageblog.ca/2009/06/07/summerholm-a-piece-of-history-in-muskoka/ .The owner was on the dock to welcome us, to help in the docking of the Segwun and to act as the guide for our visit. Summerholm has been owned by the Elliot family since the 1880's and to say it is nice is something of an understatement. I could happily Cottage here.

But if I did Cottage here I guess I might need a boat!!!! 



Maybe that boat is a bit over the top so maybe a little runabout would be better...

Well enough dreaming it was back onto the Segwun for the 4 hour trip back home.

 What a great day!!!!!

Although I'm not sure about the Segwun's new figurehead

From Hank's Cottage to Hotel California

I'm living in the Muskoka area which is often called Cottage Country. You only have to look if you're cruising on the Segwun or Winona to see why. Cottages dot the shoreline! As well as the big lakes there are around 1600 lakes in the Muskoka and no matter how large or small each of the lakes seems to be surrounded by cottages. They vary from small and simple to very ornate and extremely expensive with owners varing from Goldie Hawn and Steve Yzerman to Gravenhurst friends. And no matter who owns the cottage it is always called "The Cottage"! 

As luck might have it an invitation had been extended to me to come out and visit "The Cottage"! It wasn't an invitation from an ex hockey player or an actor but from people of substance! You see I had been invited to come out and visit Barb and Hank's cottage to look around, have a swim and to have dinner at "the Cottage"!!

Hank's family had owned their cottage for many years and it was situated on Muldrew Lake which is just south of Gravenhurst. Hank had arranged for Ron and Barb Riddell to collect me which was fortuitous as on reflection there would have been a fairly good chance of me becoming misplaced... So what was the Smith's cottage and Muldrew Lake like?????

And with good food, good wine and good friends, what was my Cottage experience like??? 

Good?

 No way,

 it was GREAT!!!!

After the day's exercise (swimming, walking, riding and yoga) I had a very good sleep. Although on reflection it may have had something to do with the relaxing night I enjoyed at the Cottage!!! 

It was lucky I had slept so well as according to the notice I received from Multisport Canada the Gravenhurst Triathalon was on. I was not really certain why I would receive the notice, although I had recovered fairly well from my bike/ tennis/ stair falls. 

Australian's are known to be fairly good at Triathalons so I figured that the organisers were looking to add an International competor of note to raise the profile of the event. 

Then I had a closer look at the notice!

Actually what I did was that I turned the notice over and read it properly. 

http://www.msctriathlon.com/ms/events/showevent.cfm?showEventID=118

Sarah Street was one of the roads that would be used as part of the cycling leg.  I guess I'll have to wait for another day to hear the "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" chant!!!It was neat to have a cycling event going past the front door maybe in a few years we'll do a house exchange to France. Or maybe we'll just go back to South Australia for the Tour Down Under.

One big change to life over here has been that Gravenhurst, the Muskoka, Ontario and indeed all of Canada has discovered summer. Now if only there was a beach and some cool Far South Coast water or maybe just a hint of the summer nor-easter that cools our afternoons at home. Oh well I guess I need to take note of my favourite hockey chant and "suck it up princess"! 

As I was going over these thoughts a neighbour came over to remind me of a fundraiser that was happening nearby http://www.nachoaverage.ca/events/pedal-for-parkinsons/ 

My one regular Multiple Sclerosis related activity in Canada is to go to a monthly support group meeting for people with Parkinson's Disease and MS. And I had to travel all of 40 metres to go to the fundraiser. Too easy!! It was also good to meet my neighbours. And even better was the offer to go canoeing with Graham and the offer of a canoe to use when Julie returns.

Next day, although there was more cycling my thoughts were in a different area from sport and I headed north to Bracebridge and the Muskoka Arts & Crafts summer show. http://www.muskokaartsandcrafts.com/Summer_Show/summer_show.htm 

I had been warned about the heat at this show. The heat is not because of the exhibitions or exhibitors but because it is one of the few areas of the Muskoka that isn't surrounded by trees. I was the first person there and felt like one of the punters at the Great Southern Blues Festival when I was told you can't come in until the show opens.

When I got in, right at 10am the show was amazing, there was anything and everything and lots of it was very good. Unfortunately as the temperature was heading toward 35C (95F) I was feeling my body start to wilt. Although I would have liked to head for the relative cool of 460 Sarah North I had one last stop to make at the arts & crafts fair. The stop was at mmmmy favourite basket maker.....

Leslie's baskets are in a word - GOOD! And the friendship Leslie and Peter have given Julie and I, is even better. As JJJJJimmy MMMMcGrath would say it's nice meetin nice people! 

On my return to the cool of 460 Sarah St I expected to basically do nothing much in the afternoon and then slow down in the evening. But I should have known better!

At about 6pm I received a phone call from Diane, who is another that fits the Jimmy McGrath description. Diane wanted to know whether I was interested in going to the Music on the Barge concert that night.

So 7pm found us walking along with a big crowd on our way to listen to Hotel California. http://hotelcalifornia.ca/ I'm not a huge fan of tribute bands but these guys had good voices, harmonised well and the venue's great. I did notice a lot of people singing along!!! 

    

 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmariposa and much, much more!!!!

One of the things Julie and did before we left Australia was to take Helena's advice and buy a pair of three day tickets to the Mariposa Folk Festival. http://www.mariposafolk.com/  This was a great idea except for the fact that Julie had to return to Australia.

That left me with a spare ticket and after speaking with Julie I asked our friend Dianne. Dianne's a former (French) teacher who we've seen on many occassions she has patience and a sense of humour and she said she'd be delighted. We discussed what day/s we'd go and prepared salads to take and enjoy rather than spending the money on the food that would be on site.

Even better (for me) Dianne was happy to be the driver. So we loaded her car with our picnic dinner, chairs, blankets et al  and travelled the 45 minutes to Orillia, the town where the festival is held. There isn't much that is good about me having Multiple Sclerosis but I do have, and need, a Disability Parking Concession. Luckily there was disabled parking near the entrance to the festival which we took advantage of.

Main gate and the entry to Mariposa was similar to most of the festivals I have attended but one thing that there was far less security than is apparent in Australia. This led to a very friendly laid back feeling which was there in abundance the whole of the time I was there. We wandered in, with Dianne doing most of the carrying, and set up our chairs with the crowd that was steadily building in front of the main stage.

As we settled in to a good viewing position I noticed some similarities (music and happy people) but some differences, (no covered seating, no alcohol outside the bar area and smaller stages). None of those things mattered as I was here to experience Mariposa! 

We had missed the first act on the main stage but as with other festivals the acts are often heard opn other stages over the weekend so that wasn't a huge disappointment. From then on we had a great night, the weather was sunny and warm, the company good and the music was excellent.

While all on the Friday night bill were good the highlights for me were  Elisapie Isaac, http://www.elisapie.com/index.php?langue=en&page=biographie Jim Bryson & the Weakerthans Band and Josh Ritter who finished the night. http://www.mariposafolk.com/festival/schedule/?subject=lineup&artist=320 The finale was an amazing event not only for the performance which was amazing but for the swarm of every type of bug that had been attracted to the stage lights.

What a night! Still buzzing long after I made it home to 460 Sarah.

When sleep came it was good and I woke just before 8am. Quick breakfast and down to the wharf area for the Antique and Classic Boat Show http://www.acbs.ca/Shows/Boat-show/
Wandered along two of the three wharfs and this is some of what I saw.....

And I couldn't help noticing.............

And the means that some people use to get here is interesting.

Mind you a CuRVy with the Aussie flag is very cool too..

Enough of the dreaming, there were things to do, people to see and music to enjoy so it was back to MARIPOSA!!!!!!

We were back on the site and after a little bit of a hassle with finding a suitable parking place we headed in for more entertainment. Today was going to be slightly different to yesterday and we started by marking our place by putting a blanket down in the most suitable position for the evening's frivolities. It amazes me me to see an area marked out with about 1000 chairs and blankets with hardly a person to be seen but I guess the MCG on the Friday before the Grand Final looks equally empty.

There was plenty going on in the other areas...

http://www.mariposafolk.com/festival/schedule/?subject=schedule&_year=2011

Saturday gave us an opportunity to see a bit more of the festival area which takes place in Tudhope Park on Lake Couchiching. All in all there are 9 stages which host a variety of entertainment and activities. Neither Dianne or 1 were up for the belly dancing, the yoga or even the songwriting but we  were in Canada and Mariposa is a folk festival so we stopped for a while at the Estelle Klein Stage. As I said earlier there are no covered areas but when the day is nice and you can sit with this is a ceiling who needs a roof....

Each of the stages had 4 performers who shared their songs that were aimed at a particular theme i.e. Lightfoot songs, Canadian Lovesongs etc so you had the opportunity to hear a lot of performers without moving too much. Which member of our group was happy with that? No prizes for that one!

Another thing that happened on the main stage on Friday night was the guest artists that would sing a song or two in the interval while the roadies changed the bands equipment over. Surprise, surprise there was a guitar player from the Bega Valley!! Daniel Champagne amazed the crowd with his guitar style.

I must admit I am a bit worried about Canadian roadies. Not nearly enough black clothing, not enough enough plumbers ***** showing , no smokes and hardly a tattoo to be seen. What is going on???? But I guess it is a folk festival! And I am in Canada....

Lunch was in the shade of the trees with great musical accompaniment and my compliments must go to the chef's for their food preparation....

And to the organisers their ambience. It was all nice!!!!  But we were not here just to have a good time lazing in the shade of a tree eating a selection of salads and smoked trout, we had listening to do!! 

With our hunger satisfied we were off to the Bohemian Stage where we (and most of the audience) were spellbound by the guitar performance of Daniel Champagne

http://www.mariposafolk.com/festival/performers/details/?_year=2011&artist=324

I don't know whether it was him, his guitar teacher of maybe that special Wyndham Wedgie atmosphere that rolls through the hills around Bega but his guitar playing is SPECIAL! But I was disappointed that his profile didn't mention the doyen of festivals - Cobargo! One interesting thing and I don't think this photograph shows it well enough was the look of amazement on the face of Wendell Ferguson who was the host of the stage. I don't think he or any others watching (including me) had seen or heard anything like Daniel.

The next band up were the Idlers who hail from Newfoundland. Now a band from Newfoundland probably wouldn't seem all that unusual at a folk festival. Newfoundland has that folky sort of reputation. But The Idlers http://idlers.ca/ are not a usual band.

And there was no way people could resist dancing. And that even, sort of, included me!

I thought it was dancing anyhow or maybe it was just swaying. But it was fun!!!!!

After all that energy we returned to the area we'd marked out and set up the chairs in preparation for the evening's entertainment. http://www.mariposafolk.com/festival/schedule/?subject=schedule&_year=2011&type=41

Everone that appeared was good but the highlight for me was without doubt Emmy Lou Harris. www.emmylouharris.com/ I'm sure the phrase "aging gracefully" was written for her. She even made the bugs landing in her cup of tea seem special. All in all it was another great day and great evening with good company. I slept very well that night!!! 

Understandably lazy start to Sunday, which was very nice. Still reading a very difficult book by Yann Martel (Beatrice and Virgil) but I think I am seeing the first glimmer of dim light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel. Sunday started with blue skies and it was forcast to be a nice day and the lovely summer we had been promised was turning out to be true.

Today my focus was going to be turning to sport. Cycling, to be precise. No, I wasn't going to be making a late charge in the Tour de France nor even announcing my imminent return to Australia to prepare for the "Sydney to the Gong". No, I was going to be doing to best these days, watching!!!

Our friends  Greg and Marianna were going to be competing in a Mountain Bike race http://chicoracing.com/2011-mountain-bike-schedule/ontario-cup-series/plastiglas-ontario-cup-5/overview-and-schedule.html Marianna (teacher) and Greg (good bloke) did an exchange to Canberra last year and they and their daughters Caralina, Maea and (Aussie) Julia became close friends during their stay in Australia and our stay in Canada.

There is one drawback. They come from a place called COLLINGWOOD!!! However it isn't that Collingwood but the Canadian version. Greg does say he is a Magpie supporter but I guess that I can put that transgression down to Canadian naivety.

Anyhow back to the race... It was held at the intriguingly named Buckwallow Cycling Centre http://www.ecclestonecycle.com/layout_images/cycling_articles_folder/buckwallow_betterthanbefore.pdf 

which was from all I had read a very challenging course. It was challenging for me to find and after I found suitable parking had parked I had missed Marianna's race. I had also missed Greg's start but was there in time to see him in action and to attempt  to capture him in full flight. I think I have a bit of work to on my action shots

But I am a little bit better on shots like this........

and even shots like this

  

  and what do you think Julia will be doing sooon?

A great weekend, now time for a rest.............maybe!!!!