The Travels of the Agnew Family

The forecast for Tobermory is a little cool but we decided it was a perfect day for driving around in the sports cars.

I decided that it was too hard on Zaph for him to share the passenger area with me in the Miata so we arranged a play date for him with Anne and Victor. Ed and Zaph drove the Honda to Anne and Victor's house.


Not sure how Zaph managed to get himself into this position. We removed the cooler from the back seat area and pulled the two front seats forward and helped Zaph up. He walked out of the car and acted as if it was a normal trip in the car.

We left the Honda at Anne and Victor's and drove the Miata up to Rob and Ellen's cottage. There were only three stops left on the Explore the Bruce so we thought it was going to be an easy day. Next year someone other than Rob is going to read the instructions. Two of the stops involved hikes --- one of them estimated at an hour and a half. Not such as easy day after all.

First stop was Skinners Bluff on the Bruce Trail.


The trilliums on the Bruce Trail were amazing. Not sure if they really are extra good this or if it's because I haven't been in the woods at the right time in other years.




Rob's new friend --- Sammy Snake, a garter snake, supposedly harmless.


Big step over a crevasse to get the viewing spot.


The view.

Second stop was the Potholes on the Bruce Trail near Lions head.


This large pothole had a side hole so you could get inside it and look up.


Looking down at the boys in the pothole.


The trail got a little rocky after the potholes.


Worth the hike for this view.


Last stop was in Tobermory. Ellen didn't get the memo about wearing Explore the Bruce T-shirts so she got to take the photo. Explore the Bruce is done for another year.

Busy few days. Company on Suday --- amazing smoked ribs, pickle ball demo on the road and bridge. It's been a long time since I played bridge and it was great to play it again. Up to Anne and Victor's house on Monday --- as I reap harvest from Anne's gardens I help to plant and weed. Don't think I do my share but I try. Dirt arrived Tuesday morning at the water garden, where as a volunteer I take care of two the beds. Luckily, it didn't take too long to weed and dig the dirt into the beds as the skies opened and rain came down. Later Tuesday afternoon Caity arrived along with John and Carol. We took it easy and had a good visit. One day the weather was nice so the Miata came out of the garage. Another day John cooked us Venison steaks that he had brought with him.


Caity and Ed snuggling.


Double decker snoozing.

Happy Victoria Day weekend!!! the unofficial start to summer in Canada. Today was a little chilly and the forecast showed the temperature dropping as the evening progressed, so I loaded lots of warm clothes and blankets and mats for sitting on into the car. We were off to the races. A fellow we know from town, races at Sauble Speedway and tonight was opening night and a fund raiser for the March of Dimes. When we arrived at the track we were told that Marvin had blown the engine in his car --- very disappointing for him. We decided to stay and watches the races.


One of these cars is going the wrong way.


We were surprised to hear Marvin's name called when his class of vehicles came on the track. Apparently a fellow loaned him a car and Marvin marked 37, his number, on the car with tape.

Today's mission was to complete the central portion of Explore the Bruce, find a couple elusive geo-caches and install drawers where shelves had been in Rob and Ellen's cottage kitchen.

First stop was in Chesley about 15 minutes north of Walkerton. The trail led us along the river to the remains of the Krug Brothers Co., a manufacturer of wood furniture.


Some interesting pieces of equipment were left behind.


Further along the trail was an old railway bridge. The upper part of the bridge has been redone and is part of the rail trail.


The view from the bridge was very nice.


Further along the trail we came across an old mill. What a pretty area, had never thought of going for a walk around Chesley.


Looking back at the railroad bridge.

Explore the Bruce took us to South Hampton, where we visited a bakery for amazing flax bread and some goodies for lunch, the big sand dune at Sauble Beach and a wet land trail in Oliphant.

On the way into South Hampton we stopped at bridge where a geo-cache has eluded us (think we've looked for it 4 or 5 times). Today we won --- we found the geo-cache.


Another geo-cache that we've had trouble finding is called 12 gage. Today, armed with clues including a photo of the tree we found the cache. What a good hide, though maybe not so good for the tree.


Claimed .... she's mine. Zaph had to share the backseat of the car with Ellen and me


One last geo-cache before we reached home. Meet Big Bruce, the mascot of Bruce County.

Just been loving this weather --- some sun, some rain, some warmth. Once again I've been reminded that spring is my favourite season. Seeing fresh plowed fields, bright green grass, flowers blooming and trees just beginning to leaf makes me feel happy.

Last Thursday started with a thunder storm. By noon all sign of rain was gone and the sun was shining and it was warm. Perfect afternoon for a tour in the Miata. Our neighbours got our their TR6 and joined us in our first leg of "Explore the Bruce". Every year our county's department of tourism creates a sort of treasure map. Following geo co-ordinates (or a map) you travel to 12 different locations in the county and get a punch on your card. The first thousand people to send in their cards gets a t-shirt plus you are eligible for other prises.

First stop Lobbies Park in Walkerton.


Lobbies is a pretty park and campground on the shores of the Saugeen River. Earlier this spring I took a couple of photos of this area under water. Do you remember the photo of the bridge with the water just inches from it? Well this is how it normally looks.

Another stop was in Mildmay, the town south of Walkerton. There is an artesian spring here where people can come to get drinking water.


We found the Explore the Bruce box but no punch. Love cell phones --- made a quick call to the tourism office to notify them of the missing punch and what to write on our card instead.

On the way to our next destination, we drove down a road that was fun to drive in the sport cars and that took us past some beautiful scenery --- including a couple of patches of snow.


Really enjoyed this stop at the Holyrood General store as they had 30 flavours of ice cream to choose between.


Last stop of the day was in Kincardine. Hadn't noticed the large beach chairs before but we're usually at the other end of the beach with Zaph.


Beautiful rock garden in Kincardine.

Beautiful weather means lots of yard work. The trailer has been de-winterized and is almost clean, a garden was expanded when we did some landscaping around the new shed, gardens weeded, vegetable garden dug, raspberries pruned, grass seed put down and outdoor furniture washed and put out.


The expanded garden.


Some of my spring flowers.



As a reward, we did a few hours of geo-caching around Hanover. Think we found 22 geocaches --- love it when they are easy. I spotted one as I pulled onto the shoulder of the road.


Ed spotted this old bus at one of the stops.

Did I mention that we also smoked some ribs, the first of the season. They were amazing.

Happy Star Wars day!

Last Sunday was the Rust Remover at the local airport. The Rust Remover consists of a couple of seminars, usually one by Navigation Canada and other other by Transport Canada. Even though Ed doesn't have an active pilots license at the moment he likes to attend to stay current. My friend Anne takes care of registration and I've been helping her since we've been up here.


This year it was a good day for flying and a number of pilots flew in for the seminar.


Ed took the Honda when he ran some errands. A track drove past him and threw up a rock. The large chip soon became an interesting crack --- a stylized Z.


When the fabric on a toy gets worn, Zaph sometimes, likes to have a "ripping" good time. Poor frog had the stuffing pulled out.


A couple of months ago I wrote that Ed had built some cupboards for our neighbour's cottage. Rob's (the neighbour)job was to stain the cupboards. Well, the cupboards are all done and installed. The guys did an amazing job. The new cupboards are: the one above the refrigerator with the glass doors, the one above the stove with the glass doors, microwave shelf and spice rack, the pot and pan door beside the stove (it's missing it's counter top).