Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Walk the wire

Lunch time

Remembrance Day has become somewhat of an annual outdoor adventure for us. This year we again had some great weather, albeit snow-less but still a perfect fall day to be outdoors. We all agreed that soon enough we'd be slapping on the boards and surfing on the powdery white stuff but until then we were happy just to get out and soak up some rays.

Mike drove while Kenmore navigated us to an unofficial hydro trail in the GAT. I must say, the thought of spending the day under the buzz of the wires of Gatineau Hydro sounded like it was going to be a poor choice but at the same time I was secretly hoping to at least spot some interesting wildlife. My past experiences hiking hydro lines have been occasionally highlighted with bear sightings and I was hoping that this would be one more to add to the my list. That said, I was also hoping that it would be at a distance that would allow me to showcase my camera's awesome zoom rather than a test of my ability to outrun Mike across uneven terrain (I had already accepted that Kenmore would be the man to follow in this death race).

Kenmore steps out for a view IMG_8576
Frosty DANGER Haut High Voltage Remembrance Day hike
Ken takes a tentative step Hail from on high

The hike led us up the hill and in and out of the woods as it struggled to circumnavigate some of the ponds and bogs. As we neared our destination we discovered a lake-sized pond and a small creek. Luckily there was also a well constructed beaver dam at the base of our last climb that allowed us to cross with dry feet.

The last leg to the top was a scramble but the resulting view was breathtaking. After a few photos we settled in for some lunch - potato leek soup, toasted turkey sandwiches, and a Saranac Brew or two. Once again I broke out my mp3 player and we listened to some Pat Metheny and John Scofield.

Cheers to all those that fought and gave their lives so that we could enjoy something as simple as a hike in the great outdoors with some friends.

Here's a couple of Remembrance Day hikes from years past: 2008 and 2005.

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