Hike to Herridge

Gatineau Park: P16 to Herridge (10 km)
P16 Pine Rd: N45 34.345 W75 53.134
Herridge: N45 34.255 W75 56.353

Late in the evening I fired off a txt message to Ken to see if he was interested in a hike in the GAT on his Monday off. Of course he said yes and in no time we had a plan. A hike to Herridge hut with a few stops here and there along the way.

After dropping my wife off at work, I met Ken at the P16 gateway to Gatineau Park. Surprisingly there was no frost on the trail which would have made for a great shot of the small valley with it's wooden bridge and fast flowing creek. Hard to complain though when the sky is cloudless and the temperature hovering around the 6 degree mark.



By the time we arrived at Herridge we were ready for some lunch. The menu consisted of Red Pepper Black Bean soup, toasted turkey and hot salami sandwiches, and a couple of pints of the Long Trail ale. It was a little chilly outside so we opted to dine indoors by the warmth of the woodstove. Again I broke out some tunes - Patterson Hood (from Drive-By Truckers), and Kenny Wayne Shepherd (10 Days Out CD). It doesn't get much more relaxing than this aside from blowing up an air mattress and having a catnap (note to self: pack air mattress).


The timing of our departure was perfect. As we left the Herridge gates we crossed paths with about 20 grade 7-8 students. They were all geared up for a sleepover - some looked happy, and some not so much. Few realize (or care) that they will one day look back on these camp-outs with fond memories of a carefree age. Another example of how "youth is wasted on the young".



After the hike on the way home, Ken and I made two stops. The first stop was not far from the parking lot where we strolled up an overgrown driveway to the top of a hill where Ken pointed to an old family plot that he'd come across while geocaching some time ago. The old farm house was long gone along with the original owners but this tiny graveyard lives on. One of the tombstones dated back to 1879 (born 1806) while the most recent was 2000. The location also came with a great view - though likely not fully appreciated by the current residents.

The last stop was at the nearby bungee jumping / rock quarry facility. The season was over for jumping but we were still able to stroll through the area and see the attractions. There was a zip line, a beach, a huge hanging pot over an open fire (likely for dispersing the bodies of the poor clients that die on the bungee jump), a playground, and a walking trail. The quarry pit below the jump is now filled will crystal clear water that allows you to see straight to the bottom. It's here that you can spot the eerie skeletal remains of a small prop plane. A nice touch. I'll have to make a note to come back here in the summer and test out the zip line and the snorkeling but I'll pass on the jumping.

Walk the wire

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).





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.

Westport and the Rideau Trail

A Sunday drive to Westport proved to be just the right cure for our weekend cabin fever. Joining the kids and I was Ken who is always up for a hike and some adventure in the great outdoors.

We picked up the Rideau Trail at McAndrews Rd. off of County Rd 10 (or N44 37.029 W76 25.239) and loaded with snacks and beverages we headed off in search of the occasionally elusive orange triangle as it wound its way through the countryside. Note that if you're following the orange triangle with the yellow tip then you're heading in the direction of Kingston - no yellow tip would indicate that you are Ottawa bound.

Our first obstacle was a large beaver pond. Alas this was not going to be a problem for us as the kind folks of the Rideau Trail Association have provided us with a rather elaborate ferry. It was more fun than a ride at the Ex.


Beaver pond traversed, we took a short break on a rocky hilltop and enjoyed some lunch. Soon after we came across an old sawmill near Bedford Mills. (click here for a HDR photo I found online). This place seemed to have a lot of character and apparently for the right price it could be all yours (serious offers only as the sign says).


After the hike we drove back to Westport for some chip truck fries at Scotty's Tackle and Live Bait (he also sells flowers and shrubs, and rents boats and motors). Oh, you can also score a basket of shrimp if you're so inclined. We settled on just the fries. From here we headed back into town for some baked cookies (awesome by the way) and a tour of the local port to chase sea gulls off the docks.





Our drive back to Ottawa was leisurely to say the least. We made stops to check out the local sapper and miner cemetery, a new community centre, an approaching storm, and even a rainbow.



Gotta love the Sunday drive through the countryside. Cheers.

South March Highlands

Lately I was getting a little restless with all the summer-like weather and decided to get out for a hike. I tossed around a few ideas before finally deciding to keep it close to home. South March Highlands (I only discovered the name today) is out in the area of Kanata Lakes near the Old Carp Rd and March Rd. I've skied, snowshoed, and hiked these trails in the past but it now appears to have developed into a mountain biker's paradise with about 30 km of maintained trails. That said, I stuck to my trusty bendy sticks (that's legs eh) thus avoiding a tumble off of one of the swamp bridges on my Crappy Tire bike.

Blue skies, no bugs, and plenty of solitude. A perfect recipe.


For lunch I stopped on a nice flat rock alongside a pond and watched a flock of dragonflies bounce around the shoreline. I'm not sure what it was all about - likely some mating ritual - but it certainly was entertaining. I also took this time to road test my new mp3 speakers from iHome. Sweet. I was spinning some old AOD - check it out - that seemed to fit the moment perfectly.



Click here for a map of the area and a general outline of the trail I hiked. I scooped this from a site talking about a snowshoe route so ignore the parts where it crosses over the lake itself. I've been known to work miracles from time to time but that's not one of them.

Friday the 13th

Let's just say that what happens while out in the woods in the middle of the night, stays out there in the woods... dead, stinking, and rotting. Hacked into little pieces.

Ahhh, good times.

Thin Ice

WARNING: Do not try this at home.


Out geocaching with the family and grizzlyG.


After watching a few family friendly episodes of "Man vs. Wild" and learning some tricks from Bear Grylls, I just knew I was up to the task. Mission successful. (luckily the real misadventures never seem to get caught on video)