Just hangin' around

This is a snowmobile bridge. You can go for a few hundred kilometres on the snowmobile path. . .with a snowmobile that is. . .in the winter. I'd like to try it sometime.

What's this funny looking bin you might ask? Yes - it's a bear proof bin. They like raiding the bins of food, but everywhere has bear proof bins now, so they dont hang around. I'd still like to see one though. . . from a distance.

The huge rocks behind me are the the Information centre at French River. its a cool little museum with really nice staff who were very helpful.

Snakes alive

I said to Warren "be careful of that snake there" he said - "no its fine I think it's dead" - then it moved. . . .and so did Warren! hahaha

Fortunately it wasn't a rattler which are the ones you have to be careful of. They say Australia has lots of deadly things, funnel web spiders, deadly snakes, but really - while walking we had to be careful of bears, rattle snakes, moose and the occasional hunter with a rifle.

I guess Canada is just as deadly!

Along the way

Here we are on the way to the cottage in Northern Ontario in a place called French River. It's a 5 hour drive there and is lined with beautiful coloured trees turning spectacular colours for Autumn / Fall.

We had 4 days there altough 2 of them were mostly spent driving. Still - it was a wonderful experience and Warren & his family do this every year.

Pure beautiful landscape

Boating

Warren's parents have a boat that the boys went fishing in. I was banned from fishing because of the bad luck I brought to the boys and the good luck I bought to the fish! The first day I got there I opened the fridge & encountered the live bait swimming around the bag. I was devastated & talked to the little fishies on death row. I said a hearty goodbye to them. Well the boys put them in the specially designed live bait bucket that you put in the water overnight so the bait is REALLY fresh. But when we all went fishing the next day - the bait fish had escaped, and I promise I had nothing to do with it but I cant say that I was all that upset that the little minnow bait fish had found their way out. Anyway we went fishing with the worms instead (well I didnt but I sat in the boat.) And then we sat. . . .and sat. . . .and sat, and not even a little nibble. I think my empathy for the fishies was getting in the way of them catching anything.

They said they throw them back but that's only after the put a bloody great hook through its mouth or side. So hence I was banned from fishing! Next day they caught some without me.

Oddly enough they bought a new bait bucket & the same thing happened to the 2nd batch of live fish. Honest I didnt touch it!!! The universe does work in mysterious ways.

P.S I'm not a vegetarian or anything - I eat fish but only when they're on my plate, I dont like hurting the little guys by fishing as a sport.

French River Hike

The cottage

I've always wanted a cottage in Canada. It's very popular and now that I've been to one, I know why. You do fun stuff at cottages like go canooeing, hiking in beautiful areas and get amongst nature, and sometimes a bear or two.

Northern Ontario is just beautiful and when I get my career up & running and start earning some real money, buying a cottage on a lake or river like this one will be high on the list of priorities.

But not all cotttages are accessible all year round, you have to choose carefully as some are inaccessible over winter. I want an all year round one that I can visit regularly and commune with nature. . . and bears, but not too closely.

Where's Roe? 

A little furry, wet friend 

Grundy's Lake was so. . .Canadian! 

Grundy's Lake walk

Walking in the rain was fun especially seeing as no-one else was doing it. We had the whole place to ourselves. The last photo is a "where's Warren" picture. Can you see him? We felt very energised after this walk and even though we didnt run into any bears or moose as expected, we were happy.

Joseph - I sent you some energy from here. It was too nice not to.

Red leaves pave the way 

Camouflage wear in Autumn 

Autumn / Fall

Autumn colours
It really is RED! These colours are just awesome! I've never seen anything like it. And it's only the beginning. Soon all of these trees will be bright yellows, reds & oranges. It was spectacular.

Here ya go Marty - you even own a camp! 

Contemplating whether we'll make it back before the rain 

No - this isnt a postcard it's my photo 

Canoeing

We went canoeing a few times. It was a lot of fun and we saw a beaver swimming. I was trying to get my camera out in time & got as far as putting my finger on the button and a quick flap of the beaver's tail and he was gone beneath the water and the only thing left on the photo was disturbed water. Damn! It was cool though. They're bigger than I thought.