Another weekend away, another post

That week went by pretty quickly.  Lots of working from the hotel and meetings but back on the airplane Friday afternoon for some pre-testing as we get ready to fly this week.

This weekend was another where I was looking for things to do outside of the hotel room.  After spending a good part of Saturday getting caught up with work, it was nice to get outside for a short run near the hotel where I found a snapping turtle munching on some weeds on the shoulder of the road:

In the afternoon, I ventured out to go for a walk along the canal and lift locks.  I got there just in time to see one boat coming up to one of the swing bridges:

A short walk along the canal brought me to the Peterborough Lift Lock which is one of two hydraulic lift locks on the Trent Waterway canal system.  It is astonishing to me that they made this structure back in the 1900's and it is till very much in use these days.  Plus, the mechanics behind the lift is pretty cool, just look at the size of the piston (or ram?) - it is huge!

The view from the top of the hydraulic lift lock

After sweating through my shirt and getting back to the car, I grabbed some snacks, some water and my book and went to find a spot to read by the lake:

Sunday was a lazier day with a short 30 mins drive to Selwyn Beach Conservation Park for a hike in the forest and then a snack along side Chemong Lake.  It was hot, 24 felt like 34 (at least).

The beach park

The hike through the trees

Playing with phone camera settings

Chemong Lake

After my snack, I got back in the car and took the long way "home", around Chemong Lake and past Buckhorn Lake and Pigeon Lake (through Bobcaygeon, which the Tragically Hip named a song after) and then back into Peterborough.

Once back at the hotel, it was time for a quick chat with Lola while I got a little bit of work done and then a short nap before heading back out to find a spot to read my book by the lake.  However, as I pulled into the parking lot at Beavermede Park, it was starting to rain.  So instead of going to find a spot to read my book, I took my nectarine and went for another walk around the park and to the lower lift locks before heading back to the hotel feeling a little refreshed from the rain.

I'm looking forward to a busy week ahead so that I can get home as soon as possible and start my next 14 day self-isolation and then enjoy some summer.  At least this time, I can spend time outside in the yard.  Plus, I have my own sunscreen now since I was criticized for not buying some sunscreen earlier on my trip when I was spending so much time outside.

AA on the road again

 I knew this trip was going to be in May/June of this year but I was really hoping we would be through this pandemic and almost back to normal.  Unfortunately, that is not the case and has me stuck here in Peterborough for an extra couple weeks instead of being able to fly home and then come back.  I guess I can't complain too much, I haven't travelled much in the last year and half so maybe this is payback?

Lola was able to load up the car and go camping at Hecla with our friends this weekend, all by herself.  For me, I was looking for things to do instead of work and what better way to spend a weekend than outside enjoying the warm weather.

Saturday was spent hiking along Jackson Creek park and the Trans Canada Trail.  A short 5k hike (round trip) on a gravel path which looks like it used to be a rail bed offered some scenic views of the creek, many trees, a spillway and lakes.

Lily Lake

I was summer smart - I brought a water bottle with me to stay hydrated and decided I probably shouldn't go "off roading" in the trails in the trees for fear of twisting an ankle.  I am getting old (and maybe wise).  Actually, the reason I decided to stay to the trail was mostly because there weren't any vantage points to get from the trails in the trees not like when I went in the trees in the mountainside near Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany...

Sunday I decided to venture out to see Lake Ontario and headed to Prince Edward Wildlife Reserve, about 2 hrs away.  I also decided to take the scenic route to get there, going through many small towns and past hundreds of horse and small dairy barns all while staying on paved roads until the last 5 km to my destination.

I wasn't really looking to see any wildlife, I just wanted to go and hang out by the big water for a bit.  I brought a small picnic lunch with me and my book to spend some time in nature.  Lunch was good, watching the seagulls in the water, looking at Point Traverse Lighthouse and listening to the waves crash on the shore that was covered with zebra mussel shells.

A lookout point, looking back at another point along Prince Edward Bay

Point Traverse Lighthouse

The view at lunch

Shells

After lunch, I took a small walk along the shore to see the other side of the point where the waves were definitely larger.  After crunching more shells under my feet along the walk back to the car, I stopped at "the beach" at the other end of the point and read a couple chapters of my book, ate a snack and watched the birds and a couple sea-doos go by.  It was a very relaxing day.

The Beach (looking South)

The drive back was equally adventurous as the drive out - going through Belleville and then along numerous county roads, past many farms and eventually back to the hotel.

I'll have to keep searching for other places to go for hikes in the evenings after work since I will be here at least one more week, and then some.