Old Roads

I had this entry published originally in the Kings County Record and it received some positive feedback.  This was one of those endeavors that came together nicely and I hope you enjoy the read.  I was inspired after I hiked along a couple of roads that would be hard to discern now.  The scenery and mature woodlands were peaceful and the remnants of days past added to the peaceful mood I found myself in.

New Brunswick has a long history.  Part of that history is wrapped up in our roads.  Our logging and forestry activities resulted in many roads being developed and, subsequently once they were no longer needed, abandoned.  Traces of these roads can still be recognized and I love wandering on these trails. 

Sometimes it is easy to tell you're hiking on an old road.

In the early 20^th century the larger roads were called King's Highways and now when I hike along them I feel like the king.  This time of year it is great to walk these roads as trees often hang over them and during the fall, as the sun shines bright in a crisp blue sky, you feel like you're walking a fragrant hall way in a colorful castle.

One such road runs between Sussex Corner and Waterford and I recently had a chance to walk a short section of it.  If you have ever driven the present road between Sussex Corner and Waterford you know that it is a beautiful drive but to walk the old road is another type of experience.  There is history embedded in the landscape, enormity in the topography, and excitement in the wildness.

As I started the hike my senses immediately heightened and my mind instantly slowed down.  I felt like I could see and anticipate everything.  As I approached an old meadow I instinctively slowed my pace and kept low.  As if on cue a couple of deer bounded away from the old spring they were enjoying.  I wished, rather oddly, that I could share the space with them, but I realize their animal instincts make that unlikely, and I wouldn't want them to lose their wild heart.

To find an old road might not be as hard as you think, especially if you head out to the Fundy Coast or any of the hills that were historically logged around the Sussex area.  If they happen to have a small drainage, try along there and look for a hard pack shelf.  There might be some gravel still showing or some old tracks still slightly visible.  Depending on the last time the road was used, the vegetation will provide some tell tale signs it was a road as well.  Alders and young spruce indicate that the road had been used not long ago, likely as a harvest or farm road.  Older roads might have birch or maples growing up.  The trees will be leaning to the center of the road, not because of the shoulder but because that is where they readily could find the sunshine that feeds them. 

Old roads, like roads of today, connected logging camps to mills, farms to summer pastures, and neighbor to neighbor.  These anthropogenic land marks leave behind clues to their past vitality and with a little imagination you can picture what the road may have looked like in the past.  I have a pretty wild imagination so I readily enjoy this aspect of these types of hikes.

Exploring the landscape around you can be rewarding for so many reasons.  Gaining an appreciation of the past and of the value of the landscape of the present might be one of the best rewards.  If you struggled with history in school then maybe this will be a great way to catch up.  See you in the woods.

Learning Lacrosse

This entry was published in the Kings County Record and at first I wasn't going to post it here.  It keeps speaking to me though and I keep hearing the message in my head.  I'm sure there are other dad's out there who struggle similarly with the differences in personalities between themselves and their kids.  For me it is important to remember that as long as my kids are happy and that I continue to encourage them to explore nature and themselves, then I should be doing an okay job as their Dad.

 

As a father I have struggled to find ways to bond with my kids.  They are different than I am and have different interests and I don't always understand them.  I have realized that it is better for them, and me, if I simply let them explore their own interests rather than try to push them towards mine.  I am also realizing that they have to explore their interests at their own pace.  I have really struggled with this last point and at times and it has resulted in struggles.

Sport is not always the best avenue for me and my kids to bond on.  I am a competitive individual who always tries hard when playing.  I always was eager to try a new game and find it unthinkable that my kids don't.  Recently we were invited to play lacrosse with some friends.  I had never played lacrosse before and so I thought maybe I could learn with my kids.  While I couldn't wait to play, I found myself surprised by my kids' unwillingness to even try.  After the game was over, my son did pick up a stick and throw the ball around with me, he was actually a bit of a natural with it.

The lacrosse experience led me to realize that even if someone has natural athletic talents, they might not desire to use it.  This leads to another question, what makes some people competitive and others not?  For this I have not yet found an answer, but in my son's case, it might have something to do with being over competitive.  He seems to be afraid of failing or not being able to compete, so instead, he chooses not to play.  With this in mind I wondered "How many great athletes simply chose not to play?"

With team sports not on their radar, I am getting familiar with new activities.  For instance, I now consider guitar players amongst the toughest people I know.  How they stretch their fingers across the frets and press on a single string without wincing is amazing.  My son has been teaching me how to play guitar and my poor fingers are as sore as my legs used to be during two a day hockey practices.  I'm hoping that my fingers will become conditioned and that my son continues to enjoy playing the guitar with me.  One thing is certain, he won't have to worry about me competing with him on the guitar, because I would be scared to lose. 

If you are like me though and enjoy team sports.  If you get a chance, try lacrosse.  It is a challenging sport that combines many athletic skill sets.  I have some of the skills but will need to work on some others.  Unfortunately my age is something I will have to learn to compensate for when I try lacrosse again.  I hope to try again, and there are some others who are much better than I, looking to create a local youth team.  For now I'm hoping they will let me play pick up with them from time to time.

Beautiful Bogies

This entry was published in the Kings County Record a few weeks ago now.  I've been incredibly busy at work and thus haven't had time to keep up with my blogging.  I was able to get out golfing though a while back and was reminded why I loved the sport so much in my youth.  It is now late in the golf season but fall golfing is very rewarding too.  Lower temps and fewer bugs mean you can be more comfortable while you swing away.

A light rain was falling when I awoke.  The weather forecast was calling for "a risk of rain, sometimes heavy."  I had gone to bed the night before anticipating getting out golfing.  I don't get to golf much so the chance to get out and beat a white ball around a green field had me a bit excited.  My anticipation waned some though with the forecast.

I counted my golf balls to make sure I had enough.  When you golf like I do, you need at least 18.  Then, because I have a tendency to leave clubs behind, I made sure I had them all to start with at least.  Finally I cleaned out my golf bag, throwing out whatever I didn't absolutely need, including a bag of tees, the practice weight and some pennies leftover from a previous round.  If I had to carry my bag, I didn't want any extra weight because regardless of the clubs, I'd be tired after 18 holes and somewhere around 100 swings of the club. 

As we made our way to the Petitcodiac Valley Golf and Country Club the rain held off with only light occasional showers.  We only encountered a short down pour half way through the round.  The course is hilly and offers great views if you can keep your ball in the fairway.  Fortunately for me, I was driving the ball well that day so I was able to avoid the woods for the most part.  Putting however was a poor spot in my round and I can attest that the greens at the Petitcodiac Valley Golf and Country Club are in great shape.  I should know, I saw almost every inch of them, especially the ones on the front nine. 

I may have stated this before in my column but golf is a frustrating, yet rewarding game.  My front nine, mainly thanks to my putting, was horrendous.  Yet on hole 7, after two very poor shots, I stood over my ball, took a deep breath and drove a 5 wood up close enough to make a bogey on the par 4 hole.  I should state that when I see par, I instantly add one stroke and aim for that.  So to make a bogey meant I reached my goal.  It was one shot that made my front nine satisfying despite all the frustration I felt through most of it.  I hadn't made a bogey since the first hole so that bogey was a great feeling and changed my whole outlook.  I managed to follow it with two pars and I finished the front nine with a 54.

There were more bogeys and a couple of more pars on the back nine and I managed to sink a few putts.  The conversation was light and we chided each other lightly when a bad shot, heck even when a good shot was made.  The rain held off nicely and with the overcast sky, it wasn't too warm either.  In all it was almost a perfect round especially if you overlook the scorecard. 

If you're looking for a round of golf the course in Petitcodiac has some great green fee deals and there are courses for all types of golfers in this part of the province.  Check out Golf NB for some of your options.

NS Adventure 2014

Our family recently went on a trip to the Halifax Regional Municipality to visit my brother and sister in-law.  It was an awesome adventure which included some down time, great eats, and awesome scenery.  Peggy's Cove is worth the hype and when you finish it off with a stop at the White Sails Bakery and Deli, the day trip can't be beat.  The kids can no longer go to Halifax without stopping at what our daughter calls the "Bubble Factory" better known as the "Discovery Center."
In Dartmouth we enjoyed Shubie Park which is an awesomely designed green space not far from our hosts home. 
All in all, an awesome adventure.

Kayak Fishing on Kennedy Lake

The lake was incredibly flat.  Dead trees scattered the edge of the lake and were reflecting off the calm surface along with the light clouds.  The air was still with only an odd light breeze rustling the leaves of the nearby alders.  Oddly I was disappointed there were no flies.  Yes I said I was disappointed there were no flies as I was hoping to fly fish for trout on Kennedy Lake.  No flies meant my choice of artificial fly was limited.

Nerves built up as we unloaded the kayaks and gear.  Fly fishing from a kayak was a new endeavor and for a novice paddler this can be slightly intimidating.  We laughed it off and pushed our kayaks out into the narrow, shallow, channel that led to the lake.  I should stress shallow as it was difficult to float the kayak to the main part of the lake, but entertaining if you had of witnessed it.  Using a combination of hip shuffles and poling we managed to make the lake.

With little to no wind and no flies, the first thing that hit me as I paddled into the lake was the quietness.  My Dad and I could easily converse while prepping our rods despite being over 50m apart.  The silence made me feel small and as I looked across the lake I grew infinitely smaller again.  Our voices echoed off the far hills and we could easily talk to ourselves and think we were responding.

Cautiously I let the first couple of casts leave my rod tip.  Once I was comfortable, I started doling out more line and before long I was confident in my casting and my boat.  I could use the intermittent breeze to drift my kayak strategically towards the areas I wished to cast to.  In this way I was able to efficiently cover a good portion of the lake.  That was not difficult however as the lake is only about 5ha in size.  It was an ideal setting for this first attempt at fly fishing from a kayak.

Patiently I laid out cast after cast and slowly stripped my "green machine" in.  There were no fish breaking the surface and it was hard to determine if I had a good fly and presentation or if I should change my fly and approach.  After 20 minutes and only raising one trout, I decided I should switch.  I moved to a "wooly bugger" and then to a mosquito pattern.  No matter, I never hooked a trout, but no matter the evening was more about the paddling in any event.

We easily loaded the kayaks and gear as we debated the merits of kayaks over canoes.  The drive to the main road was slow and symbolic of the pace of the evening.  Since there was still daylight left we explored some options for a similar trip in the future.  Crow Lake appeared to be a great candidate.  Both of us didn't want the day to end as we had thrived on the silence and relished in the sense of aloneness.  Being on the lake allowed us to leave worries and responsibilities on the shore and as we got closer to home those issues crept back in.  Regardless it was a great evening and kayak fishing has proven to be a new way to enjoy a favorite past time.

If you want to introduce some children to fishing then check out the upcoming "Youth Angling Day Camps" in Apohaqui and Waterford on August 20^th and 26^th respectively.  You can find more information on these events by looking up the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee.

Grindstone Island 2014

Grindstone Island was not just about the destination, it was about the whole trip there.  Our boat left from Alma, NB, just outside of Fundy National Park just before 11am.  Nature Trust New Brunswick used the island as a highlight of the work they are doing in New Brunswick.  They are are always seeking volunteer stewards to help maintain and monitor the health of their properties.  If you have some time you should consider helping them. Check out the video of my trip.  It was a great day for a boat trip and the entire trip was incredible.  The coast line was incredibly rugged but so scenic and it offered something different on every wave.  Seriously take a look at the NTNB website.

My travel companion for the day was Don Dow who sits on the Kennebecasis Naturalist Society.  They are one of the oldest Naturalists clubs in Canada and are in need of new members.  If you have any interest in outings similar to this one, check them out too.

Full Moon Walking

Some people have a way of being able to organize events and get people out.  Go Train Fitness in Sussex is organizing a "Go Full Moon Walking" event this Sunday, August 10th.  It sounds like a cool event geared towards families.  Yours truly will be there to share some stories about the local waterway and ecosystems and Outdoor Elements will be there and owner John McNair will host a marshmellow roast after the Moon walk, not to be confused with Michael Jackson's famous dance style.  If you want to join the walk meet at the bandstand at Burton Park in Sussex at 9:00pm and bring a flashlight.

I might have some extra head lamps or lights if you don't have one.  My family is looking forward to this evening hike.  I've always liked hiking at night and this is a great way to help people get over their fear of the night.  Hope to see lots of people out.

See you in the woods or on the water.

Pedaling Backwards

I had this published in a recent edition of the Kings County Record.  Obviously July is now over but this could happen when ever I hop on a bike.  As someone who is learning to enjoy a slower pace, it is a blessing to find that I can find it on a bike.  I hope you enjoy the read and that you have a chance to get out to find a pace that suits you.

July is more than half over and I am already wondering where summer went.  Time just seems to fly by at times.  That is why it is good to simply slow the pace down.  How do you slow down time?  I have a couple of key ways to recharge and slow down time.  Sometimes I can even do a couple of them at the same time. 

You've heard me ramble about fishing and for sure that is one way to slow things down.  I've written about camping, hiking, and kayaking and extolled how relaxing they can be.  One activity that I don't participate in or write about nearly enough is cycling.  For many biking is not something they would perceive as relaxing or has a manner of slowing down.  When you watch the "Tour de France" and local Christian Meier, they sure aren't going slow and they are racing against time. 

I admit, when I go biking I don't always relax or slow things down.  I love to see how fast I can go and I don't just coast down hill, I like to pedal to gain more speed.  Even with the speed involved time, or maybe more appropriately, aging, is slowed down.  My mind races back to when I was a kid and I'd race down the Mill Brook Road at a dangerous pace. I remember the jumps we'd build and the trails we created simply to get somewhere we couldn't previous pedal to.

A short time ago I was out biking with my son.  The evening was hot with very little breeze and as we slowly pedaled along the trail, the light breeze kept us cool.  The pace was slow and I was able to take in a lot of the scenery around me.  I wondered why we didn't do this more often.  The trail in Sussex and Sussex Corner is a great way to enjoy our community, exercise, and slow time down.  The slow pace, the church picnic atmosphere, the urban setting, it all led my mind to an earlier time when things were simpler and slower. 

That evening I almost felt like I was pedaling backwards.  As I watched my son I saw myself on my old black and yellow BMX.  Our band of buddies used to bike to "Mac's Grocery" and buy a bag of chips, a chocolate bar, and a pop for under a dollar.  We'd then bike to a nearby hayfield and find a place to sit and watch the road below as we indulged on our treat.  It was a slower time and the memory slowed my mind and suddenly the faster pace of my hectic adult lifestyle slowed as well.

As we age we gain perspective on various things.  In the past I have always been very competitive and that drove me to do things at a fast pace.  I didn't just compete against others but against time and against myself as well.  The lesson learned over this biking exercise has been that I don't always need to compete against the clock or against myself.  Through my youth I may have missed out on some important lessons simply because I thought I had something to prove or had to compete.  Now I realize that biking isn't always a race and that it can be a joy ride.

Bluff Memories

One of my favorite hikes is the Bluff near Sussex Corner, NB.  It is a leisurely stroll where almost everyone can take the road less travelled.  Hope you enjoy my little video.

Surprise Settings

I often take inspiration from various political activities or events.  My column in the local weekly paper is not the right place to publish political ideas nor am I always comfortable printing my thoughts.  I often soften the message, as is the case below, and insinuate things and let the reader figure it out.  For this one, I'm going to help you read between the lines.  In recent years there have been attempts to regulate natural features by man made maps.  I find this a bit humorous as nature truly knows no bounds.  Rivers flow down hill but not always within their banks.  Wetlands always change and to try to protect them by putting them on a map is fool hardy.  What do you think?

 

There are places that aren't on a map.  They exist.  The maps just don't represent them for what they truly are.  I can show you steep ravines that hardly show up on a map.  Caves very seldom show up on maps.  Just because they aren't on a map doesn't mean they have nothing to offer however.  I was reminded of this recently during a walk along a stream near Pleasant Ridge where a waterfall greeted me.  I knew the waterfall was there but those with me knew nothing about it, despite having been through the area before.

Further up the valley there is a ravine which, according to the map, has no water.  If you ask my feet however, there is plenty of water and it is very cold.  I'm sure if you take that water away there would be plenty of animals that would be slightly put out.  All you need to do to confirm this is take your time and notice the number of animal signs along the ravine.  There were a number of birds calling, deer and raccoon tracks, lots of squirrel calls and of course lots of insects and bugs in the moist valley.  By the way, you won't find any photos of those animals on the map either.

The only way to truly know what is out there is to get out there.  Similar to when you are fishing, "The only way to catch a fish is to have your line in the water."  If you want to see a deer in its natural habitat, you have to go find it.  If you want to see a waterfall you need to follow a river.  The examples are endless and the more you get out there the more examples of your own you'll have.

If something isn't on a map, or regulated, it is no less valuable than something that is mapped or something that is considered protected.  Nature isn't bound by conventional laws or controlled by man made walls and barriers.  Nature is always free and has a way of surprising us; sometimes in a positive way, sometimes in not so positive ways.  When you get caught off guard and ill prepared by nature, the consequences can be drastic.  The best we can do is be prepared to meet nature on its terms.  When ever we think we have things under control, nature will surprise us.

On another note the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) wants to encourage families to get out camping.  On July 19^th you should practice being prepared and go out and meet nature on its terms.  You don't need to go far, you simply need to get out there and practice your skills in nature.  If you decide to go camping the CWF would love to have your commitment as they want to get 1 million Canadian families camping that night.  Check out their website and make the commitment to get prepared for nature.  You can find the "Great Canadian Campout" online at http://cwf-fcf.org/en/do-something/events/great-canadian-camp-out/.  There are groups making efforts to coordinate a large local event for this area so keep an eye on local bulletin boards in case.