last run of the year

[Rob Schwartz]

Wall of Text strikes you for 10000 damage.  You die.

Seriously, Jim...  Ya' think we could get you to make some paragraphs??  ;-)

Sincerely,
The Peanut Gallery


-----Original Message-----
From: The Masons [mailto:masonjs at nrtco.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:18 AM
To: gpzlist at micapeak.com
Subject: last run of the year


Marilyn flew to the east coast to visit her sister.

So Friday I got the bike out.  It was 3C (38F) when I left home and the
weatherman promising me 12C (53F) by mid afternoon (he lied).  I took the
highway down to the Calabogie road and went west to Bogie.  I had planned to
go south to Westport on the West end of Big Rideau Lake but due to the
temperature thought it best to stay within an our of home.  There was very
little traffic and the roads were good.  I had to watch in some shaded
corners as there was still frost on the road.  I found this out after a
couple of arse end skids that brought dejavue of the TLH in August.  After
passing Bogie I turned onto the Centennial Lake Road a very nice twisty 30
km.  At the end of it I turned left and went through the village of
Matawatchan where I noticed the general store had been turned into a private
residence.  I noticed traces of snow in the ditches between Matawatchan &
Venachar  not good. The Matawatchan Road ends at Venachar so I turned right
and went out to Venachar Junction on Hwy 41 and went north 5km to the Swiss
Inn at Denbigh.  I stopped here for lunch of home made sweet potato, chicken
barley soup and a Reuben Sandwich.   Its strange how some people react.  I
hung up my Kevlar jacket and my helmet.  When I sat down there were two
couples in their mid 40s at the table 2 over from me and by their
expressions you'd think I'd just farted.  A couple of old ladies both in
their 70s at the table beside me asked how the ride was, if I was cold and
that I should have been out 2 weeks before when the leaves were at their
peak.  I told them I had been out and how red the trees in Algonquin park
had been in the 3rd week of September.  They were pleased that I chatted
with them. I took Hwy 28 out of Denbigh heading for Hardwood Lake (dueling
banjo country - like I'm not already in it).  I ran though Ruby (we have 2
Rubys in Renfrew County with a total of 10 dwellings plus a Ruby Road, Ruby
Mine Road, Ruby Lake, Rubyvlle and Rubyville Road --she must have been one
helluva ceiling inspector) just as I entered Renfrew county.  I came over a
rise just before Big Yirkie Lake and the visa was pretty depressing,  the
trees were all devoid of leaves with nothing but bare grey branches and the
conifers were dull green, the only exception was the odd yellow "A" of the
Tamarack.  I turned at Hardwood Lake and went through Schutt, Jewelville,
and Palmer Rapids.  Just before I got to Combermere I turned in on Riverside
Drive.  I stopped the bike beside the Madawaska River got off and walked
down to the shore.  I looked down stream and saw my brother in law  Graham's
place about a kilometer away.  The place is impressive (3000 sq feet of
cedar with steeply peaked blue steel roofs, the wealthy in laws) when you
are at it but is looked spectacular from where I was.  I was going to go in
and see him and I remembered he was away golfing.  At Combermere I took the
Old Barrys Bay Road stopped at the log chute for a few minutes the water was
flowing well.  I turned onto the Hopefield road and noticed more snow on the
ground and some still on roof tops (this was left over from Tuesday when it
snowed all day).  When I got to the South Wilno Road there was at least 2"
of snow on the roofs and the piece de resistance was a 2 meter high snowman
in a yard.  I turned left at Brudenell and then right onto the Ruby Road at
Kilaloe, 5 minutes later I was in the other Ruby that consists of 2 "T"
intersections and 6 buildings 2 of which I think are dwellings.  From here I
managed about 5 miles on a dirt road and found myself at Cormac and Ste
Ann's Shrine.  I rode into Eganville and took the 4th Chute Road to
Knightington (4th Chute on the Bonnechere River).  I think these chutes are
counted starting at the Ottawa River.  I stopped on the bridge and watched
the water for a bit and then went into Douglas.  I rode down to the old mill
got off the bike and walked down to the damn and the derelict there at was
indeed the "L" 2, this is an old 16' fiberglas boat that my daighter and her
friends used to float down the Bonnechere from the 4th chute to the 3rd
chute on our Victoria Day weekend. It still had it's BBQ in place of the
engine, the bimini top (a stolen tarp garage by the look of it) and the
cushions from 1/2 a dozen couches. There were probably a few long necked
empties in the bilge, I didn't check.  I then took the Dillabough Road and
Barr Line back to Cobden.  $12.00 for lunch,329 Km, 5 hours and $16.00 for
fuel A day well wasted.
My front yard is covered with snow today.  I don't think it will stay but
its a serious hint to put the bikes away.

Jim