Utah 2013 (Trip # 16) Sept/Oct 2013

Just returned from a 10 day bus tour of the parks of southern Utah with Road Scholar.  The focus was on the geology of the formations found in the Colorado Plateau.

* Snow Canyon State Park
* Zion National Park
* Bryce Canyon National Park
* Grand Staircase
* Anasazi State Park
* Capitol Reef National Park
* John Wesley Powell Museum
* Dead Horse Point State Park
* Canyonlands National Park
* Arches National Park
* Edge of the Cedars Museum
* Monument Valley
* Rainbow Bridge National Monument via Lake Powell
* Antelope Canyon (Grand Canyon cancelled due to Federal Government shutdown)
* Valley of Fire State Park (on our own)

We have too many pics to post here, so you can see the pics in a 5 minute video on youtube http://youtu.be/sSFrEeCzooM .

Valley of Fire State Park, NV, northeast of Las Vegas.

Ontario's West Coast - Sept 2013 (Trip # 15) Sept 2013

The back to school trip up the Ontario coast of Lake Huron from Sarnia to the Bruce Peninsula.  Camped in 3 Provincial Parks:

* Pinery Provincial Park
* Point Farms Provincial Park
* Sauble Falls Provincial Park

Loved the sunsets, dog beaches and the flatwater river kayaking.

Here are a few pics from Pinery PP near Grand Bend, ON.

Sunset over Lake Huron.

Heron along Old Ausable Channel.

  Insect damage on a log.

Catching a few rays of afternoon sun.

Next are pics from Point Farms PP, near Goderich, ON.

Turkey tail fungi on a log.

Goldenrod in the fields of the old Victorian resort.





Clam digging along the Lake Huron shoreline.

Salt-laden freighter leaving the Sifto plant in Goderich.

 

 

Here are a few pics from Sauble Falls PP and the Bruce Peninsula.

 







 









Wingfield Basin on the east side of the Bruce Peninsula, near the Cabot Head lighthouse (where you can stay for a week as an assistant lighthouse keeper!).

 

 

Paddling on the Sauble River.
 



 

Sauble Falls in the provincial park.

 

 







Cardinal flower along the Rankin River.



Jordan Harbour, ON (Day Trip) August 2013

Always wanted to explore this area by kayak.  Can be seen driving by on the QEW on the way to Niagara, but never able to figure out where to launch.  Recently opened conservation area has non-motorized boat launch and canoe/kayak rentals.  Short drive from home - nice way to spend a sunny day!

Juvenile green heron on shore.

A replica of the Grande Hermine, shipwrecked on the Lake Ontario side of harbour.

Heron fluffing it's feathers.

Beats commuting to work!  Paddling under GO Train bridge.

Byng Island Conservation Area, ON (Trip # 14) July 2013

Located on the Grand River across from Dunnville, just north of where the Grand opens into Lake Erie.  Nice campground and easy access to the river for kayaking.

Morning paddle on the Grand River.

Nest of young swallows under bridge over Grand River.

Paddling in the bulrushes along the Grand River.

Cycling by a field along the Trans-Canada Trail.

Purple monarda along Trans-Canada trail.

Arrowhead PP, ON (Trip # 13) July 2013

Nice little park just north of Huntsville, on the western border of Algonquin PP.  Only a couple of hours drive from home.  No black flies but still mosquito season.  Had the dog with us so took turns going out in the kayaks.

View of forming Ox Bow in the Big East River from Big Bend Lookout.

Paddling on the Little East River.

Moose cow foraging on the Little East River.

Summer wildflowers along the roadside.

Bon Echo PP, ON (Trip # 12) June 2013

 
 
 
 
Week before school is out and there is lots of room in the campground.  Mosquitos are brutal however.  Loved kayaking on Lake Mazinaw.




Kayaking alongside 100 m high Mazinaw rock.

Lichen growing on the Rock.

One of over 260 Aboriginal pictographs on the Rock, only accessible from the water.

Young woodpecker calling for dinner.

Dinner has arrived.

Purple irises along shoreline of lake.

Deer feeding along trail.

North Bend SP, WVa (Trip # 11) June 2013

 

Love West Virginia - reminds me of northern Ontario without the bugs!  June was a great time to go - no problem getting a campsite as school is not out yet, but the weather is great.

Irises in Tomlinson Run State Park on the northern tip of West Virginia.

There's more than one Toronto!

Trail in North Bend State Park, WVa.

 

Paddling the North Fork Hughes River - artificially dammed to prevent flooding downstream in Cairo during heavy storms.

Fritillary butterfly along Rail Trail.

Black ratsnake along North Bend Rail Trail.

Sweet pea along the North Fork Hughes River.

Along the back roads of West Virginia.

Flickers in North Bend State Park.

 

Toxic caterpillar of the Buck Moth.

Butterfly weed along the North Bend Rail Trail.

Double rainbow over the campground after a tornado watch.

 

Luna moth on the restroom screen.

Biking in the tunnels of the North Bend Rail Trail.

View of the North Fork Hughes River from the boat launch.