Joel and I decided that we would get to Algonquin for a few days (a long weekend) at least once this year. We were unsure of whether we could do an overnight canoe trip, so in the end decided to rent a canoe for one day of canoeing (without camping), followed by a day of biking. That way, we didn’t need to get the canoe on the car, and we could easily put the bikes on.
So we started off north on the day after Labour Day, with me picking Joel up, and then driving to our usual hotel in Huntsville. Traffic was easy going north, so we made good time. Got to Huntsville for a late lunch, charged the car, and checked into the hotel. They remembered us, and gave us our preferred room, which was big enough to keep the bikes inside at night. A good supper was had at Tall Pines restaurant, and then to bed. The next day, we decided, would be the canoeing day. I was really looking forward to it.
Wednesday began cool and sunny. Our breakfast spot was closed, so we went to what had been Louis’ Too for a usual meat and eggs meal, before heading out of town to the Algonquin Outfitters store at Oxtongue Lake.
Here we were going to rent a cedar-strip, canvas-covered canoe much like the one we own. And, I must say, Algonquin Outfitters was great. They were having a quieter day, so they helped us by taking the canoe down to the dock, putting our gear into it, then helping us get in. What a beautiful canoe! But, unlike ours, this one did not have a keel, so it was tippy. And we had no heavy packs in the bottom to give it ballast. I was in stern, and was anxious. But we were both pleased to be back on the water, and headed off on our way around the point to Ragged Falls (about an hour’s paddle). Fortunately for us, the lake was pretty calm, so the paddling was fairly easy. We went under the highway bridge, around the point with many cottages on it, and up the river to where the falls are situated.
Like the rest of Southern Ontario, this area has been very dry this summer, and the falls were just a trickle (which barely shows up in the picture). But it was good to get to that point. I was tired—much more then I thought I would be—and we had decided to have our lunch near there. About 100 metres back from the falls was a portage, so we stopped there to eat. Fortunately for us, there was another couple there, who helped us to land the canoe and get out; we were both tired and awkward.
This couple was an older (ie, in their 60’s) couple who had been canoeing for most of their adult lives, and had been all over the place. We had a wonderful conversation with them, comparing notes and ideas. Lunch went quickly.
But then we had to get back in the canoe, which we did with their help, and slowly. It was not long before I began to realize that I was in trouble. I was tired, and found that I was losing my balance as well—not good in a tippy canoe. We had to stop at two or three docks along the way to rest a bit before getting back to the Outfitter’s dock. I had trouble getting out of the canoe, but finally got onto the dock, and with a great effort, got myself up, and went to get help getting us and the gear out of the canoe and back to the car. The return trip to the outfitter’s was a scary expeience, and a lesson to me that I was not going to be going on a canoe trip anytime soon.
So in the end, we were out in the canoe a grand total of about two and a half hours. So we had some time left in the day, and decided to use it to find and visit Albert Maw, who built our canoe. We Knew he was up Highway 11 in Novar, on a road appropriately named Maws Road. So we drove there, and found the area. There was a workshop, but no one was in it. There were canoes in various stages of repair and building, so it was clearly being used. But no one was present. We went up to the house, and knocked a few times on his door. Eventually, this old man came out and said that he was, in fact, Albert Maw.
Turns out that he was still working, at the grand age of 87! He talked about building 200 canoes a year when he was in his shop in Huntsville, and that it would take him 60 hours to build each one. He worked six days a week, about 10 hours a day. But, he admitted, he couldn’t do that now. He is asked, and does, repair canoes for one of the camps in the area. He looked hale, and spoke well. I can only hope to be as good if or when I get to 87! It was a short, but lovely visit.
Then back to Huntsville for a mediocre supper at That Place in town.
And the next day, we were to bike. Where I had not expected problems canoeing, I did expect trouble with the biking. I was wrong on both accounts. We headed to Smoke Lake for the start of the trail, and started in good time (for us). This was a trail described as “easy”, and “suitable for children”. And the trail began innocently enough, but after a few kilometres began to get rough with tree roots and stones in the middle of the trail, bumping and pushing us around. We both had some trouble with this, but Joel had more with his narrower tires. So we decided to truncate the route. Instead of doing the full 18 kms, we stopped at the Lake of Two Rivers to eat our lunches (this was about 13 km along). While we were having lunch, we learned that Queen Elizabeth had died, so there was som sadness (at least on my part).
With the roughness of the riding, we also took longer than expected. So it was good we abbreviated out trip. It still took while a while to get back to our car, and then to Huntsville. A rest, before heading out to our favourite restaurant in town: the Artisan House. We had a very good meal there, went off to the hotel, shared a split of champagne, and went nicely to bed.
The following day was only the ride home, along with a stop for mandatory blueberries.
A good and enlightening trip.
