The Joys of Retirement

Mon. 25 January:  The Joys of Retirement

The joys of retirement - a relaxing Monday stroll along the Rideau Trail! 

Narrows Lock Trailhead - long shadows

Well this wasn’t such a gentle stroll, and it did have some purpose to it.  But it still reminded me of the freedom which comes with being unlinked from the office desk.  

Our purpose was to check out the route for next weekend’s hike, and we set out from Narrows Lock at a good pace.  North Shore Road is a narrow, twisting lane, covered with a hard-packed layer of snow.  At this time of year, with bare trees, it provides good views of Big Rideau Lake.  I had brought my snowshoes with me, attached to my larger backpack, but we didn’t need them.  Icers worked perfectly today.

At a road junction, we met a plumber who was attaching chains to the tires of his van.  “Are you heading up Cooper Drive?” we asked.  That route looked to be rutted and in poor driving condition.  “No”, he replied.   “I’m heading down a private road".  There are some beautiful homes beside Big Rideau Lake, and their driveways drop steeply down from the North Shore Road.  Some of these homes appear to be occupied year round. 

Short detour to a remote lake

We followed Cooper Drive before turning east at the ghost town junction.  Soon we were at the beaver dam, which had proven impassable just a few weeks ago.  Today we strolled carefully across the ice, making several crossings to verify that it was completely safe.  It was.  

Back on the road, we picked up pace and were soon at the second vehicle, parked along Miners Point Road near the monastery, having covered just over ten kilometres in less than two and a half hours.

This is a beautiful stretch of country, looking its best right now.  Come and join us on Saturday to enjoy the experience for yourself.

Ten kilometres through a beautiful land

Note: click on pictures for full size view