R
recycled-one
Guest
Ok, technically Saturday is the day before Father's Day. As well, of the
four animal anecdotes two are likely mommas [and one does not even have
anything to do with bikes]:
Today I planned to do the Fergus - Cataract Loop. 100 plus km that takes
in some hydro right-of-ways, rail-trails, back roads and even highways.
Before I start, considering the humidex of the day I figure I'll wash the
cat. For those not familiar, bathing a cat is only slightly less dangerous
than disarming improvised explosive devices in downtown Baghdad. On the plus
side my planned cycling trip will give the critter plenty of time to get
over it's pique. I manage to complete the process without too many
scratches.
Note to self: Trim the claws _before_ attempting to soak the cat.
That done I load up on provisions and leave the cat to sulk in solitude.
Here is the route I took:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=244821
Outside of town I follow a hydro line right-of-way. It has a surface
somewhere between a very rough rutted road an a stretch of double track.
After that ends I switch to back roads making my way, mostly upslope, north
to Fergus where I pick up the Elora-Cataract Rail Trail. It's pretty much
straight and flat though a pleasing mixture of woodlots and farm plots. At
Lake Belwood it skirts a conservation area and offers some pleasing views.
Past the lake the trail turns more east-south-east and featured more
downslopes than up.
At one stop for a sandwich and rest under a tree I watch a squirrel. Momma
squirrel appears to be foraging on the lawn of the rest area. In the tree
are two juveniles, her litter I assume. The little guys are playing and in
the process fall out of the tree. They hit the grass with a little squeak.
They aren't hurt at all. They can't weigh more than couple ounces each and
most of that is fur. Regardless momma squirrel abandons her forage to shoo
her brood back up to the safety of the tree. Afterwards she returns to her
hunt for nuts. It doesn't matter the species, mothers are mothers.
I continue my ride as it jinks past several small communities. Between
Hillsburgh and Erin I see a deer at the edge of the trail. She looks at me
as if judging my rate of advance. With much clearance she lopes across the
trail. Behind her a fawn less than half her size follows. I guess that
explains why momma was extra careful about this crossing.
I reach the end of the trail at Cataract - so named for the scenic rapids
that the Credit River forms. I turn to make my run home. I retrace my route
back to Erin. But instead of following the trail I take to the road for a
more direct run home. I take Sideroad 17 as it parallels the busier Hwy. 17.
I had planned to follow it to it's end but I needed to find a store to
restock my water. It was a humid day though not so bad as forecast. The head
winds were welcome though I still sweat out every drop I took in. My jersey
had salt stains. At Sideroad 2 I head south for the main highway to find a
convenience store. Sure enough I have a wide selection of overpriced water.
I throw in a Del Monte Frozen Fruit treat: Strawberry/Kiwi. Damn that hit
the spot!.
The rest of the run is pretty straight forward down the highway. I take
Homer Watson to skirt town and get to the south end. Almost home on Stone Rd
I come to an intersection. On the right is the University Campus. On the
left residential. [I diagrammed this last year:
http://www.geocities.com/siklelogical/map.guelph.stone.rd.bmp
I'm a few spots back. When the light changes the kars in front of me are
acting oddly. They seem to be making right turns but are really just
swinging wide. When it's my turn I see why.
Standing in the middle of the road is a Canada Goose! On the left/south
side of the road, the residential area, their are several artificial water
courses that they call home. On the right/north side is hectares of
succulent campus lawn that, thanks to the nature of universities, is
pesticide free. [Maybe the geese can tell the difference?] On that campus
lawn is the goose's significant other and the little ones.
I'm not sure what he was trying to do. Clear a way back to the other side
of the road for the family? I'm assuming he was a he. I've never sexed a
goose and didn't want to start now. [that sounds obscene for at least two
different reasons] But I figure that would be the hubby's duty - leading the
charge, clearing traffic.
Oh, BTW it is moulting season. They can't fly until they grow new flight
feathers. They don't seem to anticipate it either. They just end up wherever
they happen to be without the ability to fly. One year a flock grounded in a
mall parking lot and they had to cordon it off until they took to the air
again.
No one in the kars are doing much except swinging wide so I decide to
intervene. I stop and shoo the guy back to the family. I thought about
getting really pro-active and play junior traffic-cop so I could get them
back to the water side of the road - assuming that is where they really
wanted to be. But that would be hard even without the traffic.
Trying to herd a family of Canada Geese is like.... trying to wash a cat.
I left them together on the campus lawn side of the road.
four animal anecdotes two are likely mommas [and one does not even have
anything to do with bikes]:
Today I planned to do the Fergus - Cataract Loop. 100 plus km that takes
in some hydro right-of-ways, rail-trails, back roads and even highways.
Before I start, considering the humidex of the day I figure I'll wash the
cat. For those not familiar, bathing a cat is only slightly less dangerous
than disarming improvised explosive devices in downtown Baghdad. On the plus
side my planned cycling trip will give the critter plenty of time to get
over it's pique. I manage to complete the process without too many
scratches.
Note to self: Trim the claws _before_ attempting to soak the cat.
That done I load up on provisions and leave the cat to sulk in solitude.
Here is the route I took:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=244821
Outside of town I follow a hydro line right-of-way. It has a surface
somewhere between a very rough rutted road an a stretch of double track.
After that ends I switch to back roads making my way, mostly upslope, north
to Fergus where I pick up the Elora-Cataract Rail Trail. It's pretty much
straight and flat though a pleasing mixture of woodlots and farm plots. At
Lake Belwood it skirts a conservation area and offers some pleasing views.
Past the lake the trail turns more east-south-east and featured more
downslopes than up.
At one stop for a sandwich and rest under a tree I watch a squirrel. Momma
squirrel appears to be foraging on the lawn of the rest area. In the tree
are two juveniles, her litter I assume. The little guys are playing and in
the process fall out of the tree. They hit the grass with a little squeak.
They aren't hurt at all. They can't weigh more than couple ounces each and
most of that is fur. Regardless momma squirrel abandons her forage to shoo
her brood back up to the safety of the tree. Afterwards she returns to her
hunt for nuts. It doesn't matter the species, mothers are mothers.
I continue my ride as it jinks past several small communities. Between
Hillsburgh and Erin I see a deer at the edge of the trail. She looks at me
as if judging my rate of advance. With much clearance she lopes across the
trail. Behind her a fawn less than half her size follows. I guess that
explains why momma was extra careful about this crossing.
I reach the end of the trail at Cataract - so named for the scenic rapids
that the Credit River forms. I turn to make my run home. I retrace my route
back to Erin. But instead of following the trail I take to the road for a
more direct run home. I take Sideroad 17 as it parallels the busier Hwy. 17.
I had planned to follow it to it's end but I needed to find a store to
restock my water. It was a humid day though not so bad as forecast. The head
winds were welcome though I still sweat out every drop I took in. My jersey
had salt stains. At Sideroad 2 I head south for the main highway to find a
convenience store. Sure enough I have a wide selection of overpriced water.
I throw in a Del Monte Frozen Fruit treat: Strawberry/Kiwi. Damn that hit
the spot!.
The rest of the run is pretty straight forward down the highway. I take
Homer Watson to skirt town and get to the south end. Almost home on Stone Rd
I come to an intersection. On the right is the University Campus. On the
left residential. [I diagrammed this last year:
http://www.geocities.com/siklelogical/map.guelph.stone.rd.bmp
I'm a few spots back. When the light changes the kars in front of me are
acting oddly. They seem to be making right turns but are really just
swinging wide. When it's my turn I see why.
Standing in the middle of the road is a Canada Goose! On the left/south
side of the road, the residential area, their are several artificial water
courses that they call home. On the right/north side is hectares of
succulent campus lawn that, thanks to the nature of universities, is
pesticide free. [Maybe the geese can tell the difference?] On that campus
lawn is the goose's significant other and the little ones.
I'm not sure what he was trying to do. Clear a way back to the other side
of the road for the family? I'm assuming he was a he. I've never sexed a
goose and didn't want to start now. [that sounds obscene for at least two
different reasons] But I figure that would be the hubby's duty - leading the
charge, clearing traffic.
Oh, BTW it is moulting season. They can't fly until they grow new flight
feathers. They don't seem to anticipate it either. They just end up wherever
they happen to be without the ability to fly. One year a flock grounded in a
mall parking lot and they had to cordon it off until they took to the air
again.
No one in the kars are doing much except swinging wide so I decide to
intervene. I stop and shoo the guy back to the family. I thought about
getting really pro-active and play junior traffic-cop so I could get them
back to the water side of the road - assuming that is where they really
wanted to be. But that would be hard even without the traffic.
Trying to herd a family of Canada Geese is like.... trying to wash a cat.
I left them together on the campus lawn side of the road.