Author Archive
Rained Out
by garry.c.stewart on Sep.17, 2010, under Grab Bag
We arrive at Magpie Campground and check out the trail a bit. It seems OK to ride so we gear up and get ready to go. Just as we’re leaving it starts to drizzle. About 3.6km into the ride its quite muddy on the trail and the drizzle is more like rain. With the memories of last year’s mud fest still fresh, we turn back. Plan B, road ride in the park.
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Its looking wet
by garry.c.stewart on Sep.17, 2010, under Grab Bag
Well we’ve finished breakfast and we’re on the road to the MDH trail. Normally, we’d be in the dark but with Perkins not bring open all night we were delayed a couple of hours and can actually see where we’re going. Unfortunatly what we’re seeing is a light mist and solid overcast skies. Wet trails are bad news but this time we have a backup plan. There is a 20 mile paved loop in the Theadore Roosevelt National Park.
Right now we’re heading up to the Magpie campground to check trail conditions them we’ll make the call.
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Countdown to Biking with the Boys
by garry.c.stewart on Sep.16, 2010, under Grab Bag
In a few short hours I’ll be setting off on an overnight drive to Medora North Dakota and the Maah Daah Hey trail for two and a half days of fabulous mountain bike single track ridding.
Not sure how many of the “boys” will be making the trip or exactly what sections of the 100 mile trail we’ll be riding, but its all good! I’m pumped!
Expect some random tweets and posts over the next couple of days about our adventure.
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Downtown Fire
by garry.c.stewart on Aug.24, 2010, under Grab Bag
Just a little bit of excitement downtown today. Shorty before 5pm there was a fairly large fire in an apartment complex downtown.
In fact this apartment fire was right behind the IBM building at 400 Ellice Ave. between it and Portage Place. As I walked over from the GWL offices at 444 St Mary I could see the thick black smoke pouring over the top of Portage Place. I walked up the back lane where lots of people were milling about looking at the fire and all the police and firemen on the scene. This back alley behind the IBM building is where the lockup cage for my bike is located. After changing into my riding gear and taking a few photos I head down to get my bike from the cage only to find that the whole area is cordoned off with “Do No Cross” police tape. I speak to an office about trying to get my bike, but it’s no-go. They are concerned that the fire might spread to a very large power transformer that is right on the edge of the alley across from where my bike is and cause an explosion.
After about a 1/2 hour wait the officer calls me over and I get escorted over to get my bike. We have a brief chat, and I’m on my way. Something a little out of the ordinary, that’s for sure!
August Long Weekend
by garry.c.stewart on Aug.04, 2010, under Grab Bag
This years fireworks at the annual Harbourfest celebration were the best ever. Some of the displays were very spectacular and they had some great combinations of simultaneous low and high she action that was very effective. The phone snapshot does not do the event justice.
Kenora Harbourfest fireworks display
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Cottage Projects
by garry.c.stewart on Jul.24, 2010, under Maintenance, The Lake
Yesterday’s project was power washing the lower deck in preparation for staining. Today, after the morning ride around the bypass, I finished off the new corner post on the cottage. Last year I replaced the deck corner post on the same corner and prepped the area for this post. Instead of concrete block pads, I’ve poured pads directly on the rock and anchored with several pieces of rebar drilled into the rock. That should stay put for a while.
On a previous week at the lake, I repaired one set of the front windows and this week, the other pair is on the list.
After completing the post task Shirley and I were completing the
staining of the upper deck, but a sudden rain shower called a halt to
that. Oh well, I guess we’ll have to goof off for a while. What? Now
it’s sunny again but we’ll need to wait for the deck to dry up again, so
it’s off to the dock for a little tanning.
Return to MDH
by garry.c.stewart on Jul.09, 2010, under Cycling, Travel
It is looking like there will be a second trip to do some mountain biking on the MDH trail in 2010! A tentative date of Sept 18-19 has been suggested and this also might be the largest group ever. I hope the Ranch is up for this.
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Floating Dock Launch
by garry.c.stewart on Jul.04, 2010, under Grab Bag
Normally, the floating dock or swim platform would have been set in place much earlier in the year, but I needed to build some new “anchors” to replace the huge rock that got away last year.
To replace the rock, this year there are three five gallon pails filled with rocks held together with cement and an eye bolt for attaching the chain.
These three pails, each weighing 100+ lbs. are linked together on the end of a 50′ chain. I’ve positioned them at one end of the dock for launching, and they are causing the dock to seriously dip down in the water.
Once in position the pails were edged very close to the edge and then pushed over. It’s quite calm today so the true test will come on a day with a strong south-west wind, then we will see if the new anchor system hold.
Immediately upon splashing into the water this huge group of pelicans comes over for a look.
Surprisingly, they don’t seem afraid and actually swim closer for a better look and hang around the dock for 15-20 minutes.
The need for speed
by garry.c.stewart on Jun.09, 2010, under Grab Bag
The need for others to know your speed that is.
Food Fight
by garry.c.stewart on Jun.07, 2010, under Grab Bag
On the weekend we were out on the lake boating back to the cottage after finding a geocache on Strawberry Island and we noticed a large number of birds on the shore of another island. We headed over and counted in excess of 10 eagles, a number of turkey vultures and half a dozen pelicans, all fighting over some fish remains on the shore.
The funny part was that as we approached the eagles moved off to perch in near by trees and while they watched the pelicans returned and one of them made off with the fish!
However, all of this action provided a great opportunity to get some good shots of the eagles and pelicans. The sun was out and the afternoon was warm as we floated over a sand bar before heading for home. Our little boat isn’t quite like this one, but it’s taken us on some great adventures on the lake. All in all a great afternoon on beautiful Lake of the Woods.
