2021 Trip 2: Pinery

It rained hard overnight, and in the morning the looming clouds told us that it was going to be one of those dreary days. It was a travel day to Pinery, so at least the rain was not spoiling any beach time.

Once again we leisurely meandered, following another scenic route suggested in the travel book “Backroads of Ontario”…which we had ‘not so’ conveniently left behind at home on our living room table.

We stopped in a town called Southampton to stretch our legs and wander about the quaint Main Street. A classic looking main street, that ends at a tall flagpole on the waterfront. Well kept period looking homes dotted the streets, and to our surprise on one side street we spotted an Alto in residence!

Southhampton

beautiful homes

Our route following County Roads 3 & 12 took us through rolling pastures and ‘Old Ontario’ scenery. No hobby farms here, these are working farms providing a livelihood for many families. The area was first settled in and about 1824, the level and apparently stone-free land was a settlers haven. Soon the area was crisscrossed with a network of farm roads, villages sprung up at major intersections, and the area thrived. Many towns still exist, although mostly to support the current farming community.

Early in the day’s drive the clouds moved in and the rain started. Not enough to cause concern with driving, but enough to get us wet whenever we stopped for gas or a bite to eat. A quick pit stop at the Canadian Tire in Exeter rounded out the drive. We rolled into Pinery later in the afternoon, and set up camp in a damp drizzle.

little did we know we were in for another sort of rain

Although it did rain very heavy overnight, fortunately the clouds cleared by the morning.

shakedown cruise for the Hario pour over...makes a fine brew

In addition to the rain, we also had caterpillar crap raining down as well. The caterpillar, which eventually morphs into the Gypsy Moth, is on a rampage this summer, eating their way through any green leafy foliage they can crawl onto. If you sit quietly below a tree they are infesting, you can clearly hear the sound of hundreds of them chewing away at the leaves. A seriously creepy sound that never seems to stop. Naturally, what goes in, must come out, and a steady rain of little balls of crap follow their meals. To make it even more disgusting, throw in a little damp or rain, and that shit expands and becomes a gooey mess. Quite literally…a shit storm!

We made a quick trip into Grand Bend in the morning for supplies, then in the afternoon we biked the 14 klm Savanna Trail through the park. This took us along the Ausable Channel, to the day use beach, then back through the woods to the Park Store.

love a dunes boardwalk

It was a nice leisurely pedal, and made for a good excuse to have a pre-dinner refreshing beverage.

Friends of Mark & Angela’s were also camping at the park, and one evening they came over from their site and we had dessert with them around the campfire. We had a nice visit, chatting about camping and canoe trips.

The next couple of days the weather was lovely, so we were able to go and hang out at the beach the last two afternoons we were there. Although a bit pebbly, there is still plenty of sand to plant some chairs and an umbrella. The water was refreshing, and warm enough for an extended float. More of the same the second afternoon, and a few extra clouds overhead gave a nice break from the constant sun.

teal water

lots of pines in the Pinery

Pinery is a great place to spend an extended period of time, but unfortunately we had to head home early. We got hitched up and then said our goodbyes to Mark & Angela. It was great travelling with them as it was so comfortable. Like us, they enjoy travelling the country roads, exploring the little towns, having pot luck dinners, and just plain hanging out and relaxing. 

yet another yummy meal...we ate well

We were also appreciative that they did a lot of the trip planning, which was so helpful because before we left we were a tad pre-occupied with family concerns. 

Heading home we went cross-country again, with the goal of avoiding the traffic of Toronto, moving northward to Hwy 23 which eventually connected us with the 109/9, and this took us east through Orangeville and on to Hwy 7. Orangeville is a nice town, with an old fashioned main street. 

We stopped at a funky little deli for a sandwich and a cold drink. As it is a bit of a hike all the way home, we planned an overnight stop at Emily Provincial Park. Close to reaching Emily the skies opened and it pounded down the rain. Not needing to unhitch, we backed in, plugged in, then spent the evening cocooning inside.

At some point on the trip, Mark & Angela mentioned that there is a landmark store in Bobcaygeon that has a massive inventory of shoes. Emily PP just happens to be a few minutes south, so we swung through the town on the way home. 

Bobcaygeon is the first lock on the Trent/ Severn Waterway. The lock connects Sturgeon and Pigeon Lakes. After the lock was built, a sawmill and gristmill soon followed. Around the turn of the century, the area started to become a tourist mecca, with city folk from the Toronto area flocking by rail to enjoy the beautiful lakes, trees and scenery. A lovely main street is dotted with shops and restaurants, and a walk along the canal to view the boaters makes a great stroll.

Trent/Severn Waterway through Bobcaygeon

The store is a sprawling palace of shoes, stacked to the ceilings the same way a small bookstore crams paperbacks to the rafters.

only a fraction of what the store contained

Off to the side is a small area with a nice selection of kitchen goodies, perhaps intended to be a distraction for the many waiting husbands… always works for me!  The town is also woven into the Canadian imagination in the signature song ‘Bobcaygeon’ by The Tragically Hip. As the song goes, the beauty of the area “reveals itself one star at a time”.

Back on the road, we were soon on the familiar asphalt of Hwy 7, and home again after a smooth drive.