We have wheels!

29 July, 2018

We have wheels!!!!

We left Campbellford a bit later in the morning, hoping to let the morning rush pass through the locks ahead of us. When we got to the first lock of the day, there was a line up of boats waiting to go up the locks. With no room to tie up along the wall (cement dock) we waited out in the Bay/river for a while. With the winds that morning, some of the bigger boats had a hard time securing themselves to the cables in the locks (which caused the delays). We decided to stop at lock 15 that day. Healey Falls, Lock 15 is the first in a series of three locks, and you can spend the night in the basin between locks.  We were the only ones there and we took advantage of that and used our generator for the first time to cook supper. (there is no shore power at this location).

The basin

Top of lock 17 - overlooking the basin in the distance

The next morning (25 July) we had really bad downpours, until around 11:00 at which point I told Papi that we should head up the locks and start our travelling for the day.  I hoped the rain was done for the day, but it wasn't.  It started up just as we were entering the locks -- I got soaked!  At least is was warm and I dried out pretty good in not too long of a time. The lock (lock 18) in the small town of Hastings are in what you could consider the heart of the town. Everything is in easy walking distance. One of the things we enjoy while we travel is trying out local foods, and it so happens that Kawartha Ice Cream is a local treat. We bought a small tub (500ml) of Moose-Tracks ice cream, and we ate the whole thing in one sitting! To be honest, I had a small bowl, and Papi ate the rest!!! It was that good.

War monument in Hastings

Grey skies and calm waters

Rice Lake, ON

We left Hastings pretty early the next morning (well, early departure for us... 08:00 hrs) because they were forecasting high winds in the afternoon, and we wanted to be off Rice Lake before it got to uncomfortable with waves. We made good time, even going at our "slow" speed, we arrived at Ashburnham (Lock 20) in Peterborough at around 13:50 hrs. One of the lock staff was kind enough to tell us about a "butter tart" place that we should go check out. "The Shed Bakery" is a short walk from the lock and it's located in the owners home. We got a package of 6 pecan butter tarts, it cost us $11.00, which I think is expensive, but they were good - very good!

Docked at lock 20 - Peterborough

Peterborough is a fair sized town and has interesting shops about a 10 or 15 minutes walk from the locks or if you stay at the Marina in town, just cross the street and there they start.  We stayed in Peterborough at the locks for two days, which gave us lots of time to go explore between rain showers/downpours. During one of our outings, we just happened to walk by a bike repair shop that happened to have two folding bikes on display in the window. Of course we had to go in and check them out. They had received a total tune up: new tires, new seats, and new brakes. We thought they were asking a bit much and did not get them right away.  We carried on our walk and debated - will we use them, do we have the room for them, what other cost will these bring?... After a light lunch, we decided to go back and ask to test drive them. They look funny with the tiny wheels and low frame, but they go really well. So, as some of you already know, we got them.  They came with helmets (which I deep cleaned with spray nine before I even tried one on) with new helmet pads to put into them and carry bags for the bikes. A quick stop at the "Dollarama" to get bike bells, bike seat bags and bike locks and we are good to go for a total of $21.55! (We'll replace those items as required with better quality.) They ride surprisingly well for such little things! We are very pleased with this find! Doing groceries just got easier! We just got to remember to bring our backpacks when we leave the boat.   

New to us "folding" bikes

We left Peterborough yesterday (28 July) and  traveled six lock in a day, one of them being the famous Peterborough Hydraulic Lift Lock (lock 21).  It's always impressive when you rise up in this lock. Parks Canada had a photographer there that morning and took a bunch of photos and videos of us and the other boat in the lock with us (M.V. Amy Krysta). Before they let us out, they asked if they could use our images and had us sign a document saying we agreed. Apparently, we will be in the video they will be posting on facebook/twitter... sometime in August, for their "Lock Tales" featuring the Lift Lock. - So if anyone sees us, please let us know!

Amy Krysta following us in

Looking way up... from the boat

They came from the Canoe Museum

Always impressive!
That is the other "bucket" you see behind the tower. 

We are at the Lakefield (lock 26) today (we are staying a second night). We are taking advantage of the short walking distance to everything and did a "resupply" this morning for groceries and a small LCBO run.  We went for a bike ride yesterday to go to a couple marine stores in and near town. We stopped at Peel Marine first and they did not have what we were looking for. We then headed to Paris Marine, a bit out of town on HW 28. We stopped when we got surprised by a downpour and took shelter at a gas station. We decided that Papi would carry on and go to the store (only another 2 km away according to our phone google map) and I would go back to the boat and dry it out, because of course, we left the windows and screens open when we headed out!

At lock 22 - Nassau Mills

Arriving at lock 23 - Otonabee

Papi came back empty handed and laughing to himself. He was glad I turned around when I did and apparently the road had no "shoulder" to drive on and it was lose sand/gravel - not ideal with our small bike tires.  He said he could just imagine the "comments" I would have been saying during that stretch of the road... hummm

We realized yesterday that we don't have the "right" chip for our Lowrance GPS system. It is for the Great Lakes and it includes the Rideau Canal and the Trent Severn Canal up to the Lift Lock... after that, nothing.  It's a good thing we always carry paper charts (charts, not maps 😊) on the boat. We will be navigating the "old fashion" way until we find a place that carries the new navionics chip we need. We are hoping that Bobcaygeon has it or can order it for us.

This weekend, Lakefield has a "Fair" going on in town, just a short walk uphill from here. For $10 each, we got to see a real live "demolition derby" and walk the fairgrounds. It was an interesting way to spend a part of the afternoon!

A "real" demolition derby

Papi trying his luck

Tomorrow we'll be heading out again. We're not sure where we'll stop yet, but we do know in what direction we're going.

Tina & Papi

"In life, it's not where you go, it's who you travel with" 

– Charles Schultz