last run of the year

[The Masons]

Marilyn flew to the east coast to visit her sister.

So Friday I got the bike out.  It was 3C (38F) when I left home and the weatherman promising me 12C (53F) by mid afternoon (he lied).  I took the highway down to the Calabogie road and went west to Bogie.  I had planned to go south to Westport on the West end of Big Rideau Lake but due to the temperature thought it best to stay within an our of home.  There was very little traffic and the roads were good.  I had to watch in some shaded corners as there was still frost on the road.  I found this out after a couple of arse end skids that brought dejavue of the TLH in August.  After passing Bogie I turned onto the Centennial Lake Road a very nice twisty 30 km.  At the end of it I turned left and went through the village of Matawatchan where I noticed the general store had been turned into a private residence.  I noticed traces of snow in the ditches between Matawatchan & Venachar  not good. The Matawatchan Road ends at Venachar so I turned right and went out to Venachar Junction on Hwy 41 and went north 5km to the Swiss Inn at Denbigh.  I stopped here for lunch of home made sweet potato, chicken barley soup and a Reuben Sandwich.   Its strange how some people react.  I hung up my Kevlar jacket and my helmet.  When I sat down there were two couples in their mid 40s at the table 2 over from me and by their expressions you'd think I'd just farted.  A couple of old ladies both in their 70s at the table beside me asked how the ride was, if I was cold and that I should have been out 2 weeks before when the leaves were at their peak.  I told them I had been out and how red the trees in Algonquin park had been in the 3rd week of September.  They were pleased that I chatted with them. I took Hwy 28 out of Denbigh heading for Hardwood Lake (dueling banjo country - like I'm not already in it).  I ran though Ruby (we have 2 Rubys in Renfrew County with a total of 10 dwellings plus a Ruby Road, Ruby Mine Road, Ruby Lake, Rubyvlle and Rubyville Road --she must have been one helluva ceiling inspector) just as I entered Renfrew county.  I came over a rise just before Big Yirkie Lake and the visa was pretty depressing,  the trees were all devoid of leaves with nothing but bare grey branches and the conifers were dull green, the only exception was the odd yellow "A" of the Tamarack.  I turned at Hardwood Lake and went through Schutt, Jewelville, and Palmer Rapids.  Just before I got to Combermere I turned in on Riverside Drive.  I stopped the bike beside the Madawaska River got off and walked down to the shore.  I looked down stream and saw my brother in law  Graham's place about a kilometer away.  The place is impressive (3000 sq feet of cedar with steeply peaked blue steel roofs, the wealthy in laws) when you are at it but is looked spectacular from where I was.  I was going to go in and see him and I remembered he was away golfing.  At Combermere I took the Old Barrys Bay Road stopped at the log chute for a few minutes the water was flowing well.  I turned onto the Hopefield road and noticed more snow on the ground and some still on roof tops (this was left over from Tuesday when it snowed all day).  When I got to the South Wilno Road there was at least 2" of snow on the roofs and the piece de resistance was a 2 meter high snowman in a yard.  I turned left at Brudenell and then right onto the Ruby Road at Kilaloe, 5 minutes later I was in the other Ruby that consists of 2 "T" intersections and 6 buildings 2 of which I think are dwellings.  From here I managed about 5 miles on a dirt road and found myself at Cormac and Ste Ann's Shrine.  I rode into Eganville and took the 4th Chute Road to Knightington (4th Chute on the Bonnechere River).  I think these chutes are counted starting at the Ottawa River.  I stopped on the bridge and watched the water for a bit and then went into Douglas.  I rode down to the old mill got off the bike and walked down to the damn and the derelict there at was indeed the "L" 2, this is an old 16' fiberglas boat that my daighter and her friends used to float down the Bonnechere from the 4th chute to the 3rd chute on our Victoria Day weekend. It still had it's BBQ in place of the engine, the bimini top (a stolen tarp garage by the look of it) and the cushions from 1/2 a dozen couches. There were probably a few long necked empties in the bilge, I didn't check.  I then took the Dillabough Road and Barr Line back to Cobden.  $12.00 for lunch,329 Km, 5 hours and $16.00 for fuel A day well wasted.
My front yard is covered with snow today.  I don't think it will stay but its a serious hint to put the bikes away.

Jim