Early fall run chapter II return to Cobden- long

[The Masons]

Thursday I awoke early but it was not bright, it was 4:00 am and the f#$@*^n 
Canada geese had been gorgeing on the lawn and honking for 2 hours. Along 
with that they set off the security lights every couple of minutes, like a 
quiet lightning storm.  I went out on the balconey and yelled at them they 
looked up, then went back to feeding, shitting & honking.  I went into the 
boys dormitory and found Thomas paintball gun.  Jack woke up and asked what 
I was doing - "going goose hunting".  "Can I come?"  "Grab your rifle and 
come on" .  How to corupt an 11 year old.  Jack showed me how to hook up the 
gas cylinder to the gun.  We got out on the balconey. I pointed at one 
directly below on the left and told Jack to aim at it.  I said I'd count to 
3 and past my hand in front of the security light.  I was amzed how much 
noise 2 of those guns can make.  I saw 3 in front of me turn dayglo green. 
There was one goose down below that was completely yellow, and staggering 
about.  It must have been the first one Jack shot at and he was on full auto 
and had used up 40+ rounds.  Jack said boy! that was cool!! I was startled 
by a voice saying "nice shooting, wish you'd let me get in on it". The 
neighbour about 70 was standing on the balconey next door about 20' to the 
right in a Homer T shirt with one wicked looking paint ball gun.  We went 
down stairs and Thomas was pissed as he hadn't got in on the action and 
squawked something about ratting us out.  Then I reminded him about lighting 
up the tires on his mother's Audi when he went for the pizza for supper.  He 
shut up.  Then I got about 1.5 hours sleep before the ducks shift started. 
I was getting the kids breakfast ready when Thomas said Jeez did you look at 
the yard, mom's going kill all of us when she gets back.  Well the "friendly 
fire" had put 4 yellow and 2 green splotches on the new stone patio, one 
round on the hot tub, one on the bbq & 2 on the propane fire place thingy. 
Jack ran down and hosed everything off before the sun had a chance to bake 
the paint, a heavy dew had kept the paint from drying.  Disaster averted we 
had breakfast the kids went off to school. I noticed Thomas took the van 
which had been out of gas last night for the pizza run and he had to use the 
Audi, craftly bugger.
While I was loading my bike Mavis the lady from the house on the left said 
"did you get any geese"?  Yeah about 4 or 5.  She said that will keep them 
from crapping on the lawns for a couple of weeks, I'll got to get a new 
cylinder of gas and 500 paint balls for our guns.  Mavis is 68 years old.
I loaded the bike and headed up to the Mental Health Center to say goodbye 
to to my daughter Liz.  She was in a meeting and waved from the window so I 
cruised down past Fort Penetanguishene (built for the war of 1812 with the 
invading yankees).  We sent them packing. As I recall we paid a visit to 
Washington and burned down the original White House just for hellery.  I 
stopped at 266 Church St.  The house where I grew up.  The new owner is 
putting on a huge addition on the back.  I walked in said hello and checked 
out the place.  It was impressive.  He has 2 boys 5 & 3 plus a 10 month old 
daughter, the same as us when we moved in March 1950.
I decided to do the Muskokas again so I went through Midland just to see the 
view across the harbour and int o the "Bay", pass Port McNichol, Victoria 
Harbour and turned north on the 400 at Waubashene.  When I got 8 km north at 
Port Severen I looked west across Severen Sound and a minute later the "Bay" 
was gone and I was in the Canadian Shield. In the shield (rock,pines & bog) 
a rabbit would have to get a job in town to live on 50 arces.  25 km later I 
turned east on 38 to Bala, then back to Port Carling, north on Muskoka 4 to 
Windermere east under Hwy 11 and picked up 117 at Baysville on Lake of Bays 
in the Land o Lakes area.  I noticed the folliage turning colour there was a 
lot more reds than I have ever seen before.  I stopped at Kamagama Lake at 
Dorset, removed my fleece and liner as the temperature was 23C (74F).  I 
enjoyed the lunch I had packed then headed north on Hwy 35 to Dwight.  I 
turned east at Dwight and headed for Algonquin Park.  The maples on the 
sides of the road were spectacular colours, reds, yellows and orange with a 
clear blue sky above like riding past a never ending mural.  I stopped 
several places in the park to take photos.  Near the far end of the park I 
stopped at Lake of Two Rivers took some pictures and talked to some HD guys 
from Barrie.  One of the guys was my age and we figured we'd played football 
against each other in high school, him as an end for Barrie North Colligate 
and me as an O&D Tackle for Midland Penetanguishene District HS.  I showed 
them how to get back to Kinmount via 127, Peterson Road & the Monck Road.  I 
stopped once more at a scenic overlook at Wilno. I did take a couple of 
pictures but the view was hazy due to the heat.
An hour later I was home, 3 days, 7 hours riding each day and 1621 km. 
Stripped the bike, lubed the chain and rolled it into the garage.  Had a 
shower jumped in the truck and headed to the cottage.

Jim