PHEEBS AND I HIT A NEW TRAIL IN THE NAFTEL’S CREEK CONSERVATION AREA THIS MORNING

LOOKING BACK TO SEE IF I’M STILL COMING

Saturday afternoon’s heat and humidity was such that we were forced to fire up our A/C unit.  With heat warnings out for today I figured Pheebs and I had better head out early to avoid the stickiness.  We needn’t have worried.  Our day turned out cloudy with a stiff but welcome southerly breeze blowing.  Made for a much nicer day than had been expected.

A COUPLE PHOTOS ALONG THE ROAD TO AND FROM GODERICH THIS MORNING

Pheebs and I sure have been gravitating towards Goderich a lot this Spring and this morning was no exception.  A swing down around the harbor and rotary cove showed us the newly installed exercise equipment along the boardwalk and lake are being used.  Good to see.

A wee walk in the dog walking walking area and a few wave pics with the D7200 with my favorite 70-300 lens attached.  A weighty combination but the weight makes for a steadier shooting platform and it’s sure to build up the muscles in my arms along the way.  Really liking this D7200 Nikon camera.  What a bonus this is for me.

ALL CLOSE-UP TELEPHOTO SHOTS TAKEN WITH THE D7200 AND ALL WIDER ANGLE SHOTS TAKEN WITH MY D3400

ANOTHER VIEW OF THAT COAST GUARD VESSEL STEW

Downtown Goderich was modelled after a spoked wheel when it was laid out many years ago and this morning Pheebs and I took a spin around the inner wheel circling the courthouse.  After the disastrous tornado in 2011 it is nice to see how the area around downtown Goderich has bounced back.  I’ll have to make it a point to spend some photo time there in the near future.

ON THE CIRCULAR DRIVE AROUND COURTHOUSE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN GODERICH I HEARD THIS ‘PUT-PUT-PUT’ COMING UP ALONGSIDE OF ME AND THOUGHT IT WAS A MOPED OR SOMETHING….NOPE

From Goderich we headed south on the Bluewater Highway to a conservation area known as NAFTEL'S CREEK.  Been by here countless hundreds of times over the years but have never taken the time to stop in and walk any of the trails.  Saturday while helping with Shannon’s shed her and Bruce were talking about how amazingly nice it is in that conservation area with all the different trails.  Of the 3 main trails Pheebs and I decided to tackle the ‘Yellow Trail’ which was the shortest one at 1.9 kms or just over a mile.

THE TRAILS BEGIN HERE ON THE EAST SIDE OF HIGHWAY 21

THESE BLOWN OVER LARGE TREES ATTEST TO THE STRENGTH OF THE WIND COMING IN OFF LAKE HURON A MERE MILE OR SO AWAY TO THE WEST

WE CHOSE THE YELLOW TRAIL THIS MORNING

I AM THINKING THERE IS A BIT OF AN ENCHANTED FOREST GOING ON HERE

TWO LARGE BOULDERS CLOSE TOGETHER WITH PLAQUES ON THEM….APPARENTLY SOMEONE IS BURIED IN HERE BUT I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS THE SPOT

MOST OF THE TRAIL IS IN DEEP FOREST SHADOW SO WE DID SEE FUNGI ALONG THE WAY

Aside from the trail needing a bit of maintenance we had ourselves a nice 40 minute walk with maybe a dozen photo stops along the way.  No bothersome bugs to speak of and we both enjoyed the walk.  Shannon said there is someone buried back in there and we may have found the location but not sure until we go back at some point and do the other two slightly longer trails.  It was a nice opportunity to familiarize myself more with the ‘new to me’ Nikon D7200 camera.  Gonna enjoy that camera for sure.

TRAIL MARKERS ON THE TREE AT RIGHT AND CAN YOU SEE THE LITTLE DOGGY FACE LOOKING BACK TO MAKE SURE ‘ME THE SLOWPOKE’ IS STILL COMING

I OFTEN STOP TO TAKE A PHOTO OR TWO AND PHEEBS ALWAYS MAKES SURE I HAVEN’T GOT LOST

EACH COLOR MARKS A DIFFERENT TRAIL

Although it looked like rain a few times this morning it never did happen and we were back home around 10:30.  Our pine pollen peril is in the air at the moment so everything is coated in a fine talcum like powder from the pine trees.  With last weeks muddy country roads and now the pine pollen covering everything imaginable the Jeep was in a huge mess.  Out came a bucket of hot soapy water and the garden hose.  Twenty minutes later it looked like we had a new vehicle sitting in our driveway.  Tomorrow it could be covered in pine pollen and country road dust again but at least for a few hours today Libby was looking pretty darn spiffy.

PHEEBS ALWAYS LIKES TO RANGE OUT AHEAD CHECKING OUT THE TRAIL

TRAILS ARE WIDE, WELL MARKED, AND EASY TO FOLLOW

I THINK WE GO THIS WAY DAD

NO WAIT A MINUTE I’M THINKING MAYBE IT’S THIS WAY NOW

One has to keep their wits about them here at Naftel’s Creek due to the fact there are side trails off the main trails and I can see where it would be easy for some folks to get turned around and become temporarily lost.

THE TRAIL LEADS THROUGH THAT DARK OPENING AT BOTTOM LEFT

NEXT TIME HERE WE WILL CHECK OUT THE BLUE TRAIL

And a word of thanks to everyone again for your continued interest and support over these years I have been writing my blog.  My Google statistics show me most of you are still hanging on and each year our readership here at the Bayfield Bunch grows.  Tonight’s post is my 3,380th as we close in on 5.5 million pages views and I credit all that to you folks out there for your continuing interest in the Bayfield Bunch.  Thanks everybody:))))))))))  And again a note to Facebook readers to say if you have sent me a ‘Friend Request’ and I have not accepted it do not take it personally.  I’m not much of a Facebooker and due to the fact I was hacked several times years ago by accepting ‘Friend Requests’ I do not do that anymore……………….

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Jimmie, an 80-year-old gentleman, retired to Florida after his wife of 58 years had passed away. He was quite alone in the world and longed for companionship again. One day, as he was walking through a public park, he spied what he considered to be a very pretty, silver-haired lady sitting alone on a park bench. Getting his nerve up, he approached the lady and asked graciously, "Pardon me, ma'am, but may I sit here with you?" The silver-haired Marcie looked up to see a distinguished-looking, white-haired gentleman and replied, "Why certainly," and moved over gently to give him room to sit down. For the next two hours, the two sat and talked about everything. They discovered that they came from the same part of the country, liked the same big band music, voted for the same presidential candidates, had had long, happy marriages, ha lost their spouses during the previous year, and in general agreed about almost everything. Finally, the old gentleman cleared his throat and asked sheepishly, "Ma'am, may I ask you two questions?" With great interest and anticipation, Marcie replied, "Why certainly!" The old gentleman removed a handkerchief from his coat pocket and spread it out on the ground before her. He very gingerly got down on one knee and looked her softly in the eyes. "Marcie, I know we've only known each other for a couple of hours, but we have so much in common. I feel I have known you all my life. Will you marry me and be my wife?" Marcie grabbed at Jimmie's hands and said, "Why, yes, I will marry you! You have made me so very happy!" She reached over and kissed him gently on the cheek. Then Marcie said, "You said you had two questions to ask me. What is the second question?" Jimmie scratched his neck and said, "Will you help me get up?"