ON THE BRUCE TRAIL THIS MORNING AT METCALF ROCK

 HIKING ALONG THE BRUCE TRAIL THIS MORNING AND KELLY SURE DOES KNOW HOW TO ADD A LITTLE COLOR TO THE FOREST

I had been a bit worried about not getting a good night's sleep because I wasn't in a recliner.  With the help of a couple pillows, I managed a kind of recliner effect on a short couch and managed to fall asleep.  In the morning my neck felt like it had been hit with a hammer or something and my right leg seemed to be trying to detach itself from me.  Luckily both those little problems cleared up and I was ready to go.  We were on the road by 9:05 a.m. heading for a place called Metcalf Rock.

 ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL EARLY OCTOBER MORN TO BE OUT AND ABOUT

After checking with Google maps prior to leaving I had written down a few simple directions on how to get to Metcalf Rock.  Twenty minutes later we were lost and didn't know where we were.  We have a Garmin GPS aboard so Kelly typed in Ravenna Metcalf Rock.  Garmin Gerty led us up this road and down that road finally landing us in a little place called Ravenna.  But no Metcalf Rock here.  We asked some folks standing outside a market if they knew where Metcalf Rock was.  They sorta did but said it was hard to find.  They were Seniors like ourselves so we understood and let them go.  Then, Kelly fired up her Blackberry Smartphone with an App she had on there and programmed in Metcalf Rock.  A voice immediately issued forth from her phone telling us which way to go, so off we went.  It still seemed confusing and it wasn't long before we had one great big huge argument going on right in our front seat.  No, it wasn't Kelly and I....it was Garmin Gerty and the Blackberry arguing back and forth each with a different set of directions.  We decided to go with the Blackberry directions and minutes later we pulled into the Metcalf Rock parking lot.  We finally figured out that our Garmin was correctly trying to route us back to Ravanna which was the destination we had punched in.  Well anyway, the air finally cooled and Garmin Gerty and the Blackberry are once again best of friends.

LOOKING FOR METCALF ROCK 

 WE LIKED THIS OLD LOG HOUSE

As soon as we pulled into the Metcalf Rock parking lot we knew it was the right place for us.  No parking lot fees, no entry fees, and pets were allowed.  What a beautiful trail this is.  It starts out flat enough until it soon reaches a mountain-fed freshwater creek.  Once across a small wooden bridge, the trail begins its rock scrambling climb whereupon it joins the well-known 550-mile long Bruce Trail which runs between the Niagara River at Queenston Heights to Tobermory Ontario.

THE TRAIL BEGINS THERE TO THE RIGHT OF THE SUBE

 AND IT'S OFF WE GO

 FROM A DISTANCE I THOUGHT THIS WAS A MONARCH BUTTERFLY

LOOKS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN MANY A CAMPFIRE HERE ALONG THE TRAIL

 CROSSED THIS LITTLE WOODEN BRIDGE INTO THE FOREST

 AND THE ROCKY CLIMBING BEGINS

 MAYBE THAT'S METCALF ROCK EH

HIKER'S MISPLACED GLOVES ALONGSIDE THE TRAIL

My photos do not do justice to what we saw and experienced on this moderately difficult trail today.  One had to be very careful and aware of the rocks and tree roots waiting to trip up the unwary hiker.  There were dangerously huge crevices in the rocks with many of them being so dark and shadowed I could barely see to the bottom of them.  Some were large enough to swallow a car while others were small enough to twist an ankle.  Kelly had difficulty with the rough terrain but didn't want to turn around and go back.  I found her an old fallen branch and was able to break it into a walking stick for her.  From our rock scrambles in New Mexico, Arizona, and California over the years I wasn't too worried about Pheebs because she is for sure an experienced rock scrambler in her own right.

 NO IT'S NOT THE FURRY GNOME IT'S THE WOODY GNOME

THERE ARE MANY DEEP CREVICES ALONG THE WAY

 KELLY IS A DETERMINED PERSON

 CAVES, CREVICES, AND CAVERNS

We never did see any kind of flashing neon sign with a big arrow and words pointing to say this is 'Metcalf Rock' but we thought later that we must have been continuously climbing over it as we made our way up and up and along the escarpment following the Bruce Trail.  One thing I did notice not long after beginning our hike was the absolute silence in the forest.  There was not a single bird chirping, frog croaking, bee buzzing, cricket squeaking, twig snapping, or fly flying.  Nothing, just a heavy ear-shattering silence.  

 IT WAS AT THIS SCENIC OVERLOOK WE DECIDED TO TURN AROUND

 KELLY WITH HER BROKEN BRANCH WALKING STICK

TREE ROOTS WAITING TO STUMBLE AN UNWARY HIKER OVER THE EDGE AND DOWN INTO A CREVICE

 NO NOT A BRUCE TRAIL PYTHON, JUST A BIG OLD TREE ROOT

 WE ARE JUST ABOUT DOWN ONTO FLAT GROUND AGAIN

With Kelly's right knee beginning to give her some grief we figured it might be a good idea to turn around and head back, and we did just that.  Going downhill is definitely more treacherous than going uphill.  Slips and falls going down rugged rock and tree root-infested terrain is common and has to be done very carefully.  We have learned that one from experience so we took our time.  With the exception of passing one person coming back, we had the trail all to ourselves.  Nice:))

A SMALL MAPLE LEAF ON THE BED OF A MOUNTAIN STREAM

 RECROSSING THE WOODEN BRIDGE TO FLAT GROUND:))

A SHORT REST BEFORE THE FINAL STRETCH TO THE CAR

KELLY STOPS TO CHECK HER RINGING CELL PHONE

 AND YES I WAS EVEN ON THIS VERY HIKE AS WELL

THE FINAL FEW STEPS TO TRAIL'S END

I don't know how long we were on the trail but I figure it was over an hour or so.  It was nice to get back to the car and sit down.  From the parking lot, we let Garmin Gerty lead us back to something that had caught our eye earlier back in Ravenna.  And what a nice find the Ravenna Country Market was.  When I walked in the door and smelled the aroma of baking I was reminded of the Cornerstone Bakery in Yarnell Arizona where we would drive up the Weaver mountains for donuts.  The coffee was great at the Ravenna Market as well as the toasted turkey-swiss cheese-carmelized onions-tomatoes and honey mustard sauce sandwich we had built for us. Kelly's roasted vegetable soup was excellent as well.  Because I like butter tarts so much I stay away from them but this morning I made an exception and hands down had the best butter tart I've ever eaten.  Two thumbs up for the Ravenna Country Market.

 THE RAVENNA COUNTRY MARKET 

 KELLY ORDERS US UP SOME LUNCH

 OOOOH THAT'S GOOD

ADMIRING MY SANDWICH BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO IS HOLDING IT BECAUSE SURELY I AM NOT THAT OLD YET

 IS RAVENNA THE SITE OF THIS ANCIENT ABORIGINAL ROCK ART

 NOPE, IT'S JUST A BIG SPLOTCH FROM A PASSING SEAGULL

From Ravenna, we kind of aimlessly wandered around the scenic countryside atop Blue Mountain.  Judging by some of the homes we saw I figure these people are not just millionaires, they are billionaires.  Some of these huge homes were staggering.  We did manage one more little walk on the Bruce Trail right behind the ski runs where we could see a nice view out over Georgian Bay.  From there we were back at the Condo sometime around 2 p.m.  In this complex, there is a popular Thai restaurant less than a minute's walk from Ben's Condo so Kelly slipped over and brought us back Spring Rolls and Pad Thai. (chicken rice noodles or something.  This is my first experience with Thai food and despite what I had pre-thought Thai food might be, this was really, really, good.  And so, the Bayfield Bunch raps up another day.  In the morning we plan to do a big harbor and shoreline walk in Collingwood and oh how lucky we have been with all this superbly fine sunshine, big blue sky, and warm weather.  However, it's all going into the dumper come Thursday.

 A SECOND SHORT WALK ON THE BRUCE TRAIL TO A SCENIC OVERLOOK

 WE ARE ON TOP OF BLUE MOUNTAIN RIGHT BEHIND THE SKI RUNS

 BEN'S CONDO IS SOMEWHERE DOWN IN THAT AREA

 GEORGIAN BAY WITH COLLINGWOOD JUST OUT OF SIGHT TO THE RIGHT ALONG THE SHORELINE

WE PLAN TO HEAD DOWN THERE IN THE MORNING

I THINK WE HAVE TWO VERY TIRED LITTLE HIKERS HERE.....YES ME TOO

 COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Mary Poppins was traveling home, but due to worsening weather, she decided to stop at a hotel for the night. She approached the receptionist and asked for a room for the night.  "Certainly madam," he replied courteously.  "Is the restaurant open still?" inquired Mary.  "Sorry, no," came the reply, "but room service is available all night.  Would you care to select something from this menu?"  Mary smiled and took the menu and perused it. "Hmm, I would like cauliflower cheese please," said Mary.  "Certainly, madam," he replied.  "And can I have breakfast in bed?" asked Mary politely.  The receptionist nodded and smiled.  "In that case, I would love a couple of poached eggs, please," Mary mused.  After confirming the order, Mary signed in and went up to her room for the night.  The night passed uneventfully and the next morning Mary came down early to check out. The same guy was still on the desk.  "Morning madam...sleep well?"  "Yes, thank you," Mary replied.  "Food to your liking?"  "Well, I have to say the cauliflower cheese was exceptional, I don't think I have had better. Shame about the eggs, though....they really weren't that nice at all," replied Mary truthfully.  "Oh...well, perhaps you could contribute these thoughts to our Guest Comments Book. We are always looking to improve our service and would value your opinion," said the receptionist.  "OK, I will...thanks!" replied Mary....who checked out, then scribbled a comment into the book. Waving, she left to continue her journey.  Curious, the receptionist picked up the book to see the comment Mary had written.  "Supercauliflowercheesebuteggswerequiteatrocios

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