Monday, July 8/2013

The weather looks like it will cooperate for the quad ride today but we had better take our rain jackets just in case.  Although the sun is shining now, there are a few nasty looking clouds hanging around as well.
Before we left, Gary came over and told me that Dave had somehow managed to whack himself on the head with the Jack All when he was putting the camper on his truck yesterday and probably would not be going on today's ride, but he wanted to talk to me first.
When I went over to the house,  Dave showed me a pretty good sized bruise on the side of his head near his temple where the jack handle had hit him.  He told me all the symptoms he had yesterday and what still plagued him today.  After listening to him, I advised him to definitely NOT go on today's ride and to just take it easy for the next few days.  I also told him that he probably should have gone to the hospital yesterday but Dave,  being Dave, was not going to do anything like that!!  Instead, he finished putting the  camper on the truck!!  YIKES!!!!  I also told him that if the symptoms persist then he had better at least phone his doctor and get some advise from him.
With Dave's latest adventure dealt with, John, Gary, Arlene and I headed down the road towards "the block".  We met one of the local farmers along the way and he sat and had a refreshment with us and we chatted about all the rain and how his crops were faring.  It is pretty bleak for some of the fields.
We eventually made it to the start of the "block" trails and headed down the hill and into the unknown. Because of all the recent rains, we were expecting the trails to be quite wet and we definitely were not disappointed.  There was water and mud in all the known spots but it was a little higher and a little stickier.  It was easily traversed in four wheel drive and we all arrived at the designated Deer Lake beer stop  (or should I say refreshment stop) without a hitch.
The trail that lies along the lake was certainly muddy and wet but once again, there were no issues in getting through.
We then accessed Lilac Trail and it too had a few nasty spots but nothing that proved to be too hard.  At the end of Lilac, we headed over to the old truck for some photos then, on to Hooker Lake.  Arlene took Gary's quad out onto the trails for a bit while we stayed at the lake enjoying a beer and the totally awesome view.  There were a pair of loons on the lake and they had their two little babies with them so that was a pleasure to see.  Of course, as soon as we arrived, the Mom took them off to the middle of the lake, away from us.
From Hooker Lake, we headed over to Harry Piche's Cabin and burial site then had some adventure crossing the little creek that lies between the cabin and the snowmobile warm up shelter.   The rains had turned this usually calm little crossing into a nasty little crossing with the water flowing pretty good.  John was the first to try it and ended up taking a wrong turn, got stuck and needed Gary's winch to extricate himself from the weeds.  While they were busy doing that, I found the easiest and safest way across and although it was a bit deeper than what it usually is, the bottom was good and the crossing was easy.  Sometimes, it pays to be the one in the rear!!
At the warm up shelter I found the mother lode of empty pop and beer cans (who said there was no drinking and riding on these trails?).  I always carry a big garbage bag with me and I started crushing the cans and got the bag full before we left to head home.  I strapped the bag on the back of John's seat and he had a fairly decent backrest for the ride home.

heading towards "the block"

Deer Lake beer stop

These two butterflies greeted us at Deer Lake

The start of Lilac Trail

The floral emblem of our Province - the Prairie Lily

No trip to the block is complete unless you stop at the old
truck for some pics!!

One stem....Two flowers

Loons and their babies on Hooker Lake

Blue Bells

Hooker Lake

Hooker Lake shoreline

Harry Piche's Cabin and Buriel Site

Love this wind chime!!

Inside the cabin

Remarkably, nothing is ever stolen from inside the cabin

Love the TV sitting on the carved out tree

The creek crossing near the cabin

The Motherlode for cans at the snowmobile shelter

One of the many woodland creatures we see while on the trails.
This one came to visit while we were at the Timberlost Snowmobile
Shelter

Two deer came to check us out while we were at the shelter.
This one was in no hurry what so ever to leave. 

Peek-a-boo......I can see you!!

He was quite interested in us and rather nosy too!!

Every now and again, I get a fluke while I am taking the pics.
This one actually looks like I planned it....   Some days I even
surprise myself.  It has to be the best pic of the day!!

Heart Lake

"The Bedroom" part of the Houseboat that sits
at Heart Lake.  I had to use full zoom to take  this
pic as the owner has it docked on the other side of the lake.

Another little woodland creature coming to see what
we were all about while having a refreshment on the houseboat.

Back at Deer Lake - heading home

Love the reflection - Gosh, another great pic!!
Two in one day!!

With one final stop at Heart Lake, to check out the house boat, we finally travelled back the same trail we started on.  Soon, we were out of "the block" and riding the Grid road home.
It was a great ride today with John needing the power of the winch once and me getting stuck not once but twice (no surprise there!!) trying to get over trees that had fallen across the trails. Both times I got high centred and once John and Gary had to come save me.  The second time I had myself mostly winched over the tree by the time John came back to save me.  He did mention that,  had I been in four wheel drive, I probably would have made it over!!  Oh Ya, I forgot about that!!
Once home, John started a fire and we sat around it until it was time to head to bed.  All in all, it was a great day.  Fun was had by all and I got some nice pics.
Tomorrow, John's cousin Edward is supposed to arrive with his family to spend a week at the lake so it will be nice to see them again.  Tonight though......it is time to sleep.