August 2010 Macgregor Point

Saturday August 7th 2010 - 291361 - 1.p.m.
Left Durham in bright sunshine heading for MacGregor Point, once again.  Great ride to camp, roads not very busy.  Arrived about 2.00 p.m. to find out there were no electrical sites available for today.  So this will be "real" camping for us tonight.  Found a real good "tenting" site #157.  Large site with both sun and shade.   Lucky for us there was a great couple camping opposite us.

After setting up, which took no time at all as there was nothing to do but pull out the awning, we had a late lunch.  Relaxed for a while.  Then hiked to Merganser Cove.   Met up with our neighbours.  Had a good chat with them, then on our way again.   Still sunny and warm when we got back to site, but didn't sound too promising for tomorrow.   Had nice BBQ supper then relaxed around the camp fire.

Sunday August 8th 2010

Woke early to heavy rain and thunder.   By 8.00 a.m. it was really not too bad, still windy but no rain.  After BBQ breakfast. which was very good, we relaxed until 11.00 a.m.  Then we headed to the office to get an electrical site for tonight.   Lucky for us our favorite site (#57) was coming available.  So we got all that sorted and then decided to take a walk along the Huron Fringe Trail and Turtle Pond while waiting to get onto our site.   We did see small turtles and another large Snapping Turtle.

We stopped in at the Fringe Store/Visitors Centre
They have some excellent nature displays there and we did manage to find a very good Bird Book in the store.

From there we headed to our site and got all set up.   Had a very relaxing afternoon reading, and Mike programmed his scanner, well some of it! 

Before supper we headed to the Shore Line Trail to watch the sunset.   Always so beautiful and always so different from the previous time.

 

    

Back to camp to cook sausages over the camp fire for supper.   Ready or not, here comes another Hiker Mike Story.

We were just sitting around the fire waiting for the coals to get hot enough to cook the sausages on.  Relaxing with a drink, discussing what a great day we had.  Then, heavens, what is that noise just behind us?    Just three feet from us on the picnic table is - or was - the new packet of sausage buns.   Now GONE!

Along side, in the bush, was a very happy raccoon trying to retrieve the sausage buns from the bag.   Hiker Mike to the rescue.  He grabbed his flashlight and headed into the bush, completely unarmed other than the flash flight, to fight off the raccoon and bring back the sausage buns.  What a Guy, now we can have supper. The raccoon was not so happy.  He kept trying to get back to reclaim his supper.  After Hiker Mike took aim at him with a rock Mr Raccoon gave up.  So, although four buns short, we now settled in, cooked our sausages, had a fabulous supper and a lovely evening around the fire.  Once again Hiker Mike saved the day - or at least the night.

Sunday August 9th 2010
Quite a nice morning, some sun, some cloud, but very warm.   After BBQ breakfast we took off for a hike along the Deer Run Trail Loop.  It's approximately a 10 km easy hike, but always very interesting.  The only draw back was the fact that the mosquitoes were extremely hungry this morning.

We came across a very interesting section of the trail.  Where there were many very small frogs.

We also found an area which used to be a large orchard many years ago.  There were still a lot of apple trees there all with fruit on.

Headed back to site for late lunch and a relaxing afternoon.  Through the afternoon there was, once again, a very heavy thunderstorm.   When the storm had cleared and the sun returned we headed out along the Old Shore Line Trail to Sunset Point.   Then around the Turtle Pond again and back to camp.  It was a very pretty and interesting walk.  We never tire of this place.

So far today we have seen far too many tiny green frogs to count, red squirrels, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Robins, Nut Hatches, Gulls and Geese (busy sunning themselves on the rocks just of shore).   One very large skeleton head of a fish, left by one of the many Turkey Vultures found in this area.  A few small turtles and another Snapping Turtle, this time in the pond.  An abundance of bees in the area where the wild flowers were blooming.

Back at camp the rain started again so we ate supper under the awning.  Still very warm out.  It was a short lived rain shower, so we spent the evening around the camp fire, once again.

Tuesday August 10th 2010 - 291455 - 10.45 a.m.
A littlee cloudy and foggy, but still hot and humid this morning,  Too bad for us, we have to head home today. Just sitting around after breakfast we had seven Robins in and around the bush area, four Blue Jays enjoying the bird seed we bought with us, several Chickadees, sharing the bird seed, and a Swainson's Thrush. Good job we bought that new bird book.  There were Red Squirrels running around all the time.  So far our friendly Raccoon did not return, so we did not go hungry.

 Unfortunately we now have to pack up and hit the Road.

It has been a fantastic few days, and we look forward to returning very soon.