Flora and Fauna: Part I - Day 11 - 25 July 2015

After a less than enjoyable experience our last day on the trail, we hoped that this weekend the Rideau Trail would redeem itself. It had lots of opportunity, since we would be hiking two days in a row. Our route started at 9B in Murhpy's Point Provincial Park and then went to 10B. This would leave a gap between 10B and 11A (where we had started our last hike) that we would do the next day because it was closer to Ottawa, so it would be a shorter drive home. Since we're getting farther away and because we were staying the night in Perth, the logistics of car pick-up and drop-offs were complicated and confusing, but we figured it out!

We dropped a car at 10B and drove south to Murphy's Point Provincial Park. The Rideau Trail goes through the Park, so you need a Park Pass to park in the parking lot. I had carefully chosen our route to take us to the Southern edge of the Park where the trail parking lot was. I figured there would be a park office on the southern entrance to the park where we could buy a pass. Wrong! We ended up having to drive all the way north through the park and then went to the park store to buy a pass only to be told that the store didn't sell park passes, only the campground registration office did. So we had to drive further to the campground to buy a park pass. We were not impressed. But eventually with pass in hand we returned to the parking lot, ready to hit the trail.

We were wearing long sleeves and long pants due our past experiences with overgrown trails. I was happy we were properly attired when I saw this sign in the trailhead parking lot!

I sure don't want to contract Lyme Disease!

Rideau Trail sign in Murhpy's Point Provincial Park. Look at that lovely trail!

We were delighted to be hiking on a real trail (not overgrown!) and there was a cool breeze and no bugs for the first while. It was wonderful! The Rideau Trail had already redeemed itself!

The trail went through a lovely forest

Before we knew it, we left the Provincial Park and entered private land and were greeted by this sign!

Good thing it wasn't fall time!

The next section of trail was through some really nice land with rolling hills and rock outcroppings. The geography was very different here than anywhere farther north on the Rideau Trail. We very much enjoyed the cool breeze and interesting terrain. However, it was relatively slow going because the trail twisted and turned, but wasn't actually an obvious trail (the lovely mowed grass trail ended part way through the Provincial Park), so we spent a lot of time trying to find the next orange triangle marker every time we entered or exited a clearing or stand of trees.

After a few kilometres we passed over a stile and entered the Mica Mines Conservation Area.

This is a stile, used to climb over a fence. We often pass over at least 5 of these each day. 

The picture doesn't show it very well, but this was typical topography of the area, with a small hill. This was the first time we saw hills on the trail! I think this is because we are starting to enter the Frontenac Arch area which is section of the granite Canadian Shield that protrudes in the area (see, I did learn something in undergrad geology class!). It was so nice to be walking through different terrain (ie. not swamp!)

Hill! And close by was a granite outcropping

 We continued through this pretty landscape and saw some pretty flowers (a first for our hike!)

Yes, it's a thistle, but it was very pretty!

Then we came upon these little friends up in a tree.

Mama porcupine on the trunk of the tree (centre) and baby on the branch (left)

The baby was on guard making cute little squealing sounds and raising its quills

Due to our late start and the rain that had started falling we decided to take the final section of the trail on the road rather than on the trail (through a swamp, but the trail description said there was a boardwalk. I didn't trust it). We followed blue arrows for the first time (blue arrows mark side trails from the main Rideau Trail).

Blue Arrow!

It was raining lightly which was pleasant because it was a pretty hot day (the cool breeze has stopped hours before). However, the final section on the road felt long (but I'm sure the trail, likely wet, muddy and overgrown would have felt even longer!)

It's hard to stay motivated walking along a gravel road for almost 10 km. We ended up counting telephone poles to pass the time

But we did see some pretty cows along the way!

Not sure if they were highland steer, but they did have hair in their eyes

At the very end of the hike it started to rain hard, so we ended up getting pretty wet!

Gators kept the bottom of my pants dry, but the rest of me was soaked!

We drove back to Perth (where we stayed for the night), got cleaned up, dried off and went to a lovely pub for supper and watched a spectacular thunder and lightening rainstorm. It went on for about 2 hours, with pouring rain, huge lightening and loud thunder. We were sooo happy to be inside enjoying a pint and not camping! (we had considered the idea of camping at Murhpy's Point, but decided that a real bed and shower would be nicer!)

It was a really nice day out hiking. The Rideau Trail definitely redeemed itself even though there was lots of road walking at the end (but the final few kms of that was our decision). With all the rain we were hoping that the trail wouldn't be too wet for the next day of hiking.

Statistics:

Start Point -9B

End Pont - 10B

Time - about 5 hours

Daily Distance - 18.9 km

Total Distance - 159.1 km
Lesson Learned: Even the best Rolla and Zuzka plans can fall through (arg, Murphy's Point Provincial Park) and you can start hiking an hour later than planned!