Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Enjoying the View
I enjoyed my view and my coffee at the same time. Since I did this frequently, Stacy took a shot.
View From Seascape
If you looked to the right from our porch, you would get a nice view of the clouds pouring over the mountains.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday: Moose Don't Exist
We have been looking for Moose (or as we say "Meesses") but we haven't seen any. And this sucks, because everyone we talk to has seen Moose except us. Anyway...
It rained hard through most of Saturday, but we went out as soon as it calmed down. We visited a bunch of coves on the east side of the island. We started with Lakies Head.
Then we visited Green Cove.
We played on the rocks in the wind, keep in mind that this was after the storm has calmed down.
.
Stacy the reporter...
We ended up hiking around Jigging Cove Lake and down Jigging Brook to the Coastal Trail. It was in the top 5 of my toughest hikes. It was muddy and full of wet roots. We had to jump small pools and hop through mud and creeks. I think we had smiles on our faces the whole time (except when Stacy fell in some deep water, I thought she was going to kill something)
It rained hard through most of Saturday, but we went out as soon as it calmed down. We visited a bunch of coves on the east side of the island. We started with Lakies Head.
Then we visited Green Cove.
We played on the rocks in the wind, keep in mind that this was after the storm has calmed down.
.
Stacy the reporter...
We ended up hiking around Jigging Cove Lake and down Jigging Brook to the Coastal Trail. It was in the top 5 of my toughest hikes. It was muddy and full of wet roots. We had to jump small pools and hop through mud and creeks. I think we had smiles on our faces the whole time (except when Stacy fell in some deep water, I thought she was going to kill something)
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday: Another Day without rain
We hiked broad cove mountain and enjoyed the poke-o-moonshine type climb. We enjoyed the view at the top for a while and watched an eagle coast over us (it was the first bald eagle I have ever seen)
About half way through the hike, we realized that the water had a vibrant red hue (maybe from the granite the bottom).
Near the end, we stopped at Warren Lake Beach and took a swim. The view from the beach was serene. The water was cool (and despite being red tasted great). Also, I got a big mosquito bite.
After lunch, we played croquette on our lawn (thanks Doug). I had the blue balls. Also, as you might be able to guess, I lost (as you might be able to guess from my comment on the video).
About half way through the hike, we realized that the water had a vibrant red hue (maybe from the granite the bottom).
Near the end, we stopped at Warren Lake Beach and took a swim. The view from the beach was serene. The water was cool (and despite being red tasted great). Also, I got a big mosquito bite.
After lunch, we played croquette on our lawn (thanks Doug). I had the blue balls. Also, as you might be able to guess, I lost (as you might be able to guess from my comment on the video).
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday: The Sun Came Out
We woke up expecting rain and instead we got the best damn maritime weather anyone could ever want. Highs in lower 70s with warm sun and a few scattered clouds. So after 20 hours of driving and rainy weather we decided to hike the crap out of Cape Breton. We ended up doing 3 hikes: middle head, franey mountain and freshwater lake. Not bad for 1 day.
Middle head runs 1.25 miles out on a peninsula past the Keltic lodge. It was a great opener for the day. It took us about an hour and a half.
The trail was full of little streams and distant views of the island.
We noticed that grass and flowers grew throughout the mountain hikes in the area. This was something new for us, as the Adirondacks seem to peek with rock faces, not grass fields.
The trail was tree covered, but when we stepped out past the branches and onto the rocks beyond, we caught some great views below.
At the furthest point of the peninsula, I stepped out to the edge of 300 feet plus drops (Mario would have vomited).
After middle head, we drove up a dirt road in second gear to the trail head of Franey Mountain. We parked, sprayed the bug spray and endured the never-ending climbing pain of Franey. Jimmy would have loved it. After scrambing up river beds and dramatic stairways and sweating our faces off, we took a break at what we throught to be the top, but we were still a long way off from the peak. In the end, the five mile hike took us two hours.
When we finally reached the top, we kicked open the door to a shack and explored the inside.
After franey literally beat the crap out of us, we had a picnic on Ingonish beach (thanks Kayleen) and hiked around freshwater lake. We found Ingonish beach and freshwater lake both wonderful and fascinating. The clear fresh water lake sits less than 50 feet from the ocean, but is seperated by a mile long 15 foot high deposit of beatiful granite. Ingonish beach has both rock and sand. However, the granite covers the sand in the winter to prevent erosion. Then in the summer, the water pushes the granite back away from the sand. This natural process leaves the beach safe from erosion and keeps the fresh water lake intact.
Middle head runs 1.25 miles out on a peninsula past the Keltic lodge. It was a great opener for the day. It took us about an hour and a half.
The trail was full of little streams and distant views of the island.
We noticed that grass and flowers grew throughout the mountain hikes in the area. This was something new for us, as the Adirondacks seem to peek with rock faces, not grass fields.
The trail was tree covered, but when we stepped out past the branches and onto the rocks beyond, we caught some great views below.
At the furthest point of the peninsula, I stepped out to the edge of 300 feet plus drops (Mario would have vomited).
After middle head, we drove up a dirt road in second gear to the trail head of Franey Mountain. We parked, sprayed the bug spray and endured the never-ending climbing pain of Franey. Jimmy would have loved it. After scrambing up river beds and dramatic stairways and sweating our faces off, we took a break at what we throught to be the top, but we were still a long way off from the peak. In the end, the five mile hike took us two hours.
When we finally reached the top, we kicked open the door to a shack and explored the inside.
After franey literally beat the crap out of us, we had a picnic on Ingonish beach (thanks Kayleen) and hiked around freshwater lake. We found Ingonish beach and freshwater lake both wonderful and fascinating. The clear fresh water lake sits less than 50 feet from the ocean, but is seperated by a mile long 15 foot high deposit of beatiful granite. Ingonish beach has both rock and sand. However, the granite covers the sand in the winter to prevent erosion. Then in the summer, the water pushes the granite back away from the sand. This natural process leaves the beach safe from erosion and keeps the fresh water lake intact.
Wednesday: A Rainy day and the Thirsty Hiker
We explored the rock cliffs around our cottage. While it rained, we hiked along the beach, sat inside caves, discovered ice cold streams, threw rocks at targets and I stepped in crab and seaweed muck that engulfed my legs up past my knee. It was disgusting. Stacy laughed at me and I almost lost my sandals.
After getting lunch at a local restaurant, we played scrabble and learned how to play 500 Rummy with the deck of mini cards that Jess and Ryan got for us. We took the game to a local bar while we ate dinner and watched a local guy sing Gaelic folk tunes. We played our mini connect 4 (also a gift from Jess and Ryan).
Stacy beat me at Rummy and connect 4.
When I ordered my burger, they only offered mustard, we thought Ryan might appreciate that (we call him Colonel Mustard - he loves the mustard.)
We had fun with the singer Buddy Macdonald, he got the whole place singing a bunch of fun folk songs and stories. Some were confusing, but funny. One song told the story of a boy who wanted to marry a Cape Breton local girl. However, he learned that she was his father's daughter. He called the marriage off in despair. To make matters worse, he couldn't find any other wife, because his father was the father to most of the girls on the island. It was at this point that the boy's mom told him not to worry, because the boy's father wasn't really his father after all. So he got married to the girl.
It rained, but we had fun. We got home late and Stacy was beat. I had a great video of Stacy snoring, but she pulled it from the blog....oh well.
After getting lunch at a local restaurant, we played scrabble and learned how to play 500 Rummy with the deck of mini cards that Jess and Ryan got for us. We took the game to a local bar while we ate dinner and watched a local guy sing Gaelic folk tunes. We played our mini connect 4 (also a gift from Jess and Ryan).
Stacy beat me at Rummy and connect 4.
When I ordered my burger, they only offered mustard, we thought Ryan might appreciate that (we call him Colonel Mustard - he loves the mustard.)
We had fun with the singer Buddy Macdonald, he got the whole place singing a bunch of fun folk songs and stories. Some were confusing, but funny. One song told the story of a boy who wanted to marry a Cape Breton local girl. However, he learned that she was his father's daughter. He called the marriage off in despair. To make matters worse, he couldn't find any other wife, because his father was the father to most of the girls on the island. It was at this point that the boy's mom told him not to worry, because the boy's father wasn't really his father after all. So he got married to the girl.
It rained, but we had fun. We got home late and Stacy was beat. I had a great video of Stacy snoring, but she pulled it from the blog....oh well.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
We made it
After driving through New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick and most of Nova Scotia, we made it to our destination on Cape Breton Island.
Here is the route we took:
View Larger Map
We hit a lot of juicy bugs along the way. Maine was beautiful, but Cape Breton Island is clearly the highlight so far. Climbing Mount Smokey with our car was an awe-inspiring/crap-our-pants-inducing drive. Also, the cabot trail is the toughest road we have ever driven with the corolla. If you look on the map, you will notice the odd side route to destination F. This was our mid-drive hike to Uishga Ban Falls (pronounced ush-ga, meaning white water in gaelic). It was a quick hike with some of the oldest trees on the island. It turns out that 99% of the trees on the island are less than 100 years old and on that trail, most of the maple trees are 200+ years old. The trees felt old and maybe we captured some of it in our pics (to come soon). The drive out to the trail was making us laugh. It seemed to us that we were driving no where. We crossed a one-lane wooden bridge with holes in it, crossed many unlabeled roads and drove for 8km on a hilly dirt road. The km threw us off, we kept thinking of miles. Anyway...
Ingonish is beautiful and our cabin is sweet (especially the fireplace and adirondack chairs). We took a dip in the hot tub last night, but it was 108 degrees.
View Larger Map
Pictures to come soon.
Here is the route we took:
View Larger Map
We hit a lot of juicy bugs along the way. Maine was beautiful, but Cape Breton Island is clearly the highlight so far. Climbing Mount Smokey with our car was an awe-inspiring/crap-our-pants-inducing drive. Also, the cabot trail is the toughest road we have ever driven with the corolla. If you look on the map, you will notice the odd side route to destination F. This was our mid-drive hike to Uishga Ban Falls (pronounced ush-ga, meaning white water in gaelic). It was a quick hike with some of the oldest trees on the island. It turns out that 99% of the trees on the island are less than 100 years old and on that trail, most of the maple trees are 200+ years old. The trees felt old and maybe we captured some of it in our pics (to come soon). The drive out to the trail was making us laugh. It seemed to us that we were driving no where. We crossed a one-lane wooden bridge with holes in it, crossed many unlabeled roads and drove for 8km on a hilly dirt road. The km threw us off, we kept thinking of miles. Anyway...
Ingonish is beautiful and our cabin is sweet (especially the fireplace and adirondack chairs). We took a dip in the hot tub last night, but it was 108 degrees.
View Larger Map
Pictures to come soon.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Kayleen and Nintendo
Kayleen wanted a Wii, but I think this is better...Nintendo and Super Nintendo and cheap games to buy online.
The American Dream
I took my grandma on a date in Manhattan to a place that only serves hotdogs. Basically, hot dogs are her favorite thing on the planet. She love this place and claimed it was the American Dream (although I never figured out why).
Pants versus No pants
Mario and I duel in a 4-player edition of rock em sock em robots. We tied. Rematch coming soon.
Stacy holds A Baby
Stacy is holding Ariana (property of Amber and Anthony).
Ariana is crying. I think it was Stacy's fault.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Loki versus Rocco part 2
Rocco likes to play dead in the snow. Loki likes to remind Rocco that he is the alpha male...
Loki Versus Rocco
We spent the weekend in Clayton, NY. Amber and Anthony's dogs love to play outside. I got some video. Here is round 1 of the dog's playing (of about a thousand).
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