slomo Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Anticipating that Wawa would have snow during this year's March break, had booked a nice cabin at Best Northern Resort (report in accomodation/food section) back in November and gradually built up ms. slomo's courage in terms of driving her own sled over the season. Finally the time for the trip was nigh. Trip Day 1 minus 1: slomo suffering bad tooth infection all week. ms. slomo shows up at camp in Parry Sound Friday night, slips on ice, drive into town for x-ray to arm. Nothing broken. Trip Day 1: ms. slomo, offered the chance to take it easy for the day, insists we travel and split drive Parry Sound to Wawa - never knowing what conditions will be like. Turns out to be good idea. With bottles of various pain medication in cab of truck, off we go. Suffer blizzard through Sudbury - good for them- and reach motel in Thessalon. Our view from the motel window of North Channel. Trip Day 2: Both wake up with bad rumbly gut possibly from restaurant in Thessalon night before, bad drinking water, who knows. Pack up early and go. Add rumbly gut medicine to pain medication. Arrive at Best Northern Inn at around 1 or 2 pm, not sure as some clocks got put forward, some did not. However, check in delayed forty minutes due to plumbing problem with cabin. Start unloading. ms. slomo insists I head out to scout the trails while room is being readied. Find helmet in bag, don't bother with anything else and off I go in sneakers. And for the next couple of hours, it is one of the most brilliant rides of my sledding career. Warm sunlight, alternating warm and cool breezes, trails are in excellent shape. If they ever have a plan like "adopt a highway" for snowmobile trails, I want dibs on Wawa Trail 5 - it's a honey. Figuring enough time has elapsed that ms. slomo now has the truck unpacked and everything put in its place, head back to the Inn. On the way, stop at a Scenic Lookout on the trail. This will mean nothing to most people, but sitting at the lookout with miles ahead to see, this song I haven't thought of for about 30 years pops in my head....The Ballad of Lucy Jordan...as sung by Marianne Faithful................ "at the age of 37, she realized..... she'd never..... ride through Paris....in a sports car... with the warm wind in her hair....." Realize this was 'one of those moments'. Decided I better get going before the next tune was Julie Andrews breaking in with "the hills are alive, with the sound of music" which would have completely ruined it. Once back at the Inn, popped a helmet on ms. slomo and headed back out to aquaint her with the experience as well. Back just before dark. Trip Day 3 - apres moi, le deluge.... Rain had been in for forecast for the next couple of days and that's what it looked like on this day. After a short ride out to have a look at the trails, found them hard and kind of rutted. While rain had not started, it looked imminent. Our plan was to rent a sled for a couple of days so that ms. slomo could do some touring, but in my opinion, with the condition of the trails and the rain, it wouldn't be a good or safe experience for someone who barely knew gas from brake - and even worse for her. So went off to Jone's Powersports to cancel sled rental, which they did for $50 plus tax. Normal rate for cancellation is a whole day's rental. Out for one last ride and almost to Hawk Junction, when rain started. Got back and did prelimimary loading up before rain began pissing down in dead earnest around 4 or 5 pm. Trip Day 4 Pretty well rained all night. We left Best Northern at 8 am, made our camp in Parry Sound after drive in good weather at 3:30 pm. Well worth the trip. Looks like Seguin Trail is open today limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildbill Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Closing Seguin today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidooboy Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 good report, sorry about the bad weather and the early and quick warm up. looks like it will be over everywhere very soon. ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Wow - Slomo ! 1979 was a "little" past my time for popular music. On the roof top where she climbed when all the laughter grew too loud And she bowed and curtsied to the man who reached and offered her his hand, And he led her down to the long white car that waited past the crowd. How about the Billie Holiday version of Gloomy Sunday, instead ?? Little white flowers will never awaken you Not where (now that?) the black coach of sorry has taken you. Angels have no thought of ever returning you Would they be angry if I thought of joining you? Other than that moment of introspection I'm glad you made the trip. Sorry the rains came - but it seems appropriate after "the evening sun touched gently on your eyes" the day before. Happy Trails ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 What hotel did you stay in Thessalon? The view looks awesome, and the b & b we frequent is only open sporadically in the winter. At least it wasn't Burt Bacharach's "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head". I'd aim for a tree if that song popped into my head. Sounds like you had a wonderful break. Thanks for the report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidooboy Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 looks like the view at caroline beach. we stayed there this fall on the bike tour for colors. was a nice place to stay. ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 At least it wasn't Burt Bacharach's "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head". I'd aim for a tree if that song popped into my head. Well, let's store that little tidbit away for future reference ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slomo Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 While our trip up there was shorter than expected, glad we went. After we got back home, Wawa forecast, which had shown rain for next 4 days, turned to sunlight. So you just never know. Certainly have a better idea of what to expect next visit if conditions are better and how to save a bit of money on accomodations. After the string of good luck with weather and trails on sledding destinations this season, then that glorious sunny ride on Sunday, I can't complain. looks like the view at caroline beach. we stayed there this fall on the bike tour for colors. was a nice place to stay. ski You are correct sir. We stayed there last summer on a drive up to Dog Lake. (have read and agree with your favourable trip down highway 129!)Really nice water front in the summer - wade out for yards before it deepens. On site restaurant is pricey, but perch dinner was very good. In winter? Fairly high priced for bare bones motel. No microwave. Their restaurant is closed during winter. They are not on the sled trail, requiring, according to owner, 2 km travel on ice to get from main trail D. Snow conditions along highway 17 were very poor this year which is too bad as the main trail through there looks like it would be interesting. Two restaurants open in town, but not commenting on one, can't comment on the other. Incidentally, "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" was used as the theme for the movie "Montenegro" in which the female lead, played by Susan Anspach, realizes that her dreams are being shackled by the chains of a boring suburban marriage. She breaks free by poisoning her family. So it's sort of a song of hope - you know, experience things while you have the time...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Nice pics and trip report.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronOrange Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Thanks for the nice report. Sorry you didn't get more riding in on the trip. We were in Wawa at the Best Northern about 2 week before you, the conditions were great and the Best Northern is the best place to stay in Wawa. I have never had the opportunity to do that warm weather good conditions riding, maybe someday. Looking forward to next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.