Tag Archives: Peterborough

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Day-tripping on the Boulevard

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The pool is ready for summer, but the water wasn’t quite warm enough for us to stick our toes in, so what better way to spend the first Canadian long-weekend of summer (Victoria Day weekend) than doing some day-tripping on the motorcycle?

The weather was perfect for riding when we started out on Saturday morning to attend a local Pow Wow; but a misunderstanding between Jim and me took us to the Curve Lake First Nations instead of Hiawatha! Nothing special was happening there, but we weren’t far from our other planned destination – the annual Buckhorn Spring Craft Show. We shared a hoagie, fries and Greek salad at the Olde Ice House in “downtown” Buckhorn before heading out to the Community Centre to admire the colourful creations and sample the jams, jellies and fudge on display, in the Community Centre and in and around the several wooden out-buildings.

Buckhorn is a small community along the Trent Severn Waterway at Lock 31, and a bustling tourist destination during the summer months.

We left Buckhorn with no other destination in mind, but while we sat enjoying a Dairy Queen treat back in Peterborough we decided it was too nice a day to go home, so off we went again, this time to Fenelon Falls, another summer attraction along the Trent Severn (Lock 34) and a great place for snapping pictures.

Fenlon Falls

Fenelon Falls

Fenelon Falls

Fenelon Falls

We enjoyed dinner on the balcony over the falls, in …The Fallsview Restaurant, of course!

Fallsview Restaurant balcony

Fallsview Restaurant balcony

Before falling onto our couch at home, full, sleepy and content, we drove down to the Peterborough waterfront at Del Crary Park for the Victoria Day celebrations there. The place was packed with parents and kids, lined up to enjoy the dozen or so Bouncy Castles that had been set up for their free entertainment. Some of them were pretty darned elaborate! We watched the sun begin to set, but were just too tired to wait around for the fireworks.

One Huge Bouncy Castle

One Huge Bouncy Castle

The line up for this one ran half way across the park!

The line up for this one ran half way across the park!

Peterborough Tour Boat

Peterborough Tour Boat

Sunset Over PeterboroughSunset Over Peterborough

Sunday morning we were out the door before noon once more, this time to catch the Pow Wow at the Hiawatha First Nations Reserve, just a twenty-minute drive east of Peterborough. The breeze from the bike was refreshing, but the sun was hot as we sat on the bleachers watching the ceremonial parade of people dressed in colourful traditional costumes and performing native dance steps. It was beautiful. We ate buffalo burgers for lunch and checked out the many vendor booths around the perimeter of the ceremonial area. We also had a good chat with a fellow biker who we always see at the Bikers Reunion in New Liskeard. That day he was celebrating his native heritage along with the others.

Dancers

Dancers

Hiawatha

Hiawatha

Our friend "Bear" on the right,with Standing Buffalo Warrior (a.k.a.Cliff Standingready)

Our friend “Bear” on the right,with Standing Buffalo Warrior (a.k.a.Cliff Standingready)

What a glorious two days to kick off summer and the biking season!

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Plan Changes

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It looks like our RV adventure has to be postponed because of a family responsibility, so my travel writing for a while will be about the interesting things to see and do in our local area, and shorter excursions on the motorcycle.

Last week we went on our first official “Tour Riders” ride, but it was a short ride because storm clouds were threatening. “The Tour Riders” is a group of bikers that originated thirty years ago. It used to be a more formal club with monthly meetings and membership dues and many organized rides, including an annual “Toy Ride” to collect toys for the local Children’s Aid Society. Most of the original members have moved on, and the ones remaining are retired seniors whose only agenda is to get together on the first and third Tuesday evenings of the month throughout the riding season and go for a ride that ends either at an ice cream parlour or a coffee shop. Someone takes the lead and the others willingly follow on a mystery ride. Younger members who like this casualness have joined the ranks. New members are always welcome to join. Just show up at 7:00 pm and introduce yourself!

Last night was a beautiful night for a ride. Nine bikes with eleven riders met at our usual spot, The Peterborough Zoo parking lot, and headed off towards Stoney Lake. Jim and I, on a Suzuki Boulevard, led this time (as we often do as Jim has been riding in this area since he was sixteen and knows the back roads very well).

On the move photography is often blurred.

On the move

The sky was blue, the air was sweet with the fragrance of budding trees and freshly mowed lawns, as we wound our way past soccer and soft-ball players on the Trent University campus; past horses in the fields, log houses and modern estates. Following us were Yamahas, Harleys , Suzukis, and Hondas, as well as one Victory and a Moto Gucci. The sun flickered through the trees as it made its slow descent over Stoney Lake.

The road ahead

Lots of turns

Lots of turns

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Water is high and fast on Stoney Lake this year

Water is high and fast on Stoney Lake this year

We almost made it around the lake when the joy was interrupted by an unwelcome event. When making a left turn, the Victory slid on the sand that had accumulated at the corner and went down, sliding unceremoniously into the ditch and taking the rider with it. Sand on the road is a dangerous thing for bikers! Fortunately, with the efforts of four men, the bike was retrieved and the rider, although shaken and dirty insisted he was unhurt. In any event, he refused offers to call for paramedics or tow truck, and climbed back onto his bike and headed for home, which wasn’t too far from where we were. The obvious damage to the bike was a broken gear shifter, which meant he rode the remainder of the way in third gear. BIKERS! We followed him to his turn and the couple who knew him best followed him home to make sure he made it. They met up with us at the coffee shop in Lakefield. We were all left a little shaken and lingered perhaps a little longer than usual before climbing back onto our own bikes and heading home.

We’ll meet for another ride in two weeks. We hope Bob will be able to join us.

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A Unique Dining Experience in Peterborough

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Last week we finally made use of a WagJag coupon that was soon to expire, and went to The Electric City Gardens  for lunch. This was our second visit there and I was still struck by the uniqueness. The first impression is not really a good one. It is located in an old home on Queen Street in downtown Peterborough.The outside looks inviting, but the entrance hall is cluttered with personal belongings, presumably belonging to the owner/chef who lives on the second floor. However, there is comfort in the original wooden stair case and trims. The first room to the left is fairly large and contains a long dining table and chairs at the front end by the windows; the back end leads into the kitchen, and the cooking supplies and recipes seem to have overflowed from there out onto the only other table, the cupboards and the floor.

Straight ahead another doorway and a step down takes you into what would have been originally the sun porch, I’d think. Stepping into it is like stepping into a cafe somewhere in France. The walls are painted pink; the many purple-framed windows are draped with gathered pieces of brightly coloured voile, in reds, blues, greens. The inside wall is uncovered red brick and adorned with brilliantly coloured abstracts. Through the open window a few wooden tables with metal chairs enameled in green, red and blue, can be seen on the garden patio.

Electric City Gardens

Colourful decor

Electric City Gardens

Electric City Gardens

View from the window

Inside, tables with distressed wooden tops and metal bases form a line in groups of one, or two along the windows. Heavy wood and leather chairs sit on the outsides of the tables; a long fuscia velvet-covered bench serves as seating along the window side.

There are no paper menus to peruse, for the menu changes daily. The waitress brings out a small chalk board on which there is written the soup of the day, two or three choices of  entrees and desert. This day classical music was emanating from the stereo, perhaps a little too loudly.

We opted to try the Borscht, followed by the grilled ground lamb patty and  salad. One cook and one waitress means a leisurely lunch, leaving plenty of time for conversation and soaking up the atmosphere. A plate of fresh bread slices and butter helped to keep hunger in check while we waited.

Electric City Gardens

Our yummy lunch

The Borscht was served piping hot in mugs and was delicious. The lamb patty was very thick and braised in a mint sauce — very tasty, but it could have been cooked a little more in the middle, the disadvantage of thick burgers. A large salad of baby mixed greens, cucumber chunks, sweet red pepper strips and fresh tomato halves with a vinaigrette dressing completed the meal and left us too full to try the desert.

All in all it was a good dining experience and one that I would recommend if you’re looking for something different. It even came with a bonus incentive to return; along with the bill was a two-for-one coupon for Sunday brunch.

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“Vacationing” in home town, Peterborough

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(June 30, 2012)

For the last five years we’ve spent the Canada Day long weekend at Bikers Reunion in New Liskeard, Ontario. It’s our favourite bike rally, but this year, with all that has been happening following our recent return from wandering, we decided to stay home.

Home is Peterborough, Ontario – a great place to live and to vacation. This afternoon we enjoyed a swim in the pool and a BBQ with a couple of good friends. After they left, we were relaxing on the patio enjoying the breeze that was beginning to cool down  the hot temperature of the day, when we suddenly remembered that tonight was Opening Night at the Little Lake Musicfest and Jimmy Rankin was performing! We quickly changed our clothes, strapped two lawn chairs onto the back of the bike, and headed downtown.

 

Jimmy Rankin

Jimmy Rankin at Little Lake Musicfest, Peterborough, Ontario

Every Wednesday and Saturday night throughout the summer there is good music to be heard at Del Crary Park, situated in the heart of downtown and on the lake — Little Lake, and the best part of it, it’s always free! One of the fund raisers is a 50/50 draw and tonight the large crowd brought in $3,300 for the lucky winner.

The Musicfest is only one of many things to see and do in Peterborough. The number one tourist attraction, of course, is the Peterborough Lift Lock, the highest hydraulic lift n the world. From May to October many houseboats, yachts and even canoes pass through the numerous locks of the Trent Severn Waterway that passes through Peterborough, and get a chance to view the city from 65 feet up while waiting for the slow descent from the top to the bottom. After the lift lock, one more small lock will take them into Little Lake, where, if it’s a Wednesday or Saturday evening, they can moor off Del Crary Park and watch the show. If you don’t have your own boat, you can hop aboard one of the Lift Lock Cruise boats for a trip around the lake and over the lock and even have dinner if you’d like.

Peterborough Lift Lock

Boats lining up to go up through the Peterborough Lift Lock

Also on Little Lake, just below the Lift Lock, there is a great campground nestled among the trees with a creek running through. Beavermead Campground is easily accessible off of Hwy 115 at Ashburnham drive. It has 46 un-serviced sites and 52 serviced sites to accommodate RVs. It is between Peterborough’s Ecology Park, where organic gardening plants and materials are available, and Beavermead Park which boasts a large beach and play area. All of these beautiful spots are joined by the biking/walking trails that wind their way throughout the city.

Other events that happen in Peterborough during the summer are Ribfest, Wake board Festival, soccer tournament and fabulous Farmer’s Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

During the winter you can skate on the Canal, weather permitting. 🙂

Now that I think of it, there are way too many attractions to cram into a single blog! I think my next blog will be a photo blog of Peterborough.