Tag: Ontario Parks

Single Older Woman – Canadian Vacation- Road Trip July 2023

July 2023

Last years whirlwind vacation was hectic to say, none the least, with the planning, re-arranging, potential Via Rail strike, delays, cancellations, fires, etc.

So this year’s planned 4 day road trip, seemed rather, well, anti-climatic. This trip would only involve driving, eating, walking and swimming. I was only required to drive there, tour around, swim and drive home…. However, the accomplishment of swimming at Sandbanks Beach, in Picton Ontario, took me almost 4 years to complete.

The initial plan was to complete this beach in 2020, after Lake Manitou and Devonshire in 2019. But, we all suffered through the worst pandemic in our lifetime and we were all encouraged to stay home.

Here we are though! I did it! This road trip would not be complete without exploring a few more Ontario Parks – #Lakeonthemountain, #Presqu’ile, #CharlestonLake and #Sandbanks (of course).

With driving anxiety still something I struggle with and as this trip would take me from Mississauga all the east past Kingston, ON, I opted to travel on the toll highway 407 – its quicker, quieter, cleaner, well maintained and not all the trucks, transports, buses, motorcycles that clog up the 401.

Once on the 407, I engaged the cruise control at 105 km and enjoyed my coffee and the scenery.

I arrived in Brockville for my first vacation excursion – the Brockville Railway Tunnel.

Entrance to Brockville Railway Tunnel

After close to 4 hours of driving, I desperately needed to stretch my legs and this would be just the place for me!

The walk from one end to the other and then back too no more than 30 minutes but oh so interesting! I snapped a few photos about the history and the construction aspect, as I knew my dad would enjoy those.

I made my way to their local Tim’s for a coffee and got back into the car. Time to head back west and check into my hotel in Napanee #FoxMotorInn.

I finally arrived at the hotel just after 530 pm – I’d been on the road since 10 am this morning! Time for a sit down meal and a swim.

I had the benefit of a local family type restaurant #tammyscountrykitchen across the street and made my way there.

After dinner, I hauled the suitcase, the bags and the cooler out of the car. My room was right there – very convenient when one’s feet are tired…..lol…

I donned my suit, grabbed a towel and walked around to the back of the property and went for a quick dip…….ah SO REFRESHING and much needed.

Time to call it a night. Tata!!

Tomorrow: Sandbanks and one more beach off the list. Forecast is 27 degrees and sunny. Perfect weather for a beach stroll and a swim.

Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading and for letting me share.

Joye

Single Older Woman – Life’s Passion – Canadian Beaches – Sandbanks, Singing Sands and Long Beach

July 2023

With 4 weeks of vacation available to me each year, by the time 2022 wrapped up, I was already planning how and when to complete my final 3 beaches on my list – Sandbanks in Prince Edward County, Singing Sands in Tobermory and Long Beach, on the Pacific Rim, in British Columbia.

The trip to BC would start with Via Rail, a 4 1/2 day trip from Toronto to Vancouver. This vacation would require at least 10 days away from work.

Sandbanks and Tobermory could be done as a long weekend road trip.

My 2022 whirlwind 2 1/2 week East Coast vacation together with the river cruise, put quite a dent in my budget, so a little less extravagance would be necessary in 2023.

At the end of 2022, my boss announced she would be retiring in October 2023 and herself had 4-5 weeks of vacation time to use up. So respectfully I had to alter my desired plans to accommodate her weeks away.

With that being said, next week I head out east to swim at Sandbanks Beach. I’ll embark on a 5 day solo road trip and will do some local sightseeing as well, Brockville Rail Tunnel, Presqu’ile Park ( Ontario Parks), Long Sault Parkway and a few other touristy spots.

In August, I’ll embark on a 4 day road trip to Singing Sands Beach in Tobermory, but with one of my dearest friends along for the ride.

In the summer of 2024, I will head to BC to swim at Long Beach. With that beach complete, my Canadian Beach experiences will come to an end. More on how I feel about this later.

In the fall of 2024, I plan to river cruise along the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland with a return by train to the Netherlands to visit with family.

Thank you for reading.

Stay tuned!

Joye

Single Older Woman – Life’s Passion – my swimmer’s life – starts/stops, the Pandemic, injuries

Nov 2022

After contracting Covid-19 a couple of weeks ago, I was able to get back into the pool this past weekend. This got me thinking about all the starts and stops in my life as a swimmer. As I shared in a few of my earlier posts, I took up swimming as a regular activity in the summer of 2009.

However, I was not an avid, regular swimmer during that time. I lost my f/t job in October of that year and did not start a new f/t job until March 2010. My income decreased substantially and with 2 kids at home, money was tight. They were both active in sports and I did alot of volunteering in the community. For the next few years, I may or may not have done much swimming because of money and time constraints. Then in 2013/ 2014, I found that article in Readers Digest about the “10 Best Beaches in Canada” and my life did an about face.

I took up swimming at our local community centre pools, I got a gym membership with GoodLife Fitness which gave me access to their pool, 24/7. I had no qualms about going for a swim at night – the thrill of turning on the seat warmers in my car, on a cool/chilly fall/winter night and then coming home to a glass of red wine, motivated me enough to go back again and again and again……I kept up this routine for a couple of years. On days when I didn’t swim, I would ride my bike to work.

When my mom passed away in Dec 2017, I didn’t see a pool until March of 2018. I then took on a part time job, in the evenings, working “Skipthedishes”. That commitment cut into my swim times. I kept at this job for about 8-9 months, as I discovered, sitting for 3-4 hours in my car, was not so beneficial to my health, especially after sitting all day at work, in front of a computer.

In early 2019, I had a car accident, my car was totaled and I spent the summer months, busing, biking and walking to/fro work, as well as doing all my errands this way too. In November 2019, I bought another car and shortly thereafter resumed my nightly and weekend swim routine.

Fast forward, March 2020 – the world stops and we are all forced to stay home. I knew I needed another outlet for exercise and stress relief, with all the pools closed. So, I found all the local parks in our area to visit – I would venture out either right after work or go for a stroll on a weekend afternoon. It was during this time too, that I found those great Ontario Parks and Ontario Waterfalls books. The pools opened up again in August but the lanes were restricted to one person per lane and you had to book your time slot in advance. At least, I could swim at my leisure without the fear of hitting someone in the head…..

This stayed part of my routine until about December 2021. In September, I had fallen off of a picnic table, while visiting a park with a friend of mine. The ache and discomfort in my leg, did not concern me so much. Until December, when I walked into a chair and strained my right MCL…..What a klutz I was……

I ended up in physio for 2 months and did not feel ready yet to swim laps.

It would be another couple of months until I felt strong enough to get back in the water. In the meantime, I walked, and I walked and I walked some more. My feet ached, but I had to strengthen the joint and ligaments in my knee.

Wherein, I use to relish in those evening swims, the drive home with the seat warmers and the glass of wine before bed, I find myself scared now to go out at night. I’m afraid to leave my house, once I get home. There are too many bad drivers on the road, wet/snowy road conditions to contend with, strangers out and about, empty parking lots to walk across, etc. As walking became another activity I could enjoy, I did more of those in the evenings. I can be at a local park within 15 minutes from work. I can complete a quick stroll of 30 minutes and then be home before it gets dark. For the time being, my swims are on Sat or Sunday afternoons.

My dad is 89 and still walks almost every day. He worked in construction his entire life and even before he retired, he would walk an hour to an hour and a half every day. Walking is in our genes and in our make up. If he can keep going at 89, I can certainly keep going at 59…. and beyond!

As I look to my 60th birthday next year, I hope my love for swimming will not diminish. I plan to swim well into my 60’s and into my 70’s. I cannot imagine a life without the water and the feeling of pure joy, being in it, gives me. This is my peace, my zen, my comfort, my heaven and my tranquility.

Thank you for reading and letting me share.

Joye