Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

Fishing is my new found hobby this past summer. Fishing in the province of New Brunswick requires a seasonal fishing licence. There are specific areas that mapped for fishing. Depending on the area and type of fish, the fishing season varies. It’s important to keep in mind that a special licence is needed for catching salmons. On top of that, the size and amount of fish that can be caught per day is regulated. Trout, Pickerel, Muskellunge, Burbot, White perch, and yellow perch have to be at least 10cm in length to be kept.

More information about fishing licence can be obtained here. A regular seasonal fishing licence, or sometimes known as trout licence can be purchased from Department of Natural Resources offices, Service New Brunswick Centres, and licence vendors (e.g. Canadian Tire and Home Hardware) throughout the province. It’s offered for $20, with $5 fish stocking fee and $5 conservation fee included.

Over the fishing season, Miles and I have learned that artificial bait doesn’t work very well. We have also came to a conclusion that it’s easier to catch a fish earlier in the season, since fishes live and learn; they will nibble on the bait, but smart enough not to be caught.

During the summer months, we went fishing in several places; mainly Killarney Lake in Fredericton and Lily Lake in Saint John.

Placing an earthworm on the hook was challenging the very first time.

Patience is the key for fishing.

Sunfish:” Poor me…I’ll be put on the supper table tonight.”

Yellow perch:” Oopsy…I shouldn’t be greedy to take another bite of the yummy worm! Too late now…”

Another Sunfish:” Posing for my last shot…”

Catfish:” Alamak! He caught me! I failed to escape this time lah…:(“

Most of the fishing we did, was catch and release. It was too sad to kill the fish. Furthermore, some fishes were small. Catch and release worked well for us, as we got to enjoy the fun of fishing while fishes munched on their snacks.

It has been a memorable and rewarding experience. The hiking trip was absolutely beyond my imagination. It didn’t turn out as expected, nor as planned. The trip wasn’t only a physical challenge, but also a practice of hope, faith, and trust.

I was glad to be able to remain calm when challenges arose, knowing that frustration and disappointment wouldn’t get me anywhere. I was delighted when the trials over the weekend had finally come to an end.

Every move I made was a step of faith, and every heart beat was a sign of hope. I was happy to be home just before 3 a.m. on Monday. My body was sore and aching. Emotionally, I was on cloud nine. I thought “this was too good to be true.”

Just as we thought we were out of troubles…

I was backing up the car in a pitch black environment. Nothing came into sight from the rear and side mirrors. I had to make my judgement based on the white sign that read “Dobson Trail 58 km” at the corner of the dirt road. Just as I thought I had the car backup far enough and turned the wheels, all of a sudden, “BAM!!”

The car was sitting at a 45-degree angle, with both rear wheels in the ditch. With my trembling hand, I pulled the hand break instantaneously. I was terrified. Trying my very best to stay calm, I approached Garth who just got out of his brother’s car. He was in shock.

No blame. No question asked. The guilt in me was kicking hard. I was afraid that Garth was going to blow up at me, since his car could have been wrecked from the accident. Instead, Garth tried to find a solution…

It was 9:30 p.m. on a Sunday night. The next day was a public holiday. We were on a dirt road with no reception on cellphones. It was dark. We were exhausted and helpless. What were the chances of us finding some help? A tow truck might take a while to come to our rescue,  if we ever managed to get hold of one. Hence, we decided to work things out without ruining the group’s initial plan (making it home for Monday morning).

I hopped into the car and started the engine. It was working fine. While Garth was pushing the car by the driver’s door, I slammed on the accelerator in first gear and hoped to get the car out of the ditch. We didn’t succeed… The car moved forward a little, but the force wasn’t strong enough. Worse still, the driver’s door was jammed on the gravel. With his sharp-wittedness, Garth jacked up the front wheel and managed to keep the door closed with enormous effort (kicking, pushing etc.). One problem solved…

Next, we filled up the gap between the bottom of ditch and the rear left wheel that was hanging in the mid-air, with rocks that we found along the dirt road. One good thing was that the rear right wheel landed on the gravel in the ditch. Here was the challenge…. With the front wheels on road and rear wheels in the ditch, Garth did an amazing “stunt” by backing up the car onto the road. He made it!!

I was keeping my fingers crossed the whole way when he did it. I was actually afraid that the situation might be worse… Sure enough, he proved me wrong. I was glad that he did.

The exterior of the car looked fine, as far as we could tell. Off we went; we drove along the dirt road for about 30 minutes. We asked for direction to get to Prosser Brook Rd. A young couple was kind enough to guide us all the way there.

To our surprise… Our friends weren’t there! After thanking the young couple, we drove to the top of the hill, hoping to get cellphone reception. It was about 11 p.m. They left us a voice message. Apparently, they were invited to wait for us in an older couple’s home, instead of idling along the dark road.

We met up with the rest of our group 10 minutes later… It had been a long day for everyone… I was grateful that they waited patiently for close to six hours, and never gave up their hope on Garth and I….

* Adapted from Google Map

The route travelled during hitchhiking, from Prosser Brook Rd. to Fundy National Park.

* Adapted from Parks Canada

The driving route (in pink) from Chignecto campground to Laverty Falls trail; and hiking route (in black) of Laverty Falls and Dobson Link.

The treacherous trail has slowed us down a lot. It was a slow progress treading along the trail; with mud, slush, puddles, and swamps. It was my wettest and muddiest outdoor adventure, as far as I can recall.

Regardless, we had a great time throughout the hike; wading through the woods, dodging tree trunks, hurdling tree roots, working through weeds and broken branches. Having said that, we didn’t feel very comfy hiking with our muddy and soaking wet hiking shoes. Oh well, we had to bear with them for the time being. Changing into a pair of clean, dry socks wouldn’t help much, as our shoes are too wet to begin with, and the same thing would happen–wet socks again.

It was a cool morning, after a rainy day on Friday. This was the perfect weather for mosquitoes and flies to go “hunting” around. Apparently, I’ve such tender skin and juicy blood that the mosquitoes couldn’t let go for me, not even a split second! Even the insect repellent that I’ve sprayed all over my body didn’t help much. As a matter of fact, mosquitoes love me too much! Unfortunately, I hated them!!

I had no choice but to put on my rain jacket and splash pants to minimize my exposure of skin areas for mosquitoes. Just as I thought I already had myself well-bundled up, they started attacking  my face! Oh no… leave me alone, you evil bugs!

Mosquitoes find their victims by tracing exhaled carbon dioxide. Hiking along the trail with my backpack that weighed at least 15 lbs, huffing and puffing was necessary during the cardiovascular activity; replacing exhaled air with fresh air.

She was penetrating my skin. Ouch!!

A slug was hanging in the mid-air from a tree branch with its slime.

…And trying to attack my backpack!!

At a crossroad, trying to find our way back to the trail.

The 17 km marker. We were getting close to the campsite.

Garth, Justin, and Ben didn’t have a good night sleep last night. The rain seeped through the top of their tent and caused a flood. They had barely any sleep, perhaps 3 hours of nap during the night. We decided to call it a day as we got closer to the potential campsite, around 5:30 p.m.

Just before that, there was a “big mess” that we first had to get over with…

A muddy stream!

We found this decent site for…

A campfire!

Robbie fixed his torn shirt with duct tape and ropes (by the sides). It was quite impressive! 

My wet, muddy, stinky pair of socks and hiking shoes by the end of the day :( 

“Watch out, water is entering your tent!” I heard the voice of Robbie as the clock struck 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Guess what? The water from the brook overflew and flooded the surrounding areas. My tent was set right beside it!

As soon as I have all my gears packed up, I literally fled from the tent to keep my backpack and myself dry. It won’t be pleasant to get everything wet at the beginning of a hike. Fortunately, there wasn’t too much water in the tent. We managed to save it from drifting away. Pheww….

After our breakfast, we started hiking around 8:30 a.m.

Following the blue markers along the trail.

There were puddles everywhere. Wet!

Arturo is trying to keep himself balance on the log, while crossing the swamp. Justin was ahead of him.

I was behind Ben, hiking through the muddy patch.

Muddy and yucky!

Robbie and Susan were fetching us some drinking water by a running stream, with filter pumps.

There was water everywhere, owe to the large amount of rain we’ve received since the beginning of spring.

My backpack for the hiking trip.

Green ice tea? Nope. It was drinking water that filtered from the stream. It did look like ice tea though :)

Sun was shining, birds were chirping, and bugs were bugging… :(

One of the better-looking bridges.

Taking a break under the tree.

My hiking experience has been fun and rewarding thus far. My passion for outdoor activities was developed since my first mountain climbing adventure at the Mt. Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia. It was challenging, exciting, and nerve-wrecking at times.

There are numerous spectacular sites and trails across the Maritimes. I enjoy exploring the trails on hiking/camping trips. For the past few summers, I’ve been on hiking trips to Cape Chignecto and Fundy Footpath. My attempt to climb Mt. Katahdin in Maine, U.S. was tempered by the inclement weather (hailing in August) two summers ago.

Last weekend was the New Brunswick Day long weekend. I was eager to go on a little expedition with seven other friends, on a 3-day hiking trip at Dobson Trail. It’s a trail that stretches 58 km in length, and runs from Riverview to Fundy National Park, in southeast New Brunswick.

We arrived there around 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Six of us from the group hiked in about 3 km to the campsite. Garth and I drove the cars and parked them at the end of the trail. David, who wasn’t on the hiking trip gave us a drive back to the starting point.

It wasn’t until 11 p.m. that we started our hike. It was pitch black and rain was pouring down heavily. After 45 minutes of adventure in the dark with a compact size LED flashlight, we managed to find our group at the camp site.

As soon as I changed into dry clothing, I was ready to hit the sack. I heard the steady stream flowing beside the tent and rain drops beating furiously on the tent. I couldn’t care less. I was sleep deprived. I finally dozed off around 12:15 a.m…..

The entire TreeGO activity takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the weather, one’s fitness level and personal experience. It is definitely a great outdoor activity and a high adrenaline adventure. It is not for the faint-hearted!

Not only does TreeGO offer challenging aerial adventures, but it also offers the opportunity for exercising self-discipline, developing will power, and building teamwork among the group.

The wood used for platform construction is either cedar or larch, and it is free of chemical. Trees are not harmed, and the nature is preserved to the best of the management’s ability.

Do you get a guide to accompany you? Not really. Participants explore the field in groups, under the supervision of TreeGO staff at a distance from the ground. They are there to offer advice, and also to provide help during an emergency.

Swing on a Tarzan rope to the opposite site where a cargo net is set up. Hang on to the net with your feet and arms, and make your way to the platform.

A long bridge arranged with longitudinal planks.

The wooden swings. Again?!

Hmm…only logs on the bridge?

Rectangular and round planks. These are all you’ll get for walking in the air.

Here is the beginning of the black course, which also known to be the one with highest level of difficulty.

These swings can be extremely wobbly if you’re not well-balanced and paying full attention.

There are a few zip-line adventures throughout the activity, one of which is a reverse zip-line, with your back facing the landing point. Those I enjoyed the most though, are the two zip-lines that run across the water.

How does a zip-line work? First of all, attach the pulley onto a cable that stretches across trees or water. It is crucial to make sure that it is securely suspended on the cable. Next, attach a carabiner to the pulley. Participants are asked to grab onto the carabiner with both hands during the zip-line activity. And…off you go!

Zip-line across the water. I felt as if I was flying in the air!

Crossing the suspended bridge on uniform planks.

These wobbly logs are intimidating. The gap between them isn’t helping any. It’s especially challenging to cross from one to the other.

Use the monkey bars and walk across a steel cable.

Hanging logs in between a steel cable. An exciting attempt to walk from one tree to the other.

How was the TreeGO experience after all? Some said it was nerve-wracking and some said it was intimidating (mostly due to the height). I’d say that it was a challenging and exciting outdoor activity. Additionally, TreeGO gave us a great workout on a Saturday morning, by keeping our hearts pumping and leg & arm muscles stretching.

Reservations are required. Be sure to call in advance to check for availability. TreeGO, an exciting activity for family and friends. Hope you enjoy it! I’m looking forward to my next visit.

A scenic view of sailing boats on the water.

It turned out to be a gorgeous day when we were there. The rain from the day before helped to keep the air cool and the ground moist. The sun was shining and it felt nice to breathe in the fresh air.

“Life is good; exploring adventures with loved one and friends is great.” I thought to myself as I made my way out from TreeGO.

Looking for some fun activities near the Fredericton area? Longing to get your adrenaline pumping? Try TreeGO!

Now, you may ask: “What is TreeGO?”

“Fun, freedom and personal reward are what TreeGO is all about. These serial adventure courses offer a diverse and exciting experience within the comfort of knowing you’re attached to continuous safety cables. No matter what your age or fitness level, our courses are designed for your pleasure in a unique outdoor environment.”

~ TreeGO Mactaquac

The TreeGO in Mactaquac is opened since summer of 2008. It takes about 30 minutes to drive from downtown Fredericton. Besides the winter months, they are open throughout the year (usually May till October), rain or shine. TreeGO has been established for over a decade in Europe. Currently, there are a few TreeGO sites across North America. In Canada, there is one in Nanaimo, British Columbia, nine in Quebec, and two in New Brunswick (Moncton and Mactaquac). On top of that, there is one site situated in the New York State.

The starting point of TreeGO adventure.

TreeGO is a progressively challenging course. There are four levels of difficulty, and each of them bears a colour code: green, blue, red, and black, respectively.

A briefing session is conducted by a TreeGO staff. Participants have the opportunity to get some practice before the adventure begins.

Get a feel of the swinging motion with two carabiners attached to the safety cable.

Always, always… have the red coded carabiners (two of them) attached to the safety cable, throughout the course of activity.

A safety harness is provided. Each participant carries a pulley and three carabiners. What are they for? Two of the carabiners (red coded) are used to hook onto the safety cables, whereas a pair of pulley and carabiner (yellow coded) comes into play when the participant is going through a zip-line. Safety cables can be seen everywhere in the TreeGO field, be it on the tree trunks for climbing up and down the trees, across the tree trunks while adventuring from one tree to the other on suspended logs, or on a Tarzan rope for swinging from one end to the other.

Use the red coded carabiners at all times when climbing.

Keep your body balance while walking on the wooden planks arranged across two trees.

The wooden swings can be tricky, especially crossing from one to the other.

A log bridge across the trees!

It’s getting more challenging… The wooden planks are far apart from each other! I had to stretch my legs to reach the planks, and be sure not to miss any…

The zig-zag log bridge. Fun!

Taking a view of the ground from the bridge. I was walking in the air!

Walking on a steel cable. A circus stunt?

The group of TreeGO adventurers: (From left) Marie & Paul, John, Miles & Adeline (myself).

So much to do
So much to see
In this little world we live

People to meet
Places to visit
Go on an amazing trip

In a foreign land I stay
Challenges to face everyday
Listen to what others have to say
Learn new cultures on each day

Enjoy sceneries I’ve never seen
Listen to voices I’ve never heard
Savour flavours I’ve never tasted
Walk the path I’ve never travelled

Appreciate the goodness of life
Live out the dreams I have
Gorgeous dawn brings a brand new hope
Majestic dusk welcomes the serenity and peace

Unveil the unknowns
Explore nooks and corners of this globe
Hold onto the faith that lives
With this I cling to my believes

A journey full of adventures
Open my eyes in every single way
A world filled with treasures
In front of our eyes they lay

Dream of a dream
Live out a dream
A dream that persists
And forever lives

Winter adventures haven’t come to an end just yet. There are lots of fun activities to explore, one of which is cross-country skiing, which I haven’t tried for years now. The Mactaquac Provincial Park offers groomed trails for cross-country skiers to spend some fun time outdoor. It’s enjoyable, especially when the temperature is mild. Other places, such as parks and trails in the city are easily accessible for skiers who do not wish to travel far.

Yesterday was a great day for skiing. It wasn’t windy at all, and temperature was around o °C. I couldn’t ask for a better day! The trail we went on, was about 5 km in length. Cross-country skiing is an exciting sport, even though it’s not the same as downhill skiing which I’m more familiar with. It took me a while before I grasp the skiing techniques. I felt great when I was finally able to coordinate my arms and legs, as well as feet movement, while cruising along the trail. Thanks to Dave for his demonstrations and tips! It’s amazing how fast one can move with cross-country skis, quicker than a runner!

The nicely groomed trails for cross-country skiing.

Skiers and their dog were having a great time on the trail.

Scenic winter view in the woods.

Thick snow on the ground, accumulated from numerous snowstorms.

Looking up to the sky in the woods.

Skiing while enjoying the beauty of nature was a serene experience.

A steep slope for recreational sliding and tobogganing.

The snowmobile trail.

Snowmobilers with their snowmobiles in front of the lodge.

The birch tree. Have you ever wonder what you can do with the birch bark?

Dave demonstrated how to light a fire with the birch bark, which can be easily removed from the tree trunk.

Besides using it to start a fire, the strong and water-resistant birch bark can be used for canoe, crafts, and even as a substitute for paper! Some valuable maps and manuscripts from the olden days were drawn and written on birch barks.

Treemoss (grey or greenish) was hanging on the tree branches.

Widely known as Treemoss, Beard Lichen, or Old Man’s Beard, Usnea is the generic name for this strange-looking plant. It’s sensitive to air pollution; the cleaner the air, the longer it grows (10-20 cm)! Usnea is famous for its medical applications. What else can you use it for? I’ve used it to clean dirt off my shoes when walking in the muddy woods during the summer. You’ll be amazed how useful it is!

Winter can be long, as you may have realized. Well, if you’re not into skating, skiing, or any fun adventures as such, you’re missing out a lot! Guess what? There is always something you can do, ensuring an exciting season with a wide array of winter activities!!

Are you curious now? What are THEY??

Fun #1: Dipping (more like sinking) feet into the deep, soft, white snow! How deep does the snow get? Check it out!

Fun #2: Climbing to the top of a 10-foot snowbank!! Smiling at people who look at you as a weirdo, while enjoying the scenic view!!

Fun #3: Making snow angel!!! You’ve experienced winter? Really?? Not if you haven’t made a snow angel!

How to make one? First of all, make a jump on a cushion of soft snow. Be sure to stay clear of obstacles.

As you land on the snow, on your back, move arms and legs in the snow to form an angel!

Skiing is a great sport. It requires body strength, flexibility, and endurance. This is my sixth winter in Canada thus far. I’m an amateur skier who usually visit the ski mountain 2-3 times every season. I’d have gone more often if it’s easily accessible; and having my own ski equipment would help too, I supposed.

Listed below are some tips you may find useful for your upcoming ski trip:

Use ski poles appropriately. They are useful when you need to speed up, do a turn (sometimes), and release skis. Ski poles can also be extremely helpful, as a support to get up after a fall :) You’ll be surprised that good skiers can ski without ski poles! Hence, use them only when needed.

Use hip and leg strength to maneuver skis. Try not to rely so much on ski poles.  

Useful tip for ski beginners to reduce speed: Keep skis with tips pointing each other at a sharp angle, and form a “V” shape.

Ski in a zigzag pattern on steep slope. This allows better control of speed and body balance. Wider zigzag results in a lower speed, and vice versa.

Keep skis in contact with the ground. The moment skis are lifted in the air undesirably, body will most likely lose its balance.

Avoid ice patches. Skiers are prone to losing balance on ice, due to the lower friction between ice and skis.

Prevent ski goggles from fogging up. Moisture from the air or sweat may cause fogging of ski goggles. Hence, try not to rest goggles on forehead (though it looks cool); release of body heat creates moisture that promotes fogging.

Read the signs before proceeding. There are different levels of difficulty and steepness for each trail. Understand the trail map and avoid any unfavourable route, e.g. an expert hill for a ski beginner and a long, flat trail for an advanced skier ;)

Skiing on ungroomed trails can be challenging. Skis often lose its flexibility when covered in snow. Skis are harder to maneuver due to the friction with snow. More often than not, you’re left with no choice but to ski straight down the slope!

Powder snow is great for skiing, especially after a snowstorm! Try to avoid skiing on ice patches or icy snow. It hurts real bad when you fall!

Skating techniques help in mastering skiing skills. It’s easier for someone to learn skiing if he/she already knew how to skate.

Dress appropriately. Ski hat, ski goggles, neck warmer, ski gloves, wind breaker (if not winter jacket), ski pants, and a pair of warm socks. Avoid overdressed. Why? First of all, winter clothing can be rather bulky; it reduces your flexibility. Also, body warms up as you ski. Try to avoid sweating as the moisture will cause freezing in the cold air. Overdressed is as bad as underdressed. Thus, doffing and donning of ski attire according to weather and comfort level as you ski.

Fall safely. Huh? What does it suppose to mean? If you have to fall, fall on the snow rather than bump into the tress. When you lose control of your direction and self-balance, be sure to land on a clear spot.

Ski with a buddy. Anything can happen when you ski. Seek help from your buddy when something goes wrong, especially to pick up skis that are few feet away from where you landed :D

Last but not least, ski with confidence and full concentration. Stay positive and ready to be challenged. After all, you’re just going to stumble on a cushion of white snow, if you lose balance. What’s the big deal?!

Ski safely. Have fun skiing!

Today’s weather is perfect for skiing! High of -2 °C, low of -8 °C during the day, with sunny periods and light flurries. Honestly, I can’t ask for any better ski day; especially with 27 cm of fresh snow at the mountain for the past three days! It’s too bad that all my ski buddies are unavailable. There I was, got up early and arrived at the Crabbe Mountain around 9:30 a.m. It was about a 45-minute bus ride from the city.

Kids at the ski school were getting ready for their lessons.

Chairlift ride (~ 5 -10 minutes) back to the mountain top.

Each ski trail has a designated colour code, depending on its condition and difficulty. Details can be found in my previous post.

This is an intermediate trail. I skied Dave’s Dream via Upper Dave’s, and met some adorable kids who attended ski lesson.

The King’s Horn! An expert (black diamond) trail with an extremely steep slope at the beginning. I’ve skied on this trail twice with my buddies.

Caution sign!! Too late… There I was, exploring “The Glades” trail cautiously.

Then, I bumped into this trail named “Little Brave.” The condition of this ungroomed trail was quite bad.

And… It was a steep slope too!!

Interestingly, there was a more challenging trail ahead of me. The “War Dance” which has the black diamond code. Looking down the trail… Should I proceed?

You bet! There is no such thing as turning back in downhill skiing. After going through this mess (on left), there was another huge slope (on right).

My next adventure was “Lower Norm’s Nightmare” via the “Tippy Canoe” trail.

The “Norm’s Nightmare” with the intermediate code.

The wide and steep trail ahead of me (left), and what lied behind (right).

My favourite trail at the Crabbe Mountain thus far, is the last stretch of King’s Horn (expert trail) via the first half of Hume’s Flume (intermediate trail). Basically, it provides the level of difficulty that I’m comfortable with; wide and steep slope with barely any ice patches, and well groomed.

Taking a glimpse at the King’s Horn trail while waiting for my chairlift ride.

A snowboarder was making a graceful descend via the King’s Horn trail.

It was one full day of skiing! I skied from 10 a.m. till 4:30 p.m., with an hour lunch break in between. Downhill skiing is always a fun, challenging, and exciting sport! I’m looking forward to another nice winter day with excellent snow condition for my next ski trip ;)

Participating in the dog sled tour was an excellent experience! After out trip to Lake Louise, we had a stopover in Canmore before heading to Banff. The Snowy Owl Adventures offered an unforgettable dog sled tour, as it turned out. It was a two-hour tour, including a van ride to Spray Lake, where we began our exciting adventures!

We were given a short briefing about the huskies and some useful commands before driving the dog sled on our own! Here are a few commands we learned:

On by: Pass another team from the opposite direction

Whenever the puppies did a good job in obeying the commands, we said “good puppies!” These puppies are very tame and smart. We had six huskies for our dog sled, the two puppies in front were the leading dogs; whereas the puppies closest to the harness were among the strongest.

Gee: Turn to the right

Haw: Turn to the left

The sled dog breeds at the Snowy Owl:

Canadian Inuit Husky: “Original” sled dog, the closest living relative to the wolf
Alaskan Malamute: Very similar to the Canadian Inuit Husky, also a close relative to the wolf
Canadian Indian Husky: Indigenous to North America, the closest living relative to the coyote
Siberian Husky: The most well known sled dog breed, typical “Hollywood” Husky with blue eyes

(From left) Julian, myself, and Annie posing with the puppies during a short break.

Good puppy!

Is there anything exciting you can do over the Thanksgiving weekend? Of course! If I was sailing in the summer, I wanna try kayaking in the fall! Something different (my favourite saying) ;) We left at 8 a.m. in the morning (another working day?) for kayaking at the Spednic Lake. It’s about an hour’s drive from Freddy, located west of McAdam.

Here we were, getting ready for the big day! Dave took the kayak on the right, and I had the other one. The vivid fall foliage was simply gorgeous! I felt as if I was in a dreamland… The green foliage in the summer has transformed into the autumn palette of glowing topaz, vibrant orange, and blazing crimson! Some turned into dark purple instead. Looking out to the mainland U.S.A. across the lake, I couldn’t believe how close I was from the border! I can literally swim over! Haha..if I try hard enough :P In this case, I’ll paddle the kayak instead ;D

The Spednic Lake encompasses part of the St. Croix Heritage River. Apparently, this lake is also open for recreational activities such as boating, canoeing, fishing (some do ice fishing in the winter, wish I can try out one day), camping, snowmobiling, ATV use, and hiking.

After our first 1.5 hours of paddling, we stopped for an early lunch at the shore. Then, off we went again for another 1.5 hours or so, and landed on the Big Island for a break. There are some cottages that are build individually on an island. How neat is that! Having the whole island to yourself and partying all night! *Sweet*

At last, we spent another hour paddling back to where we first launched the kayaks. It was an awesome day (slightly below 15 degrees Celsius) to stay out, perfect for a fall outing! I wondered how many warm days (-40 degrees in the winter, what do you expect?) left, before I’ve to put on my winter coat…

On our way back to Freddy, we paid a visit to the old railway station in McAdam. The railway station was opened in 1900. As a National Historic Site since early 80’s, it attracts approximately 25,000 tourists each year! The building is 285 ft long and 45 ft wide (with the east and west ends built in 1910 and 1911, respectively). With its unique combination of Gothic, Baroque, and Victorian architectural styles, it’s known to be an important reminder of McAdam’s past.

The railway tracks behind the station. This place is open for tours to the public with a small fee of $3. I could only look inside of the building through the windows since it’s closed for the season. I couldn’t help but to imagine the busy crowd and loud steam trains back in the old days. The benches behind the platform brought back my memories of the fighting scenes in “Wong Fei Hung” movie by Jet Li.

This is one of the places I’d like to visit next summer!