Cycling and Birding the Millennium Trail, Prince Edward County

image of bob and jean in hillier, millennium trail, prince edward county, ontario

After extensive hiking through the Dunes at Sandbanks Provincial Park a day earlier, Bob and I chose to give our feet a rest and go cycling.  A planned excursion on the Millennium Trail got off to a slow start because we had difficulty locating our preferred trailhead. Read more

Our Bike Ride On Inishmore Island

rental bikes on inishmore island, ireland, pic 2

Bob and I had spent the early part of one morning touring the ancient fort, Dun Aonghasa, and photographing the wide variety of wildflowers at that location, so by the time we returned to our accommodations at  Kilmurvey House  ,  our rental bikes were ready and waiting for us.  A quick stop at the nearby cafe afforded us some sandwiches and apples that were tucked into our backpacks before setting off on our bike ride on Inishmore Island. Read more

Common Snapping Turtle hatchlings on the Nokiidaa Trail in Ontario

Common Snapping Turtle hatchlings on the Nokiidaa Trail in Ontario

4 baby snapping turtles - aurora - ontario 3

Early last fall, Bob and I wanted to introduce my sister and brother-in-law to a new trail system that we discovered earlier this year.  It is called the Nokiidaa Trail, which in Ojibwa means “walking together”.  The trail which links between the towns of Aurora, Newmarket, and East Gwillimbury is used by cyclists as well as walkers, and we were on wheels on this particular day.  Well into our ride, I spotted something round and dark on the crushed rock surface of the bicycle trail, and nearly ran over what turned out to be a baby Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina).  In the immediate vicinity, we discovered four others lingering on the path. Read more

Amsterdam a world of bikes, tulips, and windmills

bike parking lot in amsterdam, the netherlands

Central Station, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

After landing at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands, Bob and I boarded a train for a 25-minute ride into Amsterdam.  At the downtown railway station, we inquired about catching a cab to our hotel but were told that it was located nearby.  And so, with bags in hand, we set off through the streets on our short walk!  We needed to stretch our legs in any case. Read more