ATV Adventures

The year before I retired for the first time, my husband said I should make sure I bought everything I needed for retirement. The implication was that disposable income would be scarce once I was only collecting a pension. I took his suggestion seriously and made a big list. The first thing on that list was a side-by-side ATV. Even though we had enjoyed a cottage in Lanark Highlands for over two decades, we had never purchased one. My husband was more than thrilled at my request. He had a big smile on his face as we went into the dealership, thinking this was more for him than for me. Little did he know that this was the first step in a master plan I had for us, and he was walking into it with his eyes wide shut – but that’s another story!

Once we got the side-by-side, we were out on the trails all the time. The deal was that I would get to drive wherever we were going, and he would drive back. This was so we had equal driving time and because I knew the area better than him. We ripped up and down the K & P trail and visited lots of great people and places (Shout out to the Redneck Bistro in Calabogie). One site I wanted to explore was an old, abandoned iron ore mine that my uncle had worked at. I had a general idea of where it was located but we never found it. We did come across several other fascinating locales. My husband was driving (supposedly home) when he spotted a sign for a nudist camp.

That took us on a bit of a detour! Another time we happened upon a huge blackberry patch. We were feasting on them and suddenly noticed definite signs of a bear! By this time, we had strayed a good distance from the ATV. But I wasn’t scared. Why would I be? I was wearing running shoes and my husband had on Crocs. I was certainly going to be able to outrun him!

We started asking people how to get to the mine. The locals, many of whom I am related to, were very helpful. But, when you boiled down all the directions we received, it basically came to this:

Go past the logging road and continue for a few minutes.
When you come to the clearing with the pine tree that has been struck by lightning, keep to the left.
Stay on that path for a bit and go left again when you come to the fork where the wood pile used to be.
After a fair way you’ll get to the bog where they found Cooper that time he got lost. (Cooper is a hunting dog, not a person.) Turn right.
Then continue through the scrub and the mine will be right in front of you.

We were okay with the first step, and I thought we might even be able to find the second step. When you start looking, though, there are a lot of pine trees in clearings that look like they might have been hit by lightning! We were out in that general area numerous times and never had any luck finding the mine.

One day while visiting with my cousin, Arthur, and his wife, Debbie, we mentioned our lack of success in finding it. There were a few people there and someone suggested we all go right then. You didn’t have to ask Keith and I twice! We gladly followed the leader and had a great ride to the mine. And it was very interesting. Just don’t expect me to get there again without a wingman. Or be able to give you any helpful directions!

Submitted by Laurel Crosbie-Michaud