Iroquois - Calcium Pit to Bell School Line Parking Lot

On Saturday Karen and I went for our first hike this year.  I had done a short hike in the spring out at Silvercreek but not much walking this year.  We were originally going to just go as far as Rattlesnake Point which was about 10.5km but decided to go to the Bell School parking lot instead which was about 13.5km according to the maps.  The map distances don't seem to take into account the extra distance the ups and downs add and this section had a very steep down and then back up the other side of the escarpment near Crawford Lake.  I knew it was there and had done the steep bit a few years ago.  By the end of the day, my fitbit was claiming closer to 20km.  My legs still haven't forgiven me although they are somewhat happier two days later. 

The morning started out with a short climb up some rocks where Karen posed for me.  About 2 km into the hike, we came across a small section of what would normally be a crossing over a wet area and decided it made a good bench.














There were some very colourful mushrooms and a chipmunk who stayed still for several minutes while I took his photo. Usually they run off fairly quickly.

 

I'm not sure what the hook was doing on the wire across the conservation area entrance.
but the age and rust caught my eye.












The trail alternated between nice wide level pathway and a narrow rocky path way. We'd been enjoying the wide level stretch when we came to a junction. Naturally our path went off to the right.

It never ceases to amaze me how tenacious plants and trees are. There are many trees on the trail growing on what appears to be nothing but rock but they seem to do very well.

Near the end of our hike we saw an amazing moth. At first we thought it was an extra large bumblebee but soon realized it looked more like a flying shrimp or a tiny hummingbird. As far as I've been able to tell from google searches its a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth.


Behind Kelso is this lake. I think its the remnants of a quarry. Its well posted as No Trespassing and I know there are a number of quarries in the immediate area. It really was a very blue lake, just like the ones out near Banff. Limestone silt perhaps?

I've now hiked 207 of 890 km of the trail. We have one hike left so Karen can finish the Iroquois and Toronto sections. She has planned out the rest of the hikes. With atleast 40 more hikes to go, I think we'll be a couple of years getting to Tobermory but the journey is enjoyable