Taking The Slow Road To Somewhere

The Narrows Lighthouse, Lake Muskoka (photos by Fred Schulz)

THE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPEN ROAD IN MUSKOKA

I JUST WANT TO GO…….AND GO…..

     "HOW CALM AND QUIET A DELIGHT

IS IT ALONE,

TO READ AND MEDITATE AND WRITE,

BY NONE OFFENDED AND OFFENDING NONE!

TO WALK, RIDE, SIT OR SLEEP, AT ONE'S OWN EASE;

AND, PLEASING A MAN'S SELF, NONE OTHER TO DISPLEASE."

(CHARLES COTTON, FRIEND OF ISAAK WALTON, 1650)

     THERE ARE A FEW DAYS LIKE THIS EVERY MONTH, WHEN WANDERLUST OVERPOWERS THE STRICT OBLIGATIONS OF THE DAY. THE REASONS TO CARRY ON OUR MOTOR-TRIP SEEM FAR MORE COMPELLING, THAN RETURNING TO WHAT WE CAN ONLY RECOGNIZE, AS THE DAILY TOIL. THE OLD GRIND. AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS A BUSINESS OF OUR OWN CREATION, IT STILL KEEPS US MOST OFTEN, FROM ROAMING THIS AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE…..AS WE MOST DEFINITELY AND PASSIONATELY DESIRE.

     NOW PLEASE, DON'T GET ME WRONG. WE LOVE OUR WORK AND PLACE OF BUSINESS, AND IT WOULDN'T BE WRONG TO SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN A "DREAM COME TRUE," TO HAVE THIS FAMILY INDUSTRY, IN THE OLD MOVIE THEATRE, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY……IN OUR OWN HOME TOWN. IT'S LIKE WE'VE BECOME THE GRAVENHURST "WALTONS" AND IT'S (LIFE ON WALTON'S MOUNTAIN) PRETTY CLOSE TO THE WAY WE LIVE AND WORK THESE DAYS. BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THAT RAGING WAVE OF THULE COMES ALONG, WITH ITS NORDIC PULL, AND COMMANDS US TO CARRY ON THE ADVENTURE AT ALL COSTS. WE REGRET THIS, ESPECIALLY IF WE'VE CAUSED YOU ANY INCONVENIENCE, PULLING ON THE SHOP DOOR, TO FIND US TARDY FROM THE MILL-WHEEL. IT'S JUST WHO WE ARE, AND WE BEG OUR CUSTOMER'S FORGIVENESS, BUT WON'T, CAN'T, OFFER ANY CONTRACT THAT WILL GUARANTEE, WE WILL BE OPEN AT A PRECISE TIME EVERY DAY; RAIN OR SHINE, SNOW OR DROUGHT, SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES, OR A HEAT WAVE. WE WILL GET THERE EVENTUALLY, AND WE ARE FULLY AWARE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AT LARGE THINKS WE'RE UNRELIABLE AND A TAD IRRESPONSIBLE. LET'S JUST SAY, IT'S NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS, DESPITE WHAT THEY MIGHT BELIEVE TO THE CONTRARY. IN FACT, AND THIS IS THE INSIDE SCOOP……..OUR BOYS, ANDREW AND ROBERT WILL OFTEN WORK WELL INTO THE NIGHT, WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND SPECIAL RECORDING GIGS. THIS IS AFTER A FULL DAY MANNING THE SHOP. SOMETIMES WE JUST HAVE TO GET AWAY FOR A MORNING, MAYBE EVEN SEVERAL TIMES EACH WEEK, JUST TO KEEP THE WHOLE WORK COMMITMENT, OF SENSIBLE PROPORTION.

     IN THE FIRST PLACE, OUR FAMILY BUSINESS WAS DESIGNED TO FIT TWO IMPORTANT NEEDS. FIRST, IT WAS THOUGHTFULLY CONCEIVED TO BE GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT FOR TWO HOMETOWN KIDS, WHO WANTED TO RE-INVEST IN THEIR COMMUNITY. SECONDLY, BUT NOT FAR BEHIND, WAS A COMMITMENT TO MAKE WORK AS MUCH A RECREATIONAL PURSUIT, AND CULTURAL FOR THAT MATTER, AS A FOR-PROFIT ENTERPRISE. FOR EIGHT YEARS, THIS HAS WORKED BRILLIANTLY. THEY HAVE MORE EXPANSION PLANS FOR LATER THIS SPRING. I HAVE MORE DEVIOUS STRATEGIES IN THE WORKS, TO GIVE THEM MORE TIME OFF, AND SOME NEEDED LEISURE…….SO THEY DON'T WIND UP HATING WHAT THEY LOVE TODAY.

     There is however, added to this, that family weakness we are gratefully afflicted, placing the open road, any road or country lane, as a great temptation to explore. It's often the case we are influenced by its rolling, turning, shaded or snow-laden appearance, making us veer away suddenly, from the commonplaces and schedules of our pre-arranged seconds, minutes and hours. We've travelled down hundreds of "roads less travelled," in our family times which we still cherish. This morning, on the way to our collective business meeting, and inventory pick-up from a supplier, we had no choice but to follow our spring enhanced hearts, and dawdle; engage ourselves in sightseeing here in this tranquil and picturesque hinterland. We came to a gradual stop, on Muskoka Beach Road, in Gravenhurst, to let two deer and a fawn cross over, and rather enjoyed the sight of their graceful but powerful leaps up the still snow-covered hillside.

     A couple of kilometers further south, we had to stop again, for two plump partridges, that had settled down for some reason, in the middle of the road. As they weren't particularly anxious to move out of the way, we put our schedule on hold, and sat their until they eventually crossed from the sunny spot, to the dark shaded roadside, banked by scruffy cedars. When they had safely crossed we slowly moved  along, and when we looked back, they had both waddled back to where they had been positioned…..in a sunny patch that was clear of snow.

     A little further along, we saw the hind-end of a small black bear, climbing the hillside behind the seasonal dumpsters, situated at the Ennis Bay intersection. This little fellow had enjoyed the bonanza of bags of garbage left outside the metal containers, and I'm afraid it left a substantial mess for the attendants when they arrive for trash pick-up.

     All along this winding country road, connecting Bracebridge and Gravenhurst, were the most splendid pastoral and woodland scenes, enhanced by venerable crows and owls, lodging in the boughs of gnarled pines, and on the top of askew, rotting fence posts, remnants of a farm pasture from another era. There are curling, sun and shadow bathed trails, worn down in the snow by animal travels, winding deep into the hollows where narrow, crystalline brooks tumble over the smooth rocks of Muskoka history. A fox or rabbit might pop out from the cover of fallen, moss covered logs. I have seen many rabbits along this stretch of roadway, so we always drive slowly, so as not to hit one suddenly crossing the lane.

     It was all so alluring to a couple of work-weary voyeurs, out for a morning drive in the region we call home. We could have made a day of this wandering "Thule" induced adventure, but we were able to convince ourselves slowly, it was the right thing to do…..to return in a timely fashion, as young Robert was in charge of the shop in our absence. There is so much to see of spring's slow emergence, beneath this day's azure sky, full of so much promise and energy. The intense pockets of sunlight, breaking through the canopy of evergreens, has melted away the woodland snow, and tiny shoots of new growth can already be detected, pushing up through the wet soil. I imagine Thoreau would have investigated this rejuvenation much closer, than us today, in area of his Walden Pond cabin. But in this harried pace to get back to the business of the day…..well, we have dawdled long enough. We have had, at least, twelve cars and four trucks pass us, in the ten miles of roadway between towns. We've let them move on in their day's schedule by simply pulling to the shoulder of the road. At the very least, we were determined to make the most of this several hour, morning sojourn, beyond the blunt capitalism inherent to successful business. It was a father and son…..two travelers of the open road, wishing we could carry on the journey……to nowhere in particular. This is the powerful pull of spring on the heartstrings……especially in Muskoka.

     "I only thought to make

I know not what; nor did I undertake

Thereby to please my neighbor; no, not I;

I did it my own self, to gratify."

     Thank you for visiting with photographer Fred Schulz and I on this fine spring day. Please call again, as we are always pleased to have your company.