Interesting day on the trails today with winds gusting to 52 kms...quite breezy out past the kiosk on the SMT. Still plenty of walkers, but few bicycle riders. Much more pleasant on the Shearwater Flyer for riding. And snakes alive, two very large snakes sighted basking in the sun along the Shearwater Flyer. Also 3 pheasants crossed the Flyer in front of me and a Grey Jay stopped alongside the trail, this is the first Grey Jay I have seen in the area.Two ladies in the area of the Morris Lake Bridge with a small dog informed me that their dog met up with a porcupine last week near the Bissett Lake Bridge on the Shearwater Flyer, and it cost $200.00 to have a vet remove the quills from the dogs face. I asked if the dog was on a leash and the answer was no.....I noted that the dog was on leash today.
We also have a electric motor cyclist driving on the Shearwater Flyer, I have seen the cyclist twice in the past week and on both occasions the operator just drove by without stopping. Much like the segways, very quiet and no apparent damages to trails.
A warden mentioned that the large rocks at the entrance to the Shearwater Flyer from Caldwell Road are very far apart and that a large motor vehicle could easily enter onto the trail. This is true and at first chance we should have the large rock moved closer onto the trail to prevent vehicles from entering onto the trail. It was not too long ago when a vehicle or vehicles entered onto the Shearwater Flyer and had an accident some distance in on the trail.
Don Carter, Chief Trail Warden
