Take a Hike with Paul Gaudet
Column 21Hike until you are at your Witt's End
To all the folks who continue to read this column and to those who may be reading it for the firat time, I feel privileged that you take time out of your day to follow my meanderings around the Maritimes and I appreciate the (mostly) positive feedback that I have been receiving.
Now after suitably sucking up to my legions of fans (well, at least, my mother and an inmate in solitary confinement at Renours), I can move on and tell you about this week's hiking location.
Qu'elle surprise, it is in Albert County and it begins at the Crooked Creek Lookout on a day when rain is threatening but, for the most part, turns out to be an idle threat.
We have started a previous hike and a previous column from this location, but today our destination is different. The merry little troupe is comprised of a dozen or so people and two dogs by the names of Jessie and Bruce. I figure it is a hike of about 15 kms (9 + miles) and will take 5 1/2 hours (including several stops including lunch).
Before starting, it is an absolute must to take some time and gaze down in to the Caledonia Gorge and the obviously meandering Crooked Creek below. The gorge is full of subtly different shades of pastel green as the leaves on the trees are beginning to burst forth. The greens are spectacular and even more ephemeral than the blaze of colour in autumn.
When done gorging (pardon the pun) on the view, we set off down the dirt road towards Crooked Creek noticing a sign announcing the closure of the beautiful covered bridge over the creek. Figuring it only applies to vehicular traffic, we continue on down the three or four kilometres (2.6 miles) to find out. When we reach the bottom of the hill we begin to follow along beside the creek and notice a couple of guys picking fiddleheads on the other side. We consider doubling back to cross over and join them, but we thought better of it in case they considered fiddlehead picking a competitive blood sport. We thought we might find our own patch on our side of the creek but never did.
Oh well, the season in not over yet.
Approaching a non-covered bridge, we dally and listen to the sounds of the swift moving water as we ponder out loud that it seems more like a river than a creek. As we round a bend a few hundred metres later, the covered bridge comes abruptly into view. It is probably one of the least visited covered bridges among the many in New Brunswick, notwithstanding local people who use it mostly on snowmobiles and ATV's. The bridge is indeed closed and there are official looking signs to that affect, but there is no problem for pedestrians.
Many pictures are taken by our coterie of photographers who try to capture every angle and nuance of light both on (or in) the bridge and from the road, from the creek bed and I am not sure that someone didn't try to climb a tree to gain a different perspective.
This is not always the case as on some hikes we have no one taking pictures at all.
After contemplating the wistful thoughts of what it must have been like living in the bygone era when covered bridges were built, we move on around another sharp bend and the bridge disappears as abruptly as it appeared. We then start up a hill to a fork in the road where we have a choice; go left to Lumsden Lookoff or go right to our planned destination of Witt's End.
Either one involves a steep climb, so we discount someone's idea to go to both and decide to go to the one whose name captures our imagination: Witt's End it is. None of us knows if the name is contrived or if Witt is the name of a family who lived in the area, or maybe a member of the family died up there, or went insane up there, or maybe that is where they went for solace when they were upset or at their "wits end."
There are many possible reasons but, no matter: that is where we decide to go.
I have been to Lumsden Lookoff before and it is an impressive view looking down in to the Caledonia Gorge. The hills seem to fold into one another as they twist and turn out to the valley, Chignecto Bay and finally to Nova Scotia. Today, however, all roads (one steep, rocky, narrow, uneven road actually) lead to Witt's End.
When we arrive at a junction at the top of the hill, tired from our climb, some are disheartened by a sign that reads Witt's End 3. It was unexpected: we all thought maybe it was only a 10- or 15-minute hike to our destination. Some consider stopping here and turning back, but after some gentle cajoling, (something about "I came here to see the high divin' act and I am a gonna see the high divin' act") we went on. It turned out that the '3' on the sign was the kilometre-age (new word) for the return trip, so it only took us 20 minutes to hike in.
Arriving at a nice clearing containing a couple of serendipitously placed logs, we sit down to eat, overlooking another in the long line of beautiful vistas to which we have become accustomed. This one is similar to the one at Lumsden, only we cannot see the bay as a fog bank has rolled in.
After lunch, we gather ourselves up and proceed to retrace our steps down the steep hills and back to and across Crooked Creek and over the covered bridge. On the covered bridge we stop to chat with some folks on all terrain vehicles who offer us hot dogs and friendly banter. They probably wonder why we have been hiking all this way and some of us may wonder why they choose to ride all day.
Vive la difference.
It does not matter; as long there is mutual respect and a shared willingness to do no harm and to try and leave things as you found them (unless you found them littered with trash).
We wend our way up the last hill of the day and arrive again at the lookout at Crooked Creek where we drink in one last earnest glance before heading home. Everyone is pleasantly bushed as hiking boots come off replaced by the refreshing foot freedom of a good pair of sandals.
To wrap up, I just want to encourage people who have never hiked to give it a try. Things are coming alive in the fields and forests, the weather is warming nicely and the green -- ah, the green. It is a good time to get started.
Some of you are thinking "Yeah, but the bugs," (I hear you). Well, it is true that they are starting to flourish but some good bug repellent does the trick, so don't let them deter you.
No more excuses. Get out there and "Take a Hike."
Column 22Kenomee River Canyon hike tough but rewarding
