Lived in this area for 40+years and never seen the area from this perspective. I’ve often thought about paddling the local rivers as an adventure but have never actually done it.
I was very surprise at your accommodation for the night, that island looks like a great find just outside the city. You are a real bridge guy and know your history, thank you for another great video!
Thanks! In preparation for this trip I knew that the bridges would be a main point of interest along the way, so I did some research about them head of time.
I've learned that the best way to handle rain on a trip like this (aside from wearing proper gear) is through mental preparation. If the forecast says there's a 50% chance of rain the next day, mentally prepare yourself for a day where it's pouring the whole day from dawn till dusk. If it turns out that it only rains for about 20% of the day, you'll be thankful for the 80% it didn't rain rather than frustrated by the 20% it did.
It's really interesting to hear the history and naming of all the different bridges you cross under. Your familiarity with them is really cool to show off in these videos especially. Also glad you took time to explore and document a bit of Galt! Interesting you mentioned the flood of 1974 and the addition of the flood walls, I remember during 1st year studying architecture the water level one day was nearly touching the bottom of the bridge with a treadmill of melting ice and debris rushing down the river, you could practically hear it from the in the school! Made us consider how we can do a lot to design and engineer hydrological systems. Neat contrast between this and the more natural sections where it doesn't even feel like the same body of water. Great series so far!
Thanks! I felt it was important to give the names of all the bridges for the benefit of the people who likely travel across those bridges every day and yet probably wouldn't recognize them when viewed from the river. Admittedly I did quite a bit of research about the history of the bridges in advance of my trip and referred to my notes while I was paddling. Wow, that must have been something to see! As I briefly mentioned in the video, on this day of the trip there had been a special weather advisory in affect for high amounts of rain falling. I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be anything record breaking, but still I was a bit nervous that night setting up on that island knowing it would have been entirely underwater during the 1974 flood!
Your canoe adventures are a pleasant addition to the usual Algonguin or Adirondack wilderness canoe videos. I enjoy your semiurban trips with all the discussion. I'm a fitness paddler, not a camper, but would like to attempt a 1 or 2 day overnight trip like yours sometime
Thanks. On many of the routes I've taken, there have been roofed accommodations along the way, which would serve as a great option for a non-camper hoping to do a continuous multi-day trip.
Enjoyed this video! I laughed when you mentioned the stinging nettle--I've had experience with that too--awful stuff! Looking forward to your next video--you will be in my neck of the woods, and I'll enjoy seeing some familiar sights.
Enjoying the videos so far. I live in Cambridge and have kayaked between the parkhill dam and fountain street bridge often. Looking forward to the rest of your trip as I recently had surgery and am resting
Hi CJ, great Grand River video water conditions looked quite good, good idea with the prepared breakfasts and l do that so l can get out early for bike rides. Interesting information including Guelph and the various bridges and wonderful wildlife around there. Keep Well and safe CJ. CJH.
I know im one year late but I did from kitchener to Paris ontario 5:16 right under those bridges I caught a 4.5 pound largemouth bass while canoeing almost sent me over board lol but very fun trip all together only 14 and a half hours
Thanks! On my past canoe trip video series' (the Trent-Severn Waterway & Rideau Canal) I did research about landmarks on the fly. For this one, I actually did my research ahead of time and then could simply refer to my notes as I was paddling.
Thank you for your video ..I once lived down south..but live near Elliot lake..and nestled in with native people .living here I've gotten away from the many regulations about rules waterways..so for me your video was funny . As nobody here cares weather you are permitted to camp or not ..here we don't have to think about that ..thanks.
I really enjoy these videos CJ! I recall living in Bristol, England there was a bow arch bridge like the ones you have shown, you could, if you wanted to, walk over the arch. I didn't try. Those concrete arches really were the first examples of concrete being used for complex reinforced structures. It is a wonder that they still exist and take traffic that in your case in 1926 (was it?) the designers could never have envisaged. Railway bridges haven't changed much, trains are still heavy, but the type and volume of road traffic has really changed since then.
I recently saw a video posted of a guy riding a bike over one of those bridge arches (it looked like somewhere in the UK). That's definitely not something you'd fine me trying. That's a great point about how significantly road vehicles have changed compared to rail vehicles. It helps explains why so many of the rail bridges that I encountered on my trip appeared to be quite old, while only a handful of the road bridges were historic. Despite the age and significance of those old rail bridges, I had a hard time finding very much detail about the history of most of them, where info about all the historical road bridges was readily available. I suspect this is because road bridges are funded by the government so there are better public records about them.
Thanks Ken! The drone that I have stays in one spot unless someone is manually controlling it. The shots in this video where it looks like the drone is following me while I'm carrying the canoe were achieved by cropping the footage.
Looks like another great day on the river! That's neat how doing these canoe trips in Southern Ontario that you pass through little towns and cities and can stop to go get lunhc or look around if you want. Curious to know, where did you buy those mayo packets?
Thanks! In addition to experiencing the nature, I truly enjoy visiting small towns and learning about their history. I actually saved those mayonnaise packets from a meal I had at a restaurant sometime (I don't remember when or where). Last year I was considering buying a box of mayonnaise packets from a store called Wholesale Club, but there was more than 200 in a box which seemed like way too many!
@@cjhoyle I was looking at condiment packets, that don't need to be refrigerated, online and noticed the same thing, that they mostly come in large boxes. So unless it had an expiry date that was quite far away, I'd probably not use them all in time. On our bike trip earlier this week we decided on sandwiches for the second day lunch. We brought buns and a can of flakes of turkey. We just put the turkey on the bun without any mayo. It still tasted good and worked as an easy no cook meal that didn't need to be refrigerated.
@@adventureswithjosie Yes, that's what I've done in the past too. I enjoyed having mayo on my sandwiches this time, but missing out on it is no major hardship.
I bought some Thai foods at a food court right beside of my home though only 5-10 mins of walking is still consider of right beside!. Be careful of monkeypox virus similar looks of chickenpox which I had about 25 years ago, mosquito bites, pimples, bee sting also tornadoes while on your biking and canoeing vacays!. Also be careful of black bears, grizzly bears, Massasauga also coyotes are out there!.
A river such as the Grand is considered a 'navigable waterway', which entitles anyone to paddle it. That is different from crown land. There is no crown land in Southern Ontario.
Stating that the islands are 'public' land only means that they are owned by the municipality. There is no crown land surrounding the Grand River, and therefore it is all owned by someone. Legally speaking, camping on any shoreline or island is trespassing, but this is generally tolerated.
I especially enjoyed seeing the footage of the portage in progress. Another enjoyable video - keep them coming!
Thanks!
Lived in this area for 40+years and never seen the area from this perspective. I’ve often thought about paddling the local rivers as an adventure but have never actually done it.
Awesome video! I am paddling from Kitchener to Paris this weekend. This series has got me pumped to do so!
Awesome! I hope you enjoyed your trip :)
I was very surprise at your accommodation for the night, that island looks like a great find just outside the city. You are a real bridge guy and know your history, thank you for another great video!
Thanks! In preparation for this trip I knew that the bridges would be a main point of interest along the way, so I did some research about them head of time.
My hats off to you on maintaining composure when it started raining.🙂
I've learned that the best way to handle rain on a trip like this (aside from wearing proper gear) is through mental preparation. If the forecast says there's a 50% chance of rain the next day, mentally prepare yourself for a day where it's pouring the whole day from dawn till dusk. If it turns out that it only rains for about 20% of the day, you'll be thankful for the 80% it didn't rain rather than frustrated by the 20% it did.
It's really interesting to hear the history and naming of all the different bridges you cross under. Your familiarity with them is really cool to show off in these videos especially. Also glad you took time to explore and document a bit of Galt! Interesting you mentioned the flood of 1974 and the addition of the flood walls, I remember during 1st year studying architecture the water level one day was nearly touching the bottom of the bridge with a treadmill of melting ice and debris rushing down the river, you could practically hear it from the in the school! Made us consider how we can do a lot to design and engineer hydrological systems. Neat contrast between this and the more natural sections where it doesn't even feel like the same body of water. Great series so far!
Thanks! I felt it was important to give the names of all the bridges for the benefit of the people who likely travel across those bridges every day and yet probably wouldn't recognize them when viewed from the river. Admittedly I did quite a bit of research about the history of the bridges in advance of my trip and referred to my notes while I was paddling. Wow, that must have been something to see! As I briefly mentioned in the video, on this day of the trip there had been a special weather advisory in affect for high amounts of rain falling. I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be anything record breaking, but still I was a bit nervous that night setting up on that island knowing it would have been entirely underwater during the 1974 flood!
Your canoe adventures are a pleasant addition to the usual Algonguin or Adirondack wilderness canoe videos. I enjoy your semiurban trips with all the discussion. I'm a fitness paddler, not a camper, but would like to attempt a 1 or 2 day overnight trip like yours sometime
Thanks. On many of the routes I've taken, there have been roofed accommodations along the way, which would serve as a great option for a non-camper hoping to do a continuous multi-day trip.
@@cjhoyle Yes, roofed accommodations and wheeled/carted portages would suit me fine. Thank you
Enjoyed this video! I laughed when you mentioned the stinging nettle--I've had experience with that too--awful stuff! Looking forward to your next video--you will be in my neck of the woods, and I'll enjoy seeing some familiar sights.
Thanks! It was my first time experiencing stinging nettles first-hand, and within a short time I walked through a whole bunch of it!
Enjoying the videos so far. I live in Cambridge and have kayaked between the parkhill dam and fountain street bridge often. Looking forward to the rest of your trip as I recently had surgery and am resting
Awesome! I really enjoyed paddling through the Cambridge area. Best of luck with your recovery!
Hi CJ, great Grand River video water conditions looked quite good, good idea with the prepared breakfasts and l do that so l can get out early for bike rides. Interesting information including Guelph and the various bridges and wonderful wildlife around there. Keep Well and safe CJ. CJH.
Thanks! Overnight Oats is the best way to start the day.
@@cjhoyle welcome C J, Best Wishes, C.J.H.
What a great video as usual. Love your enthusiasm!!
solid trip and info, thanks
Thank you!
Awesome trip CJ, hope to do this next summer.
Thanks, I recommend it!
I know im one year late but I did from kitchener to Paris ontario 5:16 right under those bridges I caught a 4.5 pound largemouth bass while canoeing almost sent me over board lol but very fun trip all together only 14 and a half hours
I live near that pedestrian bridge.
I am so impressed by all of the research, but then assume that you looked up at least some of it using your phone on the fly!
Thanks! On my past canoe trip video series' (the Trent-Severn Waterway & Rideau Canal) I did research about landmarks on the fly. For this one, I actually did my research ahead of time and then could simply refer to my notes as I was paddling.
Thank you for your video ..I once lived down south..but live near Elliot lake..and nestled in with native people .living here I've gotten away from the many regulations about rules waterways..so for me your video was funny .
As nobody here cares weather you are permitted to camp or not ..here we don't have to think about that ..thanks.
I really enjoy these videos CJ! I recall living in Bristol, England there was a bow arch bridge like the ones you have shown, you could, if you wanted to, walk over the arch. I didn't try. Those concrete arches really were the first examples of concrete being used for complex reinforced structures. It is a wonder that they still exist and take traffic that in your case in 1926 (was it?) the designers could never have envisaged. Railway bridges haven't changed much, trains are still heavy, but the type and volume of road traffic has really changed since then.
Another excellent video. I was especially interested the portages and your clip showing you doing the first one was very good.
I recently saw a video posted of a guy riding a bike over one of those bridge arches (it looked like somewhere in the UK). That's definitely not something you'd fine me trying. That's a great point about how significantly road vehicles have changed compared to rail vehicles. It helps explains why so many of the rail bridges that I encountered on my trip appeared to be quite old, while only a handful of the road bridges were historic. Despite the age and significance of those old rail bridges, I had a hard time finding very much detail about the history of most of them, where info about all the historical road bridges was readily available. I suspect this is because road bridges are funded by the government so there are better public records about them.
Good thing you avoided that weir. Unfortunately two ladies went over it recently and drowned.
Yes, I heard that. Very tragic.
Very good. Do you check for ticks after camping on grass?
Thanks. Yes, I checked for ticks regularly on this trip.
I really enjoyed that! And I also want to check out the trip from Cambridge to Paris...it's not up yet, is it?
Thanks! That segment of the journey has now been posted :)
Wonderful trip and excellent video. The drone video is a nice touch. Does it stay in one place while you are portaging or do you have to do something?
Thanks Ken! The drone that I have stays in one spot unless someone is manually controlling it. The shots in this video where it looks like the drone is following me while I'm carrying the canoe were achieved by cropping the footage.
Looks like another great day on the river! That's neat how doing these canoe trips in Southern Ontario that you pass through little towns and cities and can stop to go get lunhc or look around if you want. Curious to know, where did you buy those mayo packets?
Thanks! In addition to experiencing the nature, I truly enjoy visiting small towns and learning about their history. I actually saved those mayonnaise packets from a meal I had at a restaurant sometime (I don't remember when or where). Last year I was considering buying a box of mayonnaise packets from a store called Wholesale Club, but there was more than 200 in a box which seemed like way too many!
@@cjhoyle I was looking at condiment packets, that don't need to be refrigerated, online and noticed the same thing, that they mostly come in large boxes. So unless it had an expiry date that was quite far away, I'd probably not use them all in time. On our bike trip earlier this week we decided on sandwiches for the second day lunch. We brought buns and a can of flakes of turkey. We just put the turkey on the bun without any mayo. It still tasted good and worked as an easy no cook meal that didn't need to be refrigerated.
@@adventureswithjosie Yes, that's what I've done in the past too. I enjoyed having mayo on my sandwiches this time, but missing out on it is no major hardship.
@@cjhoyle Nope, it tasted almost as good without.
I bought some Thai foods at a food court right beside of my home though only 5-10 mins of walking is still consider of right beside!.
Be careful of monkeypox virus similar looks of chickenpox which I had about 25 years ago, mosquito bites, pimples, bee sting also tornadoes while on your biking and canoeing vacays!.
Also be careful of black bears, grizzly bears, Massasauga also coyotes are out there!.
haha thanks!
Great video. Out of curiosity how were you locking up your canoe when you took walks around the sites?
Thanks. I brought a bike lock which I used to lock the canoe to a tree.
👍
Waterways are crown land, should be fine to assume camping is legal, most crown land allows it.
A river such as the Grand is considered a 'navigable waterway', which entitles anyone to paddle it. That is different from crown land. There is no crown land in Southern Ontario.
Stating that the islands are 'public' land only means that they are owned by the municipality. There is no crown land surrounding the Grand River, and therefore it is all owned by someone. Legally speaking, camping on any shoreline or island is trespassing, but this is generally tolerated.
Thanks for clarifying. What I meant to say was "At least I know I'm not trespassing on private land".