For the past couple of weeks I have been going out for a drive around the harbour. Sometimes with Linda and have a good talk. Sometimes alone with God for a good talk. On several occassions there would be a stop or two in route. One night Linda and I watched some stalwart people with dip nets fishing for smelt off the canal piers. A walk along the pedestrian path watching the waves. One time it was to stop and share a plate of french fires. It was never quite the same and always good for the soul.
Tonight, after being cooped up in the house all day, I got in the car and went for a drive. Down Cannon, pass Dundurn Park, Plains road to Mapleview mall, right turn down to Joseph Brant hospital. Now comes the part I like the most. Keep driving along the beach strip road.
There is a point where you turn to the right to pass under the big bridges. Tonight the road was blocked by pylons with a cruiser parked behind them, headlihgts dimmed. No choice, turn right onto the highway access route and take the North shore cut-off. Left onto the road and then right onto the QEW Niagara access route. Oops, the bridge over the QEW south bound was closed… take the side access. You guessed it… more pylons and I pass the cruiser that was parked under the bridge. This time I see his tail-lights. Why send me all the way around?
So I go over the lift bridge and enter the parking lot on the east shore. Now I forgot my jacket and the breeze off the lake sent a chill through my body. Guess I won’t be visiting the dipnet fishermen this evening.
Back in the car I drive south to get onto beach road. Yep, the access is blocked by pylons. Why? I haven’t got the faintest idea. Inquisitive and a bit stubborn I take the west service road and drive down to Centennial. Left turn down to the beach. Pass Hutches but no fries tonight. Then a right turn onto the beach strip. Drove all the way to the end. You know what I saw. Yep, the pylons I passed going the other way. No reason for the pylons to block access. So I turn around and go home via Tim’s to pick-up a coffee for Linda.
Tonight my drive was interupted by pylons. Most of which seemed to have been placed for no purpose. It made for an interesting drive. Sigh… I wouldn’t want to do that again.
Joe, I’ve bumped into those pylons a few times myself. I couldn’t understand it either. When I was there, a cop was guarding the left turn onto northshore. I tried to go through, but he stopped and asked if I lived on the street. For a brief moment, I wanted to lie and say yes, but i couldn’t do that, God was listening, so i had to go around the long way. Got stuck in the traffic last night, cause both lanes of QEW over the Skyway were closed. Tonight, I just took 403 to West Hamilton and got off at Main West. That was faster than taking Eastport. Summer’s here! Time for road destruction.
A friend of mine has a great line: ” Down at the Department of Highways they only have two seasons—Winter and Construction “. He’s right. Since you never did find out what was behind the pylons, I guess we have to presume that they were taking advantage of the minimal traffic and doing roadwork. Is that reasonable ?
I heard that the good folk who live on the Beach Strip complained that too much traffic is going by their homes during the times the skyway is closed off so the pylons are put in place to keep us away.
Don, that is so reasonable. Too reasonable? I hope they don’t keep it closed at nights for too long. It’s my favourite drive.
Well Bob, that didn’t work that night where I was concerned. Instead of me going south down the beach strip I went both north and south. Twice I drove the street. Guess my twice though is better than dozens? hundreds? of others. Then again, perhaps it is all about me… hah!
On Sunday, Spike and I were driving down Stuart Street to church. There are big pylons there, because there truly IS ongoing roadwork, which is just about finished.
But somebody had some fun on Saturday night with those pylons. They were ALL knocked over and scattered around the street. It was quite an obstacle course to swerve around all of them, and work our way down the street. I think Spike secretly enjoyed it!!
🙂
So Jeff used the street as a slalom course to be negotiated with speed and finesse. I guess if Roy was driving he would have wanted to get out and put them all back in a neat row. Good thing we’re not cookie cutter Christians. I like the variety of character, purpose and vision.