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Astronomy
Monday, August 28, 2023 to Friday, September 1, 2023 Enjoy some of the darkest nighttime skies in southern Manitoba. We'll learn to navigate the stars, be amazed at the majesty of the Milky Way, view the wonders of the Universe through a telescope, and possibly enjoy some Northern Lights and meteors. During the day we'll explore as far and wide or as close to home as participants desire. Possibilities include hiking, paddling, orienteering, swimming, fishing, and day trips to nearby lakes.
Trip Leaders
Heather Matheson is a former astrophysicist who loves all things outdoors. She has been exploring the Mantario area for 15 years, and considers it one of the loveliest places in the world.
Gilles Ferrand does research in astrophysics and is excited to explore the Mantario wilderness.
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Birding - Assiniboine Park
Contact / Registration: Ward Christianson and Marlene Waldron will lead. No registration is necessary.
Early September is usually a good time to look for hummingbirds, warblers and other passerine migrants in the area around the English Gardens. Join Ward Christianson and Marlene Waldron at 8:00 a.m. at the footbridge for this morning’s outing. No registration is necessary. Sunday 3 September is the weather date.
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Paddle La Salle River
Launch location: Launch from the park on the south side of Avenue de l’Eglise in St Norbert, just east of Pembina Hwy. Parking is also on the south side of the street.
Time: Please arrive at the launch location at 9:30 AM so we can launch by 10:00.
Description: (September 1 update: This is a changed route because the La Salle River is not navigable upstream past the Trappist Monastery.)
Paddle upstream to the monastery (1.5K), then downstream to the Red River (1.5K + 2K). We may see owls there. Then paddle upstream on the Red River for 4K to 6K. Then return to the launch location.
Distance: Minimum 7K (La Salle River only). Plus the amount we paddle out-and-back on the Red River.
Lunch: We’ll stop for lunch at an appropriate location at an appropriate time.
Boats: If you don’t have a canoe or kayak, we can try to partner you with a canoe owner who is looking for a bow paddler.
Rating: Novice (bow paddler in the canoe of an experienced stern paddler) to intermediate.
Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, your name tag, and extra warm clothes.
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Birding - Annual Fall Hawkwatch
Contact / Registration: Please contact Rudolf Koes at 204-661-0763 or rkoes@mymts.net before 13 August or after 1 September to register your group or to join the waiting list.
Several groups for this outing have already been formed, but it may be possible to organize your own group. The latter depends on which returning groups register.
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Paddle Wavey Creek
Location / Time: Launch from along Wavey Creek Road at 10:00 AM. There are actually many places to launch along that road. Please plan to arrive at 9:30. Kevin & Anita will arrive very early to help guide you to the exact launch location.
Carpooling: It is customary for paddling partners to carpool together. Otherwise, if you are bow paddler who'd like to catch a ride with someone carrying a canoe or kayak, let us know.
Description: There are 4 different possible routes -- plus variations -- and many possible distances.
We've launched from Wavey Creek Road 3 times in the past 3 years:
September 2022. Our GPS track is here. Launch to take-out was 5 hours / 21 km, which included lunch.
May 2021. Our GPS track is here. Launch to take-out was 4½ hours / 19 km, which included lunch at Netley Creek Provincial Park.
May 2020. Our GPS track is here. Launch to take-out was 3 hours / 13 km, which included lunch and a stop for a beachside porta-potty break … and conversation with the cottage owner.
On September 13 we can paddle one of these 3 routes or the 4th route up Muckle Creek ... depending on what attendees want to do.
Wavey Creek, Medicine Creek, Muckle Creek, and Netley Creek are very wide "creeks" in most places -- much wider than the Seine River and the La Salle River. Backflow from Lake Winnipeg and the Red River provides reliable water depth and minimal current.
Lunch: We’ll stop for lunch at an appropriate location at an appropriate time.
Toilets: There aren't any formal toilets along our paddling route.
Boats: If you don’t have a canoe or kayak, we can try to partner you with a canoe owner who is looking for a bow paddler.
Rating: Novice (bow paddler in the canoe of an experienced stern paddler) to intermediate.
Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, your name tag, and extra warm clothes.
Wildflowers Cycle
So, I have been studying up on my Manitoba wildflowers this summer and propose a cycle to the NE corner of the city. Coyote country.
On the Northeast Pioneers Greenway there is a section designated as "prairie rehabilitation", which hosts a plethora of wild plants. I propose a brief stop to identify as many wildflowers as possible. I will focus on the yellows and encourage other Hares to identify whites and blues/purples.
The ride will commence at 10:30 AM sharp at The Forks, and be about 30 km long.
Lunch at Bunn's Creek Centennial Park. There is a shelter building with washrooms.
To add an element of whimsy (you can never get enough of that), I invite any participant to sing a verse and chorus of "Wildflowers" by Dolly Parton or Tom Petty. Group harmony is encouraged, and lyric sheets are OK.
At a random point I will call for performers. Be forewarned that if nobody steps up, I will sing.
Anybody who sings will be treated to a beverage on me (dbaniak) from the Commons at The Forks at the conclusion of the ride.
To simplify enrollment, proceed on the basis that if you send an email of participation, you are in. Barring any inclement weather, we will proceed.
Cheers, Chris Fulmyk aka dbaniak.
PS: On request I will be able to provide accompaniment on spoons, comb and wax paper, or kazoo.
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Cycling at Walker Minnesota
Event Date: September 18, 2023 to September 22, 2023 Contact / Registration: Marilyn Hurrell and Yvette Berube. Register at marilynh@mts.net. Space is limited. As of July 6, 12 Grey Hares members have expressed interest in this activity, and a few have already booked their accommodations in Walker.
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Saturday 23 September – Shoal Lakes/St. Ambroise/Delta
Join Garry Budyk and Rudolf Koes on this day-long outing looking for waterfowl, egrets, raptors, gulls and terns, shorebirds and warblers and more. At this time of year anything is possible. We will meet at 7:30 at the northwest corner of the Garden City shopping centre parking lot (at McPhillips and Leila).
Equinox Acoustic Walk
Join a 90-minute soundwalk along the Omand's Creek Greenway Trail in Winnipeg and experience the sounds of the natural and urban environments. Participants will walk without talking, except for introductions at beginning and debrief at end. Meet at corner of Wolseley Avenue and Raglan Road at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23. Contact Karen Mackintosh at karenmichellemackintosh@yahoo.com or 204-806-5740 to register.
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Bike: Venture to East Transcona
Location / Time: Meet at the Shapes / Peavey Mart strip mall at the SE corner of Nairn Ave & Panet Road at 9:45 AM, and be ready to start cycling at 10:00.
Description:
Route, 30K distance. The first 2K is by far the worst cycling ... single file south along Panet Road and then Dugald Road until we cross Lagimodière Blvd. The next 28K is mainly on asphalt pathways and a few residential streets ... except:
- 2K is in the Transcona Community Bioreserve, which has a well-packed fine crushed limestone surface, and
- there is a fun 1K section on a smooth grass/dirt berm that runs parallel to the east Perimeter Hwy and floodway. Anita can lead a boring bypass on residential streets if requested.
Off-road multi-use pathways include: Crossroads Trail, Marianne Cerilli Trail, Devonshire Park Pathway, Veteran's Trail, Park City Pathway, Transcona Trail, Southeast Transcona Pathway, Pandora Pathway, Old King Street Trail, and South Transcona Community Path.
We will present some oral information and interpretation about Transcona history and geography during the ride.
The ride will finish by 2:00 PM. If we're running late, we can shortcut a couple kilometres in the NW part of the route.
Lunch: 20K into the ride at 165 Whiteway Road (our house), in the sunroom, kitchen, and/or patio beside the sunroom. We have organic Goodland apples to eat or take home (bring a bag). Bike parking is in the back yard with us. Washrooms are available in the house.
Bring: Lunch and your name tag.
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Paddle Cook's Creek
Location: On the east side of the Hwy 212 bridge that crosses Cooks Creek, there is a boat launch and public parking area that is adjacent to the East Selkirk fire hall. Map
Time: Meet before 9:30 AM. Launch before 10:00.
Carpooling: It is customary for paddling partners to carpool together. Otherwise, if you are a bow paddler who would like to catch a ride with someone carrying a canoe or kayak, let us know.
Description: We usually head upstream on Cook's Creek, and then turn around and paddle downstream to the launch site and beyond. However, water levels are low, so we're unlikely to get very far upstream. Our route is likely to be primarily downstream and into the Red River near St Peter Dynevor Old Stone Church for as far as we want to go before turning around. Map. Water current will be minimal.
Plan B: We will be consulting with paddlers who know Cook's Creek well. We're slightly concerned about a low water level at the launch site. If that is the case, the launch location could be changed to further downstream, or this activity could be changed to the Brokenhead River, launching from Hwy 59, 20 minutes further north. Low water levels are often a challenge in September ... especially this year.
Lunch: We’ll stop for lunch at an appropriate location at an appropriate time.
Toilets: There aren't any formal toilets at the launch site or along our paddling route. If anybody knows of toilets in East Selkirk, perhaps at a business, please let us know.
Boats: If you don’t have a canoe or kayak, we can try to partner you with a canoe owner who is looking for a bow paddler.
Rating: Novice to intermediate.
Bring: Lunch, water, sunscreen, your name tag, and extra warm clothes.
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