Daytripping Summer 2022

The
Daytripper
The Grand River flows through both PARIS & CALEDONIA
The
SHOP
LOCAL
Find Us on
FACEBOOK or
AN OLD FASHIONED DRY GOODS STORE
IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 150 YEARS
Open 6 Days a Week!
A Large Variety
of Beach Towels for
the Whole Family!
• Ladies 100% Cotton Nightshirts
with colourful designs
• Tea Towels & Dishcloths
for the cottage & home
• Natural Coconut Fibre
Doormats
• Tablecloths & Runners
• NEW! Long Waffle
Weave Robes 100% Cotton
• 100% Cotton Turkish
Bath Towels
• Large summer Patio Mats
in 3 colour patterns
Camping bag
& Towels
Beach Towels
Ladies Sleepwear
43 GRAND RIVER STREET NORTH, PARIS
519-442-4242 www.johnmhall.ca
“Birthday Surprise”
The man was looking at
perfume in a department
store. "I want something for
my wife. It's her birthday,"
he said to the clerk.
"A surprise, eh?" said the clerk.
“Certainly will be," said
the man. "She's expecting
a new car."
Sent in by Marian Powell, Britt, ON
• Chocolate o • Fudge
• Ice Cream 89 Grand River St. . N. Paris
P
i
240 Wilson St. E.•
519-442-1616
-1616
www.chocolatesensations.ca
Riverboat Fantasy
“Count me in,” I said rather reluctantly.
That was my first mistake.
My house is situated across from the
Grand River in Paris. I’ve tried kayaking
and canoeing. Too much work! I had to
think twice when my neighbour found a
sale on turbo tubes. Not inner tubes, more
like a one-person inflatable raft. If all the
neighbours purchased one, we could get
a great deal.
I learned the hard way that the river is
beautiful, but it can also be dangerous. I
learned that you need to be aware of your
surroundings. I learned that friends are
always there for you. Floating around, not
paying attention, talking to my friends,
music blasting.
That was mistake number two.
There were usually 6 or 7 of us that
would paddle from Glen Morris to Paris.
You can hit low spots in the river and get
stuck on rocks. If you’re experienced,
you know how to paddle to get yourself
out of these situations without having to
get out of the tube. If you’re really smart,
you watch the canoers and kayakers.
They know how to avoid the low spots
by keeping to one side or the other of
the river. Not me! I always manage to get
stuck.
There’s a small island we stop at. We
have a hiding place under a tree where we
leave the memento of the day. Silly things
like a painted rock with our names on it,
a marble, a bottle cap, a toonie. Next time
we’re out, we check to see if our treasures
are still there. So far, they have been,
except for the toonie. That disappeared
quickly.
On a balmy day last fall, our group was
standing on the island, and my friend
Cheri pointed out an unusual spot in the
middle of the river with rocks on both
sides. She mentioned how it could be
easy to get stuck there. She cautioned to
stay to the left of these rocks where the
water was higher, and we should be good
to go.
I was listening. I swear! When we got
back in our tubes to head out, I set my
music blasting on my small
waterproof speaker, “Riverboat
Fantasy.” I was talking loudly to
a friend, trying to paddle closer
where she could hear me, and
not paying attention again.
That was mistake number 3.
Next thing I know, I was
wedged between those
rocks that Cheri had warned
about. Solidly wedged, facing
backwards. The current pulled
my friends forward as they
By Barb Day, Paris
swiftly glided away, and there I sat left
behind and feeling like a fool.
There was no way I could paddle my
way out of this, so I got out of the tube and
yanked it free from the rocks. The current
was moving swiftly and pulled at the
tube. I lost my grip, and the tube began
to float down the river without me. It was
travelling in one direction, the paddle in
the other and my backpack containing
the speaker floating away with David
Wilcox still wailing away about a rock and
roll band with a reefer in his hand.
I stared helplessly, as a couple of
kayakers grabbed my backpack, and
a friend grabbed hold of my tube and
paddle. It wasn’t like anyone could battle
the current and come back and rescue
me. I had no choice but to start walking.
“Shimmer, glimmer, I think I’m gonna fall,
woops, catch me mama, that’s all.”
I know for sure now, those compact
stereos really are waterproof as David
Wilcox droned on.
Plodding along through the murky
water, I tried to avoid the curious looks
from other paddlers. Lucky it was shallow
here or I would have to swim to catch up.
“Delta suns beats down like a hammer, it
gives me the low down blues.”
When I finally caught up to my group
and recovered my tube and belongings,
my friend Karen pulled out a bungee
cord and proceeded to tether our tubes
together.
“We’re not letting this happen again.”
For the rest of the river run, I bobbed
along behind Karen like a toddler. It was
great! I didn’t have to bother paddling.
“That’s the life for me.”
A cold drink in hand and music
blasting, I simply enjoyed the ride.
“I’m sailing away from my heartache on a
Riverboat fantasy!”
Publisher’s Note: That’s a beautiful
stretch of the Grand and a popular area for
canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. I’ve seen
many going out with Grand River Rafting
Co. for the adventure not far from there.
Grand River Rafting Co. photo
Page 84
“Remove child before washing” (tag on children’s clothing)
Summer 2022