I couldn’t pass up the chance to see my family on the return west and I was glad I made the detour. With the days having been so busy I took some time to simply just relax and recuperate before a return to the adventuring.
I had originally planned to stay only two days but ended up staying three. On the last day my parents along with my younger brother Norman and his girlfriend Rossie went for a short hike together to admire some waterfalls. With Hamilton being the waterfall capitol of the world there was plenty to choose from and we soon found ourselves admiring the natural wonders.
Having worked up an appetite we all took a trip to a vegan restaurant for a bite to eat. The food was delicious and we all chowed down as Winnie waited outside and made strangers smile. With full bellies we returned to our vehicles and drove to a nearby dog park. I gave my parents a hug goodbye and both Josh and Rossie accompanied me into the park. Winnie had a blast as she ran all over the place, darting in and out of the bushes with wild leaps as the springs in her legs sent her flying over the various ravines. Having spent a good 45 minutes wandering around we arrived back at the entrance. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.
Being back on the road was tough. As I drove along I couldn’t help but feel a heavy loneliness settling over me. I didn’t know when I’d see my family again but I was glad I took the time to visit. The sun was setting and I drove on into the night, arriving at North Bay where I stopped in to see my buddy Jason. Being a bit of night owl, he was awake and waiting for me when I arrived and we chatted until we finally dozed off well into the night.
I had originally planned to leave the following day but not knowing when I’d see Jason again I decided to spend some extra time and stay an extra day. I was glad I did so as we had a great time hanging out and catching up.
