Travels With Stacey

I timed this trip perfectly.  Of course, I wanted to take all the credit, but some luck was involved because the weather had been perfect for getting all the fall colours to its fullest.

We hiked to many places, visited many sights, and saw some interesting things, and it was a great day.  We arrived at our campground, and I stared at the beauty around us.  A carpet of colourful leaves, the air was crisp and refreshing, and we finally made it to Algonquin.

Even though Algonquin is only a few hours away, I never thought I would ever visit this largest of all Ontario’s provincial parks.  That is until I discovered travel and the joys of camping.  I looked at our campsite.  It was beautiful.

I pitched the tent under a gentle rain of fall leaves.  Each leaf that fell was added to the carpet at our site.  We cooked our dinner and even enjoyed smores—a classic evening at a camp.  We even had a visiting chipmunk that was quite friendly.

As darkness settled in, I gazed at the display of colour and smiled.  This was the perfect trip with the perfect setting and, above all, the perfect partner to share this with.

We crawled into our sleeping bag and turned off the flashlight.  

Eyes closed.

Visions of this journey into Algonquin during the peak of fall colours raced in my head as I drifted to sleep.

So beautiful.

Then a sound that every school child should know, the sound of nails across a blackboard.  It cut through my soul, ruining the slumber that I was experiencing.

Then again.

And again!

What is going on????

There was just enough light to see a leaf land on the tent and slide off gently.  Unfortunately, the gentle slide was accompanied by the horrid sound of screeching.  

The very act that brought us joy hours before of the slow rain of coloured leaves was keeping us up.

Charlene had earplugs for some reason (do I snore?) and placed them.  Soon she was asleep, but I watched the leaves strike and scrap until I could no longer stay awake.

Slumber.

Then a scream from the depths of Hell itself!

We both woke instantly and then another scream.  A sound I had never heard before and I remained sheltered in my flimsy tent and light sleeping bag.  Whatever this scream was, it was not human.  Demon, maybe, but not human.

It sounded like it was on our site.  I am convinced at that moment Charlene wanted me to exit the tent and see what the noise was.  I was confident in the protection of the sleeping bag; I was not going out to fight some demonic screamer.  I had no idea what it was and had no interest at that time in figuring it out.

The screaming creature moved away from us.  Distance could be sensed, and somehow we both fell asleep.

In the morning, we discussed what it could be.  I remembered the song that was an annoying but popular hit, What Sound Does a Fox Make?  I got thinking. Maybe it was a fox.  Days after our trip, I would research the sound, and it did turn out that it was a fox looking for a mate.  Not a pleasant sound, terrifying when it is just metres from your head.

We would break camp and would continue our trip in Algonquin and the surrounding area.  Other than a record number of encounters with snakes, there was no real concern with unusual sounds.

That night serves as the most unique stay at any campsite.  It hasn’t stopped us from camping, it only heightened it some more.  Algonquin is one of the most amazing places to see the fall colours, and if you ever hear a fox that is “in the mood,” know that it sounds like a demon.

• Algonquin has many types of trails, an art centre, a nature centre, shops, a decades-old functioning beavers’ dam, a bog and more.  
• Check out Featured Map for this location and the location of so many more exciting places to visit.