Out & About #279 | Thanksgiving in Barrie (Pt. 2) + Scout Valley Loop Trail

10/9/2016

(Read Part 1 HERE !)

Dock of the Bay was one of the first restaurants to pop up on our search for "Restaurants near Muskoka Lake"; we went with it, not expecting to witness the influx of non-English-speaking tourists that we did.

A lakefront view was guaranteed at either our first choice, or the neighbouring Boston Pizza location. Surrounded by an endless wash of deep blue, the dock made for a great background against sharp UV rays. Of course, the scene would have appeared even more lovely with the omission of seagull feces and intentional, dialect-uttering photobombers. (Personally, a foggy scene is most optimal, but would make for treacherous driving conditions in an area with already weak cellular reception.)

It didn't take long to be seated, since numerous hangry diners ultimately chose speed of delivery over ambiance and atmosphere. In exchange for their relocation to a carb-dense establishment was our swift seating at a mildly unhygienic booth with suboptimal exposure to natural lighting.

Dimness wasn't the main problem though. Service was average, but not particularly attentive nor convincingly genuine. It was the peculiar menu selection and sky-high prices that had me wrinkling my nose.

Kimchi? Po Boy Tacos? Roti? It sounded as if I was reading a list of bar snacks from a well-known franchise like Earl's or Moxie's. Originalilty was found to be lacking, as was appearance when we the items finally arrived.

I've gradually come to despise white ceramic plates, especially when used in conjunction with incandescent light bulbs. From a consumer perspective, they perform a poor job at insulating heat when necessary (looking at you, Red Lobster); viewing the serving equipment as a picky diner, it causes unnecessary glare spots to surface.

The easy, and obvious, solution to my photo-capturing woes would have been to opt for a patio table, where diffused lighting would be in abundance. But it is with great remorse that I profess: the plating of the individual elements was disorganized to begin with. Additionally, greasy edges and remnants of food left unwiped on the bottom side of the plates is completely unacceptable given the environment and target market of the restaurant. (How dare you commit a Wilcox with such a breathtaking view at your footsteps!)

< Pictured above and below: Coffee, Muskoka Smoked Trout Spring Salad, The Dock Steak Slider, and Open Face Prime Rib with soup >

The item that irked me the most was, unfortunately, my own order of Muskoka Smoked Trout Spring Salad. Perhaps it was my own fault that I forgot to request having salad dressing be placed on the side.
The once lively heaps of greens were heavily doused in an overly tart, stomach-lurching vinaigrette. Melon ball-sized spheres of goat cheese rolled in poppy seeds didn't impress either: they were excessively rich, but lacking in cheesiness. It was as if Brie had undergone a mutation that extracted flavour, smoothness, and moisture content, but added fat and a tacky aftertaste instead. Neither element paired well in my opinion.

It was a complete shame, since the three almost rhombus-like strips of trout placed on the edges of the plate proved spectacular; well-seasoned and exploding with scents of fishy freshness, I predicted that the experience would have been far more enjoyable had the greens and baby tomatoes not been slathered in dressing in excess.

Wrapping up the Muskoka leg of the journey with a few (silly) photos, we hit the road once again for the next adventure: hiking.

Prior to the morning of our trip, I had endlessly pleaded my less active friends to join me on my brisk, photography-focused walk. They declined, confessing an earlier arrangement with friends or altogether denying the amusement of hiking, just for me to later unveil their spiteful betrayal through a mutual friend's social media feed. (You know who you are.)

Regardless, the short hike through Scout Valley Loop trail was made possible through the help of a fellow manga enthusiast.

Each trail in the loop spanned approximately three kilometres, which sounded quite pleasant at the time. Contrary to my initial belief that the trails would make for leisurely but effective exercise, it was later discovered that the paths were not at all as friendly as the map rendered them to be.

Not a single section was uniform: small rocks, sudden drops in elevation, sand and gravel, soggy wood chips, boulders surrounded by twigs and fallen branches - the route was unbelievably varied for its location.
The sole portion that provided peace of mind was the initial stroll on dry, crunchy fallen leaves. Lofty trees shielded our eyes from the sun, which gently peaked through the shadows every now and often to illuminate items of interest to it. The air was crisp, confirming the arrival of fall.

View the full album HERE !

Majority of Algonguin and Sugarbush Trail were dim and dark, some made even gloomier with the inclusion of fallen or logged trees. Creeks flowed with an eerie quietness, ensuring that the only other sounds to be heard were the stomps of our own footsteps, and possibly the distant rustle of dog-walkers in separate parts of the woods.

Every once in a while, a hint of colour in the bushes would catch my eye, and we would stop to capture that hopefully decent shot before moving on. At other times, the sun would drive daggers of heat in our necks at the exposed parts of the trail.

The fact that the "Scenic Lookout Point" was nothing more than a deck with an entirely un-scenic view was a massive disappointment, but it didn't deter me from making the most of the hike.
Overall, it was a pleasant walk, albeit leaning more towards mundane greenery and shrubbery than wondrous natural scenery.

We made our departure as the sun began its descent. Concluding the evening was a stunning pink-purple sunset and a laidback but fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner.