SWITZERLAND
JOHN SWITZER
On Tour
The backroad tours began many years ago. My buddy, Brian, and
I started exploring the backroads, usually west of Ottawa, on Sunday mornings. It was a brilliant idea – really. We would bundle up the kids and the wives could sleep or do whatever wives do when they have the house to themselves for a morning. I suspect whatever that is, we do not need to know. Suffice to say that Sunday mornings became our time as buddies, to do some bonding with the kids and go exploring. As the kids got older they were less interested, so we threw in free breakfasts and that bought us a couple more years. We had some great times meandering around the countryside looking for nothing and always happy to find something. That is the fun thing about adventures – you always find something. Now some might call it junk, but we call it A DEAL!
You would be amazed where you find these great deals. It could be a garage sale (some of the country ones are really worthwhile and very different from the “city folks” ones), the odd antique store – but take note: we don’t mean the hoity-toity type of store your wife might be keen on going to – we mean the real country antique store with a ton of junk in the yard (the rule here is the more junk the greater odds of finding stuff you like, cheap) and of course flea markets. The other big attraction is that there are no real rules to follow when seeking a backroad
adventure. I do have some helpful hints though, that I thought I should share to make the most of your experience:
1. Dirt trumps asphalt 2. Never go the same way twice 3. Stop for breakfast by 11:00
4. Stop for Tims (a lot) or for anything else that could be remotely interesting
5. Try to be back by noon
Life has taken many interesting twists and turns over the years, something like the dirt roads
we have travelled. The kids are grown and gone, and I am now pleasantly retired, enjoying my life in the country with a wonderful lady who supports my weird attraction for exploring and bee keeping. But the one consistent thing has been the backroad tours. So I welcome you to Switzerland, and encourage you to join me as fellow Bounders for Adventure!
52 BOUNDER MAGAZINE
www.bounder.ca
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