We are enjoying the start of the May 24 long holiday weekend in Canada. The holiday celebrates the birthday of Queen Victoria and the the reign of the current Queen - Elizabeth. While it rarely falls on the 24th we continue to name it after a two four of beer!

With the sun blessing us on such a fine holiday we head down Highway 25 to Campbellville Road and to the Hilton Falls Conservation Area. It costs us $5 a person and we hiked the 2km into the falls along some great trails (including the Bruce Trail). The blackflies are out now while the misquitos haven't made an appearance yet - it was a good thing we had some repellant since those black flies are annoying.

The falls are 10m high and this site was home to three sawmills built from 1835 to 1863. Only some of the stonework and the bottom waterwheel water outlet remain recognizable. View my page at www.imagesbythehamiltons.com/hiltonfalls.htm for more of my pictures and a video of the falls area.

Ann and I begin the day at Humes auction on Esquesing Line in Milton (south on the 4th concession in Halton) about 15 minutes from Acton. The bidding was a little to rich for our blood and we saw nothing that we really wanted to pick up. So we stop for lunch in Milton and I drop her off and visit the Village of Elora - home of the Elora Gorge. Elora is about a half hour away from Acton and is a nice drive to the north west through some nice country and through the town of Fergus.

I park up along the gorge and take some steep steps down to the Grand River. The cliffs are 22m high and erosion has created some great scenery. Although it was a little cool I wear shorts and sandals so I can get in the river and go sightseeing.

In the summer there are a lot of people that go tubing and kayaking downstream from the falls at the Elora Inn.

Erin's Acton soccer team - Rockwood True Value, plays in and against Eden Mills during an exciting evening game. They work hard as they have no spares and emerge victorious. Erin scored one of the goals and here she (on the left) and a teammate keep an eye on the incoming ball as it is hit by Eden Mills towards Acton's goal.

PS the mosquitos are definitely out in force now, don't forget your bug spray in rural ontario.

The Nascar Canadian Tire Series first race at the Cayuga Speedway is started with a cutting of a long ribbon by the drivers and VIPS. My brother and I are in the pits taking pictures of the action and excitement.

The first race of the series was a challenge as approximately half the field was lost due to crashes! Don Thomson Jr. takes a victory lap in his bruised race car below.