Adding in a chocolate run...

After a two week break, I was eager to get back on the road. I headed out early and in the direction of Smiths Falls. I had intended to stop at Kilmarnock and Edmonds Locks before getting to Smiths Falls, but I managed to not find any signage for Kilmarnock along the roadway, so I ended up at Smiths Falls.

My first stop there was the Hershey Chocolate factory (which unfortunately will be closing down in 2008). Getting out of the car, you can't miss the smell of chocolate in the air. First thing you come into is the shop with loads of chocolate and candy. Dangerous! I made my way through that to do the self-guided tour of the factory. Unfortunately there wasn't much production going on, but I did see huge vats full of liquid chocolate being mixed.

Yum! Once I was done that, I made my way back to the shop and proceeded to fill a basket with chocolate and candies that were cheap, as well as ones I'd never seen in stores. Ended up spending around $30 on what would at least have gone for double if I'd bought them in any other store.

Loaded up with candy and chocolate, I drove in the direction of the first set of locks, the Old Slys. I nearly missed the turn off for it, I only figured it out in time because the street name was the same. It's a nice area, right on the edge of the town. I got to watch when they lifted the swing bridge for a boat, then wandered up to the lock station house to ask how to get myself back to the Kilmarnock and Edmonds locks. A quick call to another lock station staff member got me the directions I was looking for, and then the sole woman there, who had left the room at one point, came back and gave me a little passport that was made up for the anniversary year.

Each lock station is pictured, and you can get stickers at each one you visit. This, of course, got me thinking that I needed to backtrack on my way home and get the stickers to all the places I'd already been.

Done there, I drove up to the Combined Locks, then wandered around this gorgeous area. I had to laugh that there were potted plants sitting on different steps of the locks. I guess they don't have to worry about watering them! I walked over to the dam, then made a quick stop at the HQ for the running of the Rideau Canal to ask some questions, before walking back to the war memorial. I love the quote they have on it, so very true.

After that, I drove up toward the final set of locks in Smiths Falls, the Detached Locks. I managed to park a little out of the way, so I had to try and cross the busy road. Fortunately a nice person let me across and I wandered the area before heading off to get some lunch at a little diner called The Roosteraunt. It wasn't bad and I'll probably stop there for breakfast before my upcoming day trip.

Oh yes, and I did get all my stickers in town. ;-) Next stop was Edmonds Locks...