Made it to Vancouver from Osoyoos in 6.5 hrs which was pretty good for us and considering the rolly polly nature of the #3 West . Quite scenic but like a roller coaster. We got into Burnaby-Cariboo RV park about 2pm. Kim arrived by Skytrain within in the hour and then Rody arrived about 5 after he got off work. We all went out(except Cash) for Thai food so it was a good visit. Kim came over again Saturday morning and spent the day with us before heading out on a 4 hr canoe trip . The rv park itself is quite well kept but spaces even though you have privacy with giant hedges, are close. The people that pulled in behind us were travelling from the Netherlands so we had them over for a glass of wine last night. That to me is one of the benefits of rving.
We headed out this morning around 9:30am. to Twassen to catch the 1pm ferry. Actually stopped in Twassen first and hit a Safeway for groceries. When we go to the ferry they asked us if we wanted to take the 12 noon one so we did.
Stopped at a White Spot along the way for dinner then headed north of Victoria to the KOA where we are presently. We met up with out son in law Mike`s mom Sherry and her niece Kim and had a visit with them. We are deep in the trees here and will be here for two nights. I met the owner John who said he has had this campground for 35 yrs. He said he laughs out loud now when people say this is what they would like to do in retirement, run a campground. He now tells them if you are thinking of retirement this is not the way to do it. We know from watching the couple in Sault St Marie KOA who were running from 7am. to 9pm that it is a crazy lifestyle. Crazy ass road coming into this KOA not to speak of dangerous. Also one lane coming in so if you meet anyone someone better have good backing skills.
From here we will head to Miracle Beach Provincial Park up near Courtney.
Ciao for now
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Thursday, 11 July 2013
Well it is now Thursday , July 11 and we are on our last night at NM`KIP RV park in Osoyoos. From Creston we went up the east side of Kooteny Lake up to Crawford Bay and Kokanee Springs Chalets and RV campground. The last time we were here was in 1986 in my Reliant K Car wagon supplied by Nestle and we stayed in one of the A frame chalets.
I took Cash for a walk one day down part of the grass landing strip they have there. Not till you walk a good part of it do you realize just how long it is. There is a 79 Cessna tethered there and a Pipe Cherokee similar to what I got my licence on .
We were just here one night. Loved the smell of the cedars but the mosquitos were plenty so I was just as happy to leave.
The next day Cash had his second ferry boat ride, the first being last year to Manitoulin Island. This one goes from Kootenay Bay to Balfour and is about 40 min long. It is also the longest free ferry ride available.
From there we travelled down the west side of the lake, through Nelson and eventually arriving at the Riviera RV park just off the highway in Grand Forks, BC. Just off the highway no kidding, like about 30 metres. The place was clean enough but very noisy that close to the highway with all the big rigs going by and the locals in their noisy pickups. Headed out fairly early the next day and by late afternoon we were in Osoyoos where they had a record hot day. I believe it got up to 34C. It was good to have 30amp service and be able to run the A/C.
The campsite is huge but they are definitely making their bucks here as they pack you in fairly close to each other.
We have been in the lake twice once yesterday and then again this afternoon. They say it is the warmest lake in the Okanogan. Maybe in August but it sure is not that warm right now but when it was 34C it was definitely refreshing.
I forgot, yesterday we also before we came to the RV park drove north about 25 min to my favourite winery See Ya Later Ranch where Anne ran into some people she knew from U of C. Small world.
We also rode our bikes into the SE end of town looking for a grocery store Anne thought she saw when we came to town. We found it and it it turned out to be only about a 15 min ride from our campsite. That was good so we put our MEC saddlebags on the bikes this morning and rode to Family Foods and got enough groceries stuffed into them for a few days.
Last night about dinner time the wind really came up and I had to put the awning up. This evening again the wind had come up so I am wondering how much fun I will have with our little BBQ tonight.
Cash has been in the late the last two nights and again will go for a swim at the dog beach after dinner.
He truly must have a lot of Lab in him as he loves the water even in the waves.
Well tonight I will set the alarm clock for 6a.m. and disconnect the EWS so we can get an early start in the morning. We have reservations at the Burnaby Cariboo RV park in Vancouver and we expect to see Kim tomorrow night so a big drive tomorrow.
Until later. Ciao for now
I took Cash for a walk one day down part of the grass landing strip they have there. Not till you walk a good part of it do you realize just how long it is. There is a 79 Cessna tethered there and a Pipe Cherokee similar to what I got my licence on .
We were just here one night. Loved the smell of the cedars but the mosquitos were plenty so I was just as happy to leave.
The next day Cash had his second ferry boat ride, the first being last year to Manitoulin Island. This one goes from Kootenay Bay to Balfour and is about 40 min long. It is also the longest free ferry ride available.
From there we travelled down the west side of the lake, through Nelson and eventually arriving at the Riviera RV park just off the highway in Grand Forks, BC. Just off the highway no kidding, like about 30 metres. The place was clean enough but very noisy that close to the highway with all the big rigs going by and the locals in their noisy pickups. Headed out fairly early the next day and by late afternoon we were in Osoyoos where they had a record hot day. I believe it got up to 34C. It was good to have 30amp service and be able to run the A/C.
The campsite is huge but they are definitely making their bucks here as they pack you in fairly close to each other.
We have been in the lake twice once yesterday and then again this afternoon. They say it is the warmest lake in the Okanogan. Maybe in August but it sure is not that warm right now but when it was 34C it was definitely refreshing.
I forgot, yesterday we also before we came to the RV park drove north about 25 min to my favourite winery See Ya Later Ranch where Anne ran into some people she knew from U of C. Small world.
We also rode our bikes into the SE end of town looking for a grocery store Anne thought she saw when we came to town. We found it and it it turned out to be only about a 15 min ride from our campsite. That was good so we put our MEC saddlebags on the bikes this morning and rode to Family Foods and got enough groceries stuffed into them for a few days.
Last night about dinner time the wind really came up and I had to put the awning up. This evening again the wind had come up so I am wondering how much fun I will have with our little BBQ tonight.
Cash has been in the late the last two nights and again will go for a swim at the dog beach after dinner.
He truly must have a lot of Lab in him as he loves the water even in the waves.
Well tonight I will set the alarm clock for 6a.m. and disconnect the EWS so we can get an early start in the morning. We have reservations at the Burnaby Cariboo RV park in Vancouver and we expect to see Kim tomorrow night so a big drive tomorrow.
Until later. Ciao for now
Saturday, 6 July 2013
Hippyhome adventures 2013
Well here we are on the road again. This time we decided to head west and to Vancouver Island.
Took a few days to get loaded up as I think once again the only thing we did not take was the kitchen sink. I said to Anne once we were loaded up, can you imagine us putting all this in a custom camper van like a Pleasureway or Roadtrek instead of our 25 foot Class C? Not likely.
Headed out on Thursday July 4th for Kikomun Provincial Park which is just about 20 min past Fernie B.C.
Must say on the way down we passed High River and even from the highway you could see how much damage has been done to that town. We saw many car carriers and tow trucks heading to Calgary with cars that had been damage in the floods.
Ok back to Kikomun Park. Really a nice park and very well maintained. We had a really nice site and
although it was unserviced we did really well as we are self contained anyway, just can not use the microwave .
We were in the Surveyors Campground which backs onto Surveyors Lake which has a large population of Painted Turtles, small mouth bass and rainbow trout. There is a nice beach area and you can rent paddle boats, or kyaks. We did neither choosing to hike around the lake with Cash and the second day ride our bikes down to Lake Kukanusu which is something like the Ghost Lake outside Calgary, it is a river that was damned back in the 70`s.
We were having a great dinner outside last night, steak, wine and beer, salad etc when a major wind came up. Suddenly we had pine needles, branches etc raining down on us. We thought we would wait it out but it only got stronger. Hand over my wine glass first as I did not feel like picking pine needles out. Had to check my salad thoroughly so I did not choke on one in there either. Finally had to pick up and go inside which I must say is nice to have that option.
Picked up and left there this morning heading for Creston which is where we are now. It was a short drive today so we did the cultural thing. We first went and checked out the Skimmerhorn Winery and did some wine tasting and then we headed to a Husky Station to top up our fuel. Not often do you get full service at a major gas station but we did here. Next on the list we visited the Creston museum which was somewhat interesting.
Then finally we settled in Pair -A -Dice, a small family run RV park in the city. Tomorrow we will head to Crawford Bay. Have not been there since the mid 80`s. Should be nice as we will be in a campground beside the A frames we stayed in back in 86. I will update in a few days.
Ciao for now
Took a few days to get loaded up as I think once again the only thing we did not take was the kitchen sink. I said to Anne once we were loaded up, can you imagine us putting all this in a custom camper van like a Pleasureway or Roadtrek instead of our 25 foot Class C? Not likely.
Headed out on Thursday July 4th for Kikomun Provincial Park which is just about 20 min past Fernie B.C.
Must say on the way down we passed High River and even from the highway you could see how much damage has been done to that town. We saw many car carriers and tow trucks heading to Calgary with cars that had been damage in the floods.
Ok back to Kikomun Park. Really a nice park and very well maintained. We had a really nice site and
although it was unserviced we did really well as we are self contained anyway, just can not use the microwave .
We were in the Surveyors Campground which backs onto Surveyors Lake which has a large population of Painted Turtles, small mouth bass and rainbow trout. There is a nice beach area and you can rent paddle boats, or kyaks. We did neither choosing to hike around the lake with Cash and the second day ride our bikes down to Lake Kukanusu which is something like the Ghost Lake outside Calgary, it is a river that was damned back in the 70`s.
We were having a great dinner outside last night, steak, wine and beer, salad etc when a major wind came up. Suddenly we had pine needles, branches etc raining down on us. We thought we would wait it out but it only got stronger. Hand over my wine glass first as I did not feel like picking pine needles out. Had to check my salad thoroughly so I did not choke on one in there either. Finally had to pick up and go inside which I must say is nice to have that option.
Picked up and left there this morning heading for Creston which is where we are now. It was a short drive today so we did the cultural thing. We first went and checked out the Skimmerhorn Winery and did some wine tasting and then we headed to a Husky Station to top up our fuel. Not often do you get full service at a major gas station but we did here. Next on the list we visited the Creston museum which was somewhat interesting.
Then finally we settled in Pair -A -Dice, a small family run RV park in the city. Tomorrow we will head to Crawford Bay. Have not been there since the mid 80`s. Should be nice as we will be in a campground beside the A frames we stayed in back in 86. I will update in a few days.
Ciao for now
Thursday, 16 August 2012
So, last night Anne and I walked across the CP tracks to the Shell convenience store so I could buy myself some gum for the next days drive. Anne says to me , I wonder how often these tracks get used. LOL the next morning she was able to tell me. Yes there are some advantages to being hearing impaired. She said, nice campground except for the trains in the night. I understand there were at least 4.
Anyway we got on the road again about 9:30a.m. It started out to be a tame day drive with a little wind behind us. We got to Chaplan Sask and stopped for lunch. They dredge salt from a lake here or something so it looks like big piles of snow around. We could have stayed in the local campground there aka baseball event parking for $10 a night no electrical or $15 with. They had a little metal box for cheques with a note on it saying "we appreciate your honesty", true small town thinking. So you see if you really wanted to save money and there were no Walmarts around you still have options.
As I was saying it started out to be a tame drive day. We no sooner pulled onto the highway and I said to Anne I think the wind has changed directions. Yes sir , turns out for the next 2 hours I am bucking a strong almost cross wind again. This combined with Saskatchewan`s rutted highways from the big semis is not a relaxing way to drive. We made it to Maple Creek around 5pm and my left shoulder was not feeling great. We get settled in and I check the weather on my HTC to find out there is a severe thunder storm warning for Maple Creek. We take Cash for his evening stroll and he has his tail between his legs and is shaking. He can sense the storm and hear the distant rumble of thunder. Back to the Hippyhome and batten down the hatches. Turns out we got the edge. Just some rain but all the electrical and thunder passed us on the west heading towards the extreme southeastern border of Sask. Met some interesting people there. One couple in an old well kept Ford travel van that had been to the Regina folk festival. They should have had our Hippymotor decals on their van , they looked more the part. Another older couple from east of Winnipeg travelling to Cypress hills to meet up with their kids from Calgary to take in the star gaze this weekend in the park and another senior couple in their Diesel Pleasureway van( they said they get 26/28 mpg, ah but we got the space) just touring the Cypress Hills area.
That is one of the best parts of rv`ing or tenting, is the people you meet.
On the road again for the last day of travel. Around 10:30 a.m. we crossed back into Alberta.
We got to Medicine Hat and filled up for our final km`s. Sure was nice to see $1.14/litre on the pump. Before we left Calgary I thought that was a lot until we were paying $1.34 /litre in Ontario.
Back in the 80`s when I worked in sales for Nestle my territory included Calgary, Brooks and Medicine Hat and I got so used to that drive you don`t notice things anymore. Well I noticed this time that especially from Medicine Hat to Calgary you are constantly climbing. Also between Red Cliff( outskirts of Med Hat) to Brooks I would have to say it is more barren landscape than what most people joke about Saskatchewan.
As we got closer to Calgary we once again realized how big the city is and bigger all the time. Makes you appreciate small towns like Indian Head, where you go into the local bakery for coffee and goodies and the locals talk to you. Speaking of Indian Head , I think I failed to mention in my last post and I also did not know that it was the location set for Little Mosque on the Prairie.
Well we got to our house about 4:30pm and that brought that brought this first episode of our Hippyhome Adventures to an end. When I checked the mileage we had travelled 8577km since June 27.
Friends and family have already asked if it is good to be home. Well yes, but home is where the heart is and truth be known if money were no object I would still be behind the wheel discovering new places and meeting new faces. Next summer we plan to go west to BC.
Thanks again for travelling with us. I am planning to have a slide show of some of our pix at my next drum circle.
Stayed tuned for my newest blog, "The Wheels on the bus....."
Richard & Anne
Anyway we got on the road again about 9:30a.m. It started out to be a tame day drive with a little wind behind us. We got to Chaplan Sask and stopped for lunch. They dredge salt from a lake here or something so it looks like big piles of snow around. We could have stayed in the local campground there aka baseball event parking for $10 a night no electrical or $15 with. They had a little metal box for cheques with a note on it saying "we appreciate your honesty", true small town thinking. So you see if you really wanted to save money and there were no Walmarts around you still have options.
As I was saying it started out to be a tame drive day. We no sooner pulled onto the highway and I said to Anne I think the wind has changed directions. Yes sir , turns out for the next 2 hours I am bucking a strong almost cross wind again. This combined with Saskatchewan`s rutted highways from the big semis is not a relaxing way to drive. We made it to Maple Creek around 5pm and my left shoulder was not feeling great. We get settled in and I check the weather on my HTC to find out there is a severe thunder storm warning for Maple Creek. We take Cash for his evening stroll and he has his tail between his legs and is shaking. He can sense the storm and hear the distant rumble of thunder. Back to the Hippyhome and batten down the hatches. Turns out we got the edge. Just some rain but all the electrical and thunder passed us on the west heading towards the extreme southeastern border of Sask. Met some interesting people there. One couple in an old well kept Ford travel van that had been to the Regina folk festival. They should have had our Hippymotor decals on their van , they looked more the part. Another older couple from east of Winnipeg travelling to Cypress hills to meet up with their kids from Calgary to take in the star gaze this weekend in the park and another senior couple in their Diesel Pleasureway van( they said they get 26/28 mpg, ah but we got the space) just touring the Cypress Hills area.
That is one of the best parts of rv`ing or tenting, is the people you meet.
On the road again for the last day of travel. Around 10:30 a.m. we crossed back into Alberta.
We got to Medicine Hat and filled up for our final km`s. Sure was nice to see $1.14/litre on the pump. Before we left Calgary I thought that was a lot until we were paying $1.34 /litre in Ontario.
Back in the 80`s when I worked in sales for Nestle my territory included Calgary, Brooks and Medicine Hat and I got so used to that drive you don`t notice things anymore. Well I noticed this time that especially from Medicine Hat to Calgary you are constantly climbing. Also between Red Cliff( outskirts of Med Hat) to Brooks I would have to say it is more barren landscape than what most people joke about Saskatchewan.
As we got closer to Calgary we once again realized how big the city is and bigger all the time. Makes you appreciate small towns like Indian Head, where you go into the local bakery for coffee and goodies and the locals talk to you. Speaking of Indian Head , I think I failed to mention in my last post and I also did not know that it was the location set for Little Mosque on the Prairie.
Well we got to our house about 4:30pm and that brought that brought this first episode of our Hippyhome Adventures to an end. When I checked the mileage we had travelled 8577km since June 27.
Friends and family have already asked if it is good to be home. Well yes, but home is where the heart is and truth be known if money were no object I would still be behind the wheel discovering new places and meeting new faces. Next summer we plan to go west to BC.
Thanks again for travelling with us. I am planning to have a slide show of some of our pix at my next drum circle.
Stayed tuned for my newest blog, "The Wheels on the bus....."
Richard & Anne
Monday, 13 August 2012
Here we are , down the the second last night of our amazing road trip. Hard to believe.
Since I last wrote in Thunder Bay we have travelled quite a few more clicks. Let me share with you some of the days.
We got up and headed out of Thunder Bay about 9:30a.m. and pointed the windshield towards Fort Frances. We arrived there about noon and had our lunch by Rainy River at the Fort Frances Marina Park. They have done a really nice job of this area with benches, flower gardens and what a nice view of the river. The land on the other side is of course was Minnesota USA. As we sat and had lunch we watched small float planes take off , a favourite pass time of mine as when I was 18 I had my pilots licence.
A friend of mine from Foothills Academy, Joyce was in the area visiting her brother and sister in law and via email had invited us over if we were passing through. She left me her phone number which I wrote down and phoned to get directions. For some reason I thought she was visiting her mom( not possible as she passed 5 yrs ago) so when the elderly person on the other end answered I thought it was her mom. As we chatted I got to thinking how older people in NW Ontario sound alike . This lady sounded just like my Aunt Vera in Thunder Bay, same expressions even. When she remarked how we had had a great visit the day before I realised that I had misdialed and was talking to my Aunt.
Anyway hooked up with Joyce and went to the cottage to visit with them for a few hours. Cash got to swim in Rainy Lake and had a blast.
From there we headed north to Caliper Lake Provincial Park. A small park but we had a very scenic site up on a hillside with towering pine trees all around. Not a place I would recommend to anyone with a big rig as the roads are very narrow. The day after we got there some one managed to get their big trailer stuck coming out. Apparently happens often and it is usually their awing that gets got on a tree as they are driving.
Oh on the way to the park we had a bear cross the road in front of us on the highway.
On that note Anne and I were walking to the gate house to pick up paddles and life vests for the canoe we rented. We thought we might as well drop off the garbage and recycling on the way. Anne heard a loud crash and then said b-e-a-r. Here about 20 feet to our left was a very scared adult black bear making his way up a tree. Chatted with him as we went by and told him to please kindly stay in the tree.
We took out a canoe and paddled our way up the shoreline and back for about 45 -50minutes. On route we saw and heard a few loons, tailed a beaver until he gave us the warning slap of his tail and also saw I believe an Osprey. Nature at its finest.
So two nights at Caliper then we were on the road again. Just missed our daughter Kelly and family who were visiting her mom 20 minutes up the road the day before at Sioux Narrows. We drove out of Ontario and were happy to see that even though the visitor centre at the border was stilled closed they had cleaned up the disgusting garbage on the site.
I think we drove about 424 km and stayed the night just east of Portage La Prairie at a private campground called Creekside. They don`t do any advertising so it was just one of those gems we found by accident. We headed out about 10a.m. this morning and did another 400 and some odd km and here we are at Indian Head Good Sam campground, formerly at KOA.Very well kept and friendly people. Tomorrow we will head out for the Maple Creek area or Cypress Hills for what will likely be our last night on the road as we plan to be in Calgary by Wednesday evening.
I will add one last post but thanks to all who have been following this great hippyhome adventure of ours.
Richard & Anne
Since I last wrote in Thunder Bay we have travelled quite a few more clicks. Let me share with you some of the days.
We got up and headed out of Thunder Bay about 9:30a.m. and pointed the windshield towards Fort Frances. We arrived there about noon and had our lunch by Rainy River at the Fort Frances Marina Park. They have done a really nice job of this area with benches, flower gardens and what a nice view of the river. The land on the other side is of course was Minnesota USA. As we sat and had lunch we watched small float planes take off , a favourite pass time of mine as when I was 18 I had my pilots licence.
A friend of mine from Foothills Academy, Joyce was in the area visiting her brother and sister in law and via email had invited us over if we were passing through. She left me her phone number which I wrote down and phoned to get directions. For some reason I thought she was visiting her mom( not possible as she passed 5 yrs ago) so when the elderly person on the other end answered I thought it was her mom. As we chatted I got to thinking how older people in NW Ontario sound alike . This lady sounded just like my Aunt Vera in Thunder Bay, same expressions even. When she remarked how we had had a great visit the day before I realised that I had misdialed and was talking to my Aunt.
Anyway hooked up with Joyce and went to the cottage to visit with them for a few hours. Cash got to swim in Rainy Lake and had a blast.
From there we headed north to Caliper Lake Provincial Park. A small park but we had a very scenic site up on a hillside with towering pine trees all around. Not a place I would recommend to anyone with a big rig as the roads are very narrow. The day after we got there some one managed to get their big trailer stuck coming out. Apparently happens often and it is usually their awing that gets got on a tree as they are driving.
Oh on the way to the park we had a bear cross the road in front of us on the highway.
On that note Anne and I were walking to the gate house to pick up paddles and life vests for the canoe we rented. We thought we might as well drop off the garbage and recycling on the way. Anne heard a loud crash and then said b-e-a-r. Here about 20 feet to our left was a very scared adult black bear making his way up a tree. Chatted with him as we went by and told him to please kindly stay in the tree.
We took out a canoe and paddled our way up the shoreline and back for about 45 -50minutes. On route we saw and heard a few loons, tailed a beaver until he gave us the warning slap of his tail and also saw I believe an Osprey. Nature at its finest.
So two nights at Caliper then we were on the road again. Just missed our daughter Kelly and family who were visiting her mom 20 minutes up the road the day before at Sioux Narrows. We drove out of Ontario and were happy to see that even though the visitor centre at the border was stilled closed they had cleaned up the disgusting garbage on the site.
I think we drove about 424 km and stayed the night just east of Portage La Prairie at a private campground called Creekside. They don`t do any advertising so it was just one of those gems we found by accident. We headed out about 10a.m. this morning and did another 400 and some odd km and here we are at Indian Head Good Sam campground, formerly at KOA.Very well kept and friendly people. Tomorrow we will head out for the Maple Creek area or Cypress Hills for what will likely be our last night on the road as we plan to be in Calgary by Wednesday evening.
I will add one last post but thanks to all who have been following this great hippyhome adventure of ours.
Richard & Anne
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Ok so last night August 8th I had done a complete update was doing spell check when I hit a wrong button and lost it all. Hopefully that won`t happen tonight.
We are on our second night camped at an rv site at the historic Old Fort William in Thunder Bay. I am outside at the picnic table for now but if the bugs persist I will head in.
So before TBay we did a long drive (for me 424km) from Sault Ste Marie to Neys Provincial Park which is just west of Marathon Ontario on the north shore of Lake Superior. Beautiful park. We had stopped there on our way to S Ontario and decided we would stay two nights there on the way back.
Part of the park during WWII was a German POW prison camp. After that it became a camp for misplaced Japanese who had been interred during the war and all their land taken from them. It was a place where families could get together to start over.
It has a beautiful beach about 3km long. You can go out about 300metres and it is sandy bottom and only up to your hips.
We did a hike up what they call the look out trail where you can see Pic Island. For all you artists out there this is one of the famous paintings done by Lauren Harris of the Group of Seven. On the way down we were just about out when Cash started to pull and bark and I saw a baby black bear scurry up a tree beside the path. I was going to get my camera back out but we felt momma bear may be close so just grabbed a quick shot with my HTC. When we got back to the campgrounds one of the campers told us another hiker had just come out and reported seeing a momma bear and two cubs.
We went down to the interpretive centre and they had a model of the former POW camp. Before the Great Escape of movie fame in Germany there was an attempt here near this camp. A camp called Angler and 26 made it out. Most were caught right away but one pair was picked up in Medicine Hat Alberta. One guy made skates out of his bed boards with the intention of skating across Superior to the states. Unfortunately he did not realise that Superior does not freeze totalling so had to return and turn himself in.
From Neys we drove to Thunder Bay with a stop in Nipigon for gas and to eat lunch. I had last filled up in Sault Ste Marie and was down to just under a 1/4 tank. I may have made it to TBay but it would have been on fumes. Not worth the risk. On the way into Thunder Bay we stopped at the lookout and monument for Terry Fox. Very nicely done. I had been there before but is always a nice stop and they had a info centre with two very helpful young ladies who phoned ahead to the rv campground at the fort to make sure there was room for us. Turns out there is about 6 of us here that could hold probably a couple of hundred.It gets well used apparently when they have a big event on.
It poured rain in the night and when I stepped outside this morning it was like a lake. Cash and I went for a walk in the pouring rain and got to make use of the rain gear I brought with me. Currently on the other side of the field are about 70 Canada Geese all honking away. Six more just arrived. They must be having a convention. 7 more just did a low level over our site to join the crowd. Here come 5 more.
Today we did some grocery shopping and other things. Went to visit my aunt Vera and my cousin Kathy. Could to see them. Anne and I took Vera to Boston Pizza with us tonight. She is quite the card. She, my mom and dad used to sit in my parents kitchen and get into fits of laughter over who knows what until I had to caution them that someone would soon need a sponge between their legs. Another 6 geese just landed so now close to 90.
Today on the laptop we booked a really nice site at Caliper Lake which is where we will head tomorrow. We opted for a non service site so that we could be right on the lake. Should be nice.
Well I will attempt spell check again for my teacher friends. We have two teachers beside us tonight from Quebec. They have travelled out to Calgary, Banff , Jasper and are now on their way home as well.
Until I am back in Internet range, ciao
We are on our second night camped at an rv site at the historic Old Fort William in Thunder Bay. I am outside at the picnic table for now but if the bugs persist I will head in.
So before TBay we did a long drive (for me 424km) from Sault Ste Marie to Neys Provincial Park which is just west of Marathon Ontario on the north shore of Lake Superior. Beautiful park. We had stopped there on our way to S Ontario and decided we would stay two nights there on the way back.
Part of the park during WWII was a German POW prison camp. After that it became a camp for misplaced Japanese who had been interred during the war and all their land taken from them. It was a place where families could get together to start over.
It has a beautiful beach about 3km long. You can go out about 300metres and it is sandy bottom and only up to your hips.
We did a hike up what they call the look out trail where you can see Pic Island. For all you artists out there this is one of the famous paintings done by Lauren Harris of the Group of Seven. On the way down we were just about out when Cash started to pull and bark and I saw a baby black bear scurry up a tree beside the path. I was going to get my camera back out but we felt momma bear may be close so just grabbed a quick shot with my HTC. When we got back to the campgrounds one of the campers told us another hiker had just come out and reported seeing a momma bear and two cubs.
We went down to the interpretive centre and they had a model of the former POW camp. Before the Great Escape of movie fame in Germany there was an attempt here near this camp. A camp called Angler and 26 made it out. Most were caught right away but one pair was picked up in Medicine Hat Alberta. One guy made skates out of his bed boards with the intention of skating across Superior to the states. Unfortunately he did not realise that Superior does not freeze totalling so had to return and turn himself in.
From Neys we drove to Thunder Bay with a stop in Nipigon for gas and to eat lunch. I had last filled up in Sault Ste Marie and was down to just under a 1/4 tank. I may have made it to TBay but it would have been on fumes. Not worth the risk. On the way into Thunder Bay we stopped at the lookout and monument for Terry Fox. Very nicely done. I had been there before but is always a nice stop and they had a info centre with two very helpful young ladies who phoned ahead to the rv campground at the fort to make sure there was room for us. Turns out there is about 6 of us here that could hold probably a couple of hundred.It gets well used apparently when they have a big event on.
It poured rain in the night and when I stepped outside this morning it was like a lake. Cash and I went for a walk in the pouring rain and got to make use of the rain gear I brought with me. Currently on the other side of the field are about 70 Canada Geese all honking away. Six more just arrived. They must be having a convention. 7 more just did a low level over our site to join the crowd. Here come 5 more.
Today we did some grocery shopping and other things. Went to visit my aunt Vera and my cousin Kathy. Could to see them. Anne and I took Vera to Boston Pizza with us tonight. She is quite the card. She, my mom and dad used to sit in my parents kitchen and get into fits of laughter over who knows what until I had to caution them that someone would soon need a sponge between their legs. Another 6 geese just landed so now close to 90.
Today on the laptop we booked a really nice site at Caliper Lake which is where we will head tomorrow. We opted for a non service site so that we could be right on the lake. Should be nice.
Well I will attempt spell check again for my teacher friends. We have two teachers beside us tonight from Quebec. They have travelled out to Calgary, Banff , Jasper and are now on their way home as well.
Until I am back in Internet range, ciao
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Time flies , it is now August 5th and we are making our way back home. Since I last wrote we picked up Anne`s dad in London and took him for a spin up the Bruce Peninsula to Anne`s sister Cathie`s cottage. We spent a couple of days there then headed up to Tobermory and took the ferry from there to Manitoulin Island where we stayed at the Providence Bay Tent and Trailer park. We had a nice site and the weather was good. There was a huge sand beach across the road and they had built this 1-2km boardwalk along it so as not to disturb the dunes. You of course could also walk the beach which we also did. Found a spot at one end where Cash could go for a splash now that he knows he can swim.
Did some bike riding in the area and also went to a bake sale at the Providence Bay United Church. On our way off the island we did a hike called the Cup and Saucer. The trail took us up to part of the Niagara Escarpment with some very open and high up cliffs. There were a couple of spots where if you did not look in front with eyes down you could drop about 300-400 metres to the trees below.
Friday we headed off the island and spent two nights at Chutes Provincial Park which is in the town of Massey. It was a small but very nicely kept park and we had a really nice site there as well. Unfortunately there were no serviced sites available so we ran off our batteries and water tank which is fine except yesterday it got up to 34C and with the humidex around 38C so we were all three bagged out pretty easily. We did about a 5km hike in the morning but even then it was hot. Took Cash down to the river that afternoon for a dip to cool him off. Sleeping last night was not good. There was a major weather change in the night with a thunder storm and strong winds which dropped the temperature.
We battled about 50-60km head and cross winds coming from there to the Sault today. Very tiring and hard on the concentration in that kind of weather. When we got to Sault Ste Marie and stepped outside it was about 17C and windy. I am sitting outside right now with my jeans and warm hoody on , what a difference a day makes.
Well we will head out early tomorrow and do about 400km and try for Neys Provincial Park which is just west of Marathon , spend a few days there if the weather is good then on to Thunder Bay. Thats if for this update
Did some bike riding in the area and also went to a bake sale at the Providence Bay United Church. On our way off the island we did a hike called the Cup and Saucer. The trail took us up to part of the Niagara Escarpment with some very open and high up cliffs. There were a couple of spots where if you did not look in front with eyes down you could drop about 300-400 metres to the trees below.
Friday we headed off the island and spent two nights at Chutes Provincial Park which is in the town of Massey. It was a small but very nicely kept park and we had a really nice site there as well. Unfortunately there were no serviced sites available so we ran off our batteries and water tank which is fine except yesterday it got up to 34C and with the humidex around 38C so we were all three bagged out pretty easily. We did about a 5km hike in the morning but even then it was hot. Took Cash down to the river that afternoon for a dip to cool him off. Sleeping last night was not good. There was a major weather change in the night with a thunder storm and strong winds which dropped the temperature.
We battled about 50-60km head and cross winds coming from there to the Sault today. Very tiring and hard on the concentration in that kind of weather. When we got to Sault Ste Marie and stepped outside it was about 17C and windy. I am sitting outside right now with my jeans and warm hoody on , what a difference a day makes.
Well we will head out early tomorrow and do about 400km and try for Neys Provincial Park which is just west of Marathon , spend a few days there if the weather is good then on to Thunder Bay. Thats if for this update
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