It is so quiet…it’s not 8 yet and that has a lot to do with it. Birds, wind and splashing water.
I am still experimenting. I hauled out the Coleman stove to make my coffee when I could easily have made it in the trailer….second boatload of fishers going by. The first zoomed by hoping to make it somewhere before anyone else, perhaps even the fish. The second lot are close by.

I am beginning to think I understand why people like to fish…not enough to actually explain anything though.
It’s the same with kayaks. There were a few out on the water close to shore yesterday and I envied them. The logistics of having a kayak and hauling it around with the trailer are beyond me this morning so I’ll just watch. Maybe that idea will just fade.
It has been pointed out to me by family and friends that my actions are sometimes…impetuous comes to mind. I know this of course but often to manage to forget it much to my and others’ dismay.
I have been thinking about that since yesterday when I was setting up and how unnecessarily complicated I made it because I did not take the time to scope the terrain and consider my options. I could have just as easily driven right in, no backing up.
Then, there is the big question, whether all of this effort and expense is actually worth it. I am still working on that one (see above, about the impetuous guy). The direction so far is towards yes, it is worth it.
I am learning more about myself, even at my age the learning never ends which I think is a major part of life’s interest. Unless you really don’t give a shit. And I believe there are a lot of those and quite a few of them are happy…campers anyhow. That was an easy one!
I was also reminded of the importance of lists when embarking even on a three day mini-holiday less than two hours from home. Because I forgot to bring bread.
And then there is the storage challenge, where are things anyway? There is improvement on that front I am happy to say.
Today, I am off to Upper Canada Village and the local Foodliner to buy some bread!

I will be leaving tomorrow for a few days at the McLaren Island Campground close to Ingleside, Ontario.

McLaren Island is part of a string of 11 islands on the St.Lawrence’s north shore and there are campgrounds pretty well everywhere.  It came highly recommended by friends who are avid campers (now on their way to Newfoundland, possibly already there). I chose a site without services because it’s right on the water looking south over the river.  It’s a back-in and I will face what most RVers dread and eventually survive.  More on that in a future post.

I have not been out for a few weeks and today I will be going over basic checks: tire pressure both on the trailer and the truck, gear, fresh water tank refill and so on.

I am bringing things I did not have on the way home from BC, my Coleman propane stove for example that will sit on a wonderful aluminium table that actually rolls up that I picked up at Lee Valley.  While the trailer has a three burner stove top, cooking outside is the preferred way.  I also will be using my Weber charcoal grill while there.

I’ll be visiting Upper Canada Village (apparently a free day pass is included my camping package).  I was impressed by the historical park at Fort William near Thunder Bay and I am looking forward to my day at the Village.  There is something about being with these young (mostly) actors as they go through their show and tell routines.  Children really get into it asking all sorts of challenging “why”questions.

Writing. I found out Friday that my 150 word short story, Ronne, has been accepted by the Manitoba publisher and will be published sometime in the fall.

What an amazing feeling!

I hope the scenery inspires me over the next few days.

I have been home for two weeks now and I seem to be only scratching the surface of my garden, paperwork and general housecleaning.

I eventually took care of a major priority item, cleaning, perhaps cleansing is more appropriate, the trailer. Bugs were dealt with with a purple concoction that  had to be significantly diluted.

It worked.

Vacuume, washed the floor, washed the sheets (queen size!) and the carpets.

I began polishing it today and it’s gleaming.

Neighbours and several friends have visited and the reviews were all good.

I spotted a bit of rust on the window frames and sent photos to Escape Trailers and we’ll see what happens.. This is not normal although you’d think so judging by some of the comments on the Escape Trailer Facebook page…stuff along the lines of “suck it up” and “no big deal”.

Well, it’s not their 6 week old trailer!

Having said that, most folks supported me and were indeed surprised.

You expect wear and tear but not rusty screws on window frames six weeks into the exercise!

My friend Jim suggested dabbing a bit of grease on the culprits (the screws) and I will do that in the morning.

I will book a few nights at the St Lawrence Parks campground in Long Sault for the week of July 17. It’s 80 km from here and some of the campsites are right on the St Lawrence. They are unserviced but I have the technology, rusty screws and all!

Hopefully I will be able to find something nice. Camping on an island in the middle of the St Lawrence less than two hours from here…sure sounds good! It comes highly recommended from friends and you can rent small cabins as well for those not tent or trailer oriented.

This time I will barbecue something while there…what else would be good? Boeuf bourguignon perhaps!!

I hope the weather holds up, the last few days in Ottawa have been wonderful.

I should bring nothing but a good book, pen and paper and get to work writing.

Speaking of writing….A few months ago I submitted a 150 word short story to a Manitoba publisher, a small contest they organised to celebrate Canada’s 150 the birthday. It was open to non-Quebec Francophones, if that’s what we are called, and I am looking forward to hearing from them.

150 stories are to be published this year, perhaps I will be one of the chosen few.

It follows.

Ronne

Vous n’auriez pas vu mon chien?

La tempête, sa laisse s’est brisée. Parti en fou. Pas vraiment mon chien, celui de mon chum parti voir sa mère vers les Rocheuses. Ça fait deux ans. Le crisse! Mettons que c’est mon chien.

Elle travaille au café.

Je t’ai reconnue, tes beaux yeux, à travers tes foulards. Tu les as vues les montagnes? On pourrait y aller ensemble.

J’aimerais bien, pourrais ramener le chien en même temps!

Le promènes-tu par ici? J’te gage qu’il est proche. Doit faire sa ronne de lait.

Sa quoi?

Sa ronne de lait! Coudon, t’as quel âge?

Chanteur de pomme, t’es cute pour un p’tit vieux, tu pourrais bien m’expliquer… la ronne.

Imagine un cheval. Commence avec ça.

J’te gage que mon chien est au café. Je t’en paie un. Pour les montagnes, on verra. T’avais reconnu, le bonhomme. Dis-moi, après le cheval… quoi?

I am home!

My sister Susan and the cats welcomed me when I arrived Saturday around noon.

Susan was happy to see me, the cats not so sure!  I kept thinking about Odysseus’ dog who had waited for him for so many years. Cats are not into that so much! Jasper finally came around and Mimi has changed, she is friendlier.

Mimi is my daughter Julie’s cat and something tells me Mimi has moved in for a bit.

It’s too early to think about what all of this means, meant or will lead to. It’s just too big and fresh to be able to conclude anything at all.

Well, that is not entirely true! I loved my adventure and I am looking forward to those to come.

Right now though, I have work to do with piles of clothes to wash, tools and gear, receipts and trailer user manuals to store.

The next few days will be spent cleaning the trailer and the truck, sorting gear and going through the mountain of receipts and cash slips.

I suppose I could have kept an ongoing filing system going but that has always bored me to tears! Why do it now when it can be easily put off (and forgotten) until some other day?

I wonder how much all of this actually cost. Checking my Visa account can tell me but I am not ready for that this morning! A lot less than having the trailer delivered to me and what fun would that be?

10,248.7 km! 9.5 l/100 km if any one is wondering. I think that is phenomenal and half of that was towing a trailer through BC mountains and very hilly northern Ontario.

I may be able to break it down further and I will see about that later.

The final days of driving were pleasant and I realised that with better planning I could have been home earlier or saved some money by staying at Walmart parking lots. Then again, I am learning so I am not upset at all.

I enjoyed camping in the Ontario Provincial Parks even if they rent extension cords when their power pedestals are way too far away.

Some of them loan them out for free.

I have a solar panel recharging the batteries so I really did not have to pay anything but gladly took the loaners.

I had thought about driving to Cape Breton later this summer but I will postpone that for another year, maybe I will meet someone wanting to share the adventure!

Time to get home!

Mosquitoes outside preventing me from sitting at the picnic table. I could put some stuff on but I really do not feel like it, so back inside behind a screen door.

I visited Fort William today, an historical park built to (I suppose) the original’s specs.

The park’s employees are dressed circa 1815 but somewhat taller than all the small beds in the quarters are witness to the actual size of men at the time.

I learned enough about the fur trade today, not that much given the circumstances (children asking questions about everything that actually mattered but not on period trade stats and issues), to read up on it once back. Touching the fur (and there is a lot of it everywhere) is allowed and encouraged. This stuff actually happened and a lot of animals died for tourism.

OK, I know, that’s from a Steve Martin song…King Tut.

It is a marvelous park and you can park your RV there at competitive rates. If you do not have an RV to sleep in, they will rent you one.

I highly recommend this place and apparently things pick up as the summer progresses…that is if it ever arrives! Today perhaps?

So, after so many weeks on the road, I take off tomorrow for some heavy driving to get home.

With over 600 km to drive, Thursday will be a long one and I doubt I will unhitch tomorrow so I can leave once ready Thursday morning.  Having said that, it will be a beautiful drive along Superior.

It has been quite an adventure!

I wonder what the next one will be!

Grey and a little dismal outside with sun forecasted at some point. 

In my little room with a view waiting for the water to boil. 

Only planned activity is to start preparing for early departure tomorrow as it may rain and who wants to work in the rain on a Sunday morning?

Such a quiet park!

Caterpillars galore and they find ways to get into the trailer, the little buggers fall off the trees and hitch a ride on me. I can only imagine what the 19’s topside looks like. Next thing we find out is the government checking trailer rooftops by the roadside for caterpillars along with boat bottoms and motors for the aqua pests!

I don’t think so!

At least none fell into my last glass of wine.
The sun finally came out and woke up a gazillion flies.
It seems the flies were imported from Japan to eat the spruce bud worm larvae, except the weather was so cold the flies only woke today while the larvae are now caterpillars etc etc.. So I was told.

I went for fuel and milk in the village at someone’s “trading post”. You trade big bucks for regular stuff.

Diesel was $1.209…robbery.

And, they were all out of worms! Do people actually come to Canada from the USA (with billfolds full of US cash, I saw some) to fish with worms? And we cannot supply them? Perhaps it’s a form of revenge for the softwood lumber thing.

How can a fishing centre business, a “trading post” no less, run out of worms? On a Friday?

On a more pleasant note, I think I will call the 19 Tickety-boo.

Just a few for now at Sioux Narrows. Very quiet this rainy morning but the loons were a little chatty in the middle of the night.

Food inventory this morning and a trip into the village are the scheduled events.

Well, here I am in Ontario and How-Sweet-It-Is!

The line between Ontario and Manitoba has something to do with rocks, trees and water.

You cross the border and you react…Shit! This reminds me of northern Ontario!

And well it should because it is northern Ontario. With lotsa trees, lakes and rocks of course. The ones around here do not seem to be rich rocks.

The few billboards along the highways have big fish on them, no worms thank goodness.

Upon arrival at the park. the first thing I saw was a typo. It’s a curse with me. Give me a book or a newspaper and I will spot them immediately. Chances are I just may dump a perfectly so-so book for a stupid mistake. Like the one insisting St-Jean-Baptiste Day was June 25.

Yes, the typo.

There was a note on the door (locked) signed “ The Manger”. I see it often and it no longer surprises me so when I do see it, I said “of course”.

Anyhow, I filled the freshwater tank (because they have triple filtered water unlike Manitoba which has none) and Beverly, the manger, welcomed me like the two nerds in St Malo should have. That is with a smile and lots of info on where I could gas up and get groceries.

She also offered an extension cord to hook up to the power pedestal and I eventually took her up up on that offer.

It is a very nice park. Very quiet at least for now but the weekend is coming, so, who knows what to expect?

My site is a pull through, we  have been through that. It is also not very flat. I pulled in and looked at my slightly tipsy Escape and started to think about how I would level her…him…it.

I got into the truck and started over, going back around the patch of trees, I lucked out and found the perhaps only sweet spot where everything was level.

Tickety-boo.

Cracked open and enjoying a very nice Bordeaux that I have been saving since I left.

Cheers!