Tag: Campgrounds Page 2 of 3

Reflections on campgrounds we’ve stayed in.

Not all bikes are created equal

On 2nd September 2019

In Places We've Been

It was that time again to head back to Ontario and for this trip we decided it was time to explore a bit of New Brunswick. We followed the Acadian Coastal Drive with our resting stop today had us in Kouchibouguac National Park. This park has something to offer for everyone. It has miles of bike trails, beautiful sandy beaches, sand dunes, salt water marshes, lots of fishing opportunities and great for the bird watcher and for wildlife sightings. We can attest to this first hand, as we actually saw a bear cub eating; we did not see Momma Bear but I am sure she was not far away and after a quick picture we were out of there!

Kelly’s Beach was beautiful and still full of lots of people; some fishing, some building sand castles, others tanning, and some beach-combing or swimming and then there are the people watchers; the list goes on. This area is called the “edge of New Brunswick” where the water was warm and inviting. The smell of salt air will have you reminiscing about your childhood memories onto the beach.

We did check out over 50 km of bike trails here; some were well marked and well groomed while others were a challenge. Terrains varied; mud, boardwalks, narrow, deep-rutted ones, grass covered, rock exposed, etc. Now, our bikes are considered a hybrid bikes, so in theory they should cover most terrains (at least according to the park attendant at the front desk). So today Steve decided to challenge that theory and took a one-direction only mountain bike trail. (That fact alone should have given us a clue to what the bike path would be like.) It was a challenge for sure. Jo’s hands are still cramped for the death grip she had on the handle bars! Steve’s hybrid bike with shocks definitely made the difference on this trail. So now we know, all bikes are not created equal.

Dare to be Different!

On 17th June 2019

When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.
Benjamin Franklin

Happy Birthday Momma who? An adventurous spirit is not only related to travel but to every aspect of life. The bike ride / hike today took us on some of the paths less traveled. Today we actually explored Beryl Gaffney Park. Took some side paths; had to walk the bike through some water, over some boulders and of course up some hills! But we did have a chance to see some pretty scenery and places we never knew existed that were just in our back yard. I am so glad we found this path!

The house we are renting has grey colors everywhere – it is so depressing and blah! Now I can’t change that, but I can change the grey in my hair. So, on a whim while getting my normal hair cut, I thought why not- the salon was not busy – they had time, so let’s do it! I actually had the three girls at the salon choose the colour – not sure if that was the best idea, but it is only hair and it will grow out. I have to be honest when she first started to put the colour on, I was like OMG – but as my mother-in-law would say “What odds?”. Now the colour looked nothing like the sample and the grey colour hair now looks neon – but it will get some reaction from people and it is not permanent. I have to say it was a lot of fun to see the reaction of some people and the non-reaction of others LOL. I am not even sure the dog knew what to say!

Oh yeah, forgot to mention; that for some more change I decided to re-pierce my ears. That’s all – no tattoos and no body piercings. Finished the day at the Metcalfe Golf Course, with Beer (Cracked Canoe), and Cake. It will be interesting to see what one will do for a milestone birthday. Happy Birthday Momma Jo!

Advice from a Stranger

On 8th June 2019

In Campgrounds, Places We've Been

Don’t Listen to what they say Go See!
chinese proverb

While having a discussion on the ferry yesterday, about how to avoid Hwy 401 back to Ottawa, a fellow traveler overheard us. He was so excited to share his travels and experiences. So, today we decided to go to Ottawa via Lake Huron, and see some of the places that he told us about.

The Caribbean like blue colored water of Lake Huron, definitely caught our eye. Wow it was stunning! While trying to find a place to stop and check out the lake we stumbled upon the little village of Bayfield. Bayfield was incorporated as a village in 1876 and was the most peaceful and pleasant stop. It still had a lot of that old town charm. Here we enjoyed some ice cream from the Copenhagen’s Ice Cream shop; a pink lemonade from the Pink Flamingo Bakery & Boutique and showed great restraint in their boutique and did not buy the Santa. And if you know Jo, that is GREAT RESTRAINT!! Exhibited even more restraint when she only took a picture in the chocolate shop!

We then walked through the peaceful Pioneer Park which had access to the beach on Lake Huron, and of course we had to put our feet in the water! The “mission and purpose of the Pioneer Park Association is to promote the health and enjoyment of the Bayfield area” and we have to say the park certainly accomplished it’s mission for us. While meandering around Bayfield another couple encouraged us to go to the town of Goderich. Enough said, next stop Goderich!

Apparently, Goderich is “Canada’s Prettiest Town”. They have a beautiful board walk that hugs the lake, with lots of areas for picnics and also some nice sandy beach areas. It is the home of the Goderich Mine “The World’s Largest Underground Salt Mine”. The town has also converted the old train station into a restaurant with great views of Lake Huron. Here we walked around and just people watched and enjoyed the view of the blue waters of Lake Huron.

Our stop for the night was Inverhuron Provincial Park. Apparently, home to some of the best sunsets on Lake Huron. I have to say we sat on the beach for hours watching this beautiful scene develop. And as we always say; “How does it get better than this?!”

Welcome to the Tip of Canada

On 6th June 2019

In Campgrounds, Places We've Been

Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times.
Asian proverb

Well, we did not float away last night with all that rain and the sun is shining this morning. Today we are heading out to Point Pelee National Park. This park lies on the shores of Lake Erie and is home to the most southerly tip of mainland Canada. Did you know that this most southerly point of mainland Canada is as far south as Rome and Barcelona? Interesting, eh?

This park was a dream. The bike paths were amazing – some a little wet, but still bike-able. It has something for everyone. Boardwalks, marshes, bird watching, observation towers, historic sites such as “DeLaurier Homestead”, beaches, sand dunes and wildlife. Did you know that this was the home of the Cardinal Brand Apples Company? However, our main reason for coming was of course, the most southerly point of mainland Canada. We definitely got our feet wet here!

Momma Jo will not forget that for some of us (i.e. Jo) it was deer fly central, as she seemed to be a beacon for the deer flies. Hundreds of them swarming her. The deer flies did not like Steve but he did get dive bombed by a mother bird protecting her nest. Got to love nature! We got to explore over 16 km of the park. Our bike & hike took us about 4 hours but you could definitely spend a full day here.

Ok, on to our Harvest Host for the night Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery. Now Lola (our lovely GPS) was not winning any friends tonight as she definitely took us the wrong way. Not to worry though, as we made it by 4:55 pm with 5 minutes before closing time! The staff here were very kind and served us and kept the place open for us to enjoy a few of their wines. They had some very interesting names which made you want to try them and a whole section “for the Sweet tooth” yep right up Jo’s alley! A rosé Sweet Eloise, a white Chillin’ Dylan, a sweet select Riesling – Jo actually like a couple of these. Steve enjoyed the reds Caboom! and Lady in Red and we both enjoyed their Applelicous. This gorgeous winery on the shore of Lake Erie offers a great place to come and enjoy an afternoon on their beach, with a picnic basket or a charcuterie board (which you can buy there). The beach was so relaxing; this was such a beautiful place. If you are ever in Southern Ontario, we would highly recommend this stop and I hope some day we will be back!

Forty Mile Creek

On 5th June 2019

Well, we stayed the night in the Sicard RV Parking Lot and got pleasantly awoken by the sounds of tractors at 6am. At least the night was quiet. So, day 2 of the Warranty Checkup. Now, Jo loved the 6 am start; Steve not so much (lol). Off to the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area for a hike and to find the falls.

The area had 6 km of trails that in some places were not so well marked! The trails traversed along the Niagara Escarpment and the 40 Mile Creek and it was only upon reaching the bottom did we find the trail map and legend for this Bruce Trail. Here we went in search of the Beamer Falls. The 40 Mile creek offered some very nice views but the top falls were spectacular; which we almost missed. But with determination and perseverance we found them!!

This hike inspired us to check out the Forty Creek Distillery. You should know us by now – we really should get our livers checked when we go home!!

The distillery allowed us to try 4 samples each for free so together we tried 8 different tastings – 4 different Whiskeys, (some aged in Canadian Oak barrels), 1 whisky cream (look out Bailey’s!), a brandy, a rum (here we come Captain!) and a maple liquor. They were also very generous with their samples. Needless to say, we needed to have a picnic in the yard before we hit the road. This was a fun stop; the bartenders were great and knowledgeable and everyone had to laugh when Jo made her sour puss face – I told you she is a beer girl!! Ok, now onward to Wheatley Provincial Park which is just out side of Point Pelee National Park. Two things we learned here in a really short time; 1) provincial parks in Ontario have become very expensive!!! and 2) this area had a lot of rain this spring! We drove around for a long time after check-in looking for high ground before we found a site dry enough to park Winnie. Rain, Rain, Rain and then some more Rain! I don’t remember the last time I seen this much rain. Man, Wheatley was wet!!!

Rental Car Upgrade

On 4th June 2019

Even though we stayed in this beautiful conservation area we woke up to the sound to the QEW … oh boy, the price of civilization. Today, we decided we would rent a car for the two days that Winnifred is in the shop. Fortunately for us they did not have the car that we reserved, so we got an upgrade!! A fully loaded Ford Expedition – this rig was SWEET!! and almost as big as Winnie!

Since Steve had to take Winnie to the shop, Jo got to Drive!! Look out Niagara! We decided for our day trip today we would head into Niagara- On-The-Lake. Our first stop was Queens Royal Park which had breathtaking views of Lake Ontario. From here we walked into downtown. We played the tourist and made sure we stopped at every store; Niagara Home Bakery, Nina Gelateria & Pastry Shop, Taylors Bakery, the Treadwell Bakery, Old Thyme Candy, Just Christmas, Cows Ice Cream shop and the list goes on. We did treat ourselves to Hot Jamaican patties, Brownies and a scone from the Taylors Bakery and a donair panini from the Old-Thyme candy shop. But no Beer!

We tried hard to avoid the busloads of tourists and tried even harder not to look like one but when it comes to Jo taking pictures – well, she sure blends in with the tourists. The tulips were in full bloom and she just had to get the perfect pictures!! We checked out some of the not so touristy areas that got flooded with all the spring rains. They still had the sand bags to protect the water level. Very unfortunate for those that got flooded out.

Our next stop was the Silversmith Brewing Company on Niagara Stone Road. Here we shared a flight of 6 different beers; Black Lager, Breakfast Wheat, Hill 145, Dam Buster, Minds IPA and the Bandit. Most of them were too heavy for Jo, so Steve got to drink most of them…… Nap Time if you know what I mean (Wink, wink).

Then off to Oast House Brewery and BBQ, as we needed some good food! Well no flights allowed on the Patio (which Is probably a good thing) and because it was Tuesday, the BBQ only had two items; a Korean Pulled Pork Taco and a Beef Brisket Taco so we had to try them both – we have to say that it would be great to come back when they had a full menu!

This area had some beautiful scenery, and the wineries always had the most beautiful spots; just too bad Jo doesn’t like wine!! But she does like taking pictures. Niagara on the Lake is a beautiful place and it is definitely worth the stop, if you are in the area.

Fifty Point

On 3rd June 2019

I don’t have a bucket list but my BIKEIT List is a mile long!
Anonymous

Fifty Point is both a Marina & Conservation Area on Lake Ontario near Grimsby. This overnight stop was close to Sicard RV for an early morning drop off of Winnie for her service. Here, I, (Steve), managed to get our bikes cleaned up and had the chains looking like new!! Yay – 1^st Bike ride of the Spring season! Since Max went home with the kids we went out guilt free!

It was Awesome! Jo just loves her Bike. The views of Lake Ontario were incredible, so today we let the pictures do the talking!

The Smell of Spring!

On 2nd June 2019

Travel is like an endless university. You never stop learning.
Harvey Lloyd

Every morning is a new experience. What might we learn today? Today we head south on the St. Lawrence Seaway waterfront trail. Heading towards Prescott to meet up with the family – Jo needs her kid fix! As we were driving there, we spot a craft brewery! “Steve, turn around!” Lo and behold in the act of turning Winnie around we found a historic site we never even knew existed; The Battle of the Windmill. Apparently in 1838 there was a windmill (now a light house) and in a small rebellion the rebels took control of this windmill. But only a few days later the British came in and retook control – about 60 of the rebels were exiled to Australia. So, this explains the name of the Windmill Brewery which is just around the corner. Their flagship beer is the 1838 Pilsner – which was crisp and clean, very refreshing. We also tried the Barracks Black Lager, the Old Thyme Lemonade Shandy and the Scotch Style Maple Ale. Fun little spot to check out!!

O’ Heaphy’s Irish Pub – Now we asked two different locals where to eat in Prescott and they both said O’Heaphy’s – so how could one go wrong? Awesome time spent with family but don’t necessarily have to go back there. It was so good to spend time with the kids! 😊 Unfortunately for us, we left Max with the kids. They missed him and he just wasn’t traveling as well as he used to. Perhaps still getting used to Winnie.

On the road again and we continued to avoid the 401 by staying on the St Lawrence Parkway. On the way we found some really cheap diesel in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory along ON-49 .

Tonight, we stayed at Lacey Estates Winery and Vineyard, another Harvest Hosts stop. Kimble and Liz Lacey were our hosts and very gracious as we tried a few of their different wines; a couple of Whites, Reds and even Rosé. They were great storytellers and very interesting people. This was one of the more peaceful and beautiful spots we have been at and the views were amazing with the fragrances of the spring lilacs so sweet in the air. The best part of all was that the campsite cost us $51 and we got two free bottles of wine! – How does it get better than this?!

Time to Go

On 31st May 2019

We have to get Winnie back to Niagara for her maintenance check up. OK, it is really just another reason to get back on the road. When you have an RV, being in one place for a length of time kind of gives you itchy feet. So, we head west. Our goal today was Edmondston, New Brunswick. They have the Grey Rock Casino at which you can stay in the parking area for free. (Check in with the security person first).

To break up the long day we have a few of our favorite stops that we frequent. One reason is to stretch our legs and get Max out for walk and of course to get a little treat. Thank goodness there is only one Covered Bridge Chips, along the road!

We decided to eat out this evening and found this quaint little restaurant in St. Jacques, New Brunswick. The “Le Patrimoine“. It is nestled in a residential area, so when you are looking for it, be sure to keep going and trust you haven’t gone the wrong way. It was an extremely popular place! The unique décor created a great ambiance – we had our pizza to go but would love to eat in the restaurant next time. They serve “Authentic Pizza” so we decided on the Meat Lovers and a Hawaiian; we both loved the Meat Lovers but the Hawaiian had red onions and was not our favorite (just a bad choice on that one). It definitely was good pizza and the service was extremely friendly and efficient. Just a note; if you do try this place out, just mention that you were at the Best Western and get 10% off!! It’s all about savings!

The best part is that the Parc de la République, a New Brunswick Provincial Park – was right around the corner (we never knew even after driving this route for years!) A great little park. We stopped for the night, Yeah!! Enjoyed our Pizza, Big Axe Beer, Covered Bridge Chips and a game of dice; how does it get better than this?

We had planned to go for a bike ride in the morning, unfortunately when we uncovered the bikes, they were a little rusty as they did not weather the winter well. Something to save for next time, as we will definitely be back!

Rock, solid, history

On 25th May 2019

In Campgrounds, Places We've Been

Well, our first stop today is the Joggins Fossil Cliffs – UNESCO World Heritage Site. The road into this place was crazy rough – definitely not solid. However, definitely worth the drive. We walked around and checked it out – but didn’t stay long, as we didn’t want to leave Max in the camper too long by himself.

Next up, Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. Now this was a beautiful park – but not an RV campground. We went for a long walk on the beach, checked out the hills, loved the red rocks and the view of the bay were spectacular – we could even see Cape Split across the Bay of Fundy! And here Max could join us too!

Continuing along the Glooscap Trail we came upon Cape d’Or Lighthouse, just outside of Advocate Harbour – this cape marks the north point of entrance into the New Minas Basin. Now getting up this dirt road was a little bit of a challenge for Winnifred but she did make it – there is a spot in the road that Steve thought he was driving an ATV and Jo managed to say a lot of prayers but we made it to the top. The views of the Minas Basin are amazing and the cliffs were stunning. SPECTACULAR!

To keep everyone safe they had a permanent, built-in selfie post and a place for you to put your feet for the perfect picture. How does it get better that this! They also have a restaurant, The Lighthouse on Cape D’Or that wasn’t quite open for the season yet. But as the buoy said, the view is always open! I will definitely be back to see this spot again.

We were going to stay the night up on the cape but it was calling for rain overnight and Jo definitely did not want to do that road back down on wet mud in Winnie, and Winnie was very happy for the decision too.

In order to see spectacular views, one must often take the tougher trail.
unknown

Interstates galore!

On 2nd March 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Ohio state line; here we come. Getting out of Pipestem turned out to be a challenge, as Lola sent us on “Scenic Byways” and dirt roads to boot! Once out of those byways, the Interstate was very busy but we needed to make tracks. The Ohio Welcome Centre should have been clue to what was next. No personal “welcome” as there was simply vending machines & pamphlets and no real photo ops.

We found a state park that was opened year round and no reservations required! When we arrived, we realized why. Jefferson Lake State Park may be an ideal summer retreat but not one we’d recommend for a winter stopover. OMG, maybe we should have stayed at that Wal-Mart after all!

Doorless, latrine-style pit toilets and tree debris everywhere was not what we expected. They only plus for this location was the electricity! So we plugged in, turned on the heat and settled in for the night. It was a little creepy (OK, Jo says very creepy!) and we tossed & turned for most of the night.

West Virginia, Take Me Home..

On 1st March 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

We woke this day to thunderstorms and steady rain and thankfully we didn’t float away! We got on the road late, as we were waiting for a break in the rain which never came. Our destination was Pipestem Resort State Park and with the rain we decided to explore the lodge and the Black Bear Cafe for, you guessed it, another flight of beer!

This was our last stop below the snow line and time for winterizing Winnie before heading further north. Luckily the temps overnight were above freezing and with the rain stopped by morning, we winterized and headed out. This was a sad moment as we realized we were really heading home…

The mountains are calling…

On 28th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Welcome to Tennessee, the Soundtrack of America and apparently the best “State Parks in the Nation”! We tested this state park claim by staying at Panther Creek State Park. Many of the state parks in Tennessee were flooded due to the heavy rains so we headed for higher ground in the northeast and still had to pass through some flooded roads!

This park is nestled on the shore of Cherokee Lake and, even in the rain, this mountain area was gorgeous. Jo was on a mission to hike to the Cherokee Lake Overlook so we set out on the (mostly) dry walkways but Jo was persistent and we eventually found ourselves in the woods on the muddy trails. As it was early in the season, the trails were not yet groomed and we faced the challenges of going around, over and even under some downed trees. The view of the lake was spectacular even as the fog shrouded the islands. With dusk creeping in we arrived back at camp just before the heavens opened!

Cloud Canyon

On 27th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Well, today was Jo’s pick for parks and Cloud Canyon just sounded so promising and it did not disappoint! The park offered great hiking trails and we traversed over 7 kms of trails, stairs and rocks to visit 3 waterfalls and both major canyon overlooks. It was both exhilarating and exhausting but well worth every sore muscle the following day! There was over 600 stairs down (and of course up!) to 1 waterfall alone!

We were now in northwest Georgia and the weather was perfect for hiking with the afternoon reaching 18 degrees. We highly recommend this park and wish we could stay a few more days but we must be on our way…

In nature one receives far more than he seeks.
John Muir

Georgia Power

On 26th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Our goal for today was a short drive a little more north to another Georgia state park but while enroute to the state park, Steve located the Rocky Mountain Recreation Area that boasted at least 12 miles of bike trails. This campground was nestled on the shores of Antioch Lake and part of the Georgia Power water-electric and park recreation system. The area was stunning with a number of reservoir lakes for fishing and it was oh so peaceful.

While it does have many miles of bike trails, the recent rains made them pretty much impassable for our hybrid bikes. The good news was the roads in the area were very quiet and we managed to get in well over 10 miles. It was great to be back on the bikes one more time!

We also had FREE firewood so Steve got the perfect fire blazing and we had another batch of smores!

Under the bridge!

On 25th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

After maxing out the day of beaches yesterday, we decided to crash for the night in Apalachicola. Steve used the trusty iOverlander app and we found Battery Park located just under the bridge where Highway 98 leaves town. Essentially a gravel parking lot next door to a marina and a community park. Steve slept through the night however Jo not so much. We were on the road by 8:23, as Jo made sure of this!

We headed north to Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Georgia. This was a 500 km day of driving but first we needed to check out the Bloody Bluff Landing Wildlife Management Area that we had skipped the night before. It was located deep and desolate in the Apalachicola National Forest and the night under the bridge turned out to be the much better choice after all.

On arrival at Chattahoochee Bend we were fortunate to walk portions of the Riverside, Tower and Wild Turkey Trails before the sun set. This was a beautiful park with well maintained sites & facilities that we’ll definitely keep on our radar for future visits.

On our own again :(

On 23rd February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Up before the birds this morning at 5:45! Shuttle to the airport and saw Beck off on her flight back to Halifax. It was a sad shuttle ride back to the hotel.

We had planned for late check out and to spend the day “spa-like” but our hearts weren’t really in it, so after we made sure the flight was in the air, we had a quick swim and got ready to head out. It was an amazing week with Rebekah, like a vacation really within this excursion. It was very quiet when we got Winnie back on the road … destinations unknown.

We now started our travels back home but not yet ready to leave the warmth. Once we got outside the hustle-bustle of Orlando it was so nice seeing the rolling countryside of cattle country and orange groves, so we turned northwest and ended the day in Newport Park, Wakulla County – the gateway to Florida’s Forgotten Coast.

Gulf Coast Beaches!

On 20th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

From Clearwater Beach and Ron Jon Surf Shop (√) , we headed south on the Gulf Coast with our first stop at Sand Key beach. Although a beautiful spot, on this day it was very windy and we had sand flying everywhere with even the odd umbrella taking flight!

Next stop was John’s Pass Boardwalk for lunch at Mad Beach Craft Brewing Company which we would highly recommend. We had yet another flight of beers with names like “Life’s a Beach”, “Kalypso”, “Dolphin Drool” and “Coco Sider”. All were very tasty and hit the spot with our lunch of Gator Chomps, Fish Tacos, BBQ Pulled Pork and Black Beans, Rice & Chicken. Someone’s gonna pay for those beans! We also took home a growler of Coco Sider (coconut cider), as it was Beck’s fave.

Last beach of the day was Madeira Beach for some study time for Beck, reading for Steve and more beach-walking for Jo. Another perfect day comes to a close!

The Bucket list continues

On 19th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Today started with a visit from the local locksmith, as Steve locked the Mustang key fob inside the car. Thank goodness for that CAA plus membership! The locksmith told Steve this was his first of many calls for the day and those fobs sometimes do that when the batteries are low. (Steve’s SideNote : Never leave the fob in the cup holder and close the door!)

Even with that delay, we still made it to Ellenton Premium Outlets before they opened at 10 am. It’s such a small world sometimes. Walking around this massive outlet mall, Rebekah bumped into 2 of her friends from Ottawa! What are the odds of that???

Jeans – √, Shorts – √ , Baggy T-shirt – √ and with these items crossed off her list, the next stop was the beach! We decided to take Rebekah to Fort De Soto North Beach and it too was a check mark on her list. The Mustang was also a hit for both Steve and Rebekah, and with the top down, it’s the only way to cruise the beaches!

Far more than blueberries!

On 18th February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019

Another Harvest Hosts stop at the Far Reach Ranch was in Blueberry Country! Only problem, blueberries not yet in season. However we did try all of their varieties of blueberry jams and their local honey. We settled on the Mixed Berry jam (Steve’s fave was the Blueberry Habernaro but they were sold out) and their Orange Blossom honey.

As you can see from the photos, we received the grand tour of the owners antique car collection. Even a non-car buff can appreciate such an impressive array of classic automobiles! A 1914 Cadillac, a 1948 Woody, a 1957 Chevy, a 1965 Shelby Cobra, Porshes, Jaguars, and more! We left this central Florida farming area and headed to the coast for our next stop at Clearwater RV Resort. Our rental Mustang convertible we picked up later that day, isn’t a classic yet but who knows down the road.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén

Check out our new Videos page!