OCT 5
OTTAWA/HUNTSVILLE/PARRY SOUND
Interesting Rail-Trail (Osgoode Link Pathway) ride from Manotick Station to Osgoode where we had a super lunch at the Red Dot Café. I think we had the best homemade mushroom soup ever.
On our last night in the Ottawa area, we had an amazing dinner prepared by Shirley, Elizabeth’s cousin and her daughter Kathryn and husband Bill. Kathryn and Bill are retired and world travellers currently grounded in Canada by Covid. They have an interesting blog of their adventures and we have had much to discuss when we get together. They have a self-renovated camper van and can’t wait to be able to move a bit more freely with it.
Saturday night at the camp wagon ride:
Our spot at Sleepy Cedars, Manotick near Ottawa
We are just catching the early-mid stages of colour change in Algonquin Park…so beautiful as we drive through.
I signed up again with the New Horizons Band Guelph “Little Big Band” and rehearsals have started. Of course we don’t physically meet. Instead we use software like Zoom and Jamulus to rehearse. I have had two rehearsals so far and have resorted to Zoom muted so I can participate courtesy of the local Tim Hortons wifi and playing my guitar in the truck. Once back in Guelph, I’ll be able use Jamulus to actually join the band on the internet. So I have an acoustic guitar with me…Misty likes my stuff:
So……Warden came by an hour ago.
They have to turn the electrical off at 2:30 p.m. It will not be back on until maybe… October 30th…or not at all this year. They are having some spikes or something and need to work on the pedestals…not within safety guidelines. The whole park! (Except comfort stations and cabins.) Will reduce fees to non electric site or refund NC.
Guess who didn’t bring the generator for the first time in 4 years??? Who’da thunk?
We made alternate plans and booked Trailside, near Parry Sound, where we were in July. (Nothing available in Killbear for the next couple of days.) They have one full hookup site! Hahahahahaha.
Usually this would have not caused an issue as we camp sometimes with no hookups. Luckily we did bring the Jackery (Lithium battery AC/DC powerhouse) and used it to run Elizabeth’s CPAP (and make coffee LOL.)
Good thing as our trailer battery has gone sour and won’t hold a charge. As a result, the voltage went so low on the battery that our furnace motor would not run. But that was o.k. as we snuggled and have a feather duvet, a feather throw and each other. It was fine. It only went down to 5 or 6C and that’s o.k. Inside was 12C. We have camped in the trailer at -5C to -10C at which point the outside water from the park will freeze unless they have heater coils on the standpipes.
We have a reservation in Killbear starting Sunday for 10 days. Turkey in the park.
It’s Elizabeth’s Birthday Saturday Oct 2, and I traditionally bake a brownie cake. We’re the same age now for a couple of months. Even when we’ve been canoe camping on her birthday, I’ve made a brownie cake in an Outback Oven with pretty good success. This one was baked in our trailer oven. It’s raining…all day.
So we had a nice dinner at Tailwinds, a restaurant on the water and also a charter air company. Two floats came in while we had a delicious dinner. Almost every place up here has a sign on the back of their chalk boards that says “closed due to staff shortage.” I guess the $.10 minimum wage increase wasn’t quite enough? Hmmmm.
Meanwhile desert back at the trailer with ice cream yummy.
Sunday we packed and did groceries and moved to Killbear PP where we have been spoiled again by a nice view from our backyard. This is home for the next 10 days. (Except we have to return to Guelph overnight for some tests (Elizabeth) and then back up here to Killbear.
I first camped at Killbear with my family when I was 13 so the park was about three years old then. I remember swimming/snorkelling at Harold’s Point all day long.
Some sites are having fun decorating for Halloween!
View from back door and sitting on the beach on a beautiful warm day.
'Till next time. Getting close to the end of the Ontario camping season.
J&E
Your blog reminds me of some fall camping in past years. We thought we would be able to go to Hershey, PA for the antique car swap meet this week, but the US gov't had other ideas about crossing the border. Looks like you are really enjoying yourselves...how wonderful! Stay warm 😉.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely time of year to be on the road. That shot of the Algonquin area is spectacular! And Killbear was our family campground of choice when I was young - the chipmunks were so tame they would take peanuts out of our hands.
ReplyDeleteYes. It’s a beautiful park. Private msg or email me so we know who this is.
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ReplyDeleteLooks like fun times! We love fall camping too. It was just way too hot this summer :)
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the electric though and not having the generator! We've started leaving the generator at home now that we have our solar panels, but we're not sure yet whether the solar will be enough for the winter.