Monday, June 3

The morning was overcast, but at least it isn’t raining! Today was golfing day for those who had signed up. After my morning walk, I went to the Internet Cafe.
By noon, the clouds had dissipated and the sun appeared. A few of us met at Laura & Carm’s for coffee. It is still a chilly 15C, but at least the sun is shining.
Happy Hour consisted of shooters – lots of fun trying different combinations.                              Lesley trying to decide which one to try!



                                                    Bottoms up, over & over!








After supper, it was campfire time, with a good turnout. It was windy and cool.

Sunday, June 2

It rained almost all night, sometimes heavily, but by 7:00 am it stopped. 

At 9:00 we went to the Rec Hall for the Pancake breakfast which was put on by the campground staff. It was delicious – pancakes, sausages, bacon, orange juice and coffee, for $5.00!

On the way back to our site we noticed that there are now a few sites that are waterfront properties! 

I made the ‘Station Salad’ for the pot luck supper tonight, and then went to the Rec Hall to check emails. While there, I saw Emile & Fran arrive for their ‘Escapees’ Rally.

 

Unfortunately, when trying to get onto his site, Emile went the wrong way & got stuck! The ground is saturated due to last night’s rain. They had to get the campground front loader to pull him out!

Once that entertainment was over, we had a Happy Hour in the sunshine back at our section.

 
The Pot Luck dinner was excellent, with lots of food and a great variety.

Saturday, June 1, Penitentiary Museum

This morning, which was cloudy & 21C, we met up & truck-pooled to the Penitentiary Museum which was fascinating. www.penitentiarymuseum.ca

The Museum is housed in the original Kingston Pen’s warden’s residence, which was built by inmate labour in 1873.

There were fascinating stories of ingenious attempts at escape, some of which were successful. The most interesting one involved cut-out cafeteria trays. The inmate lost 30 pounds to be able to fit into the cut-out space, was moved by the kitchen staff out of the prison to the off-site kitchen, from where he made his escape. However, he was recaptured 3 months later.

 

 

Also on display were many methods of ‘punishment’. One of these was the Water Bath Punishment which existed from 1855 -1859. This method of punishment originated in the Eastern United States and was introduced to Auburn State Penitentiary in New York in the early 1840’s in an attempt to find a substitute for the lash. In his Annual report for 1853, Warden Donald MacDonnell of the ‘Provincial Penitentiary’ (Kingston Penitentiary) offered a description of the water bath:    

“The convict is stripped quite naked and placed in what may be termed the stocks, in a sitting position; a shower of water is brought down upon the unfortunate being, which as I could observe produced a suffocation. This continued for some time, the operator either increasing or slackening the torrent at his pleasure.”

The barrel is closed over the convict’s head, but Marcel wouldn’t let me do that for the photo!  

 

 

 

 

There were also displays of weapons that were fashioned by the inmates and the clever ways of hiding them.

 

 

 

 

From there, we went to the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, which collects preserves and presents the Maritime history of the Great lakes and Kingston’s shipbuilding past. The Museum’s largest artefact, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Alexander Henry, formerly served on the Great Lakes as a light icebreaker and buoy tender. The ship, which was built in 1959 and retired in 1985, is 210 feet long and 40 feet wide.

Navigational aid servicing means taking out markers & buoys in the fall & returning them to their correct locations in the spring. We had a guided tour of the ship given by a 79 year old Master Captain who has sailed all over the world for 60+ years. He was a wealth of information!

The Museum also consists of seven Galleries, each one with a different theme. By the time we got through there, it was past lunch time, so we went to the nearby Pain Chancho Bakery & Cafe for lunch.   

Then, it was back to the campground for social time.

Friday, May 31, Casino & Dinner Cruise

We met up with 14 other gamblers & truck-pooled to the Gananoque Casino. Once there, we signed up for players cards, which gave us each $10.00 to start with. We played the one cent machines until out $20.00 was gone. After 1 1/2 hours, we called it quits. There were 2 winners in our group and the rest of us donated to their wins!

On the way back to the campground, we drove in to Kingston with Terry & Sharon for some groceries.

After lunch, I cycled to the bank, which is about 7 km each way. It is very warm & humid today. By the time I got back I needed a shower! However, I went to the Internet Café first to cool off in the A/C. It was 86F in the trailer, so I closed up the windows and turned on the A/C.

At 5:00, we met up with the 34 other 'cruisers' to catch the bus to the pier for the 1000 Islands Dinner Cruise.

They cast off from the pier at 6:30 and we were off on a 3 hour cruise around the islands to Gananoque & back. It was a beautiful evening. We enjoyed a great dinner & entertainment - the same guy as last year.

At 9:30, we docked and boarded the bus back to the campground.

Thursday, May 30

We woke up this morning to clear, sunny skies and 16C.

After breakfast, we went for a walk-about to see what is new – last year they were starting to do a lot of work in the ‘Rally Field’. They sure have been busy, adding 107 new sites and another washroom.

 The forecast for today calls for sunshine and 28C – beautiful, as we waited for the rest of the attendees to arrive.

 

By suppertime, everyone was in and, as usual, we had a campfire with the ever-widening circle around it. Great way to end a lovely day.

Wednesday, May 29, Off to Kingston

After spending two days at home, we packed up & are on the road to Rideau Acres Campground in Kingston for the 7^th Annual Titanium Reunion. We are still allowed to attend, although we don’t own a Titanium Fifth Wheel any more. We are considered ‘Titanium Alumni’!

The rain came down in buckets as I was loading up and the temp is 17C, but by the time we actually left at 10:30, it has stopped.

An hour later, going across Hwy 17, there was a steady rain and the temp dropped 2 degrees.

Before reaching Pembroke, there was torrential rain and fog, which let up by 1:00, when we stopped for fuel & lunch at the Irving Station. By the time we left, light rain started. Guess it is following us!

At 2:00, there was no rain, dry road and 23C, which made for a more pleasant drive. When we passed through Carleton Place at 2:50, it was cloudy, 21C but NO RAIN.

Going through Smiths Falls at 3:10, there was a mix of sun & cloud and a very pleasant 24C.

We arrived at Rideau Acres in beautiful sunshine at 4:20 and settled in to the same site we have had for the past 5 years. There were 5 attendees there already and it was nice to renew friendships that we have made over the years. 

For our first night, we enjoyed a dinner of BBQ steak, baked potatoes, salad and mushroom/onion/pepper medley. Delicious way to start off the week!   

Unfortunately, the campground has not improved the Wi-Fi, so I still have to go to the store for internet.

Sunday, May 26, Day 15

Departure day has arrived and after a restless night, we got up at 5:30 and started packing up.

We set off on our last rounds at 6:30 and once completed at 7:20, finished closing up and hooking up the trailer.  

Marcel pulled out to go to the “Sanitary Station” (aka dump site) to empty the tanks, while I checked in at the office at 8:00 to hand in our last log. Then I met him at the dump site and we proceeded out of the Park. 

We stopped in Huntsville to fuel up both vehicles and went to Timmies for breakfast.  Then it was back on the road. I stopped at Arrowhead Provincial Park, just north of Huntsville, to check it out as a future camping spot.  

We met back home & started unpacking. Since we will only be home for 2 days before heading out again, a lot of things can stay in the trailer.

 

Next stop, Kingston for the Titanium Reunion.

Saturday, May 25, Day 14

It was a chilly start to the day, as the temperature was 0C when we set out on our rounds. It is pretty quiet in the campground right now.

At 9:30, we set of on our bikes to cycle the “Track & Tower” trail. After struggling over roots, up steep hills & balancing on logs to get past a flooded part of the trail,

we realized that we were on the wrong trail & turned around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After riding for 3.5km, we found the Old Railway Trail that we were supposed to be on!

Now, this looks more like a railway line!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The railway line was often built along the shores of lakes & rivers, to avoid hills, including this section through the Madawaska Valley. Here the railway follows the edge of Head Creek Marsh, a fine example of the many wetlands in Algonquin Park.

Head Creek Marsh is home to a great variety of birds & animals. Creatures living here include Ring-necked Duck, American Bittern, Snapping turtle, River otter, Mink and Great Blue Heron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a very scenic ride, along the Madawaska River, where there were rapids and a waterfall

All told, we rode about 14km – not bad!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After our 2:00 rounds, we decided to have a fire, burning our ‘tips’. A few campers gave us firewood that they had left over when they were leaving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually, we got a nice fire going and sat out with a glass of wine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly, our two week stay ends tomorrow and we have to pack up.

It has been a great adventure!

Friday, May 24, Day 13

Happy Birthday, Matt!

I spent the morning at Mom & Dad's, doing a bit of cleaning. Both of them are improving slowly. Have to be patient......

Had a good drive back to the Park. Nothing remarkable to report.

Thursday, May 23, Day 12

It was raining lightly this morning when Marcel left to make the rounds and I left for Whitby at 7:15.
The drive across Hwy 60 was uneventful until km 9 (the highway is measured with kilometer markers from 0 at the West Gate to 56 at the East Gate) when I spotted someone standing in the middle of the road. As I got closer, I realized it was a moose facing away from me!. Of course, I stopped & watched. He turned to look at me, then ambled off through the ditch and disappeared into the woods.

It rained off & on all the way to Gravenhurst, when, just south of there the skies opened and the rain was torrential almost causing me to pull off. After a short time, it stopped and the rest of the way was dry.
When I arrived at 11:00, Mom was sleeping & Dad was out, so I let myself in. Dad returned from disposing of the recycles & Mom got up. We got her settled in her chair, using the walker. She is improving slowly.
After lunch, we went for a walk down the hall & back with some encouragement - gotta keep moving!

Later, Dad & I went grocery shopping then made supper. Spent a quiet evening, visiting with a friend who dropped in.

Wednesday, May 22, Day 11

We don’t think it rained last night although the forecast is still calling for showers.

One section of the campground was empty yesterday afternoon, so Marcel decided to do a quick ride around to see if there were any arrivals in the evening. Unfortunately, he was about one third of the way around when the skies opened up & it rained heavily for 5 – 6 minutes! Just enough for him to get soaked. There were no new arrivals. The rain stopped, so we took an umbrella & walked the rest. 

We went for a bike ride to Lake of Two Rivers Campground & visited the Hosts there. The black flies are out after the rain.  

After lunch, we did our rounds with an umbrella since it was raining again. The campground is pretty quiet. Did a load of laundry, after scrounging some loonies from a fellow camper.

 

I went to the Visitor Centre for internet which was unstable due to the weather. It is satellite based and it is pouring rain this afternoon. I decided to go to my parent’s in Whitby tomorrow morning for a day since Mom hurt her back and is incapacitated. I'm sure Marcel can handle things at the campground.

 

The rain let up for a bit, but returned with a vengeance after supper. I feel so sorry for those in tents when it rains so heavily & for so long!

Tuesday, May 21, Day 10

Through the night there was a thunderstorm and heavy rain for a short time. When we woke up at 6:30 and it was not raining. We walked our rounds and checked in at the office.

 

When we got back, Marcel went for a nap and I went for a bike ride to the Two Rivers store to see what they have. I was going to the Two Rivers campground, but when I came out of the store, the sky looked menacing, so I headed back to our site. On the way, there was lightening & thunder. The rain started just before I arrived, but it was light. It did rain heavily for a couple of hours so we just hung out in the RV. Marcel watched a DVD (no TV reception, remember). 

The rain almost stopped by 2:00, so we set out on our bikes for the afternoon rounds. Two thirds of the way around, rain started again, so we ditched the bikes and took the car to finish. The occupancy count this afternoon stands at 22.

 

 

After reporting to the office, we went to the Visitor Centre. Along the way, we saw two moose at the roadside.

That makes 7 moose spotted, as well as 2 marten, several rabbits 2 turtles and of course red squirrels and chipmunks so far.  

The rain has left for now, but is supposed to return tonight. We will see……

Monday, May 20, Day 9

This morning was overcast and 14C (57.2F). The forecast was calling for “intermittent showers with the possibility of a thunderstorm” over the next 3 days. However, by the time we did our rounds, checked in at the office & came back for breakfast, the clouds had cleared out. There were a few campers that have packed up and left already! There are about 100 due to leave today. 

I decide to do the ‘Bat Lake’ trail, which is a 6-km loop which leads through a variety of Algonquin forest types and includes lookout, a bog and a lake.

Tiny differences in history & structure of soils can have big consequences for the forests that grow on them. At the beginning of the trail, we walked through a uniform forest of White Pine, Balsam Fir and White spruce. There are no Sugar Maples. This is because the soil is based on sand and maple seedlings can’t survive in sand.

 

 

 

 

We walked alongside a “babbling brook” which was very pretty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To our surprise, we encountered this large piece of ice, which must have fallen from the rock above!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We passed through one of the largest and most impressive stands of Eastern Hemlock to be found in the Parkway Corridor of Algonquin, nicknamed “Cathedral Grove”. They are important havens for different kinds of wildlife, ranging from two species of warblers that nest up in the canopy, to deer that often find winter shelter beneath the snow-catching branches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After leaving Cathedral Grove, we reached the lookout, which afforded a wonderful view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually, we arrived at Bat Lake, which is a pretty lake. However, it is one of 15 lakes in Algonquin known to be acidified. The water here has a pH of 4.8, meaning that it is about 50 timed more acidic than other Park lakes which generally have a summertime surface pH of around 6.5. Bat Lake has no capability at all to neutralize the acid rain that now falls or drains into it, and it cannot support fish.

Although the mention of an “acidified lake” conjures up visions of a sinister and sterile wasteland, Bat Lake is swarming with life. The most spectacular visitors to Bat Lake are the Yellow-spotted Salamanders. These exotic-looking miniature dragons spend most of the year on land. In early spring they return to the water to breed and lay their eggs. In most lakes, both the adult and salamander tadpoles would be annihilated by fish. Here in Bat Lake, however, there are no fish, which makes it a salamander paradise. 

All in all, it was an interesting hike, outlining how the slight differences in soil can have far-reaching consequences for the forest. However, we didn’t see any wildlife today.

After returning from the trail, we rested before doing the 2:00 rounds. This time it was fairly easy, with almost 100 campers departed! The campground went from 123 occupied sites this morning to 25 this afternoon. 

 

Then it was off to the Visitor Centre to check email and update the Blog. The rain and thunderstorms have not showed up yet. We’ll see what happens tonight!

Sunday, May 19, Day 8

We slept in until 7:00 this morning, since we don’t have turn in our log until 8:30. There were a few raindrops falling when we set out on our rounds at 7:30, so for insurance we took an umbrella.

Smart move, since part way around, it really started raining. We came across a tent camper with 2 young daughters who was going to pack up & leave a day early because it was cold & raining. He also asked how he could get rid of the “fruit flies”. He hadn’t brought any bug spray for the black flies, which weren’t all that bad. 

While we were at the office, this same man came in to say he was leaving! He had packed up fast. We also learned that a couple was evicted this morning for disorderly conduct & drunkenness last night. 

 

Then it was back to our site for breakfast – scrambled eggs & trout! It was delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rain has let up and after a delicious breakfast, I went to the Visitor Centre for internet.

I got back in time for our 2:00 rounds. The campers beside us left a day early and gave us their firewood! On the rounds, we found several campers who were booked until tomorrow, but packed up & left today. Too bad, because it cleared up & was sunny & warm in the afternoon.  

Next job was laundry, which was interesting since the machines take a loonie – which I never have! Managed to get some from the office and got the job done. 

We went for a walk-about after supper and heard from the Wardens that someone was setting off fireworks last night & got a warning. Those folks were packing up to leave when we went by. It is another lovely evening with a low predicted of 14C (57.2F).

All in all, it was a beautiful day!

Saturday, May 18, Day 7

It was nice to wake up to see sunshine and no frost! However, it did go down to 0C last night. After our morning rounds, I counted 96 sites occupied. 64 of those will be leaving Monday!

It was a beautiful day, with the temperature going up to 26C (79F). The rest of the sites were filling in through the day.

Marcel decided to try fishing again, after seeing some fish swimming around just in front of our site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He wasn’t having any luck using a piece of salmon for bait, so settled in to wait……and wait.

 I used my Girl Guide training (????) to get a fire going in the fire pit. It was nice to sit by the fire in the sunshine. We ended up having steak for supper, since he didn’t catch anything. Just as well, I suppose, since I am not about to clean fish!

One of the campers who goes fishing stopped by on his way back & said he had some fish for us. Later, he came over with some Lake trout for us, all cleaned & filleted! Awesome! 

By the time we did our fourth walk-around at 7:30pm (we are only supposed to do rounds at 7am & 2pm), we counted 123 sites occupied and 94 of those due to leave on Monday. There will be a line-up at the dump station!

 

 

 

 

The lake was so serene this evening, with a single canoe on it.

 It was a lovely evening for a walk.

Friday, May 17, Earthquake! Day 6

It was very chilly last night! The furnace & heater were working hard to keep up to the -1C temp!

After morning rounds and breakfast, we experienced an earthquake! The TV was bouncing, as was the whole trailer. At first, we didn’t know what it was, until we heard on the radio that it was an earthquake. Apparently 5.3 on the Richter scale. According to Earthquakes Canada's website there were two automatic detections of a seismic event in Eastern Canada.

The first seismic event took place at 9:43 a.m. about 18-kilometres Northeast of Shawville, Quebec. The magnitude was 5.2 on the Richter Scale. The aftershock came 10 minutes later.

Earthquakes Canada reported a second seismic event with a magnitude of 4.1 at 9:53 a.m. The quake lasted between 10 to 40 seconds.

Once that was over, we set off on our bikes to ride the Old Railway Bike Trail from Mew Lake to Pog Lake, a 6 km ride. However, we ended up riding 5 km before starting on the trail over to Lake of Two Rivers and back before finding the trail!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Old Railway Trail follows the old Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway for 16 km between Cache Lake and Rock Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail can be accessed by crossing this old airfield which was constructed from 1934 to 1936 during the Great Depression as an emergency landing strip. It was closed to planes in 1973.

 

 

 

 

 It was a pleasant ride, fairly flat and alongside  the lake, with a few boggy spots.

 We reached the dam on the Madawaska River, found the Pog Lake Comfort Station (flush toilets) and started back on the trail. By the time we got back to the campground, we had ridden 18.62km. Saddle sore! After a cool night, the temp went up to a sunny 20C (68F)

 

Once again, we made it back in time for out 2:00 rounds. There were a few more occupied sites, but not as many as expected. I’m sure there will be a big influx this evening! So far, we have averaged 30 sites occupied per day out of 131 available sites.

Thursday, May 16, Day 5

There was clear blue sky when we got up at 6:30 (with the alarm!). Did our rounds at 7:00 and turned in the log to the Campground Office. 

After breakfast we drove to the Hardwood Lookout Trailhead. This is an 0.8km loop which takes you through a typical Algonquin hardwood forest and culminates in a fine view of Smoke Lake and the surrounding maple hills. Although many people think of Algonquin as being “up north”, the Park is actually dominated by distinctly southern elements – trees, plants and animals which aren’t found very much north of here. The hardwood forest is one of these southern features and is a living system very different from the more typically northern coniferous forests which can be seen elsewhere along Highway 60.

It is amazing how the foliage struggles to survive! This tree is rooted over a rock

and it is a very tall tree!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail was fairly rough in places 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

but led to a beautiful lookout over Smoke Lake.

The lakeshore is lined by a fringe of coniferous trees, but the big, rounded hills are covered, almost exclusively, by hardwood forest. These forests are the most important source, in Ontario, of Sugar Maple and Yellow Birch whose valuable wood we use in many ways.

We took the side trip to the Red Spruce Stand, which in Ontario, this tree is restricted to isolated pockets on the west side of Algonquin Park and neighbouring Haliburton County.   The most interesting thing about Red Spruce in Algonquin is why it is found here at all, nestled in little pockets like this one or sometimes near lakeshores, but quite cut off from the species’ main range in New England & the Maritimes. The probable reason for its occurrence here is that Algonquin’s west side is higher than surrounding areas and therefore has a measurably cooler climate.  

From there we went to the Peck Lake Trail, which is a 2.3 km loop trail that goes around the shoreline of Peck Lake. The guide that was available at the start of the trail was very informative about what makes a lake tick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw many twisted tree trunks, including this one that came down across the trail.

 There were pages of information that would bore most people, so I won’t go into it. Far from being just big tubs of water, lakes are complex and delicate living systems, with hundreds of kinds of plants and animals, separate from the surrounding forest and yet intimately affected by the chemistry of the rocks they lie on and the air above. Unfortunately, there is a potential danger that Peck Lake and many others in Algonquin could become so acidic that most living things, including fish, would be unable to live here.

 

Our next stop was at the Cache Lake Historic Site which had interpretive panels showing the important role Cache Lake played in Algonquin’s early cultural history and a sample of the railroad track.

Cache Lake was the hub of Algonquin Park from the 1890’s to the 1950’s. Park Headquarters, a major railway station and a large hotel, the Highland Inn, occupied this site during those years. The Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway constructed through the southern part of Algonquin Park began operation in 1897, with the Algonquin Park station being built in 1906. The rail line was a busy freight and passenger route in the early years and the main way to come to the Park until Highway 60 was completed in 1936. Local use declined and the last train ran in 1959.

 

Of course, we got back to the campground in time for our afternoon rounds!

Wednesday, May 15, Algonquin Circle Tour, Day 4

This morning we woke up at 6:00 to light rain and 5.4C (41.5F). It had rained off & on through the night. By the time we left to make our rounds at 7:00 it was clearing but there is a chance of thunderstorms. 

After completing our rounds on our bikes, we turned in our log to the office by 8:00.

We decided to drive out the East Gate to Whitney to the LCBO due to the impending strike. However, after getting to Whitney, we carried on to Halliburton and stopped at Liz’s cottage. This is the cottage from the lake. 

 

 

 

No one was home and we continued on west on Hwy 118 to Hwy 35 which took us to Hwy 60 and back to the Park via the West Gate.  All told, it was probably 350km drive today, as the clouds dissipated and the sun shone.  

We were late for our 2:00 rounds, but the park is quiet presently. I’m sure things will change on the long weekend upcoming!

It’s amazing what difference a day makes! The afternoon is beautiful, sunny and 18C (64.4F)

Tuesday, May 14, Day 3

We woke up this morning at 6:30 to clear skies, sunshine and -1.7C. There is no wind and the lake is smooth as glass.

 

Morning rounds went quickly. We are getting into a routine!

 

 

 

 

After breakfast we went to the Visitors Centre where there is Wi-Fi. I got caught up on emails and posted 2 days of the Blog. The Centre is full of many fascinating and informative displays. One could easily spend a few hours there. There is a deck behind the Centre which offers a magnificent view.

We will return every couple of days for internet!

 

 

 

 

On the way back to the campground, we stopped at the Lookout Trailhead.  

The Lookout Trail is a 1.9-km loop which climbs up through a young Algonquin forest to the top of a high cliff, follows the cliff brow for 100 metres then descends back down.










In addition to the spectacular view from the cliff top, the trail affords several good opportunities to observe a variety of the park’s geological features.
The trail starts at 455 metres above sea level and ascends to 525 metres.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a late lunch, we cycled around on our afternoon rounds, stopping to chat with some of the campers. The black flies are out now that it has warmed up!

Marcel decided to try some fishing on our site,

but no bites.

Monday, May 13, Day 2

The furnace worked overtime last night! The temperature dropped to a low of -1 and the snow continued. It was a mix of sun/cloud and 0C (32F) at 5:30 this morning and the snow looked so pretty. Decided to drive around this morning to make our rounds and fill in the log. Marcel had to scrape the windshield!  (1840)

 

 

After completing our rounds, we walked to the campground office to turn in the log by 8:00. It was a winter wonderland in May with the snow glistening in the sunshine.

 

 

 

 

 

As yesterday was such a stressful day, we went for a nap at 11:15. LOL! By the time we woke up at 1:00, the temp has risen to 6.2C (43F) and the snow has all gone. We brought bug jackets, but so far, no bugs!

 

We completed our afternoon rounds uneventfully, checked out another trail, then hunkered down inside keeping warm.

Sunday, May 12, 2013 Algonquin Park, Day 1

Today, we are going to Algonquin Park for 2 weeks, volunteering as Campground Hosts. As such our duties consist of checking each campsite for proper permits, completing a log and turning it in to the campground office by 8:00am. After 2:00pm (check-out time), we make the rounds again to ensure that anyone due to leave that day has departed. Once again, we report any problems to the office, as we have no authority to enforce any rules. That is a good thing! It is the Warden’s responsibility to follow up on any concerns.

It will be an interesting 2 weeks, since we only have electric hook-up, no water or sewer. Rather than carry a full tank of fresh water (104 gallons), we will fill up on arrival at the park.  

We were packed up and on the road at 10:30, which was only ½ hour later than planned. It is a chilly, windy morning with the temperature hovering around 2C (35.6F). Shortly after starting out, it started raining and continued until we stopped in Huntsville for fuel when it turned to SNOW! People were wishing each other Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

We arrived at the Mew Lake Campground office at 1:30 and received our instruction regarding our duties as Campground Host. Then it was off to our site to get settled in.  

The skies cleared and it stopped snowing while we set up. However, once all set up, we realized that we forgot to fill up the fresh water tank! So, we pack up, hook up & head off to the Sanitation Station for water. It is still windy, cold & snowing. 

Finally, we are back at the campsite & settled in. It was 8C (46F) inside, so on went the furnace! Then it was off to make our rounds of the campground to check that anyone that was supposed to leave today has vacated their site. It is about 4.4 KM to cover the campground.  The snow flurries continued as we made our way around. Fortunately, we didn’t encounter any problems on our first day. 

It was an early night tonight, since there are no TV channels! Guess we’ll catch up watching DVDs.

April 19, HOME!

This morning is cloudy, 15.6C (60F) as we got on the road at 8:10.
Took the 481 N bypass around Syracuse as it warmed up to 21C (70F).

At 10:20, we were back on I-81, which is a terrible road! Fortunately had a tail wind all the way which helped the fuel consumption.

We crossed the 1000 Islands Bridge at 10:42 and arrived at Canada Customs at 10:50. There was only one vehicle ahead of us and we were through and back in Ontario by 10:54! No problem. 21C (70F).

After turning west on Hwy 401, the tail wind has become a cross wind! Rain started at 11:20 and continued most of the way to the Thickson Rd exit in Whitby. Went north & pulled in to the Home Depot parking lot at 1:50. Dad met us there & took us to their place for a visit.








We were back on the road at 3:30 and after a fuel stop in Brechin, where it is 8C (46.4F), arrived home at 7:55. From the sound of the weather forecast, we will be winterizing the trailer! Snow tomorrow!
Today's drive was 775 km. The total mileage for the trip was 11,691 km, of which 7,456 km was pulling the trailer.

Thursday, April 18, Heading home

Sunny and 16.5C (61F) this morning as the decision was made to head for home directly. We had planned on stopping in Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey in order to add those states to our "states we have slept in" map.
At 8:30, we were on the road and at 8:40 entered Virginia. Diesel in Virginia is the cheapest we have seen so far on our travels: $3.659/gallon. ($.99/L).

We followed the I295 bypass around Petersburg and Richmond as the temperature rose to 22C (71.6F).
At 11:15, we encountered a construction delay, where we averaged 10 - 15 mph for 5 miles. Finally at 11:55 we reached the end of the road work and got back up to 60mph!

After taking 495N around Washington we crossed the Potomac River and entered Maryland. Light rain has started.
We stopped in Frederick, Maryland for fuel and lunch. At 2:00 we were back on the road, heading north on US 15.

Light rain continued as we entered Pennsylvania at 2:35 and the temperature has dropped to 16C (60.8F).

We met up with I-81 at 3:40 as the northward trek continued.

This route takes us through mountains (1800 ft.), and from 4:20 - 5:05 we encountered dense fog, which made for tense driving.

One more fuel stop at 6:30. BRRRRRR it has cooled off and is a windy 14C (57F)!

At 6:55, we entered New York and continued on to Cortland. Arrived at Cortland Country Music Park and Campground at 7:55pm. Hooked up power & water but didn't unhook the truck, ready for a quick get-away in the morning. This is a nice park, so it is a shame that we won't be staying long!
Mileage today was 875 KM.

Wednesday, April 17, North Carolina

We had planned on making an early departure, but Marcel met a fellow Nortel employee. By the time they finished reminiscing, we were delayed by an hour!
After fuelling up, we were on the road at 9:50 under sunny, 21C (70F) skies.

Bursts of colourful flower beds planted through North Carolina's Wildflower Program dot many highways and enhance the state's beauty.
The program is funded by the sale of personalized and specialized licence plates.











At 1:00, we pulled in to a rest area, but it was full so we kept going. It has warmed up to 28C (82.4F), so the A/C is on!

When we arrived at the RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads in Roanoke Rapids, NC, it was 30C (86F).
We have a very nice site, complete with a gazebo!









Since it was so hot & humid, we took advantage of the inviting pool to cool off with one last swim. Thunder was rumbling around and clouds were gathering, so rain is in the offing.


Sure enough, I just got back from showering when the rain started. It stopped after a short time and we were able to BBQ.