KEJI

KEJI

Our final camping trip for this year was a trek not far down the road to Kejimkujik National Park. Kejimkujik.  That’s a mouthful isn’t it?  Pronounced “Ke – jima – koo – jik”  and translated from the Mi’kmaw to mean ‘little fairies’, it’s simply referred to as ‘Keji’ by locals.

Keji

Spreading over 400 sq km , it’s a mecca for hikers, canoeists and kayakers , bird watchers and campers, designated a dark sky preserve and the seaside portion is  a wilderness protection area. Over 80% of Kejimkujik is accessible by canoe or hiking only with 47 backcountry camping sites spread out over 17 lakes and connected by multiple rivers and streams.

En Route

We chose this as our last adventure at this time of year to see the fall colours at their optimum and we weren’t disappointed.  We expected it to be chilly so came prepared with lots of extra layers, gloves, toques and wooly socks, because as a friend of mine says ‘any fool can be cold’. But it was anything but cold. More like a moderate summer day with mostly sun and 20 deg temperatures.  Nights were cool so firing up the camper heater for a few minutes took the humidity down.  And of course there was the traditional camp fire with toasted marshmallows.

Colours of Fall

At Keji, the serviced sites are with electricity only so this was our first time dealing with no water or sewer hookup…a kind of modified ‘boon-docking’….four nights/five days to see just what we could manage with using our internal storage tanks, and it gave us three full days to explore. Each site at Jeremy’s Bay is very roomy too, strategically placed so very private and view of neighbours is minimal.  Plus there is a definitely advantage of camping this time of year. Even over the weekend there were very few visitors.

Front Door View

After setting up and enjoying a quiet supper, we took a walk around Kejimkujik Lake just before sunset, returning to light our evening campfire and discuss where to go the next day.

Keji Lake

 

Keji Lake

The choice for the day was Kejimkujik Seaside Park which was an hour and a half drive from the main camp ground. The trail to the beach through colourful bogs was a 2.8 hike ending at the stretch of beautiful white sand of St Catherine River Beach.

Seaside Bog

 

Keji Seaside Park

 

Keji Seaside Park

 

Keji Seaside Park

Day three was spent cycling around the park.  The trails and roadways are easy and safe for the most part so we explored for the better part of the day, picnicked at Merrymakedge Beach then cycled back to our camp site for a respectable 30 km ride.

Merrymakedge Beach

 

Mi’kmaw Encampment Site

 

Jake’s Landing

Kejimkujik Lake is fairly large and dotted with small islands each with designated tenting sites.  While we were eating our picnic lunch we saw a young couple, with two young kids and two cats on leashes piling their belongings into a canoe presumably heading out for an overnight adventure to one of these islands.  Imagine, two adults, two kids, two cats one canoe and  all that gear.  So brave!..or extremely patient…or both.

We continued on the bike path along the Mercy River then headed back to camp.  When one reaches ‘a certain age’, simple is so much better, don’t you think?

Mercy River

For those who prefer a little something out of the ordinary, this park offers Oasis Pods, a cross between a tent and pop-up camper.  How fun is that?  Imagine snuggling in bed at night with a view of the stars because this park is also a designated dark sky preserve with almost zero light pollution.

Sleeping Pod

On our final full day we braved the newest Keji trail, Ukme’k, which means twisted in Mi’kmaw, a 12.6 km medium level winding hiking trail along the Mercy River.  Near the end of the trek we both realized that 5 to 6 km is about our maximum for daily hiking.  Sore knees, sore feet and ankles and we were more than ready to head back to camp for cocktails laced with a couple of ibuprofen.

Ukme’k Trail

 

Ukme’k Trail

 

Ukme’k Trail

Well, we made it to our fifth day away.  Water was easy to conserve, having learned many good lessons after seven years of boating with limited resources. Potable water was available to fill our tank at the park entrance and there were filling stations throughout the park every few 100 feet as well as super clean toilet and shower facilities.  Our grey water was at capacity as was the black water tank but we easily pulled through the dump station our our way out of the park.  F purchased a back-up portable waste tank for a ‘just in case’ moment but we found we didn’t need it for this trip.

Portable Poo Pot

 

Homeward Bound

The trip home was beautiful if just a bit more muted in colour.  We think we may have chosen the best week for leaf gazing now that we’ve had a couple of days of rain and wind and any of the leaves have fallen or turned brown.

On reflection, we both feel Fundy was our favourite place overall.  Five Islands and Keji tie for second place with the Ovens a close third.  Just four outings for this our first year with our little turtle on wheels.  There are already plans in the works for next year but for now RED II is parked in our driveway, unloading and cleaning underway and appointment made for fall inspection and winterizing, after which she’ll be put to bed until next spring.

Back at our little home by the sea we begin to prepare for guests from away. We are so very thankful that for the most part we have remained healthy throughout this last couple of years of pandemic restrictions and that with a sprinkle of caution we can begin to welcome friends and family who have been eager to experience some east coast hospitality.

….peace and love…

FUNDY

FUNDY

On our first camping trip since ‘the accident’, we ventured out of province to nearby New Brunswick to Fundy National Park with 207 sq km of awesomeness, along the Bay of Fundy, boasting 25 hiking trails, 15 metre high tides, three separate campgrounds, a golf coarse, and heated saltwater pool.

#9

Front Door View

Our campsite at Chignecto Campgrounds offered cozy privacy, and even though our view was very woodsy compared with previous panoramic views, we weren’t far from some of the most spectacular vistas we had yet to see.

We spent our first day setting up camp then relaxing and making plans for the rest of the week.  The following morning, my son and grand-daughter joined us for Gramma waffles.

Breakfast

And of course, since there were at least three playgrounds within walking distance, we were obliged to explore.

Playground

My son , who lives in New Brunswick and is familiar with Fundy Park took us on a road tour of the area.

The Look Off

We Were Here

Enjoying the View

Wolfe Point Beach

On day three we headed out on our own, walking a couple of the many hiking trails in the park, then down the steep winding road to cycle around the village of Alma.

Touring

Dickson Falls Hike

Dickson Falls

Herring Cove Hike

Herring Cove Beach

My six-year-old grand-son has become quite a geologist and tasked us with bringing back as many unique rocks as we could find and of course Papa, a geo-enthusiast himself, was happy to oblige.

Rock Hunting

Alma Beach

At day’s end we combed the shore at Alma, enjoyed a beach picnic lunch, then stopped for a couple of local brew at the Holy Whale.  Four cans of their very fine brew followed us home for future enjoyment.

Pit Stop

On our final day, we ventured down the road about 45 minutes to visit a site that has been on our wish list since moving east….Hopewell Cape. At low tide, we were again able to  walk the ocean floor and view some very unique rock formations, standing 40-70 feet tall, sometimes referred to as the Flower Pot Rocks,  caused by erosion from tidal waters flowing in and out of the Bay of Fundy. Tidal  heights in this area mount to an impressive 52 feet twice during a 24 hour period.

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Returning to our little home on wheels, we concluded our Fundy stay with an easy supper, burned off the last of our camp fire logs, and shared a few final crumbs with the ‘locals’

Making Friends

Not a part of our original plans, we found out that another grand-son (jersey #10) was playing football the next evening at a high school directly on our route back home.  After packing up at Fundy, we found an easy pull-through site for RED II, grabbed a bite to eat at a local pub then joined a rowdy cheering crowd of teens and parents. Three touch downs from #10 and a final winning score of 58-0 made the stop worthwhile. So glad we were able to catch this moment Gabe!

#10

Well, that’s about it for this one. Thanks as always for stopping by.  We have one more excursion planned before we put our little turtle home to bed for the year so please drop by soon for an update. We do enjoy having you along for our life’s journey.

…peace and love….

SUMMER UPDATE

SUMMER UPDATE

Well!  The best laid plans….blah blah blah…something about mice and men….according to Wiktionary: A proverbial expression used to signify the futility of making detailed plans when the ability to fully or even partially execute them is uncertain.

That’s us.  The crew of RED II has been benched…scuttled……ship wrecked.  At least our first year plans to travel and camp…even if simply locally.  From my last post I have had several requests for an explanation about the accident

Monsieur F has fallen from his ‘bicyclette’.  He was out with friends on a bike trail (thankfully not the highway), hit a patch of loose gravel and wiped out, narrowly missing a twenty foot drop down an embankment.  He ‘hopped’ back on his bicyclette and rode back to the reconnaissance point where his friend did his best at fixing a sling and driving him to the nearest hospital.

Visit #1

Examination and X-ray ensued.  Looks bloody awful doesn’t it?

Xray

The bicyclette survived but the helmet cracked in pieces as well as F’s left clavicle..a couple of pieces with a few bone chips and cracked ribs, in fact.

Protection

My two grandsons, never having experienced anything broken on a human body, rushed to check out Papa’s injury, offering their most precious Pokemon card of power to aid in healing, which stayed carefully tucked inside the sling.

Papa’s Power

Relegated to backyard relaxing and occasional walks,  we spent the next few days just getting by. Most positions, either sitting, standing or especially sleeping were uncomfortable. He did manage a right arm point to show you the iconic Bluenose, entering St Margaret’s Bay.

‘Exercising’

As our next two scheduled camping trips had to be cancelled, including a much anticipated family reunion to Ontario, we enjoyed a good deal of down time in our little home on wheels, parked in the driveway.

Chillaxing

One momentous night, shortly after midnight, F awoke in a great deal of pain.  Not knowing what was wrong nor comfortable in driving him 45 minutes to the nearest hospital, I called an ambulance.  Within five minutes they arrived, applied heart monitor and started an IV just incase and ferried him off to Bridgewater.

After several hours in the emergency department and following visit to our family doctor it was determined he had a fractured rib on his right side…note, that the broken clavicle and cracked ribs were left side.  We figured this latest injury was due to a hit from his bicycle saddle during the fall.

The appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon went well and good advice from the physiotherapist to remove the sling gave the injured one a healthy plan to follow for recovery.

Model Building

As of the writing of this post, we have had our sixth hospital visit, this time to the Orthopaedic Clinic for a follow-up xray and examination.  F has been cleared for most restrictions with a promise to ‘respect the symptoms’, which I guess means don’t do anything stupid.

We have a much anticipated camping trip coming up soon so with great care, much caution and a whole lot of anticipation, we prepare our little home on wheels for another adventure.

Thanks for stopping by.

…peach and love…