FALLS LAKE

FALLS LAKE

So here we are on our third ‘camping’ outing of the season, but this time we left the home on wheels turtle life behind for a family weekend in a rustic cabin in the Annapolis Valley.

We have become accustomed to having everything we need close at hand in RED II, and it felt very inconvenient having to pack personal needs and food for meals in the car.  To date we have lived in our camper since mid-May so we felt slightly out of our element deciding what to take and leaving her behind parked sadly in our yard.

The Athabaska

Once arriving and settling in though it had the makings of a most wonderful memorable long weekend with nothing to do but relax and enjoy the fabulous weather.

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And because of that fabulous weather we spent the entire time outdoors…..

Canoeing

Exploring

SUP’ing

Hockey-ing

Evening activities were centred around shared meals and catching up on family news…

Conversing

Camp fires were lit (wet wood meant toilet paper starters)…

Camp Firing

Marshmallows were toasted…

Roasting

….and eaten in great quanties…

Marshmallow Eating

Once the weekend was over my family from away came home for one more day of visiting. Papa gave a guided tour of his prized garden while providing details of our local feathered friends.

Exploring

We don’t have a lot of visitors in our little camper so it was especially nice having an enthusiastic guest.

Camper Visiting

Our next camping reservation was supposed to have been next week but for now will be staying close to home….VERY close to home.  F was out on a cycling expedition with friends the other day and had a wee accident…broken clavicle, cracked ribs is all…and maybe a bruised ego. For now we are on a self-imposed holiday.  Camping and so many other things will have to take a back seat while ‘we’ heal.

My French Patient

We have reservations for activities next month but that will depend on if’s, when’s and what’s.  As you can see, ‘adventures’ don’t end for us just because we are no longer on the water.  Back soon for an update…

…peace and love…

VACATION with a PURPOSE

VACATION with a PURPOSE

Hi there sailing RED folks.  Glad you dropped by because we have some news.  You know by now our dear R.E.D. has been sold (story here, here and here if you missed it) and is living very happily with a lovely family in the Yukon. At present she has been put to bed for the winter months in the fashion she so deserves…in a hanger with a couple of planes. Really!

New Winter Digs

Having made sure RED was at her happy home, we set about taking a wee break.  The plan was to visit family in New Brunswick…we’re allowed without quarantine because it’s a part of our Atlantic COVID bubble….at present, unlike other parts of the country and certainly the rest of the world we have no active cases of this very troublesome virus.

Road to Digby

The road trip to Digby was a mere two hours and so beautiful this time of year.  To avoid additional driving we opted to take the ferry that spans the Bay of Fundy from Digby, Nova Scotia to Saint John, New Brunswick.  The Fundy Rose carried us across calm clear waters in comfort and with only half capacity allowed due to that above mentioned virus and current health regulations we had more than enough space to relax inside or out. The protocol was impressively strict…we wanted to retrieve our lunch from the car but had to be escorted to and from to make sure there were no shenanigans. Even the washrooms were segregated between we Atlantic passengers and those from away.

Fundy Rose

On the return I booked us a room at one of the Grand Dame CPR hotels from times gone by – the Digby Pines.  Typically small rooms but still an elegant lady with spectacular views.

Room with a View

With lots of time to tour around we visited Digby Neck – a peninsula with two connecting islands accessed only by ferry to the final – Brier Island – a popular whale watching tourist attraction.

The Neck

Art on the Neck

Brier Island Light House

Capturing the View

Two-hundred and Thirty Five!!!

Balancing Rock was our final tour destination in the area because who wouldn’t want to hike the two kilometres across bog and through forest, down two hundred and thirty five steps for a photo op in front of a twenty foot, twenty ton column of volcanic rock balanced precariously on a ledge overlooking St Mary’s Bay?

Balancing Rock

What  I haven’t mentioned is the ‘purpose’ part of the trip…other than visiting family.  We wanted to stop at an RV dealer – you know- just to check out possibilities, never expecting to find ‘the one’…but we did. One that checked off all our priority boxes. Like Goldy Locks – not too big, not too small. Not too heavy either with all the right pieces in the right places. Just right.

Negotiating

The dealer didn’t have what we wanted on site but gave us a firm price and promised to search for our baby, saying not to expect a call for a couple of days but he would do his best.  Well didn’t he call that very afternoon. The 2021 version, straight from the factory, same quoted price with a few extra options included. We still have an exclusion agreement that if when delivered, this isn’t what we want, we can still walk away.

Needless to say we are really excited and anticipate no change of heart. I’ve done some research (OK – a LOT!) since our first visit to the dealer, and our baby was chosen the best 2020 camper for retired couples.  We should be able to meet her in person within a month or two but until then we dream and plan our first adventure.  I found a brief sneak peek of what she will look like if you are interested (see here).

Thanks for dropping by.  Maybe the next time you hear from us we will be proud owners of a little land trawler on four wheels.  Her name is still to be determined. We’re open to ideas but for now until we get to know her , she will be referred to as R.E.D.II

BREAK TIME

BREAK TIME

A little break from our remaining days on the water and home renos felt like a mini vacation to us.

Last year when my family visited we spent the day on R.E.D.(Story here) but now that the newest member of the crew has arrived we spent the time on land-based activities….

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Our Guests

…attending the Great Pumpkin Festival…

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The Great Pumpkin

…a visit to the park…

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Making Friends

…the Festival of Lights in the Chinese Garden…

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.Festival of Lights

…and a super treat was having dinner prepared for us, easily the most delicious curry we have ever tasted.  Can’t wait to try it out in the galley.

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Guest Chef

The time passed far too quickly but it was quality time.

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Captain, Baby and the Pig

Family visits are always pleasant, but now it’s time to get back to the boat to enjoy those last few days before haul-out.