Camping in Sleeping Giant 2016

I know, this is a couple of weeks late... sorry. The full web album of photos can be seen at: https://goo.gl/photos/n8WRLevGZZf5Jh3s9 (I'm posting some of my shots, but in the album you can see photos that Mandy took as well)

Sleeping Giant 2016

Camping 2013 - day 5

We were still debating the idea of packing up in the morning until Mandy got outside.

She saw our washing trays and with the excitement of the rain we must have forgotten to empty them. Well the dirty eater one must have smelled good to one mouse as it had sacrificed itself to try to get some.

As I emptied it out and threw away that tray Mandy says she is now ready.

Not that we're throwing in the towel... But it's supposed to rain all day (luckily it's not now) and that would make for an especially cooped up experience... And if it's still wet under the tent.. We'd just be miserable. Pack things away as dry as we can get them and get home.

And, really it's only one extra day we're giving up... apparently the next day was supposed to be 32C, so things would dry easily (whereas now packing them away wet I'll HAVE to ensure I unpack them on a hot day to dry and air out so no mould gets on them), but that means enduring a day full of off and on rain - plus to get rid of the under pool we had would mean nearly putting everything away to move the tent... just not worth it.  So we packed up.

And wow... with the moisture it was HUMID.  Taking it all down took like 10x the effort and time to get it done.  It was so muggy that my phone was even fogged over.  Weird.

you can see that the camera lens was still foggy

But we packed up and headed on our way.  Dean wanted to stop by Terry Fox's monument on the way back in.  We had a discussion about it on the way in - about what he did to help fight a disease and how much he had to sacrifice.  I was impressed that he remembered.

Stopping in he really didn't ask many questions.  We prepared him about Terry's prosthetic.  I like to think he was caught in introspection about how he had a similar disease as grandpa had - but he was probably also tired.

Camping 2013 - day 4

I'm writing this on day 5 as we were a little preoccupied with the rain.

I saw this before I remembered
about going to the moth/butterfly
exhibit today.

Not much rain, just enough to piss you off.

We went to the visitors centre again, this time for a moth and butterfly exhibit info session.

Just for your edification, moths have 'furry antennae' and butterflies have 'bulbous' ones.  Also, moths are furry - and the #TIL was that adult moths do not have mouths.. so moths DON'T eat clothes.  Maybe they do as larva, but not as a moth.

Pretty cool stuff. Dean was really shy so didn't want to participate in the games.

After we went for a bit of a walk and then back for some relaxation time.

Mandy's parents came by around the afternoon as we were napping. They brought steaks and potatoes... 

Luckily we brought the mini barbecue. The potatoes we had to do over the fire.. Which was hard to build as it was so wet. While eating we had a visit from a few deer who didn't know to leave us alone. Tried scaring them off to no avail... Eventually it left, but came back... Rinse repeat.

Another walk showed us some cool campsites we might want to try next time - like 164.

Dean also got a visit from a chipmunk (again), this time it was brazen enough to jump up on his knee before scurrying away.

Then the rain really started coming down. So it was an early night. Dean was a little squirrely being made to go that early.

It was then we noticed the water in the tent. Turns out some movement of the tent must have caused the drop mat to get exposed and a pool of water was under the tent... So if you stepped there it felt wet and then eventually started to seep up.

We were ready to say go home.

Camping 2013 - day 3

So I pulled an old man Moore move lady night and about 130am went over to the noisy camp to ask them to quiet down.  I never wanted to be like my old man, who used to complain about the 'noisy neighbours' and remembered how embarassed I was when he would go and ask them to quiet down.  But 1:30... c'mon.  I got my head lamp on and walked over and finally about when I was just standing next to one of them (not the one with a guitar, mind you) did they finally go "oh, ssshhh... someone's here".  I just remember shaking ... not sure if it was the cold or the adrenaline.

I said "do you have any idea that it is 1:30?  Do you realize that you are in a park?  I'm on my vacation!  Keep it down"  Then I mumbled some expletives under my breath.  Not sure why I added the part about my vacation tho'... 

Then it was a nice sleep!

Pancakes were excellent this morning... Even though we made too many (I believe I eat more camping and without a full days activity like canoeing and hiking, I'll be putting on weight... Maybe the mosquitos have sucked enough out).

plenty of visitors

The sky is ominous as it's cloudy, but still warm so I'm unsure if it's imminently going to rain or not... Packed everything in containers just in case.

I read for a while outside waiting the train while Mandy and Dean were in the tent. It didn't seem long, but a few hours passed and Justin and Karen came by with Alexis. Soon after it warmed up enough and we went swimming.

Dinner was hot dogs and beans (apparently the tooting kind of not jumping... According to Dean) and an assortment of desserts... Do note, that when jiffy pop days not over a campfire, they mean it.

We just hung about for a while, playing cards with the kids (Dean really loves the I spy go fish fame) until it was late and they went on home. Just in time for the pageant.

Oh yeah, a Miss Sleeping Giant 2013 pageant (though I believe the tick to have been a guy).

The porcupine stole the show though! (while the show was going on, some guy shouts "hey there's a porcupine right there")

On the way back we made use of some of the glow in the dark sticks and they are a pretty cool way to light the tent.

I have the tent we told stories... Even read some of Grimms to Dean.

So far, no noise from the neighbours! Yay

Camping 2013 - day 2

Good ol' site # 79

yeah - camping fashion
I thought I had lost the bottoms of these zips,
so I used the tops to go swimming in a hottub

The day started out okay... The new mattresses held the air quite well.

It wasn't too cold either... I was expecting worse.

We had oatmeal for breakfast and then we went for a hike at the wilderness habitat trail... Dean only went on the promise of monster cookies.  We didn't get far...a little over a kilometre in my guessing before it was really mucky.  So we headed back.

Turns out as we found out later that that would be the trail the evening activity was going to hike ... The naturalist was bemused to hear we hiked it as "nobody ever hikes there".  We decided against attending the evening event.

After, we came back and had some monster cookies and then walked about and visited the centre

.

The order of the rest of the day is a bit of a blur. Hard to do these at the end of the day...but let's see. 

We napped/laid down for a while... Dean played with his Thomas trains (something with the mat and my made up magic doors).

we brought dean's "Camera" (which has games)
hoping he'd take some nature shots

Visiting the centre Dean got to do some colouring and we looked at the animals again.

We went to the beach and it was cooooooooooold.  But we dipped our feet in anyways.  Dean spotted a bee, but I showed him that bees were yellow and black versus this was green and black... It was a LARGE dragonfly. I thought it was stuck in some long grass so I tried to free it. Turns out it was injured. As fate had it, a duck was pretty fearless at the beach so we called it over and half flicked the dragonfly over to it. Dean was amazed how fast it ate it.

Circle of life!!

When we came back we had neighbours in the back part... And they were loud and obnoxious. Bitchy girls. Like they had never been in the outdoors ever before. Luckily they quieted down somewhat before I decided enough was enough... And it did provide some humour. The park ranger just came by and warned them actually.

Lots of deer around

Dinner was hotdogs and the biscuit mix and banana boats... Which was tricky. We got a fancy new metal roaster stick.... But doesn't help to bake the pilsbury stuff... We tried wrapping it around the hotdogs in aluminium foil... Just stuck to it. Tried roasting it on... Didn't cook the bread thoroughly.. Ah well.

The banana boats we just wrapped and left on the grill... I got brave enough to lift them off and hold them in a beach towel. Mine was done perfectly!

Fire's dying down and Dean and Mandy are now in bed... I'll pour the water on in a few and go brush my teeth... Barely 11.

2/3 done Dresden #13... Good thing I downloaded #14 before we left. I think I started reading this series last year.

Tomorrow's plans are another hike (less muck and less mosquitoes), hopefully no rain and potentially a visit from some friends.

There's supposed to be thunder tonight and rain tomorrow and Sunday.

Camping 2013 - day 1

Had a later start than I wanted, finally arriving and set up around 5.

On the ride to there Dean informs us of his plan. That when he and Dylan are older they are going the be married. He'll be a daddy.  Apparently 'older' means 17.

The extra time was getting ready at home but also picking the right spot. See the original spot we booked was 119 but it turned out to be too close to the biffies. Then we tried 80, but it wasn't big enough. 3rd time back they just gave us a list of sites that were available for out time frame and let us pick. 79 it is.

Just in time for chilli (with baby bell, but didn't want it in the chilli).

After we went for a walk to see the beach, but it was too cold to swim. So we just played around on the equipment.

Time for s'mores... Almost. We readied the site and had a bit of a nap.. Ish

When it was close we ventured to the nearby "comfort station" to familiarize ourselves with the luxury (ugh) then back to start the fire.

No sooner had I started it and Mandy and Dean were getting the ingredients did I hear "Dean get in the truck, get in the truck NOW".

Weird as I look over and Mandy is climbing in too... What's up I ask. SKUNK!

2nd year in a row that our site gets invaded by a skunk within 24 hours. Ugh.

I see it come around the front of the truck and I start to move but he comes closer...into the dining tent.  I book it around behind the tent as he then goes over to the roaring fire. I hop into the vehicle.  It takes a while as it seemed like he went under the Aztek so we turned on the radio and start up the engine.  Even move the vehicle.

An eternity passes before I venture out to the now dying fire. I signaled to the others that it was safe but they still took their time.

Now it's time for s'mores!  A few then its back to the comfort station and bed time.  Listening to the loons at night is something else.

Oh...the whole day Dean is either singing "woop gungam style" or "jingle bells" (there was a program on the radio about it).  Funny having Mandy ask him "what does sexy lady mean?"

Camping trip 2012 - day 6

July 19 - Day 6

Dean slept the whole night which meant I had to stay on the deflating mattress. In the morning Dan asked to switch then and I was happy to not be touching the ground.

We all awoke and started the day. Dean had one tiny accident before breakfast, then one more just after... I'm ready for home. This has been the enough accidents.

So mommy and Dean went and watched a slide show on camping cooking while I took everything down and packed it away.

Then it was a drive home and unpack again... I feel beat.

Camping trip 2012 - day 5

July 18 - Day 5

The day started out with us switching beds again as Dean woke up. I don't mind, that little mattress really holds its air... Which is funny as it has the 

hole I can see.

Dawn arose and I woke up to what I hoped wasn't another skunk. It wasn't, or at least I couldn't tell. After that, I was up and at around the table. I warmed up the stove to find out the propane was out so I walked to the drop off for the cylinder and enjoyed the early morning and the ducks. Walking back I heard some loons. Turns out 3 of them. And, as to dispel the possibility of seeing more than one at a time, ruining their reputation as a solitary creature they split up as soon as I saw them. Interesting birds. 

Then some more ducks came out and I enjoyed watching them as well. Watching nature is something I can't describe, but is wholly absorbing and reflective. 

After I watched the neighbours put away their pop up trailer and I was thoroughly intrigued as we've been thinking on one for a while. All in all a great little morning for me and having that whole pause moment.
Then the gang woke up and we had breakfast, which was oatmeal instead of pancakes. Yay... Variety. 

After breakfast we had to deal with some more "accidents" with Dean and then got to watch two movies at the visitor centre - winter logging camp (narrated by Eric Peterson... Jackass) & Paddle to the Sea. Dean was entranced. Probably because he hasn't watched tv in 5 days.

On the way back grandpa showed up. Another couple of accidents and we had lunch of hot dogs and s'mores.

Another accident then on to the beach (as grandpa bought Dean some new beach/sand toys). Good times. Even grandpa swam.

Then it was time to start dinner on our new portable camping barbecue (from grandpa as an early anniversary gift)... And to christen the bbq - steaks... And baked potatoes (which we cooked over a fire with some green and orange peppers... Hey we had all that wood. We're using it.)

After dinner Dean and grandpa played while we took down the dining tent (one less thing to pack in the morning).

I also used the time to figure out the wet floor in the tent. My guess is after the rain some pooled under the tent on the drop cloth. So I raised up the fly and let the breeze through to dry the interior and lifted the base a little to let air and sun at the drop cloth. Didn't take long to dry. We'll see what happens in the morning.

Then grandpa left. Another catastrophic accident later which involved the throwing away of Dean's favourite towel we started our third fire of the day for marshmallows.

Dean didn't take long to crash, as he made us some glow stick necklaces, and then even got to see a star. I told him about the first star wish and he wished for a new lightning McQueen towel.

After he wanted to go to elephant's fire in the tent and pretend to roast marshmallows with him. Minutes later he was out.

Just Mandy and I to tend to the fire, and it was roaring. Huge. Then I heard a noise in the woods and flashed my light over to see a skunk raise on his front paws.. crud

We retreated to the road and eventually he passed by. The fire took 3 full emptying water bins to douse.

watching the movies (Dean was zombified -- first 'tv' he'd watched in DAYS)

gorgeous skies

oh, site 150, how we love thee

Camping trip 2012 - day 4

July 17 - Day 4

The day started out a little slow. I was dog tired. I don't think I've eaten this much while at home. Finishing everything Dean and Mandy don't eat as I don't want have food in the garbage.

We meant to make it to the early activity going to Sibley creek and learning about aquatic bugs. We meant to, but were a minute or two late (or 5) and couldn't quite find the right spot.

We found a spot for a trail anyways and went for a little hike ourselves.

After we came back and made ourselves a little picnic for the beach. We saw some butterfly wings, 2 snails in their spiral shells in the water and a mollusc (?).

When beach time was over we visited the centre again then rested. Yay... But not really. I was hoping Dean would nap as he hasn't stayed up late for a fire or stars yet. No luck.

We had one more accident with Dean and needed to do laundry and called grandpa and bought ice and wood.

Soon there after we tested out the action meals my dad gave us and they were good. Mandy opted for a freeze dried meal. Mine and Dean's said single serving, and Mandy's said 2... Not for a guy of my size as I wolfed down my meal and as I eyed up Mandy's remains of the second portion she said that she was starved so I made another meal. After I started was when Mandy saying she was full before she started her second serving... Oh well. 2 from the one I just started, the remainder of Mandy's, mine and the left overs of Dean's... I was full. So I relaxed on the saggy bed for a bit and then Dean and I walked to the beach for a stroll.

It was cold and light was starting to fade so I made it brief and headed back to start a fire and have s'mores.

Fires just getting good and Dean is now falling asleep... Too bad he missed out on the s'mores... Gotta save him some for tomorrow. Greg'll be here, maybe he'll stay late enough for a fire and some roasting marshmallows. I've got 3 bags of wood left, we're roasting something.

diorama(?) of the sleeping giant