On the move again! Sunday 😁

Been a really good stay here in Guelph Ontario, with Mike, Linda, Tyler&Lindsay, Noah, & Michael. The MacKillop family. 

Likely they will sell their home before we ever get back here again, so be different next time around, that is if we make another trip out east. 

The area here is nice to tour around, but really we come to visit with our friends. This time was quite different, as they were gone when we got here, so we got to visit with their children to start, then after Just Linda, as Mike had to be away with work for the last week, today we all be here, tomorrow we leave for Quebec and a short visit there with a friend we met at Arrowvale campground, Kat and her son River. 

We discovered a few places here that are memorable, the kissing 😘 bridge, Elora, we had been there before, Niagara falls, that was really fun, was our third time there, but this time was the best! A couple casinos, no big wins. We got to watch videos of when the kids here were very young, was so fun watching with them, the kids, was so much laughing as they watched themselves, and there parents so long ago. I'm really glad now we video-ed those times.

I have many to go through, and hopefully get them either changed to digital, or just video them with my phone. Make it easier to find what I want. Is a really big amount of 8mm video we have. Physically it doesn't look like that much, but each one is 2 hours of video, WOW that's like 25 reels, x 2 hour's, 50 hours of video. I'm guessing at 25, might be more or less. 

Moving on here, I called ahead to a campground not far away, I'll bring the trailer there on our way outta town to empty our sewage before we head across country. Our problem with Rambo is still there, it starts, but not like I believe it should, so for now I'm got to go with it till it either gets to be worse, or I find a shop that I believe will be able to diagnose it properly. The shop here added some additive to help, but they couldn't figure it out. 

Two days it'll take to get to Eastman Quebec, we'll stop a night on the way somewhere, not sure where yet. I signed up for harvest hosts, but is very limited places on the way there, so will see if the one I've picked be ok. It's a cider making place, that uses solar only to operate, so that be interesting in itself. Just stay a night, and off the next day, but not a campground, just a parking lot, that will be off the road. 

Might not stop there, depending on how I feel as we travel, we will have breakfast here before we leave with our friends, so maybe have loads of energy to carry us through longer. Always like to get far enough the first day of a 2 day trip, so we can have an easy short trip next day. 

Polly is up now, she's making dinner for us all today, so always up a little early when she has a plan. Just starting to get light out now, I've really enjoyed the early morning's here, our back window points south, so sunrise is just a head turn away every morning as I peck away here, or just read what's gone on in the world 🌍 as I slept. 

Looking forward to traveling again, we have a campground in Eastman already for us, no water, but power, will be there about 4 days and nights, we stayed there before, is a really nice place. Then across the boarder to Boston for a couple nights at a church parking lot, then onto New York, we have a campground there we'll stay in for a week. Really looking forward to the city, we know we can't walk as far as we used to so a hop on hop off bus be our go to now, if they still are operating. 

Polly just telling me now "We have to sit down and do a review of this site!" LoL 😂 what a joker hey. 

   Morning view today, every day here 🤗

We've had colder morning's lately, really is time to fly south alright, just hard to leave really good friends. Seems like we just didn't have enough time together, but that's the way it is, we retired, they still working, Oh and holidaying too 😁

Been a really nice time here, getting to visit with the kids, who are now all adults, and time with Mike and Linda too. Will miss them sure. Today be nice, they both be home, Polly be cooking, I'm not sure what I'll do yet, but I'm sure be some getting ready to leave stuff I'll be up to. 

Sure do love our travel life ❤️ 

Garage getting Rambo's fuel filter changed and look at why it's slow cranking?

    Our parking spot for a couple weeks. 

Our pickup is one of the parts of our travel we have to have working properly at every turn of the key. So that last couple turns I've had a bit of a sinking feeling, slow to turn, and sometimes won't start, have to stop turning over, then next try it starts. This has been getting worse, so today, now we are situated where we are in the same place awhile, and a good community to get work done, I chose to giter done! 

Vinnies mr fix it, on Dawson, in Guelph Ontario. I went to another shop, that recommended this shop. I'm feeling confident they know what they are doing, and will get the problem resolved today. 

This is our third day here, haven't done too much yet, washed CC our trailer yesterday, and Rambo too. Just got the report from the mechanic, all seems good, fuel filter not too bad, but replacement in now. Battery ok he says. Will see tomorrow morning how it starts. 

That was fast! I like it when that happens. Hopefully all is good now. Mechanic says might be the alternator? He saw the gauge not coming to charge right away when started. I'm like, well whatever it takes, we want no problems on the road. 

Life always something at every turn, not a big deal, as long as you attend to it right away, not wait till it becomes a big problem. I thought of changing the filter myself, but really, I don't want to screw it up, and at a garage, they have everything to continue if the fix doesn't work. 

Home now, had a few little fixes here to do, now for the sit down and probably a snooze 😴 lol. Polly did a really good cleaning inside the trailer today while I was gone. 

Life is good, if ya just enjoy it not fight it!

Love our life ❤️

Thunder Bay, Wawa, Sault St Marie.

I'm going to try to put in words what yesterday felt like as we caught glimpses and full out views of Lake Superior with sunshine all the way, as well as trees in the most beautiful colours I could imagine. Very hard to throw out words that can describe the feeling's Polly and I had as we traveled along, stopping here and there for a walk on the beach, or just a view we wanted to relish for a minute. 

I saw so many photo opportunitys, just driving not possible, Polly did take a few, I'll add her, but mostly we just watched the scenes go by in awe 😲🍂🍁🍂😲

Warm sun beats in the window right from the start of the day when we left the truck stop we stayed in just past Wawa, as the visitor center now has sign's saying "No camping here." So we didn't stay, instead we stay over where we got fuel. Was a little noisy in the night, as a truck running beside us, but we managed to get to sleep, and had a very good sleep 

 

Coffee ☕ was at the fuel station, so Polly brought in the slides as I picked up 2☕☕, and off we went. Wawa didn't get any business from us this time. First stop was Old Woman Bay.

Was nice to visit here, walk on the beach for a few minutes, as usual Polly looked for stones 😄 

I can't add too many photos here, or this gets hard to open, so I'll leave it to FB to show off photos. 

We stopped again at another beach, then we found out we were supposed to pay to park. New to us.

As I write now Polly is getting ready to go out, a drive into "The Sault" as many call it, get a few things, and take a look around the town. I'm sitting in the sun, warm and content to write, and look up every once in awhile at the view here the water, the other trailers, and the dog barking crow cawing, and me moving from sun soaked chair to chair. 

We woke today hearing the news of Florida, not as bad as they predicted, still some died, some got trees on them, and some flooded. We hope to still spend our winter there, will see how it pans out as the days ahead unfold. Sad to hear the news anyway, I know this has happened many times before, yet still sad to hear. 

A trailer just moved out, end of the season here, the park closes on the 15th, a couple days after we leave. It will be harder to get sites now as we travel, until we get below New York I'm thinking. Nice feeling knowing we are really self contained if need be. 

My message here is we had a beautiful drive to here, and I'm sure be beautiful again towards Guelph, but the lake we saw is behind us now, will see some of lake Huron, but nothing like we've seen so far. Sudbury we will pass by this time, but want to stop at Parry sound to see what it's like. I better call the campground while I think of it. 

I'm thinking I could just stay right here all afternoon. I hear Polly, I'm thinking she's ready now. Well, be nice in the Sault too! 

Sure love this life of travel ❤️

 

What a rush! 😬

Coming into Thunder Bay, we thought the municipal campground was still open, but no, so plan "B" we called another in the area, unsure if it would be ok, was I thought on the Indian reserve, so a little unsure if would be decent. I called and got a nice voice on the other end, Amanda was her name, yep we have a site here will fit you in. 

Was approaching 5pm, so yeah, we wanted to set our selves plus somewhere for the night, maybe 2. I punch in the phone for directions, and off we go. Directions said be on the other side of town, really didn't care at this point, just wanted to get settled, and this place was by the lake, looked good. 

Stopping at the first of all the red light's this road had to offer, of course Polly has to say, "ya get stopped at one, going to get stopped at them all" of course she was right 👍. Didn't matter, we didn't have long to get there the gps said. Down this road, then along this one, then over the bridge 

Oops 😬, I stopped, Polly says, are you sure? Can you make it? I look behind in the mirror's, I got 4 car's behind me, and my nose of Rambo is just about to go into what I'm really unsure if we'll fit through. I breath in deep, and slowly continue ahead looking in my mirror's one side then the other, crawling across a bridge beside another bridge, I said to Polly, I didn't know they made Bridges like this. 

I could feel my heart beating through my chest, I looked from one side to the other, then I realized I just had to go with it, and hold steady all the way to the end, then as I looked ahead, all I could see is all the scrapes and bent metal of many that hit here and there all the way along the metal guards. Holly crap, I still have to dodge the metal guards at the end, they have a bend, and so does the road, and not the same direction. 

I held it to the left as long as I could, to avoid scraping the right back end of the trailer as we cleared the outlet of the bridge. WOW, I think we made it without a scratch, but I really wasn't sure. The road after led to an intersection, turn left said the GPS, and away we went again, towards the campground. 

I have never seen so many patches, such a terrible road, then my thoughts went to all the TV reports of how terrible it is on reservation's in Ontario, I remember that clean drinking water was a huge problem, well now I'm getting a look at something else I didn't expect, roads that are worse than newfound, although most the potholes are filled, there are so many that the whole road is a patch. WOW.

We make a turn, then some more pop patchwork, and we arrive at our campground. Driving in is a really nice place, at the end of an unreal road and bridge. I parked in front of the office, and walk through the door to a very nice building. Amanda I ask, yes she said, I'm Brent, I called, yes she said, then I asked about the bridge. She said you didn't go that way did you? Oh yes I did, GPS, she explained the correct route to me, but also said that school busses go over that bridge, I'm surprised that bridge is still in operation, yet maybe not surprised. 

I'm thinking that no politician that promises the world to many has ever been over that bridge, or on the reserve here. Wow is all I got to say, looking back now I thought I'm lucky to have made it over that bridge unscratched, Polly got out and looked,I haven't yet. I'm still in shock that a bridge that narrow is still in use. Or that a road can be that badly patched and not get replaced. 

Today well have a look around here, fuel ⛽ on the reserve is always cheaper, so I'll buy it here, Amanda told me the best place to get it. She also, after I asked, told me of a route to the top of the mountain here that is right behind, or in front of the campground. I'm sure the views from there will be fantastic. As we headed to the campground, I said to Polly, I'd never notice that mountain here before, we were always at the other end of town. 

Amazing what you see when u get the closed campground & the quickest GPS route. 

I'm finishing this tonight, in a small town called Wawa, as we stay a night on our way east. 

Before we left the campground in Thunder Bay, I asked a few questions about the road, and the bridge, I gathered that the road condition is due to an accident many years ago, two first nations young people died in a high speed accident, so the council didn't want the road resurfacing done, want it patched so no high speed driving be done. As for the bridge, it just got back in use a couple years ago, an argument between CN, and town, and the native band. 

I still can't believe they have a bridge that narrow in use. I'll shake my head one more time. 

I can't believe we made it across without a scratch. Never again!

Love our life ❤️ and all the surprises.

I woke early this morning thinking 🤔

Sometimes I just can't stop thoughts rushing through my brain, seems best at like 2:30-3am my "I can't get back to sleep" kick's in, and well her I am. This morning my thoughts were about two sperate times, I'll write about this one now, save the other for when I have a photo. 

We just spent a week in La Broquerie, a Municipality in Manitoba, south and a little east of Winnipeg. We are fortunate to have cousins there that we really get along with, so always a fun stop in as we travel east. This visit was great, even better than the visits we'd had before. 

I think this is the third time we have stopped here on our way across Canada, and I believe the absaloot best visit with John & Julie and family. So welcoming, so fun, just a really good time. Laughing, and playing cards, a game called "Play Nine" was what Polly and Julie played, then after watching one time I joined in, so did John. Well after that it was our afternoon or evening fun. 

That was just a bit of what we did while we were there, camped very close beside there home. I'm shaking my head at how welcoming they both are, along with their family, their son Rob, & Jody their daughter-in-law, along with 3 children,  their son "Little" John & Charlene, and their Daughter Gin & son-in-law Pavel, & their 2 children. We became immersed in the family, and welcomed completely. 

First day, after we pulled in and parked, by John & Julie's, not long and we were off to Rob & Jody's for a 🔥 fire and appetizer evening, so much good food, different food. Kids playing, friends from all around, so much love all around us at this time. Again I shake my head now, looking back at just the best time. We were the Old timers here now, I realized it after a bit, we were sitting with John & Julie being fed by many, Jody especially, another deep fried pickle, 🥒, chilli by Gin, pork tenderloin by I forgot their name's, I forgot so many, as every time I looked another couple would show up, and a few more kid's to play with the group already there. 

That was day one of our visit, what a start. We went home about 9pm, full of so much food, and full of memories of so many people we got to know that some we had met last time we were here, others we may have met before, but just not Sure. 

Our visit after was a little laid back, I can't remember it all, as so much happening each day, we just went along with their plans, and were brought here, and there, as their lives had plans ahead, all family together for the photos on Sunday, I went along to watch. I learned about poison ivy, I'm lucky I didn't get any on me, but a few others did as the photos were in and area that they said had some. Apparently not unusual here, something I've never seen before. 

As the week went on, always a child to watch as John and Julie babysit for Gin & Pavel weekly, as they both work and there kid's are too young to stay on there own yet. We had some good laughs from those kids too. 

Before we left Rob & Jody let us stay on their property, we could have stayed all winter if we wanted, so welcoming. Rob changed our trailer tires for us, & did a repair I didn't know was needed. Jody gave us dinner and breakfast, as we talked and joked at their huge table that I'm sure is full of people most every day. 

I really like all the family, the memories are going to last till we go back again, likely in a couple years. We have little John's number and address just outside Edmonton now, so likely drop in there next year on our way south, as well as another cousin Julie & Greome & family. What a great way to travel, place to place, visiting friends and family as we go. 

Today we are at a campground, just outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario, well at the very edge of the city. We do like to travel on our own ❤️ along with times we stop and enjoy the company of others. 

The next while we'll be traveling and making friends as we go, enjoying northern Ontario & the great lake's. 

I won't forget the fun we had in La Broquerie, Manitoba though. Maybe next time I'll get into Winnipeg 😀, didn't seem to important to me this time, we spent our time where we wanted, with family and friends 😍 

Loving our life ❤️ as we travel.

Sunday morning in Dryden Ontario

Was a nice drive yesterday from LA,  Broquerie Manitoba to Dryden, windy but dry most all the way. When we arrived there was a market setup in the middle of the road to the campground, so we took the roads less traveled, with all the bumps and lumps till we got to Nature's inn campground just in time to see Gerry come walking towards us, hands up letting us know to go no further till we decided which site we'd go into. Only so many big enough for our trailer he told me. 

I chose a decent site with all services, and we setup, with an invite to come and have a visit with him and his wife after we setup. So Polly and I went over to register and pay, Karen, Gerry's significant other said come-on in, want a coffee ☕, just put on a fresh pot. Well that was a nice welcome, so we sat and had a coffee with them, and yaked a bit, seeing we were about to head in the same direction, towards Florida for the winter. 

We had a really good yak, and after paid the night's fee, and connected on FB so we can see each other as we travel, possibly meet in Florida too. Their trip south includes a trip to Greece, so of course we are interested in how that goes. 

Is fun to meet others on a similar journey, even if a little different, they have a trailer here, and another home in Florida, so no towing as they travel south. Many stories to share though, we look forward to meeting them again along the way. 

We really like the visits we've had so far on our journey east, every place another fun time, and another fun group of people. La Broquerie was a really fun time with John and Julie, along with their families, so many laughs, such really generous welcome, and see y'all later times. We will return in a couple years for sure, was a really great time. 

Is still windy here, but I'm going to empty the sewage, while Polly has a shower, then dump the water, and likely we'll leave for Thunder Bay. I saw a forecast calling for some snow in the future, wanna make sure we don't get caught in any of that before we jump the boarder. Looking down the road, another hurricane 🌀 is headed towards Florida, so our plan might change as we head south, always nice to have the ability to change up as we go. 

Inside on a wet windy day, it's hard to talk myself into going out into the weather, but I will.

Love our life ❤️ of travel 👍