July 2016

Phillip Edward Island backcountry kayak trip!-Level 2 with OSKC

By |2016-07-12T21:46:56-04:00July 12th, 2016|Categories: animals, backcountry, camp, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, Exploring, fish & chips, Fun, georgian bay, harmony inn, inspiration, instructors, kayak, Kayaking, killarney, Killarney Provincial Park, learning, mapping, Nature, navigating, navigation, Ontario, ontario parks, ontario sea kayak centre, Ontario Trails, outdoorproducts, Outdoors, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, sunrise, sunset, tarps, tent, tentcamping, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month when I took my level 1 Sea Kayaking Course, I had no intention of taking my level 2.  If you read my Level 1 post, you would've seen that I had an amazing time at that course!  The instructors were full of knowledge and tonnes of fun and I learned so much!  I gained confidence in my skills, refreshed some of them and learned quite a few more. And, I met some extraordinary [...]

June 2016

Massasauga solo – Feeling ill in the backcountry

By |2016-06-28T21:37:47-04:00June 28th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, beach, Bear Barrel, Bear vault, bearproof, brucetrail, camp, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, clean up our parks, Exploring, Food storage, gear, georgian bay, harmony, kayak, Kayaking, Massassauga, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, Parks, Provincial Park, sleeping bag, sleeping matt, sleeping pad, solo trip, sunrise, sunset, swimming, tent, Uncategorized, water, waterways, wind|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year I went on my first solo trip in the backcountry. It was at The Massasauga and it was awesome and I have been wanting to go back. I had every intention of spending last weekend at home.  Well my new home in Port Carling, but on Friday around 1pm, I was advised I could go home early.  So at 3pm, I decided to call it a day and packed up my camping gear. [...]

Paddle Canada Level 1 Sea Kayaking Skills Course with Ontario Sea Kayak Centre

By |2020-05-19T14:47:02-04:00June 14th, 2016|Categories: #sup, alone, Campers, camping, camping tips, campsite, Exploring, glamping, harmony, harmony inn, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hot tent, instructors, kayak, Kayaking, learning, level 1, mapping, Muskoka, Nature, Ontario, ontario sea kayak centre, Ontario Trails, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, parry sound, River, solo trip, summer tent, sunset, swimming, tarps, tent, tentcamping, Up north, walkling, walks, water, yoga|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've wanted to retake my kayaking course for some time now. I guess I should say 'retake' lightly as the first course I took in 2004 was not a certificate program through Paddle Canada and was only an 8 hour course, but, I did learn quite a few of the items that were on the list for the Paddle Canada Sea Kayaking Level 1 course. A few weeks ago I began researching a few places [...]

Wilderness Navigation – Getting Lost on purpose Frontenac PP

By |2026-04-05T13:19:07-04:00June 6th, 2016|Categories: #lost, #map, Adventure, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, bruce trail, camping, Canada, compass, day trip, declination, Exploring, frontenac, grid, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, learning, legend, mapping, Muskoka, muskoka trails, Nature, navigating, navigation, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, rose, solo trip, true north, walkling, walks, wildernessnavigation|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since my very first backcountry trip in 2002 I have been carrying a compass in my backpack on every single trip I go on.  You would think that would make me smart, but the reality is, I have never learned how to use a compass. I was never in girl guides or scouts or brownies or participated in any type of class or course to show me how to use this amazing instrument. I have [...]

May 2016

Killbear – I would never!

By |2016-05-31T19:42:19-04:00May 31st, 2016|Categories: #killbear, animals, beach, camp, Campers, camping, camping tips, Canada, carcamping, Exploring, fish & chips, Fun, georgian bay, glamping, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, kayak, Kayaking, Lookout, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Provincial Park, summer tent, tent, tentcamping, Trails, Up north|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have always wanted to go to Killbear Provincial Park.  Last year I tried out 7 new Ontario Parks and loved almost every one of them.  This year, the first on my list to try was Killbear! I went to the Ontario Parks Website  and checked out the campground and found some sites that looked great!  I contacted my friend Steph to see if she was in for doing a May 2-4 trip and she was [...]

I Say Goodbye, I Say Hello – The road to Port Carling – chapter 1

By |2016-05-17T20:32:03-04:00May 17th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, Campers, camping, Canada, carcamping, Exploring, Hiking, hiking trails, Kayaking, move, moving, Muskoka, Nature, new beginning, new job, Niagara, Ontario, solo trip, St. Catharines, Up north|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My dad provided me with the perfect word to describe the last few weeks, bittersweet.    It seems no matter how good something is, there is almost always something bad that goes along with it. It also depends on if you choose to see it, or just focus on the positive.  When things in your life have been really good and people have been great to you, you can't help but get sad when you [...]

Thermarest vs thermarest

By |2016-05-09T21:04:03-04:00May 9th, 2016|Categories: #thermarest, backcountry, backcountry camping, camp, camping, camping tips, campsite, kayak, Kayaking, mat, matt, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, outdoor products, Outdoors, pad, sleep, sleeping, sleeping matt, sleeping pad, tent, tentcamping, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The week before my last backcountry trip of the year, I went to Outdoors Oriented for a visit. I needed a few things for my trip.  I was also looking for some items to test out for my blog and Jamie, the stores owner, was kind enough to provide me with one of his tester NeoAir Trekker Thermarest mats! I was stoked. It was so tiny and I was curious to see how comfortable it would be [...]

Restoule PP – Spring has sprung!

By |2016-05-02T20:04:50-04:00May 2nd, 2016|Categories: #Restoule, Adventure, animals, beach, bearproof, camp, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, carcamping, cold, Exploring, Fun, glamping, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, kayak, Kayaking, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Parks, Pottery, Provincial Park, summer tent, tent, tentcamping, Trails, Up north|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year at this time, I had not winter camped all season. I had not winter camped at all. By April I was dying to get outdoors and into my tent. With May long weekend coming up, I had a chat with mom to see if she'd want to go on a little trip, and then went onto the Ontario Parks site to find somewhere to go! We had never been to Restoule, but I have [...]

April 2016

The Spring Cottage Life Show

By |2016-04-25T22:36:09-04:00April 25th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, blog, booths, camp, campchairs, Campers, camping, Canada, carcamping, Chairs, cottage, cottage show, cottaging, Exploring, glamping, homes, hot tent, Huntsville, inspiration, kayak, Kayaking, learning, Ontario, outdoor products, Outdoors, outdoors show, paddle, paddling, Parks, Presentation, show, tent, trade show, Uncategorized, winterglamping, wood|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a Thursday night when i got the message from a fellow blogger, Let's Discover Ontario, asking if I wanted to go to the Spring Cottage Life Show. I had never heard of it, as I'm a camper and generally not a cottager, but it sounded like a great way to spend a cold rainy Saturday. I graciously accepted after receiving a yes from Peter about if he wanted to go with me. I [...]

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