November 2018

Kawartha Lakes – Blown Away – with Leanne & Kim

By |2018-11-06T16:35:43-05:00November 6th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, backcountry custom canoes, camping, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, enthusiasm, Exploring, girls, kawartha, kawartha highlands, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, paddling|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In 2015, during a winter car camping trip, I met Kim Lavelle. We hit it off and became friends and vowed we would camp one day together.  We saw each other several times car camping at Mew Lake and at the Outdoor Adventure Show, but plans never worked out to go on a trip together. Leanne Hennessy, also known as the creator of Live Love Get Outside, is an amazing lady. Last year she hiked [...]

October 2018

Temagami – Red Squirrel Loop – Access Denied

By |2020-04-22T15:18:08-04:00October 23rd, 2018|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, camping, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, Exploring, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, solo, solo trip, temagami|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Ever since my trip to Temagami in September, I had been wanting to go back.  I had a 5 day trip planned for Thanksgiving to Killarney as I wanted to do a loop from Grace into Nellie into Murray.  I psyched myself up over a weekend and on Monday when I went to book it, someone had booked Nellie leaving no sites,  so new plan was required.  Since I had just had such an amazing [...]

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Temagami – Alone on a 4 Day Canoe Trip – Part 2- Spirt Rock & Plenty of Portaging

By |2018-10-09T21:00:59-04:00October 9th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, alone, camping, Canada, canoe, canoeing, Exploring, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, paddling, portage, portaging, solo trip, women|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For many many years now, I have wanted to visit Temagami.  With help from some friends, including the Friends of Temagami, I finally was able to make that wish a reality. To see Part 1, click here. This post begins with me on my campsite on Bob Lake in Temagami.  With a late start to the trip Thursday, due to a highway closure, I had a very long day Friday and ended up not making [...]

Temagami – Alone on a 4 Day Canoe Trip – Part 1- Sandy Inlet to Bob Lake

By |2020-04-22T15:15:40-04:00October 2nd, 2018|Categories: Adventure, alone, camping, Canada, canoe, canoeing, Exploring, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, paddling, portage, portaging, solo trip, women|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For many many years now, I have wanted to visit Temagami.  With help from some friends, including the Friends of Temagami, I finally was able to make that wish a reality. The original plan was to start at Sandy Inlet.  I would leave work a few hours early so I would arrive at the put in around 5:30pm. This would give me about 2 hours to paddle as far in as I could get and [...]

August 2018

Little Blackstone Lake – The Massasauga – 081118-081218 – Recovery & Rest

By |2018-08-28T14:45:48-04:00August 28th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, alone, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, camping, camping food, campsite, canoe, canoeing, Exploring, great blue heron, Massassauga, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddling, Provincial Park, solo trip|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Every time I look at a calendar, I feel a sense of panic.  It's AUGUST! It's August and one of my two most favorite months of the year to camp, September being the most favorite.  I need to go,  go go and I can't stop.  I have to get out. That is what I hear, constantly in my head.  Not only is it August, but I missed 5 months of camping due to 2 concussions [...]

Algonquin 4 Day Cedar Solo – Days 1 & 2, Aura Lee, Varley, Gull

By |2020-04-22T15:15:57-04:00August 28th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, backcountry custom canoes, camping, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, enthusiasm, Exploring, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, solo trip|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Even though I was  still sore and tired from my last 5 day solo to Algonquin, I wanted to do another one.  I went on a one nighter in between to The Massasauga, which is a 30 minute drive from home,  but it was a rest trip and a different kind of trip. One less than 1km portage and I stayed on the same site for the day/night and headed out the next day.  The [...]

Algonquin – 5 day solo 2018 – Days 3,4 & 5 – Biggar, Three Mile, Manitou

By |2020-06-05T09:26:27-04:00August 15th, 2018|Categories: #adventure, Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, backcountry custom canoes, camping, camping food, camping tips, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, enthusiasm, Exploring, grouse, loons, moose, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, River, scenery, scenic, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is part two of my Algonquin 5 Day Solo Trip 2018. To see Part 1, covering days 1 and 2, please click here. In part 2 I am on my site on Bigger Lake, waking up to the 3rd day of my trip on Saturday, August 4th, 2018.   I woke up at 545am on Saturday morning. It was August 4th and after raining on and off during the night, the sky, for the [...]

Algonquin – 5 day solo 2018 – Days 1 & 2 – North Tea & Biggar Lakes

By |2020-06-05T09:23:36-04:00August 14th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, backcountry custom canoes, camping, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, Exploring, Nature, Ontario, Outdoors, paddling|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Although I knew my body wasn't in the best shape for a 5 day portage trip, I booked it anyways.  I would just have to get in shape as I went along.  I had researched quite a few routes in Algonquin for this trip, but opted for one in a completely new area (to me) consisting of 13 portages, just over 7500 metres and paddling on some bigger lakes (for me). As a practice for [...]

Upper Crane Lake – 1st Single Blade Solo Trip – By Accident

By |2018-08-07T19:58:59-04:00August 7th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, backcountry custom canoes, camping, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, canoeing, Exploring, Nature, Ontario, ontarios highlands, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, solo trip|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Things have been busy at the house and I still have a list of things I want to get done as soon as possible.  However, I do have a big 5 day solo trip planned for the August long weekend and I have yet to do one portage this year.  The 5 day trip has 13 in total and one of them is almost 3 km's long!  I'm a bit scared to say the least. [...]

June 2018

ORCKA Basic Canoe Course 1-4 with Kirkwood Canoe

By |2020-05-18T14:04:35-04:00June 26th, 2018|Categories: Adventure, Canada, canoe, canoeing, education, enthusiasm, Exploring, Huntsville, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, teaching, training|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have always wanted to take a canoe skills course but just never got around to looking up the info and actually committing fully to doing it.  A few months ago my friend Sam sent me a message to advise she wanted to take hers also and had found a good course with Judy Kirkwood of Kirkwood Canoe in Huntsville.  She sent me all the details, I checked out the info and told her I [...]

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