July 2017

Solo Camping Tips with Michelle -THE VIDEO 1 of 2 – Wow Auction Winner – McCrae Lake

By |2017-07-27T08:53:14-04:00July 27th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, camping, Canada, Exploring, inspiration, kayak, kayak camping, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, McCrae Lake, Nature, Ontario, ontario sea kayak centre, outdoor products, outdoorproducts, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, sunset, tangii, training, Uncategorized, women|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Solo Camping Tips with Michelle – Wow Auction Winner – McCrae Lake

By |2017-07-25T21:24:12-04:00July 25th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear vault, bugs, camp, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, enthusiasm, Exploring, food, Food storage, girls, inspiration, kayak, kayak camping, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, McCrae Lake, Nature, Ontario, outdoor products, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, swimming, tangii, teach, teaching, Uncategorized, water filter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When my kayaking coach Dympna from Ontario Sea Kayak Centre, asked me to consider auctioning off a weekend of camping with me, for the Women on Water Paddling Festival silent auction, I thought she was off her rocker. The auction was very successful and proceeds went to the Georgian Bay Biosphere, a great organization that takes care of a place I love to play in and it is a good cause.  I agreed to proceed, [...]

My 1st Solo Canoe Trip – Haliburton Highlands Water Trails

By |2017-07-11T14:35:06-04:00July 11th, 2017|Categories: #solo, Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, camping, Canada, canoe, canoe camping, enthusiasm, Exploring, fish, fishing, loons, morel, morels, Nature, Ontario, ontarios highlands, outdoor products, Outdoors, owl, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, training, Uncategorized, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My first solo backcountry trip was 2 years ago at the Massasauga Provincial Park.  It was by kayak and since then I've done many solo kayaking trips and a few solo winter camping trips both by tipi and by tent.  I had never gone on a solo canoe trip, however, until this past weekend. At the 150 for 150 event on Canoe Lake the weekend before Canada Day, Jon from Backcountry Custom Canoes answered my [...]

June 2017

April 2017

McCrae Lake – Kayaking in Kokatat

By |2017-04-25T16:33:35-04:00April 25th, 2017|Categories: Adventure, alone, Canada, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, day trip, Exploring, inspiration, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, loons, Muskoka, Ontario, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, scenery, scenic, tangii, Uncategorized, water, waterfalls, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a gorgeous Easter weekend with warm temperatures and beautiful sunshine, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Sunday I managed to get out with a few friends in Niagara for a hike in Niagara, but by Monday, with my return to Muskoka, it was back to below zero and not so lovely or springlike.  I had decided to stay in, relax, get caught up on things until the Fedex truck pulled up with my brand new [...]

December 2016

Paddling on Big East Lake – Living Life With No Regrets

By |2016-12-13T18:56:59-05:00December 13th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, algonquin highlands, alone, animals, backcountry, backcountry camping, camp, camping, campsite, Canada, Exploring, gloves, ice, Ice trail, inspiration, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, moosehunting, Muskoka, Ontario, Ontario Trails, ontarios highlands, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, solo trip, sunrise, sunset, tangii, tent, tentcamping, texting gloves, Uncategorized, Up north, water, waterways, winter|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is a time of year when one must be really careful going out on the water.  I often receive comments of concern, people calling me brave,  and others blatantly stating I am unsafe, careless and should not be doing what I'm doing.   What if you fall out of your kayak?  You will freeze instantly!!! I have been kayaking for over 15 years of my life.  In that time, I have never, not once, [...]

November 2016

Paddling in Algonquin in November- Pure Heaven !

By |2016-11-15T19:25:58-05:00November 15th, 2016|Categories: #mirror, Adventure, Algonquin, Algonquin Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, alone, animals, birds, Canada, day trip, Exploring, fall, falls, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, paddle, paddle canada, paddling, photography, Provincial Park, tangii, tracks, Uncategorized, Up north, waterfalls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had intended to camp this weekend, but on Saturday morning, kayak on my car, camping gear packed and fully ready to go, I woke up feeling horrible.  I had a sinus infection by the familiar feeling of it and felt nauseous and headachy.  Going on a solo camping trip feeling like this, for me, wasn't a smart move and I knew I had to stay home. I spent the whole day resting and making [...]

October 2016

Kawartha Highlands – Paddling Secret …. shhhh

By |2025-04-23T12:19:13-04:00October 25th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, alone, backcountry, backcountry camping, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, day trip, Exploring, kawartha, kawartha highlands, kawarthat, kayak, kayak portaging, Kayaking, Long Lake, Loucks Lake, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, Provincial Park, River, Secret Lake, solo trip, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few weekends ago I had the pleasure of spending some time with my favorite friends in the Kawarthas at their property.  I met Karen online through posts following the journey of the Woods Explorers and we had both applied for the dream job the advertised.  We hit it off and always said we would get together and last year, we finally did just that.  I was invited back again this year, and so happy [...]

Turkey Day at McCrae! -Cooking in my new Dutch Oven!

By |2016-10-18T18:43:59-04:00October 18th, 2016|Categories: Adventure, backcountry, backcountry camping, Bear Barrel, Bear vault, bearproof, camp, camping, camping tips, campsite, Canada, canoe camping, conservatationarea, Conservation areas, conservationarea, cooking, creek, creeks, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, falls, food, Food storage, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, hikingtrails, homemade, learning, leaves, Lookout, Nature, Ontario, Ontario Trails, outdoor products, outdoorproducts, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, portage, portaging, sunrise, sunset, tarps, tent, tentcamping, Trails, Uncategorized, water, waterfalls, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since meeting my friend Jason last year, he has been going on about this place called McCrae Lake.  I had never been there and according to him, it was a gorgeous place to spend a weekend camping, fishing and enjoying nature.  The Thanksgiving long weekend was approaching and as I hadn't had any plans yet, I decided it would be a good weekend to check the place out.  It was also the perfect weekend to [...]

Camping in Killarney on Kakakise in a Konigshaus Kanoe

By |2016-10-12T16:31:00-04:00October 12th, 2016|Categories: #canoe, #trip, #tripping, Algonquin, backcountry, backcountry camping, Barrel, Bear Barrel, Bear vault, bearproof, camp, Campers, camping, campsite, Canada, canoe camping, Carlyle, Climb, Climbing, Exploring, fall, fallcolours, falls, hike, Hikers, Hiking, hiking trails, homemade, Kakakise, killarney, Killarney Provincial Park, konigshaus, konigshauskanoe, leaves, Nature, Ontario, ontario parks, Ontario Trails, Outdoors, paddle, paddling, Parks, portage, portaging, tarps, tent, tentcamping, Uncategorized, Up north, walking, walks, water, waterfalls, waterways|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had been wanting to adventure in Killarney all summer but every time I had a free weekend, the park was booked up.  When I checked a few weeks ago, I finally saw a few openings.  They were all with portages but after carrying my lil kayak over 3km's in Algonquin each way a few weeks ago I figured a kilometer was totally doable and something I wouldn't have an issue with. Since booking my site on [...]

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