The greatest thing about camping

After the kids spent some time choosing the choicest selection of purple, gray, and speckled rocks, we decided to explore a short hike callled Dicken's Falls. 









The girls pretending to be shocked by the caution sign.

 You know what is the greatest thing about camping? Having nowhere to go and nothing to do if you don't want to. After we returned from our little adventure we returned to the campsite, trying to figure out why we were so exhausted. Maybe it was because we finally let ourselves relax. How often in our daily lives do we push ourselves, just trying to get through the checklist of our day? How often on our vacations do we come back so exhausted that we need to recover because we tried to see and do everything?

It was such a good feeling to fall asleep and know there was no specific place that we needed to be. Of course, I woke up with that groggy feeling that you have after a big Shabbos schluf, but it was worth it. I gave the girls an arts and crafts activity to start working on while we got the campfire and dinner process going again. We passed our time sitting around the fire and savoring our last night in this beautiful National Park and talking about our next destination. Tomorrow morning we would pack up our camp and head north towards the island (and province) of PEI, Prince Edward Island. 

Maritime Camping Adventure

For those of you who are not familiar with "the Maritimes" or "Atlantic Canada", here is a map to give you an idea.

To start off our Maritime Camping Adventure, we decided to break up some of the driving time by stopping off at Fundy National Park, since it was on the way. Everyone has their limit about how much time they can drive, but I think somewhere between 6-7 hours is the most that a family can endure for one day.


I made marks on the map where we camped and the route that we planned to take (follow the black line to #1, 2, 3 & 4 on the map). First stop, Fundy National Park. I didn't know anything about Fundy, so I only planned a couple days stopover to rest until we reached our real destinations, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Too bad, because all of New Brunswick is a gorgeous province. It's what I picture in my mind when I think of "camping"; endless forests of evergreens (spruces, pines, etc.) and sapphire blue lakes. So much of the province seems empty and covered in wilderness.

When we finally arrived at the Park, we were captivated by the stunning view of the Bay of Fundy and the surrounding forests. The air was thick with the smell of pine and fresh air.  We stopped off at a lookout point at the entrance to the campground. WOW!

Since we arrived in the evening, we really had to rush to set up camp before it got dark. I had chosen the Point Wolfe Campground (there are two campgrounds in this Nat'l Park) because it was closer to the Bay and therefore colder. I was not prepared for nighttime temperatures in the 50's. Isn't it summer? And why had I not purchased those cute SmartWool socks that I saw in LL Bean?


We set-up the tent and kitchen area quickly. Tuvia got a nice fire going, and the kids achieved their most beloved campfire ritual...you know what I'm going to say; don't you? S'mores!

When I had made my campground reservation, I had put in a request for a site located near the "washroom". That's Canadian for "toilets". And, they took my request pretty seriously, because we were located directly across from the toilets/showers. It's true that there is more foot traffic, since everyone has to go at some point or another, but I found that the convenience of NEVER having to bring my kids there far outweighed the need for a totally private campsite. If you're a Mother of all girls or Father or all boys, you know what I'm talking about!

One of the pluses of this campground was that it was really quiet and empty. It's hard to get all of us to agree on anything, but we all unanimously agreed that this was a great campground! We even considered changing our schedule and reservations. I wandered around and looked at the other sites. So many good sites; 17, 18, 48-52, 61-62, 72, 103-104, 108 and 109.

Maine Revisited

Anytime you see hot air balloons, it's a good omen. At least that is what I tell myself.

On Day 1 of our camping trip we headed out of Canada and towards the American border. We were fed, rested, and ready for adventure. Then suddenly out of the sky, we spot 4 hot air balloons, just hanging out like nobody's business. Who owns a hot air balloon?! I don't think I had seen one since the late 70's. I pointed them out to my children, who had surely never seen one before. As I watched them float in the sky, it stirred up a lot of nostalgic feelings for me...memories of being a kid in the 70's, summertime with my family, and lying out in the backyard imagining shapes in the clouds. It's funny how a smell or an object can transport you back to a place that you thought was forgotten.

Lalala...back to reality. I do that sometimes. After losing lots of time en route to Maine, we checked in at Recompense for our second stay with them. Knowing that the previous stay had us camped too far from flush toilets, I booked a spot in the new part of the campground. AND...it did not disappoint dear campers! "The facilities" were large and clean and just around the bend from our site.

Once we settled in and had all of our gear unpacked, I decided that I would try and make a pizza over the campfire. I had stopped at the local Wal-Mart and picked up some pre-made dough (thank you Kof-K). See what I mean about food in America? Who in Maine needs pizza dough with certification!? Let's just say that I gave renewed meaning to the term "happy camper".

I had never made pizza over a campfire or even a stove top, but really, how hard could it be? When I went to get the dough I realized that it had been sitting in my overly warm car for THREE hours. Oh yeah. It was big...really big, and it smelled like beer. Since my only back up option was Tradition Soup or baked beans, I decided to give it a go anyway. I sprayed my pan, punched out a pizza dough, and slathered it up with sauce and cheese. After about 12 minutes I was beginning to smell the pizza, but none of the cheese had melted yet. You guessed it...black on the bottom. And so it was with my first campfire pizza. Next time I would come better prepared knowing that kosher pizza dough could be found in Wal-Mart!

After some sitting by the fire and having s'mores, we walked over to the ocean to see if the tide had come in yet. Suddenly a bridal party arrived with the bride and groom in tow still in their bridal clothing. Was I in some weird Fellini film? Did I just see a bride and groom come to camp on their wedding night? My innner JAP asked, "what kind of people celebrate their wedding night at a campground?" Perhaps they were two people who met while working at the campground. Surely that could be the only answer. My mind couldn't comprehend a second option.

What was really cool about this wedding party is that they took out a large rectangular red fabric covered object and lit a candle inside of it. Then quietly and gracefully they pushed it up into the air, and it floated so gently up and up and up, high above our campground, high above the ocean, and then drifted away in the night sky. They then lit another fabric box candle, and it too floated away. And then a third, fourth and fifth. My whole family stood there in silence staring into the night sky, watching the fabric balloons disappear into the darkness. 

Don't forget to visit L.L. Bean!

What Kind of Camper Are You?

Camping actually covers a wide range of how people decide to experience nature. There are people who do back country camping, where they hike and camp in undeveloped areas. It's true there are some national parks which have campsites in back country locations. These are unserviced. They do not have running water, toilet, or anything at all. What it usually means is that you have a ground clearing and possibly a firepit. That's it! Often times, you have to canoe or walk in to these sites with all your gear. They will also call them "walk-in" sites.

Then there is car camping. This is the form of camping that my family is comfortable with. We get to pack our car full of our stuff, drive right up to campsite, put up our tent, and unload. We always choose a site with a firepit and something that is not more than a 5 minute walk from the flush toilets. Usually, there will also be a spout for water located within a few minutes walk or less. This type of camping means that you will be camped near other people. Some of these sites also allow a trailer that does not require hook-ups.

RV camping or trailer camping gives you the option to sleep inside a structure. You can pull your RV or camper into campsites reserved for these. They have electrical, water, and sometimes sewage hook-ups. If you crave quiet and nature, you might want to ask to be located far away from the RV section of the campsite.

Glamping=glamour camping...oh la la! I'd like to glamp someday, but it's usually out of our budget. This might include staying in a glammed out tipi, yurt, or large tent. Check out these deluxe camp accommodations in British Columbia! It has everything...including an ensuite bathroom. It only runs $1800 a night!

http://www.wildretreat.com/About_Clayoquot_Wilderness_Resort/index.asp