I got to go camping for the second week in a row with my camping bestie!
He said
When we originally found out we were able to slip in an extra weekend in July camping with friends, we were delighted. That it was back to back with same group of friends for the most part made it even better. But, it was the first time we have ever gone out back-to-back weekends without being at the same place for the week in between like we did in June at Arrowhead Provincial Park, and will do in August at Wolfe Island Music Festival and then Bon Echo Provincial Park. Normally, there is a full week of camping as opposed to two, back to back weekends out.
It was funny because at one point this weekend it felt like we had been out camping for a month. That we were out for a 3 day weekend last weekend and then a 4 nights this weekend – as well as – working in between didn’t really register with me. It was mostly cause a good portion of the group – 3 trailers and 3 families were at both weekends. So it really just felt like one, great big event strung together with no coming home and working in between. And that was kind of perfect. Having friends around who feel the same about camping, cooking and campfires is the perfect thing.
Now, when it comes to KOA camping it truly is a departure from what we are used to with Provincial Park camping. There’s full services that includes septic, fresh water, power and even TV hookup. There was curb side trash pickup, and the option to have a fresh made pizza delivered to your site! And there was complimentary Wifi! Coupled with the fact that there is an adjacent workout gym/sports park, and a waterpark with go karts and batting cages it was all quite overwhelming. In short, this certainly was more glamping than it was camping.
It’s not something that Danielle and I would opt to do on our own, or as one of our full weeks of camping for sure. But, given the opportunity to have a 3 or 4 day weekend of it with the group of friends that we do, we would jump at it in a heartbeat. Emelia had her bestie there with her all weekend and she was entertained. Like last weekend, she would check in with us and tell us what she was up to and there was very little of us having to find events for her. And the grownups all like each other equally too. We’d spend every night working our dinners together and then sitting around the fire pit enjoying a laugh or twelve. The kids and the parents got to bed too late and slept in accordingly. And then it would start all over again.
What’s funniest is the one family we met through gymnastics happened to meet the other while camping at this KOA. And it turns out they’re actually from my hometown growing up and they knew our family quite well. Hell, Tina was in the choir at church with my parents! So it’s made for this amazing group of friends to camp with. With the Justin & Stephanie we have the gymnastics connection through our daughters. And with Fern & Tina we have the Wallaceburg connection and added that Tina works in child care too. So the kids get along and so do the the parents. And we all love camping.
We were there for 4 nights and 5 days and that was the perfect amount of time. The weather didn’t always cooperate but the company sure made up for that. And that Fern & Tina have a Super Site with a gazebo with stone fire pit made the perfect place for us to close out every evening! And it didn’t hurt that he has satellite and a 42″ widescreen TV rigged up outside (I told you it was glamping!).
It was the perfect change from what we’re used to and even Emelia told us, hesitantly thinking our feelings might be hurt, that it’s her favourite kind of camping worrying that it might hurt our feelings. The truth of the matter is, our favourite kind of camping is any moment we get the three of us out in Wolfie Too and spend it together. It’s not so much the locations we go as it is the people wee go with and the memories we make. And this weekend was the perfect mix of that!
She said
What an incredible mini vacation we are just coming back from! After getting away for our bonus camping trip last weekend we were so excited about this weekends getaway. This weekend last year we went to the KOA for the first time. I went in with total skeptism but by the end of the weekend last year we thought it was the perfect mini break from our week long camping trips to Provincial parks. We prefer the quiet and natural settings of Provincial parks but admittedly they are more work. There is no hook ups (other than electricity) so you have to do a bit more work, do a bit more conservation but it it is so worth it for the natural setting and beauty of the parks we choose.
But this weekend was a weekend we have been looking forward to since it was booked back in September. The group of friends we go with all get along so well, Emelia has her best friend from gymnastics to play with all weekend and we have like minded friends to share laughs with. The whole weekend is a communal event, we come together for every dinner and do a modified pot luck. There are always lots of laughs and fun had by all. We have already booked another weekend with the same group of friends and we cannot wait until Labour Day weekend to come.
The weather was a bit of a mixed bag. When we arrived on Thursday just after dinner got unhooked and John and I went off to get supplies for the weekend while Emelia stayed back with the Sherwoods. Once we were back we quickly had some dinner and ended our night around the campfire while the girls giggled their night away. We were barely at the campfire for 10 minutes and the girls had already planned out that Olivia would stay in our trailer. Both sets of parents put their foot down that if they were staying together that they had to sleep in their own beds in the bunks so they would have a small chance of a decent nights sleep. The girls stayed up way past their bedtime but were out hard and fast once they were in bed. After a couple nights it was obvious that the girls were still not getting enough sleep so we decided that they could stay together right to their bedtime but would sleep in their own trailer in their own beds. Everyone got the sleep they needed and we had much better rested girls.
Friday morning we woke to heat and sunshine. The girls planned out quickly that we would head to the mini-waterslide park for a few hours. For $10 for 2 hours it was well worth every penny. Being a Friday the girls virtually had the park to themselves and must have gone down each of the slides 50 times each. They were happily waterlogged by the end. The timing could not have been better, by the afternoon the rain that took over parts of the weekend came in. We opted to do a bit of shopping we promised the girls so they could add to their ‘twins’ outfits.
The rest of the weekend was a combination of the girls playing, grown-ups hanging out, and lots of laughs. And yes we cannot wait to go back again next year.
Now that our ‘glamping’ trip is behind us we are going to start the countdown to Bon Echo. Again we are camping with friends and this year will be even more fun as one of my clients and their family are going to be at the Bon Echo in a different campground area. It is going to be so much fun! Only a few more weeks and we are going to be at our most favourite campground… we cannot wait!