I am so excited to be back camping for a week with my friends Chloe and Courtney.

We said

(well… John said on our behalf)

As I am typing this from the picnic table under the awning of the trailer, my view is of Lake Ontario and sounds I am hearing is the waves hitting the shore. We payed a whole extra $15 this week to get a ‘premium’ site here at Presqu’ile Provincial Park and boy are we happy we did! I had my morning coffee this morning to that view and it was pure bliss. It’s been a busy and emotional last few months for us and this is the perfect remedy—a week away, with camping friends and the only goal is to unwind. We’re only a day in and it already feels like we’re knocking it out of the park.

Originally the plan was to get away first thing Saturday morning as I worked on Friday. But, after our success last year mooch-docking in a Walmart parking lot in Kngston before our trip to the Wolfe Island Music Fest, we decided that as soon as I was done work Friday night, we’d load up and head out in search of another parking lot friendly to RV traffic. Given that our destination was to Presqu’ile which is almost a two hour shorter trip, the reality is we could get pretty much to a half hour away Friday night and have a very short final run Saturday morning.

We found out the ONroute service centres are just that kind of stop and there was one in Port Hope which would put us close to a place to get groceries in Cobourg Saturday morning, and then be just 20 minutes from the park. And the best part was we didn’t really need to rush Friday night to get on the road in order to make the ONroute by time to bunk down for the evening. We were on the road closer to the 8pm and pulled in at the service centre just ahead of 11pm and it was smooth sailing traffic-wise which was good considering it included passing through Toronto on a Friday night! (Well, bypassing Toronto on the ETR 407).

We woke up yesterday reasonably well-slept and were able to go into the service centre make pitstops, get some breakfast & coffee, and then get on our way to groceries. Before we knew it, we were already at the campsite and loading in, well ahead of check-in time. We were delighted to see that site we paid the premium for was worth every bit of the extra $15 as the view of Lake Ontario – the same one I am facing right now – was stunning. The site is huge and relatively level—it was a very easy landing and we were set up in no time.

Shortly after we arrived, so did the Jornitz family and then it really felt like our camp week was in gear. Five years ago we met them camping at Sandbanks when two very shy girls needed their Mom’s to introduce them, and we have been camping at least one trip a year ever since. They live near Ottawa and us being in London, we try to choose campgrounds in between which works out well as our favourite sites are in that area in between. While Bon Echo has been that meeting place for many of the years, this year we got shut out of there and had to make the move to Presqu’ile. While it stinks to not be camping at Bon Echo, it would stink way worse if our summer camping plans didn’t intersect with the Jornitz family.

This morning I awoke before everyone else, I got up and grabbed a coffee and sat out under the awning enjoying the stunning view of Lake Ontario listening to the waves work their magic on the shoreline. While everyone but the sun (and I) was asleep, I thought to myself, well if it couldn’t be Bon Echo this year, this will be okay! And it really is. We had a great camp fire last night together and I had an even better first night at camp sleep. It is gonna be a great week at camp, and we can’t wait to tell you all about it next week!