Chilliwack Lake Prov Park

We have been fortunate here on the West (Wet) Coast to have had lots of sunshine and warm weather this past 10 days, finally!!! So, so nice!!

This weekend, we headed out to Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park. It is hard to book camping site in and around Vancouver area so you have to grab what you can. Doug discovered a few spots available up at Chilliwack Lake so we grabbed one. What a great weekend.  It's even reasonably priced for a provincial park at $22 per night. We were pretty happy!

We headed out on Friday right after work. (Our trailer is stored on a nice gravel yard in Langley, at the home of someone Doug works with. super happy with it there as we can work on it when we want. Thanks, Evan!!). It took us a little longer than the normal 1.5 hours to get there as there was an accident on Hwy 1 Eastbound. We got there about 8 pm which is okay as it's still light out.

Lovely and sunny spot R32. Loved it!

Our first morning walk with "camping coffee".

1/2 oz each of Baileys, Peppermint Schnapps and Kahlua

 

Super excited to be on our first trip of the year with our 'new to us" 1990 Bigfoot. We had brand new awning fabric installed this early spring but this is the first time we actually got to see what it looked like. Super easy to set up too!

Hard to recognize as a Bigfoot as we have stripped off all the old, cracked and faded decals (well, except for the awning front - those will go off this weekend!). Doug has new tires, which are a bit larger than the original and lovely new aluminum mag wheels. Snazzy-ness.

I am in love with the awning colour. A touch of white, fading to dark grey.

Looks awesome....

Walking the trail down to the footbridge.....

There was a sign at the top of the park saying there was no beach.

They weren't kidding!! Water level is very high.

Beginning of Chilliwack River.

This picture doesn't show but it was running super fast....

Footbridge...

Goodness, of course we needed refreshments after that walk!

So Josh & Kathy gave us what is called the "Cloud". It's an air-hammock. It has two long chambers. You open it up and spin around with it while trying to catch some air. Then you roll the end up, snap it shut and voila, an air-hammock.....we'll see!

Technique is a work in progress, especially with flips flops and a few beers!!

Honestly, I was laughing so hard at this point that I could hardly think!

 

He needed more room, so it was out to the road!

 

Okay, so it actually does work then you have to sort out how to get on it!!

It really is quite comfy!!!

...and here he stayed for quite a while, recovering from all that spinning around!

Naturally....

Phew.......evening has arrived!!

 

Anyway, we had a great time, even if it was just for two nights. Still seemed that we really "got away" for a camping trip.

 

Peace.....

 

Thought for the Day: We travel not to escape life but so life does not escape us…..Kombi Life

    

Long Weekend musings....

We managed to pack quite a bit into this long weekend, even if it wasn't "camping"......

Sunday found us out to my Mom's with another nice dinner and some time up on her rooftop deck with the fire pit. So nice. What a city view too!!

The Lions, overlooking and protecting the city.....

Lions Gate Bridge behind us.....

Holiday Monday found us out at our trailer, starting the "reno" process. We have quite a long list. After all, it has a long way to go and big "tires" to fill to match up with Euri's "coolness", so we had better get started on it! Once the stickers are off it needs to have some heavy duty cleaning and then a cut polish,. It desperately needs a cut polish to bring it back to it's former glory!!!

Likely a long process, getting those faded ugly stickers off....

 

 

He's like the Ever-Ready Bunny....still going strong.

On a side bar, the new wheels and tires look good.

Doug upsized the wheels/tires to 15".

Just waiting for the centre caps to come in from California....

 

Good grief, he's still at it......

Sorting out where to put things.

Next year I will get new cushions/upholstery but not this year.

 

Our favourite Mexico flag. Not sure where we will put it,

but it always travels with us....a "little" of our hearts is still in Mexico!!

My little "feel good" collection of things.

The book was given to us by our daughter-in-law's parents, Rick & Mel when

we started our 2012 Mexico adventure. You should see all the writing in it. All the

notes, commentaries, gas prices, tool booths, campgrounds, etc.

Quite the diary and it isn't full yet!! "Oh the places we'll go, indeed" 

 

Even Novi, our lobster from Nova Scotia is on board for more adventures.

Just have to find him his special hanging spot.....with his special Nova Scotia tartan!

 

Phew.....well, that's it for this l-o-n-g weekend. We are camping next weekend up at Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park. We can hardly wait.

 

Peace.....

 

Thought for the Day: Believe you can and you're halfway there....Theodore Roosevelt

 

Mother's Day and May Fun

Mother's Day.....

Both Doug and I are very fortunate to have such great Moms in our lives. They have both given all of themselves to both of our families. They have loved, nurtured, laughed with us and cried with us.  Short of sounding like a Mother's Day card from the drugstore, we love them dearly and are thankful for them every day.

My Mom, Nadyne.

Doug's Mom, Helen.

Amazing women.....we are so blessed.

Doug's Mom lives in Medicine Hat where his brother and sister (and their families) also reside. They had her very busy and we know how she loves to see them all. We just wish we were closer so we could see her more too.

We are doubly blessed to have two more beautiful women in our lives. Our daughter Teagan and daughter-in-law, Kathy. There's no need to explain this amazing "motherhood" role to them. They both relish in it. The good days and the tough ones. There are so many things I want to tell them yet it's so hard to find the words. Those little boys are so lucky to have such strong, caring, devoted and loving Mom's. They can do anything........

 

 

 

 

 

Mother's Day found us at my Mom's in North Vancouver. I have to say my "job" as a Mom is my best one (well, other than being a "grand-mother" of course). My two kids have made me a very proud momma and I love them so much.......

The view from the top of Mom's building, looking west.

It has a beautiful rooftop patio for all to enjoy....

 

 

 

Looking north at the North Shore mountains

 

 Chess set-up

 

Oh no....carnage on the chess board!!!

It's been a clear win by the white team!!!

 

Nelson check in......

Rudy...growing fast, isn't he??

It's the May L-O-N-G weekend!!

It really is a miracle. We made it through the cold and rain of the winter, a soggy and cold spring and now we are 2/3 of the way through spring and it's FINALLY sunny and warm. Phew.....

We were prepping to go camping to Golden Ears Provincial Park. Josh, Kathy & boys headed up there on Thursday and snagged a spot but it was only for the night and despite Josh's very early morning jaunt down to the ranger station, he was #6 on the wait list. Only the first 4 campers got the remaining spots for the rest of the weekend. Doug and I were all ready to head up right after work to share a spot with them but it was not to be. Bummer. It would have been our second trip out with our "new to us" little trailer. Guess it will have to wait until next weekend when we have reservations at Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park.

But, there is still lots of weekend left to enjoy in the sun here in town....

We headed out to Redwoods Park in Surrey to have a picnic with the kids and their friends. Loved it. Here's a bit of history from the parks website.....

"The unique forest found at Redwood Park is a legacy of Peter and David Brown, twin brothers born to one of Surrey's earliest pioneering families. In 1893, their father gifted them this large plot of land, logged and ripe for farming. However, the brothers instead filled the vast space with their favourite trees from all around the world. Fully committed to their forest sanctuary, the eccentric duo built a treehouse where they lived in solitude until their deaths in 1949 and 1958. Today, a replica of their treehouse stands in the centre of the park."

 

One of the really cool things about this park, besides the obvious beauty, is the trail area where people have started putting little "fairie" houses. People, well mostly the little kids, paint houses, of all shapes and sizes, and then they leave them around in this one clearing and connecting trail area for the forest fairies to come and stay in at night. So much fun for the kids to poke about and find the hiding places (some not so hidden) and imagine the little folk who live in them at night. You should hear the kids, all squealing with delight. Everywhere you look, high in the trees, down low in the ferns, you can find houses. People are really good about just leaving them alone. We loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just some of the impressive meadow areas and spectacular

trees planted by the Brown Bros.

 

.The replica of the Brown Brothers tree house. What a place to live!

 

 

 

 

Well, so far, that's our start of the long weekend. Loving the sunshine that's for sure. I will check in later all.

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the Day: As the sign in the forest says "Have courage and be kind".