Closing Weekend at Ontario Provincial Parks

[whitby guy]

Hi all.
Thinking of booking into Ferris P.P. for the closing weekend (Oct 6/7)...any joiners?
There are not too many spots left so I think I will book first and ask for the time off work later.
This park is on the Trent system allowing unlimited paddling (or as unlimited as your arms will stand), so I'm going to take the kayak out for a paddle.
As always, potluck offer stands, and dessert can be had as well.
Sandy

P.s. Just booked into Bedrock campground site #80. This is an electric site, there are lots of non-electric available.

[glenpinpat]

If I was not so busy... besides some PP are open year round...Camping in February?

[whitby guy]

If I was not so busy... besides some PP are open year round...Camping in February?

Sure, if it's somewhere on the gulf coast.



I know Algonquin is open year round, but the ones local to me seem to be closed or closing soon.

[Gladtobehere]

Hi all.
Thinking of booking into Ferris P.P. for the closing weekend (Oct 6/7)...any joiners?
There are not too many spots left so I think I will book first and ask for the time off work later.
This park is on the Trent system allowing unlimited paddling (or as unlimited as your arms will stand), so I'm going to take the kayak out for a paddle.
As always, potluck offer stands, and dessert can be had as well.
Sandy

P.s. Just booked into Bedrock campground site #80. This is an electric site, there are lots of non-electric available.

Hi. My name is Steve. I live just north of Toronto in Aurora. Perhaps our paths will cross in the future.

We (wife and grandaughter) are going to Craigleith on Friday (21st). So far we do the bicycle thing, but kayaks may be in the future.

I am new to the Tear Drop thing but I thought I would let you know that there is another one roaming around your neck of the woods.

So far we had one very wet night (Aug 15) in a tear drop at Algonquin, before I wimped out and left. The good news is the bedroom was dry. Tarps are now first in my setup. But I am always open for advice on staying warm and dry.

[whitby guy]

Hey Steve.
Glad to know the Ontario numbers are growing. I work just west of Goodwood, so we're almost neighbours.
I keep trying to get to Craigleith, but so far have not been successful...next year!!
As for staying warm and dry, they are secrets I have yet to find. I just try to enjoy being away from work and don't think about the weather.
Keep posting when and where you are going camping...there is a small group that tries to get together a couple of times a year. And don't forget about the Tearjerkers site (Central Canada group...always looking for new members if you haven't joined already).
Have fun camping, and hope to meet up next season.

Sandy

[Gladtobehere]

Sandy.

We have been to Craigleith a few times. Be sure to get a site as close as possible to the water in order to minimize traffic noise. The sites are very small and close together but it makes a good first trip of the year to get organized again. We like it because it is only 90 minutes away and perfect for a 3 day weekend. It also has the Georgian trail, bicycle trail. I can ride my bike to the nearest LCBO , 2k to a sandy beach or 10k into Collingwood. The beach at the camp is kinda rocky but I have seen plenty of kayaks there.

Warm and dry is important to me. We got rained out at Two Rivers (Algonquin) on Aug 15. I have resolved to start with the tarp and it looks like a real good idea for this weekend. We leave tomorrow.

We did Sauble Falls in July and that was wonderful. We will definately being doing Sauble next year as well. Everyone just falls in love with the beaches.

Here is a link to a few pictures from the last couple of years. http://s799.photobucket.com/albums/yy272/gladtobehere/

[Gladtobehere]

As expected we got rained on Friday over night. But my first tarp rig, did its job. Saturday morning we were in Meaford and the wind really came up 40-50 kliks so I was concerned for the tarp but it seems Craigleith PP is somwhat protected from southerly winds so the tarp did not turn into a giant kyte.

In any case we wimped out and returned home Saturday afternoon. Judging by the current radar imagery for Georgian Bay we made the right choice or I would have been packing in the rain.

We had a good but short time.

[whitby guy]

Steve:
Sorry to hear you had to cut the weekend short, but I know packing up in the rain is not fun. I put up a tarp over the picnic table when last at Awenda...simpler than going for the dining tent option. There were lots of others with the same idea, guess it's just part of fall camping in Ontario. Still got my fingers crossed for the weather to be good in two weeks.

Sandy

[Gladtobehere]

Sandy, thanks for the sympathy, but hey a weekend is still a weekend and beats the alternative. I am still learning about tarps and figure I need a roof over my head when I exit the tear. So we cover the tear. A little change room privacy is also something I see a need for but don't yet have a good solution. Despite being 30 meters from a comfort station at Craigleith (site 38), privacy was not a huge issue this past weekend.

We did Awenda couple years back on OCT 1. It was chilly and damp but no rain. The only sunny clearing was at the comfort station, where we named the big rock 'Sunny' and warmed ourselves one afternoon,(granddaughter and I). We always get an electric site. We ended up getting a simple electric heater/fan combo for the tent which made a huge difference in our comfort level.

I have ultimate faith that you will have lovely , warm, dry weather for your expedition to Awenda. (I think we all must believe the weather will be good or we would never embark on a camping trip.)

Good luck at Awenda! Have fun.

BTW: You gotta see the Scarecrow decorations that MEAFORD does this time of year. There must be a lot of rich retire ees paying taxes there. On the main drag every lamp post has scarecrows draped all over it

Steve