Yesterday was the third of Tracy’s birthdays that we’ve celebrated on the road, and yet again we’re camped on a body of water. Last year, we were boondocking near Missoula, MT, at the “secret fishing spot,” and the year before was one of our favorite finds: a county park in Washburn, WI, right on Lake Superior.
Camping at Blue Lakes
This year, a big birthday for Tracy, we’re spending in Manitoba, at an unassuming provincial park called Duck Mountain (although there are no mountains in sight). Our campground is at Blue Lakes Resort, which I’m learning offers a common combo of amenities: camping, cabins, a campground store, boat dock, beach, lots of picnic areas—basically an outdoorsy vacation spot for folks who enjoy the water and don’t need a lodge or anything fancy like that. (I think, maybe, our unusual trailer is the fanciest thing around.)
Tracy made his birthday special by grilling himself a giant steak on a actual fire (we rarely build fires), then enjoyed a barrel-aged bourbon stout slowly, all evening long.
In Edmonton, I’d snuck into the trailer a game of Monopoly that’s beer themed, and we ate caramel/sea-salt brownies and listened to a birthday playlist Tracy had made from old songs he found on his laptop.
I would say that we’re getting the hang of celebrating birthdays and holidays on the road, but really we never didn’t have the hang of it.
Kayaks Are on the Water!
The big deal is we’ve finally found a spot on the lake shore to leave our kayaks for the week, so we took them down off the top of the truck (no injuries!) for the first time in a year. In a year.
There are two Blue Lakes here (hence the name): east and west. One is famous for its clarity and depth, and that’s the one with private houses and motor boats on it. The other is larger, not as blue, but limited to non-motorized boats only, which is wonderful for us, after all the lakes we’ve camped at so far across Canada, swarming with jet skis and speed boats, etc.
Getting back on the water after so long was like getting back on a bike: Tracy looks as natural paddling as ever, and I dilly dally along the banks, taking photos.
This morning was just our first time on the water; I hope to walk the short trail through the woods to the bank and relaunch at least every day we’re here for a week.
Heck with the ”resort” amenities—I’d rather be doing this even than laundry! Thank you, Manitoba.
Happy Birthday Tracy. Hard to get my ahead around the idea this is your third on the road. I know the blog doesn’t capture everything, but every day does seem awesome! Shelly–the title picture of this post is tricking beautiful and beautifully apt. Cheers to you both, well to the whole trio!
Cheers to you, Eric! I have a map you might enjoy, but who knows when we’ll see you. I’ll hang on to it, though!
So pleased you got onto the water at long last! Your evident joy in it does suggest you need that hydraulic lifting system for the kayaks stat.
That hydraulic system may make the kayak rack stick too far out on the sides – we will see. In the meantime I am indeed excited to be on the water!