I Am In Ontariariario 

Me stuck in the mud.  

May 11 - Muriel Lake, just north of Kenora, ON

Well, let me first say that the farm I was at last night was NOT a working farm.  My host, Dora, was a very kind lady.  She was very concerned for Morgan and ticks.  Apparently ticks are very bad this year.  We had a little walk down a grassy road as she shared some history of the farm with me.  Like a lot of other farms, pieces are being sectioned off and sold for housing developments.  It is happening all around them.  

Often when I get to a location I like to settle into the trailer and have some quiet time.  This is not a complaint but a fact - when one person does all the work it is tiring.  Morgan needs to grown some thumbs and help me out a little more.  Hahahahaha

After I checked the weather reports and the maps, I went into town to fuel 

Ooey , gooey mud.

up the truck. The regular price was $1.809 but I got it for $1.779 because I am a member of BCAA.  Shell knocks three cents a litre off the price if you join.  It may be worth it for some of you with the prices going sky high and if you do not have a Costco in your vicinity.  

I also found a park so I could throw a toy for Morgan and she could have a little freedom to run and get pooped 

Don, my hero with a big truck.

out again.  It was warm yesterday,  20 degrees C but it did not feel 20.

I had a quiet evening and took Morgan out for her last piddle and said thank you to Dora’s husband.  Embarrassingly I cannot remember his name.  I had planned on pulling out at 0830 but I actually left at 0800.

My goal was to head to Wild Oaks Campground to empty my tanks and take on some water.  I punched the location into my GPS and chose the fastest route.  Sounds ordinary BUT, I have now learned that any side roads that lead to the highways are NOT paved and in some places they were worse than driving the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Circle last year.  The fast route turned out the be the slow, bumpy, and dusty route.  Then the GPS took me past the campground to a side road.  Luckily my curiosity and confidence edged me to keep going.  As it turned out it was the back entrance to the campground. I wound my way through narrow roads, tight corners until I found the office.  The lady in the office showed my on a map where the dump station was.  Turns out that I drove past it.  Bigger signs are

The camping field with my tracks engraved into it.

 needed!!!!  

I made my way to the sani dump, did what I needed to do, then I drove to the potable water station for fresh, filtered water.  It was a great location.  I was not rushed by people waiting behind me.  I could let Morgan out to stretch her legs.  It did cost $10 but it is a good feeling to know that I am good for another week to 10 days.  

Morgan expecting me to throw her toy.

Today’s fuel economy not so good and when I was talking to my daughter on the phone I wasn’t paying attention to my 90 kph and I crept up to 105 kph and so did my fuel consumption.  It was over 27 l/100km.  Throughout the travel to Muriel Lake, near Kenora I managed to bring it down to 26/100.  I will also add that I had the most wind today but still not enough to worry about my safety.  

Oh my goodness, when you get approved to visit a Harvest Host, they send you the directions to get to their place.  It is not given until approval.  Let me tell you, Don from The Ranch wrote a book describing highway numbers, road names, buildings, and driveway numbers.  I had to pull over to make a shorter version that I could reference while I was driving.  It was long but his directions were spot on.  He did not miss one detail from the time I left Highway 17 until I got to driveway marker #143.  

I messaged him to say I was here and he came down to greet me.  We had

Usually you can walk to the point of land.  

 a chat about the weather, how wet it has been, how the lake is up 7 ft, and more.  If you think I like to talk, I have met my match, in a good way.  He asked me to hop into his side-by-side and he would take me to see where I might park for the night.  He has a beautiful field overlooking the lake and I was the first of seven to arrive.  I got the pick!  

Once it was decided where I would park, Don decided that boards were better to level me rather than my fancy little plastic things from Canadian Tire.  We thought they might just sink into the ground.  As I was pulling into the field, he went to get the board.  

Maps are my placemats these days.

It was a bit of an adventure but Don didn’t realize how wet the field was.  I sunk down about two or three inches.  We decided I should to go higher ground and to get the trailer where we wanted it so I had a view, I had to back it up hill a bit.  Piece of cake - NOT.  I got stuck.  We both laughed.  Don got me into this mess, or should I say muck.  Thank goodness  he had his manly truck and a tow line to pull me out.  I am now parked high and dry.  Don on the other hand was wondering what to do with the other six RV’s coming in.  

As it turns out, we are all scattered in his back yard.  One couple I met use to live in COMOX.  Imagine that.  They now live in Calgary and are travelling the the Maritimes.  Another couple I met is from Quebec looking for a place to live.  They will be checking out the Island - Vancouver Island, that is.  They sounded interested in Cumberland for the mountain biking and Port McNeill for Mt. Cain.  

On one of our walks to the field, Morgan wasted no time getting into the water.  Don told me that the ice just disappeared a couple days ago.  Some provincial parks are delaying opening because of rain, ice and snow.  Another thing - ticks.  Don said that he walked in the bush that borders his property and came back with 5 ticks.  Good Gawd!  

It was neat seeing the terrain changes from BC to Ontario.  Alberta and Saskatchewan were the flattest.  Manitoba, a little more hilly and deciduous 

High and dry at The Ranch.

trees.  And then Ontario, it was like driving back into BC seeing all the green.  The difference is the green are pines and the hills are small.  It is all so very interesting to see for myself.  

Tomorrow is a big day.  I am planning to do 500 kms.  I will leave about 0600 and take my time driving to Thunder Bay.  

As Bugs Bunny would say, “That’s all folks.”  Until next time, I am going to finish my tea and give Morgan her evening walk before we turn in early for an early start tomorrow.  

Wishing you all a wonderful life filled with children’s laughing, good food, and lots of hugs.