Camping this weekend

[Grant Lamontagne]

Megan and I are out camping this weekend at Blomidon Provincial Park in Nova Scotia.

Its a place we have camped before and one of Megan's favorite places to camp.  Unfortunately it has been a few years since we've been here, what with complications from fires, floods and plagues, but we have managed to finally get back!

I'll have some photos and stuff for you later on- it's taking forever to post here, and I think photos would be almost impossible!

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Hope you guys have fun!
JR

[Farmer X]

Looking forward to seeing the photos!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Unfortunately one of Megan's family members fell ill and we had to leave early.  There was not much reception and she wanted to be available just in case, so we packed up and went home.  Thankfully the news we were expecting hasn't dropped just yet.

But, getting back to the topic at hand, one thing I have to admit- my little dog is a bit of a princess.  Before we left I told Megan we had to get Dasher his own camp chair, because he is not a dog that tends to lay on the floor, in the dirt, grass etc.

I mean, he will, but he much prefers not to, and he also is not a fan of having his schedule interrupted.  As camping was going to mess with his routine I decided we should at least have a spot for him to lay down and get comfortable.  This was obviously a good plan, and afforded him an excellent vantage point for keeping track of squirrel and chipmunk activity!

With that out of the way, I can honestly say that where we were is an extremely beautiful place.   It's called Blomidon, and it's on the Bay of Fundy, the place with the highest tides in the world.  You've probably read posts in the past of us walking on the bottom of the ocean, and this is the same place.  Only this time we were in the camping park of the park, not just the beach.

Our camp site was not bad at all- it was a good size and quite private, and our tent went up quickly and easily despite not having been used in years and missing one critical part- the small pole that holds the fly out over the door.  Thankfully it didn't rain, so that wasn't the end of the world!

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Due to fire bans (remember last year's fires?) we couldn't have a fire at our camp site until 7pm, so supper was late.  As we had both worked all day before packing up, driving to the camp site, setting up camp etc, we were too tired and hungry to wait for the supper Megan had prepared, so the minute the fire was started, out came the hot dogs instead!

It was way easier than waiting for the fire to build up then die down to coals.  And a lot more fun too!

Naturally, after a few hot dogs were disposed of, we switched to marshmallows, because I'm pretty sure the law requires it, and we wouldn't want to be fined for not complying.   

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

It was a beautiful night, but the temperature really dipped- it was somewhere around 10C (50F) and we hadn't brought a decent blanket since it had been so warm lately.  We were pretty cold- well, Megan and I were, the teeny dog had ducked under what little blankets we had and enjoyed body heat from both of us.

The next morning we realized that we were not going to warm up despite the sun shining.  Our nice, private camp site was also very overhung with trees, which meant we wouldn't see the sun until close to noon.   

Megan fired up the small pocket rocket stove and made herself some coffee and then fired up the butane stove to make some breakfast.

While we were still freezing in our camp site, everyone else seemed to be having a good time so we ventured out to take Dasher for a walk.  Once we walked out of our site we fully realized the cost of our privacy.

As there was no breeze in our site, the cold air wasn't replaced with the absolutely hot air everywhere else, and the sun wouldn't shine in our site for some time.

Naturally this also made a haven for bugs, who all seem to very much love me.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

While walking Dasher around the loop we noticed there was a distinct difference between the open field park of the campground and what we started calling The Dark Forest.

The pictures don't do it justice, but it's actually very hard to see into the shaded area when you are standing in the light.  And the open area is quite blinding when you are standing in the shadowed area.   

Since we had paid for the whole weekend, we went back and forth over whether or not to stay another night, then decided that Megan would be better off at home if we got the news we were dreading, and so we eventually packed up and left.

All in all, it was a good trip- yeah, we just about froze, but no good stories ever come from things going right!

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Sorry about the family member, I could so go for one of those hotdogs! Grill cooking is one thing but burnt over open flame, when the outside is black 
JR

[Vidar]

...no good stories ever come from things going right!

¨

That seems more true than I appreciate. Too many stories! 

Seemed like a nice camping trip!

[Sos24]

Sorry you had to cut the trip short, but it looks like it was still a nice trip.

I’ll keep Megan and her family in my thoughts.


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[Farmer X]

Sorry to hear the trip had to be cut short. Hope all goes well with Megan's family member. Looks like, aside from the cool nights and the bugs, a good time was had by all. And Dasher having to have his own camp chair is too funny!

[Grant Lamontagne]

Sorry to hear the trip had to be cut short. Hope all goes well with Megan's family member. Looks like, aside from the cool nights and the bugs, a good time was had by all. And Dasher having to have his own camp chair is too funny!

I swear that I produce about three times the average of whatever humans emit that attracts bugs.  Megan will get 2-3 bug bites in the course of a day if we are hiking or camping or whatever. 

I will get dozens, if not hundreds, and the itching drives me crazy.  I have many scars from where I scratched myself so bad that the pretty red stuff came out.

Having a relatively cool, sheltered site didn't help as it allowed the bugs a lot more opportunities to get me too.   

Thankfully, they seemed to be having trouble getting through Dash's fur, and he doesn't seem to be very itchy, so I am guessing he didn't get bit much.

Def

[Vidar]

I know how you feel. For years I could go next to my father and have a swarm of bloodthirsty flying syringes attacking every exposed spot I got and then some. While he, meters away, could walk around with nothing but a confused male mosquito by his clearly unattractive presence.

This year however I finally achieved the fruits of all my suffering - immunity.  The mosquitos seem to have taken a dislike to me, and the few who still sting only cause minimum swelling without itching. It has made outdoor activities in the summer way more pleasureable for sure, and I haven't used any mosquito products all year.

Now, I've been told this is typically connected to the specific mosquito species you're exposed to, so I guess that means I have to stay local. I'll still take it! 

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's it- I am now going to have to travel the world and see if I can find the mosquito species that doesn't like me!

I have one of these big shirts:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5047-909/original-bug-shirt

Its great and all, but the mosquitoes seem to really love my ankles, and I also get so many hanging out on the face screen that I can't see where I am going and I have to wipe them off.

This usually just means I have a bunch of dead mosquitoes mashed into the screen so I still can't see where I am going.   

Def

[Vidar]

That jacket would have a market around here for sure! That said, most people seem to accept their faith, read up to add more suitable swear words, aim for better living by heavy use of chemicals, and hope for the best.

Many years ago there was this infamous traffic patrol control incident: Back then there was no permanent traffic patrol stationed anyhere near here. Instead patrols were supposed to come up from further south to spread some law and order on the roads once in a while. (Yeah, that worked as well you think...)

Anyway, on one occasion this patrol decided to have a control on a long flat road in the middle of a marsh district. There they soon got attacked by so many mosquitos that they decided to abandon that plan and go somewhere else. But by then it was too late - the car wouldn't start anymore. They had to order car resque. The repair later found that the air filters on their car had clogged up completely with mosquitos!   

Edit: I've heard of those desperate enough to just say smurf it, dress to their undies, and go and sit in a mosquity swarm. Repeat as needed until immunity. (Not a great idea at all in places where mosquitos carries diseases!)

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have had tens, if not hundreds of thousands of mosquito bites in my life.  If there was a way to develop an immunity to it I am sure I would have managed it by now.   

I am scared to get one of those DNA tests done as I am sure my bloodstream is at lest 8 percent mosquito saliva.  Of course, I'd also likely find out that everyone within a 10km radius of my favorite kayaking, hiking and camping spots also have traces of my DNA in them.   

Def

[Vidar]

I have had tens, if not hundreds of thousands of mosquito bites in my life.  If there was a way to develop an immunity to it I am sure I would have managed it by now.   

I had the same logic, and not many more bites at all this year. Thus not really sure what changed, but something sure did. Maybe it was watching a new TV show, the moon tilting differently or the mosquitos taking pity on me. Either way not complaining!

I am scared to get one of those DNA tests done as I am sure my bloodstream is at lest 8 percent mosquito saliva.  Of course, I'd also likely find out that everyone within a 10km radius of my favorite kayaking, hiking and camping spots also have traces of my DNA in them.   

Send to some DNA institiute - maybe they find that 8% of your ancestors came from a nearby marsh.  Seriously though, disease bearing mosquitos is no joke. I was down and flat out in bed for days once likely after some tropical mosquito bite. Many are not that lucky.

[gregozedobe]

I had the same logic, and not many more bites at all this year. Thus not really sure what changed, but something sure did. Maybe it was watching a new TV show, the moon tilting differently or the mosquitos taking pity on me. Either way not complaining!

Send to some DNA institiute - maybe they find that 8% of your ancestors came from a nearby marsh.  Seriously though, disease bearing mosquitos is no joke. I was down and flat out in bed for days once likely after some tropical mosquito bite. Many are not that lucky.

This is very true.  My brother had what the doctors thought may have been Murray Valley Encephalitis or Japanese Encephalitis.  It knocked him flat for months, and years later he still has flare-ups.  Of course the local tourist bodies try to downplay these diseases as much as possible.

[Vidar]

I was travelling at the time and supposed to be on a flight later the day I got ill. The doctor said she had to place me on a no-flight list, and if I tried to fly I would be interned at the airport - basically locked up. She politely suggested that it was not a great place to be sick, and any other arrangement should be preferred. So I gave up on the travel plans, and ended up in a bed for days with very high fever, fantasising  and lots of sleep. About a week later I got cleared by a hospital to travel again. On my way home I had a leopard like pattern everywhere except face, hands and feet. To this day I still don't know for sure what it was, but my local doctor at home suggested some variant of dengue. I've been much more careful with tropical mosquitos ever since, and quite thankful our local mosquitos are not carrying diseases.