Campfires - a picture post

We don't have a lot of campfires on our trips. We prepare for them. We have fire starter, multiple lighters, and a great saw. On our first couple of trips together we carried (okay, LT carried) some firewood purchased from the front gate. But the more we get into a rhythm of travelling together, the less we bother with campfires. On our longest trip of 7 days last year we only had a couple. It was September and a lot of the sites were picked pretty clean.

I generally don't cook over a fire. However we make an exception for pizza and cinnamon buns. Both recipes have yeast dough involved, setting a pot of the dough next to the fire on a flat rock is an excellent way to speed up that process. 

Here are some pictures of the campfires we've had:

Starting the fire - LT has a technique...

Cinnamon buns being put on the fire to cook

And...they're done! 

Fires are good for drying shoes

And smoke keeps the bugs away, or maybe it was the shoes

They enhance a spectacular sunset

Uh-oh a burn hole from the flying sparks

 

Grand Lake interesting fire pit

Picture proof of LT's carrying of the firewood all day - Opalescent Lake

It's good camping etiquette to leave behind some dry wood for the next crew coming through

Sunsets - a picture post

When we select a campsite, LT tries to ensure we get the best exposure for excellent sunset viewing. We have yet to get brave enough to go out in the canoe at night to see the billions of stars that the night brings. In the meantime, we relish the sunsets. Here are some we have seen. (The last two pictures are from La Verendrye Park.)

Okay, this is the moon....

Campsites - a picture post

December is a month with zero camping trips, but it doesn't mean I can't make a trip down memory lane with pictures! So here is another picture post this time of the various campsites we've stayed at. Hopefully I'll remember them all correctly. I'll give them a rating out of 5 stars. If you have any questions as to where exactly a particular campsite is at, just ask!

Top of Grand Lake - 4 stars

Clemow Lake - 2 stars

Opalescent Lake - 4 stars

North River Lake - 4 stars

Not a campsite, portage ending on Cedar Lake - 0 stars

Cedar Lake near Acanthus Island the next night - 5 stars

Same spot

Grand Lake halfway up - looked like a 3 star, definitely 4 stars

Cedar Lake near Petawawa River inflow - 4 stars

Little Carcajou Lake - 3 star (only site on the lake)

Carl Wilson halfway down - 3.5 stars

Cedar Lake at the top - 5 stars

Manitou Lake - 4 stars

Biggar Lake back of pennisula - 3 stars

Three Mile Lake on rocky outcropping - 4 stars

Same site after packing up

Erables Lake halfway down - 5 stars (except a bit hilly)

Mouse Lake near sandy beach - 4 stars

Same spot

And again - check out the huge stone table

Mink Lake halfway up - 5 stars*****

Grey days are pretty too - a picture post

My vague memory tells me that taking pictures on a grey day is better for the final photos. I'm not sure why. In any case, we can't control the weather, we can only prepare for it. For shorter trips we have a good idea what kind of weather is coming our way. Not so much for longer trips. We've been incredibly lucky with weather on our trips. We've had a bit of rain, but only a couple of off-and-on rainy days when travelling. 

Here are some pictures of less sunny days.

Stratton Lake - we were hiking this day

Grand Lake

Falls into Carcajou Bay

Not quite soaking wet - just misting!

Cold May long weekend on Grand Lake

Grand Lake without sunshine on a July weekend

Sun coming out after a grey day on Cedar Lake

Misty grey morning on Biggar Lake

Grey moments on our way to Three Mile Lake

Mouse Lake - we got slightly rained on before settting up camp