Red Deer Log Cabins

This is a great time of year for people with preschool age children to vacation.  No bugs, fine weather, swimming/playing in the water is still viable.  Blackberries for the picking too.  Generally there is no competition for the time off, unlike the summer months.

I was supposed to be taking a day off today, but early on got mixed up in the mess on Google, trying to get the place marker fixed again.  Now it is wrong on 2 pages, because of the way the template accepts information.  Anyway, I spent some extra time working on the Google+ page for RDLC.  I have managed to maintain a high integrity of information, with only one file shot (theirs.  They won't let me change the theme photo to one of mine).
The page now has a custom URL.  Have a look!  Let me know what you think!  Considering it is Google, it is going to be forever a work in progress.  Every time I try to get at my stats they have changed something again, so I wind up playing in their sandbox instead of dispensing the task efficiently and getting back to my own list of 'to-dos'.
Seeing as I'm not a fan of Facebook, this is a nice happy medium.  If anyone wants to post photos from their vacations, here's a place that works the same way.  I love seeing pics of people's vacations at Red Deer Log Cabins.  Everyone makes the space look like a different place when they fill it, it's so fluid.  They also look at the space differently, and compose the photograph differently.  The only way to see that is if people share.

Due to someone getting lost here on the way using GPS recently again, I have had the coordinates reviewed here by multiple machines.  My coordinates are right to within a second for latitude (difference between units while standing on the same spot) and 2 seconds for longtitude.  The coordinates cannot be measured more exactly.

Some people using my coordinates have found themselves in Maple Leaf.  Some have found themselves in Lake St Peter.
The last person to get lost had a new GPS out of the box and had not checked for software updates before hitting the road.  That's the only reason I can think of for the discrepancy.  I don't use GPS; I like maps.  Beyond providing coordinates, I can't do much to troubleshoot anyone's device.  That requires a call to the manufacturer.  Maybe they can answer why there is a (large) variance.

I have no control over where any individual finds their GPS data, which machine with which software they buy, whether it is programmed correctly etc.  I continue to scan the internet for incorrect information, but understand, this means I work for Big Machines on my own time, just so I can get people to stop bugging me about incorrect GPS results.  It's like other information that is out there on the internet about this place.  If it is incorrect, it is not an indication that I have lost my mind, don't care, or intentionally mislead people.  It is often out of my control entirely.  I cannot correct everyone's mistakes.

I use maps!  Paper maps, not the Google crap maps that will NOT give you the best route outside of urban areas. 
I have provided every smidgen of information I can think of so that you will arrive safely.

GPS.  Definitely not my department.  Why does it keep landing on my desk?

And the location is still 2 km s of hwy 60 on hwy 523!  Has been for a long time no matter what new manner of wayfinding confuses the matter.

After everyone being afraid of rain this weekend, and camping numbers suffering consequently, you will all be happy to know that it is now pouring buckets (3:30 pm).  Everyone is gone except a couple of regular campers who headed out in a boat 5 minutes before the heavens opened.
The forecast today said no rain. 
Hahahahahahaha

It ran in the (propped) open door.
Not a good move this time of year with all the little animals looking for hidey spots for the winter...

I got 2 today.

I've often wondered why tipping is so expected in restaurants, but no longer in the accommodation industry.  Restaurant workers get a described job with a baseline wage.  Accommodation properties can be cheaper than dinner for a family of 4, and the money covers a lot more time. 
The extra service given in a 'housekeeping' resort scenario is rarely rewarded.  People who forget towels, pillows, matches, want romantic candles, have extra life jackets thrown in, have visitors arrive without notice having told them to drive right past the stop and register sign at the office and straight to their site/cabin, get messages from home that are relayed in good time by foot traffic...
Also if there is breakage, or someone can't be bothered to tidy up, it would be sensible to leave at least a token offering.  Mostly I want to know about breakage to properly equip a cabin for the next occupant.  Rarely is there a charge for "accidents", unless it is something big.  I prefer to be told instead of discovering a problem.

I hope tipping becomes fashionable again. 

Cabins are busy, but there is still camping available for anyone making last minute plans.  Don't be put off by the weather forecast.  It looks to me like we can expect some drizzle Sunday for a short time.

Went to the corner store this evening just before closing.  Other years, Highway 60 has been a stream of traffic on Fridays.
The road was DEAD!.
Canoe outfitter has everything rented, so they are doing well apparently.  But a serious traffic shortage overall.
Then one of the Campapalooza Moms dropped in to pick up things that were left behind.   She had just driven through Algonquin Park, and also noted that the traffic was very light.

Well...my cabins are full...campers still on the way too.  Normal Friday here.

I love it when I have senior guests.
Double bingo this time, a(n) (older) senior with a senior therapy dog.  His daughter brought them for a week in the country.
These pilgrimages are refreshing for all of us.

Someone is burning plastic on his campfire.
I don't even know where to begin.
Obviously, I live in the country so that I can breathe crap like that at the whim of someone who gives me a couple of bucks.
Grrrrrrr.....

Hope he has a big fire, so it is all burnt off before someone else uses that firepit. 

Time exists here before and after each individual vacation.  What a 'self centred' person does can affect various guests in the future, as well as in the moment.  From fishing on the beach, to dumping food in any drain, or garbage in any toilet, breaking branches from live trees, burying cigarette butts in the sand,  burning plastic on a campfire...these are all indicators of someone who does not consider that the space is shared over time with other people.  Or doesn't care.
Funny about me advertising a distinctly environmentally responsible flavour for the place. 

Campapalooza is folding up, about to disappear into the mists.  Yes, mists.  It's almost raining, again.  Who would have thought we would have such crappy weather in the middle of August?  21 children didn't seem to notice, as they swam, flew kites, caught frogs, played chase games, kicked soccer balls, canoed...the list goes on.  Camp was well organized, and things went off mostly without a hitch.  The rain amounts were inconsequential during the day; the larger amounts fell at night and early in the morning.

Talk about next summer's event is already on simmer.

Campapalooza is a terrific success.  Well organized, well equipped for being in the great outdoors, and by and large all happy sounds coming from the waterfront, which is overrun with 6 to 14 year olds.

It looks a little like an accordion playing from a distance; the group expands and contracts with great regularity though in a totally chaotic fashion.

When Ontario was a manufacturing giant, before it was dismantled in the late 90s by Harris, this kind of family grouping would happen naturally with the plant shutdowns for 2 weeks each summer when everyone was off and the plant was retooled.  The farther south the manufacturing plants were, the earlier in the summer were the shutdowns.  Mix that with the youngest employees from other sectors getting the earliest vacations in the summer schedule, and week by week there would be large groups of children with their respective adults.  Activites didn't organize officially, but there was a lot of parents cooperating to have great vacations with their broods.

Not so much now that so many people apparently don't vacation.  The labour sectors don't support the same kind of tourist flow either.

There have been family reunions here the same size as Campapalooza.

These ladies are on to something.  4 nights of overnight camp for 21 youngsters of different ages? A quick calculation says they saved about $12K giving their children a camp experience the Campapalooza way.

Tomorrow I have a crew of 21 youngsters and their collective Moms arriving for a week of fun.

Stay tuned!

I just found a site with ropes in the trees wayyyy up, cutaways from the tarps and just about every branch that they could reach snapped back on the site.  A pile of small branches under the maple.  These are the same people that thought they could put 2 families on one site,  because the sites are so big, and split the cost.  Yup, that's why I made big sites.  That would make me 400% dumber than your average business person.  So that's a days worth of tree work and a monkey rental?  Don't know what to do about the ropes; 2 guys move a picnic table under the tree and stand on it to tie them.  Then they cut away at ground level, leaving the tree to strangle slowly. 

Guidelines for Guests are given to new arrivals. 
"6.  Firewood may be purchased at the office.  Do not break limbs or peel bark from live trees."

Tree pruning happens in the spring and the fall, when it is best for the tree, NOT in the summer at the convenience of the camper.  Sites are big so that there is room for the trees too.  Now I have a # of sharp points, some at eye height, and split branch stubs at the trunk.  It is a visual signal for others to help themselves.

After time, all the trees will be denuded on the lower trunks.  Privacy between sites will be gone.  Tops will strangle when the tree grows around the rope and the tree becomes a 'danger' tree and has to be removed.

So much for it being a 'beautiful' place, as so many new arrivals and return clients say.  It cannot be beautiful with everyone taking fire starter from live trees, and pruning as they see fit.  That is well beyond the privilege afforded here with admission.

Doing the same thing in Algonquin Park would attach a $250 fine to each licence plate.  $1000 in fines for taking liberty with trees that do not belong to the 'harvesters'.  I could rent a cherry picker AND a monkey with a chainsaw for a day for that amount!

I've been having trouble receiving notification that someone has commented on the blog, but I think it is fixed.  Hopefully for good. 
;-)
There was an orphaned question about nontoxic bug deterrent alternatives, which was answered directly subsequently.  You will find bug information under the "wildlife" tag.

On the topic of what my clients say:

The new word I am hearing from the description fed back to me is 'Canadiana'.  This term has replaced 'rustic', which has become a common term in decorating usage as a new/old motif.  Rustic never did mean 'run down', which unfortunately was the popular usage/comprehension of the term.

But I digress.

Numerous itinerant Europeans were here this past weekend, in motor homes, because the million trailer hookups in Algonquin were full (one family stopped here first, then checked out Algonquin and came back to register on Friday.  As in, ahead of the frenzy for the last spots). 
Every one of them said the same thing.  This was the Canadiana they sought and had not found other places on their trips, because of the commercialization of the industry.  Even Algonquin was too much like a suburb of a city.

The organized campgrounds in Algonquin hold more people than live in the town of Madawaska, in closer quarters.  So does Riverland.
Here, #1 on the menu is the environment.

Many international visitors look for Canadiana on their trips, much as I wanted to find a 'real' castle to stay in when in Scotland.  So many that offered lodging had completely 'updated', americanized and indistinct.  Could I tell I was in Scotland once I walked indoors? 

The entire camping industry has gone through a huge infrastructure shift, as in providing more comfort/amenities.  Industry surveys claimed that people wanted more services, higher amperage for bigger motor homes, free wifi, laundromats, etc.  The sacrifice has been the camping environment; trees have to be removed to install infrastructure, sites are graded flat and graveled so the fridge in the trailer will work without leveling blocks.  No grass to cut.  Higher energy costs; both infrastructure and usage require that more units be put into a smaller space for profit...people don't want tree branches touching their rolling stock.  Some rigs cost much more than my house; their occupants can be very demanding (and often ask for discount on a price that is already below the industry mean). 
Is a 42 ft motor home camping?  These rigs are getting taller too, requiring more tree pruning.

This industry is helping destroy the Canadiana that the international traveler is looking for.  We have the same problem here as the rest of the world.  We have become americanized; not sure who that is supposed to be helping. 

One of the Dutch families should be checking back in any moment.  They went to the Park yesterday and said they might be back, then emailed.  It's great when people who are in Canada for only 3 weeks want to come back!

Ok, now I AM bragging...

It's 25 years of business, and I have another first.!

After most of the weekend's guests had gone, I went for my customary walk along the beach with a garbage bag.  I could not find a single cigarette butt, empty beer or pop can, candy wrapper, beer cap, or any of the regular detritus found in the wake of many people having fun.
All I found was ONE sandal.  Lonely...

I am truly impressed.  My clientele is a cut above.

Thank you all for making it a "leave no trace" camping weekend. 

People keep telling me this place is what a campground should be; lush, green, clean, simple.  Now I have campers to go along with that  campground.

Newbie campers on adjacent sites used to work together, haven't seen each other in years.!
Fortunately it is a happy reunion.

Preparing the outhouses today for the long weekend, I noticed someone has thrown a bag of garbage into one of the pits.
Why is there confusion between toilet and garbage can?  Everyone is told where both are when they arrive.

A lot of people are checking for availability later this season before they are out the door.  That would be a heads up to book soon if you are thinking of late summer/autumn getaways.  I can see by my website stats that 25% of visits are return, so it seems to me that there are people still making plans...
or maybe the blog has fans?
Or both.?

A client who has been here a number of times checked out, and a small tree in front of his cabin has had all of the lead shoots broken back.  I saw same person on the far south end of the waterfront doing the same to another small tree.
I reminded him that I offer only the deadfall on the ground for harvest; nothing, no bark, no apparently dead branches, nothing from a live tree. 

I think my request is reasonable, and my reminder also.  He did not.

Oh well...

The same infraction in Algonquin Park can attach a $250 fine to a licence plate.

Many places do not allow any wood pickup.  Small bundles of kindling are $6.  Bigger bags of blocks are $7 to $10.  Wood is available here for $10/wheelbarrow, a price that has held for 15 years.

Both raspberries and blueberries are coming along.  There aren't a lot yet, but some ripen every day.
Mushrooms are happening but also not yet in big numbers.  With the rainy blasts we are having, and the warm nights, I can't help but expect big bloom soon.
That being said, it became cool this morning, which made for sweatshirt weather until about 2 pm.  Then it became hot and sunny.
Expect flaky weather.  That is this year's normal.  Bring 3 season clothing. 
Always a good idea when you are camping anyway, right?  Layers, extra socks, 2 of everything even if you think you only need one pair of pants what happens if you rip them, Big Boy? 
Anybody got a big skirt?

I've got stories.  Everyone is anonymous unless expressly in agreement to be the known subject of humourous reconnoiters.

Between the cabins.  Not this morning; a week ago.  The remarkable part is that I didn't see any sign earlier in the year.  Now that the flush of people has gone through, they may come back. 

The geese are back.  Broom patrol again.

When it comes to geese it really helps to have a dog around.

Raccoons.  Well, at least one.  It's been hanging about for the last 2 weeks.  Has not managed to get a meal yet, except some bird and turtle eggs.  With the help of all guests here I hope to keep it that way.  If a feeding station develops here, there will be a wildlife party on a regular basis.  Skunks can be an issue too, with food scraps left about.  One of the reasons I installed wash up sinks is because people would sit at the tap and wash dishes, making a little 3rd world country scenario with food 'bits' running down the roadway in the slurry.  This is very attractive to skunks, who feed at night.

Well, that was the strangest Canada Day weekend ever.  Here we are on the holiday, and there are only weekly vacationers left on site.  There were only 4 Algonquin Park Overflow clients all weekend.

A great time was had by all.  Wow, really dramatic rain storms, but nothing dangerous or scarey.  Lots of fantastic tropical type weather for general enjoyment.

I've been in to Madawaska, and see that the local corner store did not manage to get the gas pumps up and operating, so advice is to still gas up on the way in.  I will update when it's a go.

I had a visit on the weekend from someone new who is booked in for a big event in August.  They are reading my blog!  I have fans, sort of.  Good to know.  Inviting all of you to peep up!  You can ask questions, make comments, etc.  This was never intended to be a monologue...

It's sure not your regular holiday weekend.  Big groups of regulars are missing half of their crews; lots of people couldn't string together enough time to make the trip.

I have not heard any recorded music yet.!  How crazy is that?  Like, during the day, no one played a car stereo.  On the other hand, the birdsong was great today, numerous notable moments.

Somebody did trick me into staying awake last night for them, and then not arriving until today, no call.  Consequently, my legs have felt like concrete all day.

Birch mushrooms are up.  Another good rain and there should be a solid bloom.

Absolutely intense fiery sunset, just stunning...