Saturday, Good. Good, I like Saturdays."But now and then there are Saturdays. Big temporal tipping points where anything is possible." - The Eleventh Doctor And that’s exactly what that Saturday was; the big temporal type. This past October I had an adventure and this is it’s tale. I had been working 6 days a week and feeling exhausted and empty in life. My anxieties kept me wound with no real time to breathe. Work life was becoming more than overwhelming and hard to stand for a multitude of reasons that are too much to share for they’re not all mine to share. It had become an extremely toxic place full of bullying, belittling and gaslighted conversations had in hushed anger. I was finding myself breaking down alone in my car a lot. Crying on my way home and trying to swallow my anger. I was losing myself and wasn’t sure how much longer I could contain it. I had booked time off months in advance knowing things were building and I would need it, without any real idea of what I was going to do. A last minute decision brought me north. With how tightly I had been holding onto myself it only seemed right to let go of everything and fall into something new and let the unfamiliar take me somewhere I could grow. Northern Ontario is one of those places I can never forget. I’ve been a few times and each one took my breath away. I often think back to it’s beauty and wish I was there again. So I said, ‘Why not?”. Really the only thing stopping me was my fear. It was my fear that also held me in that job I was trying to escape. This was a step in the right direction and I could feel everything both pushing and pulling me there. Who was I to fight it? day oneThat fateful Saturday I packed up the SUV and headed north, running out the door, Bandit underarm yelling ‘We’re going on an adventure!’ to no one in particular. Like that I let go of my life and set off into another one. One where the only thing that mattered was my dog and I. A weekend of discovery and laughter. Where time stands still allowing us to weave through it’s ripples and stand on the edges of lakes in the rain and in the depths of the forest letting our feet sink within the moss listening for deer and the wind to call us back into mother nature's embrace. Maybe some panting and snorts from a smiling pug looking up at me from his dog carrier. Probably a little more of me chasing him down trails afraid he might slip and hurt himself. Senior or not, trying to catch a pug on the run is not easy. They are fast and very dodgy. Like little old men or angry little dwarves on a mission to some far off mountain. Only snacks are their golden treasure. Back to the story at hand. I had originally thought of Algonquin to be our destination but all the campsites were packed with only a few open sites. Now, my ultimate goal when in public is to have the least amount of social interaction as possible so you can easily see why we had to find another place. After searching through the various parks within a 3 hour radius we came to land on Oastler Provincial Park. Like dropping a pin on a map and there it was waiting for me. There's no need to rush and push for attention, fate will bring you where you need to be if you open your heart and look. Site number 134 sat snug high above the shoreline in the radio-free section. No electricity and a hole in the ground outhouse were all the amenities I needed. Although, I will say that outhouses just make me think of old scary movies with bad special effects, kinda creepy, horrible smell, just get in and get out as fast as possible and hope you don’t get murdered in the process. I’d rather pee in a bush. The site itself was small and cute with just the right amount of space for a girl and her pug. I was pleased that I remembered how to set up my tent and it wasn’t long before we had everything settled, full bellies and were ready for our first trail. Rugged Trail. Parry Sound.Rugged Trail was about 15 minutes from the park, with a Tim Hortons conveniently on route. It's a little hard to find as it's behind the massive building sized pile of salt leaving you with an odd sensation standing at it’s threshold. The lake to your left, the salt behind you, the wind blowing wildly and all you hear is the tarps flapping about leaving the taste of salt in your mouth. It was the perfect first stop to waken me. I imagine the Rugged trail as full immersion. The trail itself is narrow and hard to distinguish from everything around you. I often found myself standing there wondering what way I had come and having to backtrack after hitting a dead-end. The trail mostly follows the shoreline weaving you through the rocks and forest canopy, crossing small streams and hoping stone to stone across wider currents. The path does eventually open up bit and becomes more defined once you’re a half hour or so in. It’s hard to say because we stopped a few times on the various points to sit and watch the water and distant shore. This trail is not for the faint of heart, it’s very rugged as the name warns and for an active soul. I saw a few people out with their dogs, I really don't know how they managed. There are a lot of staggered boulders and low branches and bushes with a lot to scale and climb. For people? It's fantastic but dogs? Enter at your own risk. Coming from a veterinary standpoint, I see too many possible injuries. Then again anything can happen anywhere, so does it really matter? If Bandit was still able to walk full hikes on his own I would have still carried him. He would have definitely hurt himself or at the very least wiped out a few times. Since discovering the joys of being carried in a dog backpack he’s perfectly content to just hang there while I do all the work. Nature is our happy place and he still loves exploring with me. Maybe he just loves being with me in general. Maybe a little of both. I feel I’ve left out a vital fact: Why am I carrying Bandit everywhere? Unfortunately he is getting to be quite the elderly little wizard of a man and with that comes an arched little back with a wide stance to compensate his awkwardness. His spinal arthritis has left him unable to adventure a hard as he used to. He can still do his daily activities but he’s weak and falls a lot. He’s become quite floppy. Smile always on of course. Never a sad complaint or a hint of slowing down. So he has a front carrying dog backpack. He loves it. He gets so excited when I pull it out for him, zooms about and spins in circles until I catch him. Yes, I look crazy. Maybe I am. Maybe by your standards, not by mine. Just me alone in the middle of the forest carrying my dog around, climbing over rocks and fallen trees, talking and laughing with him (I almost wiped out a few times with him in the muddy areas and what else can you do but laugh at how ridiculous you must look to a stranger). Overall, I loved this trail I just wish I had more endurance and was able to go farther but carrying a 20lb dog and a backpack with the essentials is exhausting and sweaty. day two: Oastler Lake Provincial ParkNorthern Ontario in October is the definition of a crisp autumnal chill. It’s the weather that leaves you craving a good book and cozy reading nook, maybe a mug of tea or hot chocolate to keep you warm. So yes it was cold. Our first night it rained. We were cozy enough inside our tent only our noses were left cold outside all of the layers. Two nights were enough, I would’ve wanted a cabin if we were to stay longer. If only we could have. Reality is bruising jerk compared to the soothing calls of a vacation. That’s life I guess. Oastler Provincial Park is nice enough, the view from our site was exactly what we were looking for, some might complain about the railway across the street but I live next to a dog kennel so I can sleep through most things. My only concern for you to consider is that there are no trails in the park, you do need to drive everywhere. That didn't bother me much either. We dedicated our entire second day to Killbear Provincial Park - another last minute decision. It took us about a half hour to get there. Twin Points trail: KillBear Provincial ParkKillbear was breathtaking. We started with the Twin Points Trail. This trail starts boring, so much so I almost turned back, but I thought to myself “You’re here and who knows when you will be again.”. So we pushed on until it opened out onto the rocks with views that inspired some of Canada's most famous artists. It was like a sign I was in the right place, art history was my life when I was a teenager and here I was standing in a living Group of Seven. I’d never felt so grounded, ironic since we were at risk of blowing away. They say when you're looking for happiness in your life it’s best to look back and remember the last time you truly were. It’s unfortunate to say that for most of us it was when we were young. Living out loud, running through the streets with our friends, stomping through creeks and collecting toads. For me I think it was when I was buried in my artwork, or when I was roaming the brush with my shepherds. Photography is my medium, both worlds of art and nature brought together and that moment at KIllbear was the seal, the final nod from the universe to say this is what you’re looking for, the vision of Obiwan Kanobi telling me to trust the force. I am Radagast the brown. Anyway, this trail was a dream. I laughed the entire time. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and my little champ of champs walked nearly this entire trail by himself. I carried him, of course, on the rocks. They were very slippery and it was beyond windy. Oh his little rain coat flappy aroud. It was a priceless day. We made our way out and finished with lunch on the shore at the day use area. lookout point trail: killbear provincial parkOur next stop was Lookout Point Trail on the other end of the park. Bandit walked the beginning of this trail which dealt a lot of beautiful boardwalk through moss infused hardwoods and swampy areas, There were quite a few people on this trail which was not my favourite, but hiking people are generally good people, but there were children... Trust the person who’d rather venture to the middle of nowhere distant lake than the person who’d rather be in the middle of the city. As you may have guessed this trail has a lookout point. It actually brings you around to a sloping cliff that overlooks Gregorian Bay. If you want one view for your trip this will be it. We sat here a while watching the distance and clouds rolling through. PS: Don't buy boots from Ardenes, buy the xpensive ones made for hiking. A strong lesson learned. Day ThreeOur second night was a bit unnerving as we were the only ones left at our end of the park. You can think you’re a brave person all you want until you’re alone in the woods in the dead of night with only the moon to light everything around you. Our bathroom breaks to the creepy old outhouse were kept short and sparse as we huddled inside out little tent with a good book to distract my overactive imagination. Bandit could care less. He was out cold the moment he laid down. Day three brought our most peaceful morning with no sounds but us. We ate our breakfast and packed up before heading out for our final adventure before going home. Seguin fallsNow, Seguin falls was an adventure all its own. We got lost on the way, to be fair, google maps took us to a bridge that was closed and we had to backtrack. It was a very beautiful yet unsettling backwoods vibe. I’d probably still live there. The old ghost towns on Old Nipissing Road are what brought us here but it was very last minute and the trail was very… unstable. The bridge was frightening with barricades and holes in it, the trail that followed looked very rained out so we opted to head back and try a different trail. To be honest, the fact that there were ghost towns somewhere nearby left me very creeped out, I also didn’t really understand where they were. All for the better because it brought us to the other end of the Seguin Falls Trail on Lake Manitouwaba. This was a very quiet lonesome trail. It started to rain when we got there, luckily I had our rain coats. The rain made for a serene scene on the lake and it only last maybe ten minutes. This was my favourite spot. It was our last spot before heading home. Old Nipissing RoadLake ManitouwabaThe drive around this area was stunning. It felt like I was in TVD or some other teen drama centered in small towns perpetually stuck in autumnal weather and colours. I kept waiting for mysterious strangers to appear. At one point while I was driving a massive black raven landed on the road right in my path causing me to come to a complete stop. We sat there staring at each other for a minute before he flew off. It was an odd moment and you bet I looked up what it could mean. I found that the raven, like all birds, is a messenger. He asks us to look within for the answers needed to bring the changes we seek. A few common meanings include: courage, self-knowledge, healing, rebirth/renewal, change in consciousness, transformation of difficulties into blessings and of course magic! If that's not a sign I don't know what is. As if to that didn't drive it all home... while I was lost driving down random dirt roads a new job called me for an interview. It rang through my car with the clinics name on the caller ID, but I didn't answer in case the call got dropped. Instead, I waited till I got home. I ended up getting that job! It's interesting that when I finally stopped thinking and worrying that that's when I was delivered the answer I was looking for. I think sometimes we end up in places that are wrong for us so we can better appreciate the places that are right. Sometimes we just need to let go and allow ourselves to take up space, to breathe and just be for a few moments. Life has a way of working things out for you and bringing you what you need when you need it, not necessarily when you 'think' you need it. So pay attention and stay present. Not everything is forever, the good or the bad. Sometimes it's just a long weekend lost in the woods with you're munchkin sidekick. -N Camping essentials
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