The mattress update,
On the earlier post if you saw it I mentioned that I purchased a mattress for the trailer. The mattress was not the correct size for the space so it had to be adjusted. By adjusted I mean cut to size. The box was opened the plastic was cut to allow the mattress to expand. once that was done I went to the trailer to measure and re-measure the space. Back to the mattress and took it out of the covers, the first one zipped off while the other was pulled over. The lines were drawn on the foam prior to starting. What would have been good to use would have been an electric knife, but in failing that a regular caring knife would suffice. In about 15 to 20 min the mattress was cut to size with no blood being drawn, that's a bonus for me! Out to the trailer for placement, fit like a charm.
This was just a 6" mattress but I found it very comfortable, this was a nice upgrade from the cushions provided.💤💤💤
Well The Long trail is behind us now , at least for the time being. I do hope to complete it this year 2020 but life has a funny way of changing plans. I will post some of our travels and interests as we go along in life.
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Maiden Voyage in the mini camper
Well it finally happened, trailer was ready for the road, a camp site booked and the weather was good, at least for our departure.
The camp site was called the OVEN's and is located along the south shore of Nova Scotia. It is a small campground that is very welcoming. If you have a water view it is dramatic! Mother nature has carved out the coast line and made it a rugged ragged view. The owners have a small trail along this rock bank with sweeping vista views of the salt water. The crashing waves have created caves that can viewed and entered along this small easy hike. It is really worth the walk.
We had camped with a few other folks and spent most of the time just talking and laughing throughout the day. it started raining in the evenings and when this happened we made our way to the local restaurant where the owners were playing live music for all to enjoy. This was my favorite part about the camping here.
This was build around an old gold mining community and to this day you can still pan for gold along the shores right in front of the campground. We were told that one of the locals had panned enough gold to make a wedding band. who knows ,might be true.
Had a great time here, Staff was always pleasant and friendly. Would make another trip back to enjoy the quiet peaceful ocean playground.
The camp site was called the OVEN's and is located along the south shore of Nova Scotia. It is a small campground that is very welcoming. If you have a water view it is dramatic! Mother nature has carved out the coast line and made it a rugged ragged view. The owners have a small trail along this rock bank with sweeping vista views of the salt water. The crashing waves have created caves that can viewed and entered along this small easy hike. It is really worth the walk.
We had camped with a few other folks and spent most of the time just talking and laughing throughout the day. it started raining in the evenings and when this happened we made our way to the local restaurant where the owners were playing live music for all to enjoy. This was my favorite part about the camping here.
This was build around an old gold mining community and to this day you can still pan for gold along the shores right in front of the campground. We were told that one of the locals had panned enough gold to make a wedding band. who knows ,might be true.
Had a great time here, Staff was always pleasant and friendly. Would make another trip back to enjoy the quiet peaceful ocean playground.
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Tiny Trailer Mattress
I guess it comes as no surprise that if you plan to travel in a trailer one of the most important features to have is a good mattress. This is not only needed for the night but also during those rainy days when you find find yourself confined to the comforts of the inside of the trailer. We first looked the foam mattress's that were part of the trailer , these were four sections of cushions and we had deemed these unacceptable. Of course these would work for weekend trips but for longer term I felt we needed something more substantial. Our first stop was at a local shop and priced a firm foam mattress that would fit the trailer bed section which is what they call a Short Queen. The cost of this was $600 plus tax. So to Amazon I go. I did find a 8" one that would work but ordered it and due a long delivery I cancelled it and ordered the Lucid 6 Inch Memory Foam Mattress, from Amazon.ca. for about $250. It arrived within three days of order and is ready for installation. The only issue was I could only order a Queen size mattress so I plan to cut it to fit. Ill see how this goes. Ill update the finished product once completed.
Safe travels,
Arrival at the house
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Camper Getting Ready
Well it’s starting to come together, the tiny trailer is taking shape. The painting is just about completed on the inside. If we can get some warm weather it could be completed but such is life. A new set of sexy legs in the back now stabilize the tiny frame. We have also received a new battery box from one of our sponsors completed with new vinyl. Can’t wait for the first voyage into the unknown! Just need time off and fair weather
Friday, May 10, 2019
Light weight Camper
Well my dreams of a teardrop trailer have been dashed, but that doesn't mean that the dream has died. Its not completely gone but has changed, There is a small travel trailer now parked in our yard. The little Taylor coach has a bed and dinette with a counter space. Other than that not much else, what it lacks in amenities it makes up for in quaint charm....and a slight smell of a dog from the previous owners. Working on getting that out.
So where will we go? how long will we stay? What will we do? these are our unanswered questions that we are eager uncover! We are powered by YES and cannot wait for our first small trailer shake down. The sight of the open road , the smell of a campfire as the colors of orange and yellow dance in our eyes. With friends we will be telling old stories and at the same time creating new ones. It will be a couple of weeks before we get this out as we are completing minor changes such as bearing change, paint the frame and the interior. I simply cannot wait!
As our buddy Tom would say, "Lets Go!
"
So where will we go? how long will we stay? What will we do? these are our unanswered questions that we are eager uncover! We are powered by YES and cannot wait for our first small trailer shake down. The sight of the open road , the smell of a campfire as the colors of orange and yellow dance in our eyes. With friends we will be telling old stories and at the same time creating new ones. It will be a couple of weeks before we get this out as we are completing minor changes such as bearing change, paint the frame and the interior. I simply cannot wait!
As our buddy Tom would say, "Lets Go!



Friday, April 19, 2019
Moving on to something new
On to something new I suppose or a least a way to pass some time, A friend mentioned the idea of starting carving and I thought hmmm, maybe give this a try and see how it goes. I completed a bit of research which was just watching You Tube videos. I wasn't sure how the carving would go but did enjoy the videos and this certainly passed some time. This was the initial stage, now to purchase a couple of knives to start this new craft. My charming wife will be happy that I have something new to spend money on and as I would find out after, a craft that would create a mess when doing it. You know what they say , Ignorance Is Bliss. Looking for the most economical knife set I turned to Amazon of course. I finally decided on a flex cut knife set. This seemed to be a good starter and not to expensive. The next purchase was some Bass wood, I did purchase the original order from Amazon but later went to Lee Valley and then later found a local wood company that had Bass wood in stock.
Now with wood and Knives in hand what else was required.....band-aids for the cuts then a glove. I again watched some videos and began the process of shaping the wood. The first couple of pieces I managed to carve some fire wood and shavings for fire stater. I wife was impressed as I spent an hour or more whittling a nice block of wood in to something that I threw in the fire pit! Oh well at least the flame was nice and I did get a little warmth from it.
With a little patience I did manage to create a few little characters, I know this will be a learning progress and will take some time to begin to master but like anything keep practicing and enjoy the ride.
Below are a few photos showing what has been done thus far.
Regards,
Now with wood and Knives in hand what else was required.....band-aids for the cuts then a glove. I again watched some videos and began the process of shaping the wood. The first couple of pieces I managed to carve some fire wood and shavings for fire stater. I wife was impressed as I spent an hour or more whittling a nice block of wood in to something that I threw in the fire pit! Oh well at least the flame was nice and I did get a little warmth from it.
With a little patience I did manage to create a few little characters, I know this will be a learning progress and will take some time to begin to master but like anything keep practicing and enjoy the ride.
Below are a few photos showing what has been done thus far.
Regards,
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Cuba - What we enjoyed! -
Good Day,
The things we enjoyed while in Cuba. I am sad to report we did not leave the resort and there is a reason for that. Currently working in Northern Canada and when we decided to book the trip it was fro one reason! That reason was to escape the cold and the snow! there has been an abundance of snow here and I think even a few records broken with the amounts that have fallen in the past couple months. So you see it was simple......Get to the resort and enjoy the Sun, Heat , Sand and the Water. As it turned out that is exactly what we did!
So when mentioning what we enjoyed , it is based on our experiences at other resorts through out Dominican, Jamaica and Mexico. This is just our impressions and experiences. I think this is also based on the time of year that we had visited Cuba. ( February as opposed to later in April). Not sure if that made a difference or not , just thought I would mention it.
In other resort areas our experience is that you would have to get up early to find a spot with a bit of shade on the beach. At the resort we stayed this was not the case. We did get up early to enjoy the beach in the morning but did not have to in order to secure a spot. In saying that we did anyway, I suppose force of habit. We found that folks during this time of the year came to the beach all through out the day and were able to get a spot whether they wanted sun or shade. Lots of chairs available and they did range from old to new.
Breakfast was always a good meal. Omelets were usually my choice but the array of fresh rolls and breads c/w cheese had me re-thinking that plan. The breads ,rolls and croissants fresh from the oven were fantastic and we ate bread every morning.
The buffet at lunch had an ample choice to please anyone's palate. There was no fear of going hungry at this resort. If all else fails the pasta bar was cooking whatever you desired. We were told many things prior to going , one of those things had been that the steak was not good. Happy to report that we ate at the TEX-MEX restaurant three times and had steak every time. Of course it was not as good as home or should I same not what we were used to eating But was rather good. Going back three times speaks volumes.
The beer served was Crisal and no matter where you went on the resort it was crisp and cold and certainly quenched your thirst. VERY ENJOYABLE!
From the time we landed until the time we left we did not experience the folks asking for money or trying to sell you something around every corner. On the beach we were approached once and asked if we wanted to go on the snorkeling trip but when we declined that was it, the gentleman didn't bother us again. Once when we stayed in Puerto Plata there was a guy there that tried to sell us a time share multiple times a day on the resort grounds. It was so bad we had to change where we walked to the buffet and lobby bar just to avoid him. No was not the answer he was looking for. This certainly didn't happen at the resort we stayed at. I can't comment on the rest of Cuba but there wasn't anyone trying to sell you stuff on the beach.
The staff was very friendly as well, no matter where you were they would always give you a happy greeting. That was with and with out a tip.
The resort we had stayed at for the record was Melia Varadero.
Kind regards,
The things we enjoyed while in Cuba. I am sad to report we did not leave the resort and there is a reason for that. Currently working in Northern Canada and when we decided to book the trip it was fro one reason! That reason was to escape the cold and the snow! there has been an abundance of snow here and I think even a few records broken with the amounts that have fallen in the past couple months. So you see it was simple......Get to the resort and enjoy the Sun, Heat , Sand and the Water. As it turned out that is exactly what we did!
So when mentioning what we enjoyed , it is based on our experiences at other resorts through out Dominican, Jamaica and Mexico. This is just our impressions and experiences. I think this is also based on the time of year that we had visited Cuba. ( February as opposed to later in April). Not sure if that made a difference or not , just thought I would mention it.
In other resort areas our experience is that you would have to get up early to find a spot with a bit of shade on the beach. At the resort we stayed this was not the case. We did get up early to enjoy the beach in the morning but did not have to in order to secure a spot. In saying that we did anyway, I suppose force of habit. We found that folks during this time of the year came to the beach all through out the day and were able to get a spot whether they wanted sun or shade. Lots of chairs available and they did range from old to new.
Breakfast was always a good meal. Omelets were usually my choice but the array of fresh rolls and breads c/w cheese had me re-thinking that plan. The breads ,rolls and croissants fresh from the oven were fantastic and we ate bread every morning.
The buffet at lunch had an ample choice to please anyone's palate. There was no fear of going hungry at this resort. If all else fails the pasta bar was cooking whatever you desired. We were told many things prior to going , one of those things had been that the steak was not good. Happy to report that we ate at the TEX-MEX restaurant three times and had steak every time. Of course it was not as good as home or should I same not what we were used to eating But was rather good. Going back three times speaks volumes.
The beer served was Crisal and no matter where you went on the resort it was crisp and cold and certainly quenched your thirst. VERY ENJOYABLE!
From the time we landed until the time we left we did not experience the folks asking for money or trying to sell you something around every corner. On the beach we were approached once and asked if we wanted to go on the snorkeling trip but when we declined that was it, the gentleman didn't bother us again. Once when we stayed in Puerto Plata there was a guy there that tried to sell us a time share multiple times a day on the resort grounds. It was so bad we had to change where we walked to the buffet and lobby bar just to avoid him. No was not the answer he was looking for. This certainly didn't happen at the resort we stayed at. I can't comment on the rest of Cuba but there wasn't anyone trying to sell you stuff on the beach.
The staff was very friendly as well, no matter where you were they would always give you a happy greeting. That was with and with out a tip.
The resort we had stayed at for the record was Melia Varadero.
Kind regards,
Cuba -review-
What to expect while traveling to Cuba,
Please note this is just our experience and was our first time in CUBA.
The entry in to Cuba was a bit different, once off the plane ,of course everyone has to go through custom clearance which is what is expected. it was just a bit odd how it was completed. Everybody had to go through as single person, not as a family or couple. Your photo was taken and compared to your passport photo, once approved a door was unlocked to allow you to go through . From this point you carry on luggage was checked before getting released to pick up the remainder of your luggage. Its important to note that when on the plane there is an entry/exit form to be filled out, this will be required when you exit the country so don't lose it.
The collection of luggage was uneventful in fact not like other places like Mexico/Jamaica/Dominica where folks are swarming around you trying to carry your luggage for a tip , there was only a couple and they did not bother you if you said no. It was actually relaxing compared to the other southern destinations.
There was a bank just outside the departures are where you could have your money exchanged and even pick up a cold beer if you so desired. Just finding the correct bus was very easy and again I will mention , you were not over run with people trying to carry your luggage or pull you in a different direction. So far so good.
The Bus ride was like any other bus ride, just dropped folks around at the resorts in a logical manner I suppose until we arrived at the resort we were staying at. We stayed at the Melia Varadero which was not the last resort to be dropped off nor was it the first.
The resort was built in the late 90's so was a bit dated but was clean. The staff at the front was very welcoming and had us sorted out in a short amount of time. It was an easy transition from the front desk arrival to our room. The room was nothing spectacular but as I mentioned earlier was clean and accommodating. The bar fridge had a few beers and a few sodas, the bed was a king bed that sat low to the ground. It was firm but comfortable. the view wasn't bad, over looked the courtyard and a distant view of the water. We were on the fourth floor so you could see if there was any weather changes in the distance form our patio.
The beach was a short walk away from the edge of the resort property. The sand itself was a brownish sand from the coral and rocks. This wasn't the best beach we have ever been on but still was quite nice. Water was warm and inviting. We saw the water transform from flat calm to large crashing waves and enjoyed each transition. The colors of the water was amazing. The greens and blues are to describe you truly have to see it to appreciate it. We would walk the beach in the morning and spend the rest of the day soaking up warm rays of the sun.
I can't wait to go back to Cuba. I may pick a different section of the island to explore the next time.
Please note this is just our experience and was our first time in CUBA.
The entry in to Cuba was a bit different, once off the plane ,of course everyone has to go through custom clearance which is what is expected. it was just a bit odd how it was completed. Everybody had to go through as single person, not as a family or couple. Your photo was taken and compared to your passport photo, once approved a door was unlocked to allow you to go through . From this point you carry on luggage was checked before getting released to pick up the remainder of your luggage. Its important to note that when on the plane there is an entry/exit form to be filled out, this will be required when you exit the country so don't lose it.
The collection of luggage was uneventful in fact not like other places like Mexico/Jamaica/Dominica where folks are swarming around you trying to carry your luggage for a tip , there was only a couple and they did not bother you if you said no. It was actually relaxing compared to the other southern destinations.
There was a bank just outside the departures are where you could have your money exchanged and even pick up a cold beer if you so desired. Just finding the correct bus was very easy and again I will mention , you were not over run with people trying to carry your luggage or pull you in a different direction. So far so good.
The Bus ride was like any other bus ride, just dropped folks around at the resorts in a logical manner I suppose until we arrived at the resort we were staying at. We stayed at the Melia Varadero which was not the last resort to be dropped off nor was it the first.
The resort was built in the late 90's so was a bit dated but was clean. The staff at the front was very welcoming and had us sorted out in a short amount of time. It was an easy transition from the front desk arrival to our room. The room was nothing spectacular but as I mentioned earlier was clean and accommodating. The bar fridge had a few beers and a few sodas, the bed was a king bed that sat low to the ground. It was firm but comfortable. the view wasn't bad, over looked the courtyard and a distant view of the water. We were on the fourth floor so you could see if there was any weather changes in the distance form our patio.
The beach was a short walk away from the edge of the resort property. The sand itself was a brownish sand from the coral and rocks. This wasn't the best beach we have ever been on but still was quite nice. Water was warm and inviting. We saw the water transform from flat calm to large crashing waves and enjoyed each transition. The colors of the water was amazing. The greens and blues are to describe you truly have to see it to appreciate it. We would walk the beach in the morning and spend the rest of the day soaking up warm rays of the sun.
I can't wait to go back to Cuba. I may pick a different section of the island to explore the next time.
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Morning walk -Cuba -
We were entertained one morning while strolling along the the warm wet sands in our bare feet with our flip flops in hand . Two local fishermen waist deep in the ocean ahead of us were casting a round white weighted net into the splashing waves. To us it appeared that it was for nothing but to our surprise when the net was drawn into the shoreline it would have plenty of small fish captured in the well worn net. We were not the only ones happy to see the full net, pelicans soon arrived and rejoiced in the harvest. The fishermen filled their bucket and treated the squawking birds to an easy breakfast on the sun drenched sand with the glow of the sun radiating off of their wet feathers. We enjoyed the show and together walked along the beach following the fishermen . You can’t beat an early morning stroll
Saturday, February 16, 2019
A last Minute trip to Cuba
With most travel we look in advance to see what are plans are , where we are going and such, But after spending the last couple of weeks in the snow I decided it was time for a change. Of course the decision was made easier as a co-worker had just returned from a Cuba trip as well. He was talking about the vacation in Cuba, with that I contacted a travel agent and between her and my charming wife a trip was booked to Varadero Cuba in what seemed like minutes! the nice part is I only had to wait a couple of days before boarding a 747 south. I needed the liquid sunshine, I needed to walk in the sand with nothing on my feet, I needed to taste salt on my lips from the warm Caribbean ocean. I needed the warm tropical waters washing over my ankles... OK , I suppose that's enough, you get the picture. I wanted to go South! We have listened to many reviews about Cuba by folks that where there, by people that were not there at all. The only way to get the proper perspective is to go there and see for yourself. We do not have all the same needs or wants so your experience will not be the same as ours. What I can tell you is We had a Great time, The food was good! weather was great. The people were great.
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