A 1930's building that has been converted to the campground office. I am reminded of the similarities between this park and Albert's Banff National Park. Just WOW!

Our rig fits nicely and you can see we just arrived and I have not unhooked the Jeep yet. Leaves are turning and starting fall.

A short 2 minute walk from our campsite to this amazing well maintained sandy beach with swimming area. A fellow camper who grew up camping here told us that a meteor had created this lake and it is very deep. The people here are so friendly, Manitobans are so welcoming and the exude the Canadian hospitality and kindness.

Crystal clear waters and charming beaches that give Western Canada a run for its money.

We had a mother and her three babies join us for breakfast.

Another fantastic walk with Cody - we let his nose lead us all around the campground exploring new smells.

West Hawk Lake Campground:

https://www.travelmanitoba.com/directory/west-hawk-lake-campground/

• Campsite #G5
• Review: $23.00 a night with full hookups in a beautiful setting, you cannot go wrong.The campground is inside a Provincial Park and requires you to purchase a vehicle permit for the tow vehicle (not the motorhome as it is stationary) at the cost of $16 for three days. You can purchase a yearly pass if you are staying longer and it is very cheap compared to the federally run National Parks. We are near the end of the camping season here in lake country, therefore we have had the campsite pretty much to ourselves. There is 122 sites nestled around the lake and hills. This area of Manitoba is beautiful and reminds me of parts of BC. Add this campground to your bucket list!

Tags: MB

Protests at the Winnipeg Landfill

Today's journey took us past the horrific site of the Red Dress Protests. The moment we passed the encampment was sad and the thought of people fighting for the rights to have their missing family members and loved ones returned to them was somber. The fence surrounding the perimeter of the site had lots of Red Dresses. The message was clear, we are all human, we all deserve better than a landfill. My heart goes out to the loved ones left behind - I cannot event fathom what it is like to put myself in their shoes and experience what they have for generations.

Cody was right into the game of horseshoes - wanting to retrieve the horseshoe for us!

Mini golf, swimming, volley ball and hiking trails are available here too.

We walked the pathways around the campground, and I noticed that the entire area is built up on sand. The rolling hills are large sand dunes. So unique and beautiful. You can see the fall colours as the leaves turn. I love this time of year.

Aspen Grove Campground:

https://aspengrovecampground.com

• Campsite #189
• Review: $45.50 a night with full hookups.The campground is well maintained and has extensive green space for walking Cody. There is a swimming pool, playgrounds, mini golf, sandy volley ball court, walking paths and general store. We were arriving just a few minutes after the office was to close and the staff called us and said they would wait to greet us. I have to say everyone working here loves their jobs and it shows. We felt welcome and the campground was happy to have us. We would stay here again.

Tags: MB

Tow Hitch Saga

Our towed vehicle, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, is attached to the motorhome with a BlueOx tow kit. We noticed that when connecting the electrical between the motorhome and the Jeep, the signal lights were not working as they should be. This is a serious a safety issue and we needed it solved quickly.

We called The Hitch Shop (South) in Calgary from Swift Current and they were able to send us the wiring diagram for the kit. We then stoped into BNL Enterprises Ltd. for some assistance, to make sure we got this right.

Bob with BNL was wonderful and was able to correct the issue caused by The Hitch Shop (South) not installing and configuring the curly cable correctly. It was disappointing to know it hadn’t been set up properly, but Bob certainly shined as he sorted everything for us.

I've reached out to The Hitch Shop (South) to see if they would offer to pay the invoice or offer some for of compensation to cover the invoice from BNL, as the root cause of the failure was due to their mistake. I hope that they will make this right and call us back to discuss the matter, and hopefully ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.

No matter what they decide, I will be sure to write an accurate and appropriate google review for both companies. Reviews help consumers make decisions, and whether they’re good or bad, it’s important to write them so we can all get the best experience out of our adventures.

For now, we are back on the road again and heading east. Safe travels ahead for us and hopefully for all of you!

On Your Marks, Get Set, GO!

Today we embark on our cross Canada tour, making our way to Atlantic Canada to visit friends. Timing was delated a week but we have a plan and we know that it will take a couple weeks and 2794 miles/4,497 km to get down east. The challenge now is that many of the campgrounds are slated to close early so some of the stops we wanted to do are getting pushed when we do this reverse drive in spring of 2025.

Spacious parking but little to no grass and very dry and dusty!

Kilton Hill Campground:

https://swiftcurrentcamping.ca

• Review: $40 a night with full hookups but only 30 amp service.
• The owner of the campground had lots of availability so they allowed us to select whatever site we wanted.
• The owner stopped by to collect payment later in the evening. Great farming campground with trust and honestly.

I have to say, I would stay here again, if the season was right. We stayed in the fall during a very dry drought. I had to use the campground water to wash off the windows (and give the motorhome a light bath) as there was 1" of dirt and dust on the Jeep. When you leave the highway, you turn up a long dusty gravel road making your way up the hill. The campground is perched atop the hill and is very windy. All in all, I am recommending to not stay here, due to the excessive dust. If you have a diesel pusher, be sure to idol high when in dusty conditions to keep your air filter clean(er).

Tags: SK

Back to Aspen Crossing

The campground in Okotoks was booked so we moved back to Aspen Crossing, and Darrel has been doing really well so no nee to be as close to Calgary any longer. Mom,Dad, Susan, Christian, Courtney, Shuantae and Theo came out to check in on Darrel. We enjoyed showing the family the campground, greenhouse, gift shops and we picked up some farm fresh eggs. We met the posse that robs the train, though they said they were the good guys! Family made the rest and recovery days go by so fast. Cody loved all the kisses and treats from his Grandma and Grandpa!