News & Photos - November 2007
Over-Commercialized
Current Location: Site Z23, Lake George
Campsites, Glens Falls, New York
Dates: Nov. 2-3, 2007
Services: E; Cost: $25.00;
Nights: 1
Once again, I find that the Trailer Life directory is out-of-date... I
phoned Adirondack Adventure Lake George Resorts to confirm that they
were still open for the season, but found that they are closed.
However, the same company that owns them also owns Lake George
Campsites, which is open year-round. So, after only one wrong turn, I
arrived. This time of year, only one loop of the campground was open,
and there was only one other RV here at night.
The Lake George area is just south of Lake Champlain, and is very
heavily commercialized, with many hotels, inns, waterparks, one of
every brand of restaurant, etc. However, while reading the local
attractions flyer, I noticed “Prospect Mountain - 2080
feet”, which promised great views over the surrounding
countryside. Sadly, the road was barricaded for the season. I'll add
this to my “next time” list, and come back during the
tourist season.
Almost Back to Canada
Current Location: Site B38,
Lei-Ti Too,
Leroy, New York
Dates: Nov. 3-5, 2007
Services: E/WiFi; Cost: $26.00;
Nights: 2
Once again, I had problems finding campgrounds along my route that are
still open. I phoned a campground in Fair Haven; their recording said
that the campground is closed, but their cabins are still open.
Instead, I drove 5 hours along the I-90 toll highway ($16.45) to reach
this park. I'm beginning to see why people like to camp in Walmart
parking lots -- they don't close for the winter, and there's always a
Walmart (or 5) along your route.
This is a large campground built at the base of a former ski hill; some
rusty old parts of the ski lifts are still here.
Back in Ontario
Current Location: Site 35,
Fifty Point Conservation Area, Winona, Ontario
Dates: Nov. 5-8, 2007
Services: E/W/S; Cost: $32.86;
Nights: 3
Once again, I worried about a border crossing for nothing. The Customs
officer didn't want to see my passport, the cats' vaccination papers or
the contents of my freezer; I was asked the value of the goods that I
was bringing in to Canada, and then waved through.
I've stayed at this park before, although not on this trip. It's an 80
hectare park with a small campground and a marina. Many years ago,
this park would have been out in the country; now, the city has grown
all around it. In the summer, the marina is full of sailboats; this
time of year, it's almost entirely empty. There are a handful of other
RVs here, although I rarely see anyone around.
Snow!
Current Location: Site J9,
Milton Heights
Campground, Milton, Ontario
Dates: Nov. 8-14, 2007
Services: E/W/S; Cost: $27.00 (Discount: 10%
GoodSam club);
Nights: 5
I drove through light snow (but no black ice, fortunately) to another
campground which is a little bit cheaper, and closer to places which I
need to visit. Milton Heights is open year round; they have water
hookups in underground concrete wells, with a rope attached to the end
of the hose to pull it up -- an unusual arrangement, but one which
seems to work well. As might be expected for a campground so close to
Toronto, it is nearly filled with people who live here for 6 months of
the year, then move to another campground for the next 6 months
(municipal regulations prevent people from living here
permanently).
I will likely stay here until Wednesday; I have numerous errands in the
area, including a vet appointment for “Mouse”, an
ultra-sound for me, visiting my storage locker to put away the lawn
chairs and find the snow shovel, visit my parents, etc. After that,
I will be carefully watching the weather and road reports, looking for
a good day to head into Algonquin Provincial Park for a few weeks.
Up to Algonquin for a While
Current Location: Site 55, Mew Lake Campground,
Algonquin Prov. Park, Ontario
Dates: Nov. 14-25, 2007
Services: E; Cost: $35.50;
Nights: 11
It's very quiet in the park; Mew Lake is the only campground that's
open this time of year, and the Visitors' Center is only open on
weekends. When I arrived, there were only 2 other RVs here, plus 3
families in yurts. A few more people showed up for the weekend,
including a few families in tents. I've got a nice large site by the
lake, surrounded by huge pines. After some difficulty, I managed to
get a satellite signal through the trees... the signal strength was only
57 (it's usually around 80), but that was enough to get on-line.
Algonquin has seen several interesting changes since I've been here
last... there is now cellular phone reception along the highway 60
corridor (and several kilometers to each side). As well, there is a
Weatheradio broadcasting tower
in the park; campers such as myself who carry a receiver will
receive severe weather alerts plus weather forecasts. Finally, the
park has upgraded its recycling program; many more types of materials
are now recyclable, including all types of plastics, drink boxes,
boxboard, fine paper, etc. This is a significant change from the
“cans and glass only” recycling of former years.
There was a light dusting of snow on the morning of Friday the
16th... not enough to get some great photos, but it was cold
enough (-5°C) for the smaller lakes to start freezing over. By
the following week, the snow had arrived for earnest, with about 10 cm
on the 21st and another 10 cm on the 22nd.
Highway 60 was ploughed quickly, but the campground roads still weren't
cleaned two days later.
Provincial parks have policies forbidding the feeding of wild animals,
as they lose their ability to forage for food when campers leave.
However, studies have shown that birds who are fed still can find
food when they are no longer fed by people. So, parks allow people
to put up bird feeders. While in Milton, I bought a window-mounted
feeder, as well as some “winter seed” and peanuts. Many
blue jays and chickadees have visited, as well as a woodpecker and a
very determined squirrel, who managed to climb up to the feeder, and
gorged himself while “Smudge” sat on the dining room table
on the other side of the window, looking very frustrated at his
inability to scare the squirrel away.
In addition to the birds, I also saw several moose along the highway,
plus a red fox who darted across my campsite one afternoon. Sadly, he
was long gone before I could take a picture.
