On the Road, Again.

On the Road, Again. 
Day 1: July 14, 2013

Owen, Ellie, and Andrew getting ready for another road trip.

The trip began in a low-key way. When you have looked down the long end of a 30 hour car ride, 3 1/2 hours seems pedestrian. But beautiful country and dear friends beckoned so we hit the road on the early side, but not too.  

Our crew has skills in the long car ride arena, so since there was time to kill, we took the long way round on the National scenic byway. The first town we hit was cape Vincent, a lovely town on the tip of a peninsula on the shipping line. Nestled among the Victorian era homes was craft tents celebrating French fest. As far as we could see only one tent had anything French (crepes) but its always fun to happen upon a festival and all enjoyed strolling through it. Cape Vincent is a town of porch dwellers, I don't think I've ever seen so many people sitting on their porch in one town. It made me love it immediately. As we were leaving cape Vincent we took it to a vote whether to visit a light house or not. Owen, thinking he was calling our bluff, orchestrated a no vote. So, no lighthouse. Shocked that the vote was not weighted, the children quickly capitulated and we were on our way to Tibbetts point light house. 

Cape Vincent Seaway

Cape Vincent French Fest

Tibbetts point light house was an important light house with fog horn. Now it houses a youth hostel and small museum and gift shop. The fog house has an interesting exhibit with an obscurely placed mannequin that caused me to jump and scream. The gift shop had lighthouse passport that we purchased and had stamped. It also had a crystal holographic light house that Josh accidentally broke then bought. Ellie sketched the lighthouse and the holographic tchotchke and we headed on our way. 

Tibbett's Point Lighthouse

Nearing the time for check-in we headed to our campground, Kring Point State Park. Kring Point State Park is on a peninsula. Our campsites (#14 and 15) were on Goose Bay right behind brand new bathrooms. The sites were nestled in large rocks. The water below was mucky but the sites were so close to that new bathroom and secluded so were a great place to be for several days. We scoped out the lay of the land though and while our sites were great, either sites 1 & 2, or sites 9 & 10 (with 8 not right on the water, but great if we get another family to come along) would be on the river side and perfect for swimming right from camp. 

The O'Neils soon got in and we all set to figuring out the perfect way to set up camp. We created a plan for a relaxing/ eating area and a spot for our little tent city. Elizabeth and I then went forth to find some camp chairs and an air mattress. If you are in a strange place and have needs of some random things and don't want to spend too much, hope for a Family Dollar. They had all that we needed and more, including a spinny wing robin lawn ornament that was named Ralph. 

Kid Zone, pre- Ellie fall in.

We got back to find the camp set up perfectly and moments later, Michael caught the first fish! The children found a precarious ledge close to the mucky water and dubbed it the "Kid Zone". Of course, later in the evening Ellie fell in, but they had a ball while it lasted!

We had a simple, but delicious, grilled dinner followed by smores and a rousing game of telephone. After the kids went to bed, the adults kept watch over the fire and shared stories of their cross country journeys.