Before we had our seasonal site there, we stayed at Echo Valley for a weekend in June 2015.
We had a site backing right onto the main playground, only steps from where our seasonal site is now (I often sit in our seasonal site and look over diagonally at the ever-changing nightly campers staying in “our” original spot.)
During our various camping trips, I’ve pulled the rPod through torrential rain, up and down valley highways and in heavy city traffic without issue or incident. But this trip is also notorious because we had such a brutal cross wind on the trip home that I immediately listed the rPod for sale on Kijiji when we got home!
I came to my senses when I started getting inquiries the next day but there’s probably a pretty clear connection between that harrowing trip and our decision to try to get a seasonal site rather than risk getting into a similar situation again.
(Can you even call in “wind” to work if you decide you can’t make it home from a far off campground because the wind is too much for your tow vehicle to handle?) 😉
Today marked the opening of the newest Regina Public Library branch, the Albert Branch which has moved into the Mâmawêyatitân Centre, an integrated facility offering numerous services to the community.
And I was fortunate to once again be able to visit the branch on its opening day – just as I did for the other three RPL branches that have opened since I started working at RPL almost a decade ago – Prince of Wales, Regent Place and George Bothwell.
I have to admit I almost missed this one’s opening though!
We got back this afternoon from five days’ of camping then we ended up doing some running around with Shea’s parents who were in town. It hit me around 8pm that today was the opening of the new Albert branch but luckily Tuesday is one of their open evenings so I whipped over (fortunately, it’s not too far from our house) and got to have a look around at another impressive branch.
Booze
I knew we’d drink a bit at our seasonal site but between booze being expensive and happy hour starting at noonish most days (not to mention Bailey’s in the morning coffee), it adds up fast!
Dollar Store Junk We’re spending a ridiculous amount each week on stuff that we use up quickly (glow sticks) or that breaks easily (every toy in the store)
Campsite “Extras”
All those bigger ticket items we didn’t need before having a seasonal site – beer fridge. Adult-sized paddling pool. Screen Room. Hammock. Honey wagon. (If I couldn’t borrow them from my parents, I might add 5G water jug and log splitter to that list too.)
Ice
One “extra” we didn’t buy but maybe should have is an ice maker as we’re buying 1-2 bags per day.
Eating Out
Hardcore campers wouldn’t do this but we often grab a burger on our way out of the city instead of trying to make a meal while setting up camp. Or if we go to the nearest town, we’re as likely to stop at a restaurant as pack a picnic lunch. Or when we get back to town, tired and dirty after a few days of camping, we might grab something to take home from a favourite restaurant rather than find something to cook when we get home.
Pace set up a bike ramp in front of our campsite and suddenly six kids showed up to ride on it with him (I managed to catch four of them in this photo.)
