Camping in Marten River

Hello again,

Two weekends ago I had the pleasure of escaping to Marten River Provincial Park (just north of North Bay) for four days. It was a much needed refresher for the lungs, being in the 'clean' air, with plenty of trees and other wildlife. 

While there, I did plenty of fishing. We rented a boat for three of the four days we were there, and used it to its fullest potential. I could spend endless hours just riding along the river, soaking in the sunshine (with appropriate amounts of sunscreen) and feeling the breeze! 

The first day we were there was probably the best, weather wise anyways. Was also the only day that I got to wear a bathing suit (in July, yes I know). Did a little bit of fly-fishing that day, which was awesome (except didn't catch anything). 

The weather did get a bit cooler (I actually wore pants most of the trip...in July, I KNOW!) after that first day, but I prefer it that way anyways. Summer is probably my least favourite of the seasons. It only rains one night, and we've set up enough tarps that it really doesn't affect us all that much--except that we were out in the middle of the river when it started raining!!

I managed to catch 1 pike, 3 good-sized perch, and a BUNCH of smaller bass, perch and of course...sunfish! However, we didn't end up eating any of the fish because they all had parasites...which is terribly sad (for the fish, not for me...I had other food). Even the 'cleaner' bodies of water are becoming more and more polluted-which is incredibly unfortunate. 

All in all, the park was beautiful and the river was even more so. Such a shame that is a 5 hour drive (with good traffic) away from me! I'd love to be there every weekend. But, I will have to try new places!

If you want to see some of the pictures I took on the trip, have a look below:

Traumatizing people since 1996 (just kidding...I actually have no idea how long this little devil's been at it).

The work of a strong beaver no doubt. I actually saw a beaver when I was on the river...and plenty of beaver dams to go with them!!

Such a stunning view.

Where do you guys like to go to escape the city?

Bye!

Post Vacation Move Desire

Hey guys,

So I just got back from vacation to Florida about a week ago, and I can’t be the only person that has the overwhelming urge to move after a vacation.

Living in Canada during the winter makes anywhere tropical/warm feel like a great place to move, but the warmth has nothing to do with my desire to move. I could go to Alaska on vacation and still want to move after my return. Not necessarily to ALASKA, but somewhere other than where I am now.

When you’re on vacation, everything seems so much easier. You think to yourself, “I could get used to not working, doing as I please all day, and sleeping until noon.” You go home, back to working, alarm clocks, and deadlines and you think back to your vacation, wondering why you still live here and deal with this?! Why stay here and work when I could go there and relax?! Then...you put some serious though into this...that’s where the obsessive searching for houses on the Internet begins, and planning your new exotic destination life.

Then you wake up to reality, and realize that even the people in these dream spots work. There really is no escaping it, even if we think we can.

Besides, what fun would vacations be if you were on a permanent one? You’d have to start taking “work-cations”, where you went to work for a week as a break from all the relaxation. Thinking to yourself, “man, I’ve been relaxing TOO much lately...I could really use a work-cation.”

Anyways, for the time being I’m still in my “I want to move somewhere fun and amazing” phase. In a few days I’ll be back down to reality. I’ll see you all then.

Actually I’ll probably see you tomorrow, but you get the point.

Bye!