We’ve always been fans of Lake Huron. The sandy beaches, the wonderful sunsets, the wide open spaces dotted with well kept Mennonite farms, those were the reasons we bought our little weekend getaway farm cottage near Kincardine some years ago.

Lake Erie via Landsat. The tongue sticking out from the top is Long Point Provincial Park.
But while we loved the cottage, we found that the upkeep of a rural property took too much of our time. We sold again and bought our Airstream instead. Since then, we started exploring Ontario’s most overlooked and often ignored lake – Lake Erie. With a reputation for danger, there are places where Lake Erie is known for its undertow, and pollution, much of which has been cleaned up, Lake Erie is a bit of the ugly stepsister of the Great Lakes. One of the results is that it’s actually possible to book sites in the Lake Erie Provincial Parks during August when pretty much anything else has been booked for months.

Long Point was the destination of our first trip after buying our Airstream – with three kids under three (at the time) it was quite the adventure.

This year we’ll be testing out three of the Parks – Long Point, which we know and love, but then also Port Burwell, which is getting good reviews and two nights at Selkirk, where the reviews are decidedly mixed. Some report that the beaches are dirty, but the sites look spacious and very well kept. We’ll see. One of the benefits of having wheels is that we can move on whenever we feel like it.

I’m also looking forward to exploring the surrounding countryside, farms and wineries. I just had a friendly chat, on twitter, with Director of Winery Operations for Burning Kiln Winery, Karen Mathews. Looks like we might be staying with them for one night. Burning Kiln take part in Harvest Hosts, which is exciting for us because that means we can use our membership for the first time. 

The Pinery Provincial Park has a bit of a mythical status – hard to get in, forget it on a long weekend, it is supposed to be one of Ontario’s most beautiful Provincial Parks. The Pinery is home to North America’s last surviving oak savannah habitat, the dunes along the shoreline were formed more than 6000 years ago, when the last glaciers that had been covering the area retreated, leaving the Great Lakes behind.

We had been in Grand Bend before, the next town along the coast, and at the time thought it too touristy and a little tatty – think cheap tattoo parlours and dollar stores selling beach toys. Still, we figured that we should at least try for ourselves if the Park was as good as its reputation, so we went ahead and booked a site from Friday until Monday in late May.

What a difference two weeks can make. Whereas our trip to Point Farms was still somewhat chilly, now the trees were in full spring foliage and the sun was strong and warm.

We set out in the morning and after hitching up at our storage facility in Hamilton, we were soon on our way towards Kitchener, and then, leaving the major highways behind, Stratford and beyond.

Shortly after Kitchener the kids started to get hungry and we started to look out for a large parking lot, or picnic area, where we could break for lunch, a chance to let them run around, and perhaps even a nap. The next small town on Highway 7 turned out to be New Hamburg and as we slowed down to take a photo of the town sign (Anja is originally from close to the original Hamburg, in Germany) she spotted a large parking lot next to a cheese factory just off the highway.

Pulling into New Hamburg, a typical small Ontario town, with a 34′ trailer was a little nerve wracking. We had nowhere for a quick stop so we could check google maps to make sure there was an exit for us, but as it turned out there was no need to worry. Right next door to the cheese factory was a huge fairground, with tents indicating that there was an event of some sorts going on. Lots of space to turn around if we had to.

We pulled in, stopped on the grass and walked over to a couple of guys in a pickup truck at the entrance, to ask if we could stay for an hour or so. What we learned was that the event that was being set up was the annual Mennonite quilt auction, raising funds for Mennonite Relief organizations.

Instead of just getting permission to have lunch, we were invited to stay overnight, free of charge, and directed to a lush, grassy field by the river at the edge of the fairground. Anja being an avid quilter herself, we decided that the opportunity was too good to miss and pulled up. We could always decide to pull out later in the day, if we wanted to move on towards Lake Huron after all.

We had a picnic lunch on the grass and the kids got ready to explore the playground. When we bought our Airstream, this was exactly the kind of thing we had been hoping for – having a home on wheels that could help us make the most of opportunities as they presented themselves. Not having to worry about finding accommodation for the night, or a place to eat or rest, gave us the flexibility to explore as much as we wanted; to make spontaneous decisions.

Not too shabby for a free campsite.

Risotto from our new gas grill. Gotta eat well when on the road.

The event was supposed to start at 5:00 in the afternoon, with auction proper starting the following morning at 5:30 – the Mennonites tend to be early risers during summer, and this was no exception. Soon it started to get busy and some huge rigs were setting up close to us; one especially large 5th wheel unit arrived with a commercial truck as a tow vehicle.

How to make a 34′ Airstream feel small.

While we were ok for power, our newly serviced solar panels are working perfectly now and our batteries were fully charged, we had no fresh water in our tank and the area where we were the only trailer at lunchtime was getting increasingly busy. We decided to take a look around, grab dinner and then drive the remaining two hours to the Pinery.

The quilts we saw were beautiful, in the traditional Mennonite style. Anja’s work is far more modern, which we both prefer. Still, it was great to see what was going on, the weather was warm and the people friendly.

Chips and grilled lamb sausages made for a delicious (junk food) dinner, and we were on our way again.

Sometimes only chips and ketchup will do.

Two hours later via nearly deserted country highways, and way past the kid’s usual bedtime, we backed into our wooded spot. Our first impression was that the park was huge and the camp sites closer together than we would have liked. While there was ample greenery and trees separating us from our neighbours, we preferred Long Point Provincial Park which has a smaller, more intimate feel. The ground was sandy and on a little bit of a slope, just enough that for the first time in a Provincial park we broke out the levelling pads.

Site 115, in the Dunes campground

On the plus side, the nearby shower block was spotlessly clean and steps across the dunes to the beach were less than a minute’s walk away. A quick snack later the boys went to bed, one more reluctantly than the others, and we cracked open a beer.

One great step forward this year is that Oscar is sharing a bedroom with the twins. Last year he was too little to sleep in his bunk, so we had his bed made on the dinette. This meant that we couldn’t really use the trailer once the kids were asleep, now that they all have one private room we can just close the doors and watch a movie or read a book if we feel like it. It made a huge difference.

The night was chilly, so much so that we turned on the heat, but the next morning was warm and sunny again and after a pancake breakfast we set off towards the beach.

I’ve always preferred charcoal to gas grills, but our new Magma Marine Grill with the griddle top was a wise investment. We used it all weekend long, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Quick, controllable heat, there’s something to be said for that.

Pancakes for breakfast. Also, probably the only Alessi kettle in the world to be used on a campground.

After herding the gang along the boardwalk that crosses the dunes, the boys settled in for a morning of throwing driftwood back into the lake. The beach turned out to be deserted, the water still a little cool but that didn’t stop anybody from splashing around.

Crossing the dunes. Also, an excellent way to tire out the boys.

Stick throwing. Endlessly entertaining.

And that was really all we did for the next couple of days, apart from a quick run into town for provisions and a new camp chair. Got up, went to the beach, napped at lunchtime, back to the beach, dinner and bed.

The campground emptied out on Sunday morning, removing a couple of the noisier parties who had clearly come to party. Although it never got loud enough to be really annoying, until Saturday evening there was always a background hum of music in the air. Next time we’ll make sure to camp in a radio-free zone again, where the sites also tend to be wider spaced. Once we’ve got more solar installed, hopefully next year, I will also get an inverter, so that we can run small 110V appliances for a while. This will really give us the freedom to camp on completely unserviced campsites, except during the hottest and muggiest months when the AC is much welcome.

There were of course several occasions where the Airstream, and the tow vehicle, attracted attention. Several guys inquired on how the Honda could tow a trailer that large and one gentleman shared that he was thinking about selling his house and start travelling full time in his own Airstream trailer.

We liked The Pinery well enough, in fact the longer we stayed the more we liked it, so much so that we even contemplated to stay for an extra day. But in the end we still preferred our stay in Long Point on Lake Erie last year – we’re already looking forward to the ten days that we’ve booked for summer. Partly due to its size, partly due to the neighbours we had it all felt just a little less friendly and personal than the other Parks we have stayed in.

Monday morning, with the thread of thunderstorms in the air, we broke camp and started on our way back. Knowing that the fairground in New Hamburg would be empty and easily accessible, we decided to stop there again for a quick lunch and playground break. The brothers instantly found an unlocked water tap, which kept them amused for quite some time, while we prepped for lunch.

Pulled up on the empty fairground

These boys will find water anywhere

All in all it was a great, fun, weekend. In two weeks we’ll be trying something completely different, going from a huge Provincial Park to a tiny one, Bronte Park.

We had booked a shakedown trip for the May long weekend, to Point Farms Provincial Park on the shores of Lake Huron.

We used to own an old farm worker’s cottage nearby, so we know the area well – agriculture and Mennonite farms as far as the eye can see, in a gently undulating landscape dotted with tall white wind turbines.

Grey County in summer

We had booked the trip some months ago and having never visited Point Farms before had really no idea what to expect. The weather had been cold, dreary and rainy for days but was clearing up as we left Toronto early in the morning to drive to our storage facility near Hamilton to hitch up and leave.

The GPS took us along the 401 to Kitchener and then on Highway 7 towards Stratford. Leaving Stratford, we decided to swing north and were rewarded with rural highways almost completely free from traffic, blue sky and an easy drive interrupted only by a stop for a pasta lunch at a scenic picnic lay-by. There’s nothing like having your house with you when travelling with kids who tend to get hungry on a schedule.

The brothers getting some play time in while we’re stopped for lunch.

When we arrived in Point Farms, the fist thing we did was dump the tanks, emptying the last of the winter’s antifreeze, and fill up with fresh water.

Getting further into the park, the roads turned to dirt and the ground was still wet. Wet and muddy, so much so that I was worried we might not be able to back up into our campsite. The Honda is a great tow vehicle, but on occasions like this I do wish for four wheel drive. Carefully, slowly, with the help of Anja giving directions and our next door neighbour helping too we managed to back into our site without getting mired in the mud. The campers who had booked the site behind ours weren’t so lucky, despite driving a large truck, and decided to turn back.

Made it without getting stuck

The sun was out, we packed Oscar into rubber boots, the twins into the yellow waterproofs (also referred to as their hazmats outfit) and went out to explore. The park is perched on a bluff and offers spectacular views of the blue water and beautiful sunsets of Lake Huron.

Just around the corner from our campsite.

Suited up and ready for adventure

The weather decided to turn sunny and stayed like this for the entire weekend, drying out the puddles and the mud. We settled into camp life. Which, in our case, means spending as much time as possible letting the kids run around and tire themselves out. The playground and the beach proved perfect destinations.

Pebble beach – perfect for exploring

Oscar with Anja, enjoying the sun

The temperature dropped overnight, so much that we switched the heat on. The Park provides 30amp power, so we didn’t have to worry about running the batteries empty.

Unfortunately, in the middle of the night, the heater blower developed a loud and annoying squeal, so we had to try and find the electric space heater we had stashed away – only the next morning I remembered that our AC unit also contains a capable heat pump that would have kept us warm without problem. We used that for the remainder of the stay, but I do want to get the heater fan fixed soon – I don’t like having to rely on the availability of external power.

Sunday was Oscar’s fourth birthday. Anja had brought decorations, there were presents, visiting friends and a rhubarb pie as a birthday cake from a local Mennonite bakery.

Birthday decorations

The traditional birthday rhubarb pie

Birthday lunch in the woods

The remainder of the weekend was taken up with visiting friends, re-exploring the beautiful town of Goderich, almost completely re-built after the devastating tornado damage of two years ago, and just spending time playing and relaxing.

Tout le gang

Smores! You gotta have smores.

A Lake Huron sunset. The perfect end to a wonderful day

Good night

The biggest improvement to the Airstream was without doubt our new dishwasher. I need to figure out exactly just how much water it uses, but it’s not much – I timed the water pump running, it was less than a minute in total for the entire wash-cycle.

Not having to wash dishes, and not having dirty dishes pile up in the sink, made a massive difference to the weekend. We run the dishwasher once a day, which takes care of an entire day’s haul.

The dishwasher takes the place of the old, and useless to us, microwave.

One more nice thing to happen over the weekend was that I, briefly, got to meet Steve and Jim from airforums.com in person. Both Steve and Jim are also members of the “You can’t tow it with that” club, Steve towing his Airstream with a Toyota Sienna and Jim opting for a Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel. We had actually seen Jim’s rig on the highway on Friday, but had no idea that it was him.

All to soon it was Monday morning and time to leave. We decided to drive back via Lucknow and Highway 86, our old and familiar route back to Toronto from when we owned our weekend home out there. Again, we stopped for lunch, this time at a creamery in the small town of Listowel where we were allowed to pull up on their forecourt and picnic on the grass. We find that Airstreams tend to get welcomed in most places.

The second we un-hitched back at storage, it started to rain a little. We’ll be out again in two weeks time, this time visiting the Pinery Provincial Park.

On the scales today. Despite the impressive size this is a relatively light Airstream, weighing in at 7500lbs with a full tank of water and freshly filled propane. With her Hensley hitch, she tows like a dream.

Early this morning I drove down to CanAm in London to pick our Airstream up and tow her to her summer quarters near Hamilton. In the end, we chose RV Park & Go because of their location and professionalism. Secure, well looked after storage in a convenient place. Highway 6 takes us up towards Lake Huron, the 403 out west and towards Lake Erie – meaning two of our usual summer haunts are covered off.

On the list of things to do: Clean and re-apply the new (old) WBCCI numbers. When we joined the club, we had the old number re-issued.

We’re still trying to figure out what we’re going to do with the somewhat dated 80′s interior. The fresh upholstery and new floor have made a massive difference, and I am tempted to wait with the full reno until the kids are a little older and not quite as likely to wreck everything.

This year’s upgrade is a dishwasher, installed where the old microwave used to live – we don’t own one at home and we don’t need one on the road. A dishwasher however seemed like a great idea. With five people, there’s an awful lot of dishes that need washing and this little machine holds ten plates, cutlery and assorted glasses and mugs. Water consumption is approx 10 litres per wash, so we’ll only be using it once a day.

A perfect fit for the space that was originally occupied by the microwave.

Holds ten good sized plates and a ton of other stuff. Impressive.