The Great Canadian Camping Adventure traveling from Trailside Carefree RV to Deer Lake Carefree RV Resort

Camping at Trailside Carefree RV Resort was amazing! You could walk through some of the greatest forested acreage and enjoy the many lakes that surround the resort. The access to the water and the many waterfront and water view sites are perfect for the kayaker, the people who like to canoe or the small boaters! Not to mention the "fish" we call our children or grandchildren! We really enjoyed the wooded separation of most sites, even though you have neighbors, they are not right next to you. If you wander around on foot, be sure to take your map of the park, or you could be wandering for a while ... until you are familiar with the property! The walk was a great work out, but I would not recommend it to a new guest to the park.

When we departed Trailside Carefree RV Resort, we traveled down highway 141 and found it to be a goldmine of waterfalls. We stumbled onto a roadside falls. It was perfect for a summer waterfalls there had been enough rain to make it enjoyable! You can see the rapids of the falls from the road. Research determined, that it was the Upper Rosseau Falls.

Skeleton Falls is a small hidden waterfall just off of Highway 141. If you want to see a waterfall in the Muskoka region that has no dam, and are willing to make a short but steep climb down into a gorge, this is the one for you! The Skeleton Falls is on the Skeleton River. Despite being only about three hundred feet from the road, you will not see it unless you get out of your car. The Skeleton River has cut out a deep gorge, and the road skirts the south side of the gorge above the falls. It is not a big waterfall, but it is as wild and pristine as nature can make it. You can hear the falls from the road once you are out of your car.

We were rerouted off 141, due to an accident and onto Route 3, where we discovered the Lower Rosseau Falls. It is just past the bridge over the Rosseau River on Route 3. It tumbles down a long slide as it enters Rosseau Lake. It is one of the best examples of a waterfall on the inlet of one of Muskoka's many lakes. Over a distance of about three hundred feet the river slides down the rocky Canadian Shield over a series of drops. None of the individual drops are over ten feet, but the total drop must be around thirty feet.

We located the Salvation Army Adventure Camp at Newport. It is a Christian summer camp operated by The Salvation Army Ontario Camping Ministries. It is for children and youth as well as a year round retreat center for group rentals. Newport Adventure Camp is on Skeleton Lake. This camp is about new things…experiencing the wilderness of Muskoka, swimming in the blue water of Skeleton Lake or shooting hoops with your new best friends!

It was kind of startling seeing a Moose Crossing - High Danger sign on Route 3. It is a heavily wooded road, but I was not thinking that anything that large was living in these woods! And then to add HIGH DANGER ... tells me that it might be likely that we could see on! Yikes! We have not seen a moose since our trip to Alaska. But doing my research, I learned that Moose live in every Canadian province!

We left the quiet two lane roads for just a bit and we headed north on Route 11. Exiting Route 11, we were heading toward HutchesonBeach.

You will arrive at Deer Lake Carefree RV Resort before you get to Hutcheson Beach. However, just a short walk from the park entrance is the beautiful Hutcheson Beach. Deer Lake offers the privacy of a wooded resort on 120 acres, surrounded by water where you can enjoy fishing, boating, and swimming. Many of the homes are water front, water view or are on a canal that runs through the park and takes you to the lake. From the lake you can travel all the way to downtown Huntsville on the water and dock downtown and enjoy all the town has to offer.

While at Deer Lake Carefree RV Resorts you can treasure the scenic countryside while visiting destinations in the Muskoka district of Ontario. Spend a day at the Huntsville Farmers Market for some fresh produce, flowers and so much more, or try one of the other eight nearby markets. Or travel on one of the six driving tours that capture the beauty and charm of the picturesque towns. Stretching from the vast wilderness of Algonquin Park in the east to the windswept shores of Georgian Bay in the west, Muskoka is crisscrossed with open roads. It is a driver’s paradise. Stop in at one of Muskoka’s charming towns and small communities.Watch the endless lakes and trees slip by as you go sightseeing, or stop at a waterfall for a picnic or photo opportunity. Of course, these tours are extra special during the height of the spectacular fall colors. When they are in their full glory, nature's canvass creates a spectacle like no other in the Muskoka region.

I would recommend a tour of the local breweries featuring unique crafts beers. Muskoka is already making quite a name for itself in the craft beer industry, with a number of local establishments receiving national recognition. Muskoka Brewery has won countless awards over the years for their beers, growing from a small start-up with a one-of-a-kind cream ale, to a recently expanded micro-brewery with five beers, a number of specialty beers, and one of Ontario's most popular IPAs (Mad Tom IPA). Lake of Bays Brewing Company features four beers; including a new lager they started brewing in conjunction with the NHL Alumni Association called Top Shelf. They have been recently named one of the top 11 new breweries in Canada according to the Huffington Post. Sawdust City Brewing Company is the newest establishment on the craft beer block in Muskoka. They offer a stunning new brewery, offering brewery tours, a saloon, and live music every Saturday night! They have also been recognized with Gold medals at the Ontario Brewing Awards for their Gateway Kolsch and Twin Pines IPA. Going on a brewery tour and tastings is a great social activitiy with friends and family. Not only do you get to try some of the best beers Ontario has to offer, but you also learn a few things that might surprise you along the way.

I do enjoy checking out all the local areas have to offer. But I am still a fan of enjoying the planned activities that Deer Lake's Team and dedicated volunteers set up. My second favorite activity is finding a quiet place, pulling out a chair, a good book and just relaxing while we watch the clouds go by!

HUD is Proposing a Regulation So You Can't Reside Seaonally or Full-time in Your RV ... ACT NOW!

This is long, but I am asking all my friends living in an RV or park model (remember a park model is considered an RV), seasonally or year-round, to read this blog post, copy my proposed comments and let HUD know how we feel about their proposed changes that could affect our way of living! This could affect anyone who is thinking about purchasing a park model in the future too!

There is a proposed rule document issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) titled FR-5877-p-01 - Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations; Revision of Exemption for Recreational Vehicles. To read the complete proposal, follow this link to FR-5877-p-01.

Keep in mind, this is only proposed and is only a rule or regulation, not a law. However, rules and regulations often become laws.

In the text of the proposed rule, HUD issues an invitation for commentary on questions drafted by HUD. Below are our comments to selected HUD questions:

3. As described in the preamble to this proposed rule, HUD has not exercised regulatory oversight over Fifth Wheel Recreational Vehicles that might meet the statutory and regulatory definitions of “manufactured home.” This proposed rule proposes to except Fifth Wheel Recreational Vehicles from regulatory oversight. Should HUD take a different approach and begin exercising regulatory oversight of these units that meet the statutory and regulatory definitions of a “manufactured home?” Should HUD exercise and regulatory authority over Fifth Wheelers or other forms of recreational vehicles?

My answer is .....

NO. HUD should not regulate fifth-wheels or any other type of recreational vehicle.

HUD’s stated mission is to “strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers.” However, HUD’s proposed regulation to exempt RVs is too narrow and seriously risks limiting the RV owners by preventing RV owners from buying RVs or choosing how to use an RV consistent with state and local laws.

Simply, HUD’s best option is not to regulate RVs, especially THE USE OF RVs. Instead, HUD’s proposed regulation could impede many RV owners from using their RVs, in the manner they choose, by injecting HUD into the regulation of the use of RVs. RV owners, including active adult community residents and senior citizens, should be empowered to participate in their chosen community without limitations on the duration of the use of the RV. RV owners currently may reside in their RVs full- time and seasonally. This is a matter between the RV owner, local housing authorities, and other local and state officials, who are in the best position to address the regulation of the use of RVs.
 

Lastly, HUD’s regulation of RVs, including Fifth-wheels, takes HUD away from the regulation of housing and into the regulation of vehicles-outside of HUD’s authority. It is important to note, that while RV owners can use their RVs as a dwelling, RVs of all types are subject to state registration as vehicles, regardless of the amount of time the owner resides in the RV. This wide-spread, established state level regulation of RVs as vehicles, and not as housing, would necessarily change if HUD began regulating RVs. HUD regulation of RVs would substantially impact the definitions of RVs as vehicles and cause many state and federal agencies to modify or terminate their regulation of RVs as vehicles. Therefore, HUD should not move to regulate RVs of any type. 
 

The proposed rule impacts the full-time and seasonal-use Recreational Vehicle (RV) community by proscribing, and limiting, the usage of RVs to “only” for recreational use, precluding the use of RVs for full-time or seasonal use as a residence. This limitation from a Federal agency could supersede, due to historic interpretations of the Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution, state or local laws or rules, driver licenses, insurance, and banking. Even if HUD’s proposed regulation does not preempt state or local laws, if it is finalized, there is a substantial risk that federal rules will be inconsistent with local or state rules, or will place a great burden on RV owners. It is important to note that many states incorporate the language of HUD’s rules, verbatim, into the language of the state’s laws. The incorporation of HUD’s language into state (and local) laws could limit the usage of RVs. While HUD may claim that, at this time, they are not attempting to regulate the usage of RVs, the unintended, but potentially substantial, damaging effect of HUD’s language is a crippling limitation on the use of RVs.

I am urging HUD to rewrite the proposed rule to clarify, in the text of the rule and its accompanying notes, that the HUD definition of an RV is for the purposes of exempting RVs from the manufacturing requirements imposed upon manufactured homes and, in effect, from any regulation by HUD.

Moreover, I request that HUD modify the language of the proposed rule to state the following: Recreational vehicles are not subject to this part, part 3280. A recreational vehicle is a factory built vehicular structure designed to be registered with a state transportation agency as a vehicle, built and certified in accordance with NFPA 1192-15 or ANSI A119.5-09 consensus standards for recreational vehicles and not certified as a manufactured home. 

Copy and paste everything from the word NO to the end of the paragraph above and use this link to send your comments to HUD.  

After you post the comment, you will need to enter your name, city state and zip code. You will have a chance to review your comment, then you will need to submit.

Thanks in advance for your help!

We have until April 11th to comment and there are less than 200 comments already! I know we can triple that with my friends and all our friends friends!

The Great Canadian Camping Adventure traveling from LaFountaine Carefree RV to Trailside Carefree RV Resort

Departing Lafontaine Carefree RV Resort, we headed east along Route 26 to Route 93 into Penetanguishene. Penetanguishene is a community rich in cultural heritage. The past of the most historic town west of Quebec City is proudly displayed in their 135-year-old Centennial Museum. Built in 1875, the former C. Beck Lumber office and General Store became the Town's Museum in 1967 in celebration of the Country's 100th birthday. Condemned to close in 1991, an extensive fundraising campaign by the Friends of the Museum saved it. The museum also houses an active and vital genealogical research center that is maintained by dedicated and friendly volunteers. It is located on the shores of Penetanguishene Bay. The Museum grounds offer a quaint and beautiful setting for gathering of music and tales of their heritage. The naval and military base (now called Discovery Harbour) near Penetanguishene is another historic icon. There are reconstructed buildings from the historic Penetanguishene Naval Yard and two replica sailing ships from the 1812 period, HMS Bee and HMS Tecumseth. The King's Wharf Theatre located at Discovery Harbor has a program of popular plays and musicals every summer. Penetanguishene, along with Midland and Parry Sound, is one of the departure points for Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands boat tours.

There are two notable and historic churches located in Penetanguishene. The oldest is St. James on-the-Lines, a small wooden Anglican church built in 1836 to serve the military garrison and civilian population. The most prominent is the large limestone Roman Catholic Church named St. Anne's. Originally named "Ste Anne's Jesuit Memorial Church: Canadian National Shrine", it is sometimes referred to today as the "Cathedral of the North". The Church was constructed between 1886 and 1902 by pastor Theophile Francis Laboureau. Laboureau secured major funding for the church from the Bishops of Rouen and Normandy in France as well as the governments of England, France and the United States. As it serves a bilingual Catholic community, services are held in both French and English.

We traveled along 12 East into Midland, along the beautiful Southern Georgian Bay area, and came upon Sainte-Marie among the Hurons. Ontario’s first European Community, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons was the headquarters for the French Jesuit Mission to the Huron Wendat people. In 1639, the Jesuits, along with French lay workers, began construction of a fenced community that included barracks, a church, workshops, residences, and a sheltered area for Native visitors. By 1648, Sainte-Marie was a wilderness home to 66 French men, representing one-fifth of the entire population of New France. Sainte-Marie's brief history ended in 1649, when members of the mission community were forced to abandon and burn their home of nearly 10 years. After extensive archaeological and historical research, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is now recreated on its original site, where the mission’s compelling story is brought to life. This world-renowned reconstruction illustrates the interaction of the French and Wendat nations. Visitors get a unique opportunity to see the earliest Canadian pioneer life, through guided or self-guided visits, interactive education programs, and special events.. Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is operated by Huronia Historical Parks, and is an Attraction of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

As we headed north, we went through Muskoka. The name of the municipality derives from a First Nations chief of the 1850s. Lake Muskoka was then the hunting grounds of a band led by Chief Yellowhead or Mesqua Ukie. He was revered by the government, who built a home for him in Orillia where he lived until his death at the age of 95. Muskoka has a large number of permanent residents, but an additional 100,000 seasonal property owners spend their summers in the region every year, making this a major summer getaway. Many of the seasonal properties are large mansion-like summer estates, some of which have been passed down through families from generation to generation. Most of these expensive properties can be found along the shores of Muskoka's three major lakes: Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau, and Lake Joseph. In recent years, various Hollywood and sports stars have built retreats in Muskoka, including Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Martin Short, Harry Hamlin, Cindy Crawford, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.

Muskoka is also famous for a comfortable chair, in the United States we call them Adirondack chairs, here they are Muskoka chairs. What is the difference between the two? Nothing! They both feature short legs, wide arms, high backs and slanted seats. However, according to Woodmill of Muskoka, the Adirondack chairs are two inches higher off the ground and two inches wider between the arms than the Muskokas. Difference or no difference, the Muskoka and the Adirondack are the epitome of summer comfort. Anyone who slips into one cannot help but be consumed by a sense of calm and wellbeing. You can sit there for hours, confident in the opinion that nothing can go wrong and no harm can come to you. 

Also located in the Muskoka area, is the Wahta Mohawk Territory. A Mohawk group of people relocated to this area in 1881 from the Quebec. The Wahta Mohawks are mainly descended from Mohawks who were members of the Five Nations confederacy, which also included the Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca. When the Tuscarora joined in the in the early 1700’s they became the Six Nations Confederacy. The Mohawk Nation is the Eastern Door of the Iroquois Confederacy. It was responsible for protecting its easternmost territory, the trade relationship with the Dutch and later the English trade center at what is now Albany, New York. The Confederacy still exists and the People continue to refer to themselves as Haudenosaunee or People of the Longhouse. Today there are eight communities that comprise the Mohawk Nation: Akwesasne, Kahnawake, Kanesatake, Six Nations, Tyendinaga and Wahta as well as Kanatsiohareke and Ganienke in the United States.

Iroquois Marsh & Cranberry Store, largest cranberry marsh in Ontario. If you are a regular blog reader, you know how I love my Cranberry bogs! Iroquois Cranberry Growers (ICG) was started in 1969 by the then chief as an economic development venture. At that time people were able to traditionally pick and sell a’io (cranberries) from a bog just north of the Musquash River. That same spot had all the requirements for a commercial a’io (cranberry) operation. A good supply of water, impermeable peat soils, and an abundant supply of sand comes together at the site. Iroquois Cranberry Growers was started with just a few acres and has grown into the current 68 acre farm. It has provided employment for community members and has helped to support an economic base for community government. 

Seguin is the most southerly town in the District of Parry Sound. It is just a two-hour drive north, away from the hustle and bustle of the City of Toronto. Seguin, the sign says it is “the natural place to be.” As the Natural Place to Be, it is truly the natural place to plan your vacation. You can escape to their four-season paradise and take in the natural setting of lakes, rivers, forests, beaches and winding trails. Seguin is our little piece of paradise ready to be discovered.

Driving through the beautiful Parry Sound area of Georgian Bay, we arrived at Trailside Carefree RV Resort. At Trailside, you are sandwiched between Linger Long Lake, McDonald Lake, Vair Lake, Murdock Lake and Otter Lake.  Carefree’s Jewel in the Wilderness, with over 300 acres of wooded wilderness, Trailside RV Resort is one of Carefree Resorts larger destinations for summer fun. There are three picturesque lakes that provide nature trails offering unique hiking experiences. Explore the area by renting a boat, kayak, or paddleboat and shove off for adventure from one of the two sandy beaches. Camp in the natural beauty where there are so many trees sometimes you can’t see your neighbors’ camper. Ahhh, this is a million dollar view!