No Firm Decision Made as of Yet!

Well, this ends our stay at the cabin for now. We are back in August for another trial. We are trying to figure out if we want to be cabin owners. In the mean time, here are some photos of the place; tranquility and beauty.

What We Learned today at the Lake

It was one of those days....

However, lessons were learned. And, we soon were laughing about it all, To end a good note, we went out for dinner (a real rarity in our house).

Too bad we did not have a film crew following us around today. They would have gotten some great footage!

#1. Responsibility is a hard lesson to learn sometimes.
#2.  Mommy can run really fast back to our car to get a certain little lady's sunnies, hat AND life jacket when our boat is about to leave, and there is a que of others wishing to unload their boat. (also refer back to #1 on this point.)
#3. A red Canon Powershot WILL survive a quick dunk in a bitterly cold lake. However, from a previous trip we have learned a red Canon Powershot WILL NOT survive several dunkings, all in a row, in to a warm salty ocean. :)
#4. A buoy line, one of those yellow nylon ropes, can break pretty quickly, causing your "new to you" boat to come at a rocky shore awfully quickly!
#5.Chris can be out of his clothes and in to a floating away boat VERY quickly!
#6. Always eat a lunch down by the lake, when you have a boat tied up to a make shift buoy. Thankfully we were!
#7. Kids will keep going on and on and on... about Daddy in just his underwear swimming to the boat, and find it hysterical for hours!
#8. Two small children will flip a blow up tow toy on a windy day, on the lake, if they are not being pulled by a boat at that particular time.
#9. Melon bombs are the best when Daddy is teasing them.
#10. Hotdogs are best roasted over a fire on the beach and eaten on a rock.
#11.  Kids find just about anything fun, even pounding rocks apart to look for "gold"!

 

What a FULL day today was, living the life at the cabin!

The Old Water Pipe Hike

Once upon a time, outside of Riondel, in about 1907, a three mile wood stave pipeline was built. The crazy miners of the area, ran it up a mountain and down in to gorge. There were two men living up by the dam, regulating the water coming down. This pipe rain up the mountain and then down to a mine, along the lake shore. Water was needed to run the mining equipment down by the lake. There are still remnants of a road in places plus "bridges" (wooden planks over streams). Again, it is one of those engineering feats which impress, for it was made at a time when pure hard work and determination were demanded of people, if they were needing to succeed.

As we drove up the logging road, hoping to recognize the area where the trail started, I was reminded of the second time Chris and I hiked this particular trail. It was the summer of 2007. Chris hiked it Amyah, in a kids' backpack. She was almost 2 years of age. We had friends along who also had a little girl the same age, also in a back pack carrier. It was a great day out with them, and Chris was eager to show the impressive pipe to his friend. :)

All went well until we decided to take a different way back and perhaps come out by some neighbors place. However, we went wrong somewhere on the mountain trail. All of a sudden, in the middle of the forest, was a piece of plywood sprayed with florescent paint, telling us to "*%#*$*  OFF",  - we were TRESPASSING!

However, about the moment we saw it, we had already stumbled in to their yard, or should I say their remote B.C. "farm". The house was half made, there were about three angry looking dogs barking at us and people peering out the windows. I was also trying to not let the chain saw laying by the fire pit bother me. I remember solemnly swearing I would never watch another CSI or Criminal Minds, if we got out of this alive! Chris causally waved, apologized for bothering them and kept walking  - quickly. We got out of there and finally down to the water tower in town. Once we felt safe, we sighed relief, and laughed hysterically. However, Chris not so much, as our poor little Amyah had gotten scared enough by the dogs that she peed her pants, leaking through the backpack, on to Chris's back!

So, today was the day, our kids were going to hike "the old pipe trail". We had a slow start, for as I mentioned, we were not entirely sure were the trail head was. So, after driving most of the way up a mountain, on a logging road, and me clinging to the middle consul of the car, because I don't like riding near the edge of a cliff!, we turned around. Thankfully, on our way down, "Hawk Eye Chris" saw what he thought was the PIPE! By George, he did find it! We parked and then bush whacked until we found the 100 year old "road" in the bush, which basically followed this pipe.

I have to say, there was a lot of whining about legs getting scrapped during the first part,  who was leading, whose hiking stick was better, and so on... but things soon settled out. Bush whacking can be awful let alone if you are only 45 inches tall! From then on, we had a most pleasant hike up to the dam and the old log cabin. It is a great hike, mostly in the shade of the forest.

Heading now, down in to the gorge after 45 minutes of bush whacking!

Found another section of the pipe!

Lots dead fall along the path as we get nearer to the river and dam.

The remains of the old log cabin.

The dam

Heading back up.

Day Trippin' from the Cabin

When we need a change, we head for a ferry ride across the lake -  Kootenay Bay to Balfour. There are two ferries, the old one and the new big one. It is always fun and the kids love riding the ferry! There is also a great ice cream place in Balfour, if you have time. Not to mention a delicious bakery almost next door - a dangerous combination! We then head to Nelson for groceries, gas and some time at a park for lunch and the kids to play on a playground.

Checking out things to do in the area.

Balfour Dock

The BIG ferry which can take a large number of cars, trucks, RVs, and even logging trucks! Quite amazing!

And on those coolish mornings, there are always crafts to be made, some music to be played, or stories to be read. Ain't life grand?!

Tomorrow we have a hike planned. We are not really sure where the trail head starts. The last time Chris and I hiked it was about 4 years ago. Now we have two kids in tow. It should be okay? Right???

Cabin Crusade Part #2

While we are on vacation, we try to spend time just relaxing but also exploring. From past trips we have learned, sometimes the hard way, that we usually need a down day after a busy day.

We did take the boat out on a second beautiful day for a picnic and some beaching, on a more remote beach further north on Kootenay. We packed up our George Formen grill for lunch, some snacks, water, and off we set. It is great having days where you just go and letting the day unfolds, as it should.

Chris is wondering, "Will this hold? Will the boat start again!" Other worries of a boat owner.

Finding a remote tent site to play on and a great swinging tree.

Cooling off in the shade.

Cabin Crusade Part #1

Despite a kink on the first morning, our vacation at the cabin has been full of good fun and down time. I love where you can have a day full of lots, or just a lazy day beaching.  The shoreline is rocky, to say the least, but the kids love it! They have become part mountain goat, over the past couple years, nimbly scurrying around on the rocks, using their imaginations to create days full of play.

Max has managed to burn his finger on a rock where we had a wiener roast. After 100's of reminders that the rocks were probably still hot, he finally understood - the hard way. Just makes an afternoon not so boring.

The water is VERY cold but we, on occasion, get in. I am usually only in the water, if I happen to fall in. I tried water skiing again after 10 years, so I was in it, a lot! Here is me, on attempt #5 or something, with Amyah shooting away on the camera and Max asking if maybe I just want to come in! Too sweet. I did give it one more go and then decided I was just tooooo cold. However, with not having a smaller boat, "someone" has to swim in to shore when the speed boat cannot get any closer. Then you have to heave oneself in to a heavy canoe, and paddle out to get everyone else, leaving the boat tied to a buoy. Once again, another part of the " mom job". :)

The kids both fell in while riding on the inflatable behind the boat. Thankfully, they have had a ton of swim lessons and were wearing their life jackets, so it was more of the shock of the cold water that hit them. Just one excellent reason swim lessons are well worth the time, and money! The inflatables that came with the boat have been fun!

Having the boat out here this summer has been exciting. However, it is a lot of work ,especially when you don't have proper entry, to the water, from your property. First of all, it involves getting up early enough that there is no one around at the local marina. We are new to the whole backing it in and  preparing to leave. We don't wish for an audience. We have lovingly started to refer to the putting of the boat in the water, as "the gong show". It is also another practice in patience and speaking in a direct, but clear and positive way between married people. Here is Chris, once we are all in and on our way, without incident, and all pleasantries have returned among the family.

The Adventure Starts Now!

Finally, I am committing to publishing a blog about our family's adventures through travel. We love to travel - always have, and always will. I will write more about all of those grand treks but what instigated me to start now, was our most recent of trips. Actually, we are only Day 3 in to this vacation.

I read blogs and peruse the net looking for ideas about traveling. However, I find most people lead care free, easy, fun lives, with kids who are ...well...perfect! Really??? I think my family is pretty great and I think my kids are the best too, but we have some pretty gruesome moments, days, or weeks. These "memorable moments" really stand out when we are on vacation. And, people who say their trips are easy, breezy must not have traveled far, or have not left their back yard!

Presently, we are nestled in the Kootenys at my in-laws cabin, which is quite seculed. It is familiar and comfortable and we usually spend our days down at the lake. This year, however, we have brought out, a "new to us", boat. We were all excited about using it for inner tubing,cruising,  and water skiing. The whole idea of traveling out here, 7 hours, pulling a boat , was a bit daunting. However, Chris had checked over the boat a million times, plus we got AMA, and were basically, very well prepared.

After a long 10 hours of driving, because we had to stop 5 times to check on the boat and what not, we arrived! Chris and I even got the boat backed up in to a tight space, without the marriage completely falling off the rails, or the boat, or Durango, falling off the cliff! We unpacked with enthusiasm! The kids helped! We were full of love and joy about our trip, not to mention, very proud of ourselves.

Then a tree fell on our car!

Yup, the next morning, as the kids headed outside they quickly returned to report that a tree, a rather large tree, was laying on the Durango. Chris and I passed a look across the table. I know we were both thinking,"Of course, this would happen to us. Hopefully, the car is at least driveable!" Thankfully, there was just a dented roof rack. Quite unbelieve to find, after chain sawing away, a 15 meter tall spruce tree which was super heavy!.

That was day one and half. Usually our travels are fun, and we are soon laughing at the misadventures. In the end they are usually the best stuff to share with family and friends.

More about our cabin crusade to come!

"KEEP CALM and TRAVEL ON"