Summer Camping 2019

This year for our summer camping trip with the kids we decided to go back to Medway and Pine Grove Campground and Cottages again.  We really like it there last year and the area attractions like the public beach, community pool, and playgrounds.

On Monday July 22nd I call the campground to confirm out reservation and was told that we could come as early as we wanted on Tuesday morning as cottage wasn't booked Monday night and was ready for us.  However, the last renter had broken the pullout couch and the bed wouldn't stay down.  The couch was still sitable and one of the kids could have slept on it but I decided to bring the inflatable mattress I bought for the van and use that.

My sleeping arrangement

We packed up vanna and hit the road a bit after 8am on Tuesday the 23rd heading north for Medway.  Along the way we started to remember the things that we forgot like and extension cord for the griddle and syrup for the pancakes and french toast.  So after breakfast at Chic-fil-A we stopped at the Wal-Mart to get a few items.

We rolled into Pine Grove about noon time.  We got vanna unloaded, kids set up their beds and the EZ Up up in less than an hour.  Katie, the campground owner, told us about these new hiking trails a few miles up route 11 called Penobscot River Trails.

The trails can be used for cross-country skiing in the winter months and hiking and biking the rest of the year.  We only saw a small section of the trail, the bugs were really bad, but the trail was beautiful.  Well groomed and ground level and they cleared the over growth back from the trail's edges several feet on both sides.  I would have loved to have a bike to ride on it.

We headed back to the campground and got changed up heading to catch the last couple hours of the pool in East Millinocket.  I'm so glad we found out about this last year because it's tremendous.  The big kids couldn't wait to hit the diving boards and Wesley loved the kids pool area.

 

 Back at the cottage Kate cooked us up some burgers and the kids cooked hot dogs over the fire.  By six though Kate and I were ready for bed.  We stalled a couple more hours though even going down to the river to throw rocks into the water.  At eight pm though we all headed to bed, the kids didn't even gripe about it.

Wednesday morning Kate and I got up early and enjoyed a morning fire for about an hour before the kids got up.  Once they did we didn't rush at all but after a delicious pancake and sausage breakfast we hit the road heading to Canada for a day trip.
 

We did stop at the Mt. Katahdin over look off 95 and again in Houlton to top off the tank and Canaan, Addison, & I got a carton of delicious Houlton Farms Dairy chocolate milk.

The New Brunswick information center was closed so we couldn't stop for a bathroom break and let Wesley play on the playground and get him a flag.  We headed into the Woodstock to get some Canadian currency at the CIBC and at Tim Horton's to get Wesley his brown donut.  Kate also got the bigs each a donut and I asked for a sour cream one.  When she got back my sour cream was warm and amazing!!!

It took us about two hours to get to Kings Landing in Prince William, New Brunswick.  I started off our arrival at Kings Landing with a bit of a mishap though and locked my keys and wallet in the van.  The kind staff called CAA for me, they honor AAA, and I was given a 90 minute eta for them to get there.  They let Kate and the kids head into the park and I went back to the lot to await was lock out.

Awaiting CAA

I passed the time whittling a piece of wood I found on the ground, it's basically a wooden spike I mean it's about all I got the skills for.  The wrecker arrived in forty minutes, so half the time they said.  It only took a  moment for him to get vanna unlocked and I was off into the park.

Kings Landing is a living history museum where the settlement is still living in 1869.  You can visit the blacksmith, printer, gristmill, saw mill, wood shop, and more.  The people there are in character the entire time, they tell you their "name" and explain about their shop or what they are doing.  You can go into Houston's wood shop and after visit his wife in their home.  That's the other thing you are visiting them "in" their home where they are going about their day doing chores, making lunch, cleaning up the dishes.  If you want you can take a look around their house and ask questions about anything in there home and they will tell you about it.  It's all very fascinating.

I searched around and had essentially given up and was heading back to the entrance area to wait for them when Addison spotted me.  She came running out of a home with Canaan and Wesley trailing her and gave me a big hug.  By now they had been in the park over an hour and they had loved it.  Which was great to hear.  We explored the rest of the park together and they took me to the saw mill which had the water wheel and it was extremely interesting.

My favorite moment was in Grant's Store when the young lady asked Addison if she would like a mint.  I mentioned that back home in Maine we call them Canada mints, that seemed to truly interest her and she said "well here in Canada we just call them mints."  Best answer ever!!

Leaving the park we at lunch just up the road at the Petro Canada Acorn Restaurant.  I asked the lady at the counter at King Landing if it was good and she raved about how good Trucker Stop restaurants were and that this was one of the finest.  She wasn't wrong as the food was really good and the service was great as well.

Before heading back into the States we stopped in Woodstock again at the Sobey's so the kids could get some treats.  Wesley wanted a kinder egg or as he said a chocolate egg with a toy in it.  Addison and Canaan both got a few candy bars and a Canaan a 4 pack of Georgia Peach coke.

Wednesday night we decided to grab pizza at River's Edge Motel & Pizza again like last year.  The pizza is still amazing even though they put the pepperoni under the cheese.  Kate took the big's down and they swam in the river while Wesley and I threw rocks into the water.  We finished the night with a fire and the kids made smores.

Thursday morning Kate and I were fireside by 5:30 am.  With the cool mornings and lack of bugs these morning time fires were more enjoyable than the night times ones.  Once the kids got up Kate whipped up a breakfast of french toast and bacon.

We spent the morning relaxing.  What we like about the campground is the kids take their scooters and go over to the playground area or just scoot around.  Canaan and Addison spent a lot of time at the river with a homemade fishing pole trying to catch fish and really had a lot of fun doing it.

We went to the community pool in East Millinocket as planned and spent the full three hours there from 1pm to 4pm.  Kate and I both went for a swim as well.  Wesley loved the little kids side and the bigs made friends having diving contests off the diving boards with the other kids.

Kate cooked us up some burgers and hot dogs for dinner that night.  Our evening fire was cut short because all at once the bugs were so thick it was unbelievable.  Kate called it a night and I went over to the TV room.  When we go camping we don't let the kids play with their phones or watch TV because three days with out looking at a screen isn't a bad thing.  However I let the kids watch one half hour show and I joined them for the majority of it.

Friday morning Kate and I were fireside again before 6 am, but the kids also got up early this morning.  Kate cooked us up and masterful breakfast of eggs, potatoes, and texas toast.  The potatoes cooked for almost and hour on the griddle and were perfect!

After breakfast we got things packed up, which is always faster than setting up.  Addison had a mishap on the stairs inside the cottage and fell down them.  She wasn't seriously hurt, but it shook her up and it knocked the wind out of her.

We got packed up and ready for me to try and by New Japan Pro Wrestling tickets that went on sale at 10 am.  However after struggling with the wi-fi their internet crashed.  We headed out and a few miles down the road when I had data service again I pulled over to try and get tickets.  I got super lucky and managed to get four in the second row!

We stopped in Bangor for lunch at Chic-fil-A, surprise right!  We got home about 1 pm and Addison's left wrist area still hurt and she had a small bruise.  She's broken a couple bones in the past and not wanting to take any chances I had her shower before taking her to express care.  Four hours after we got there the x-ray showed nothing was broken, probably just a deep bruise.  They had me buy her brace for it, ice  and elevate it.

All in all it was a pretty awesome vacation, even with the mishaps.   The campground had two RV's that they rent for the same price as the cottages per night.  We looked at them and one of them we really like.  It had 4 bunks on one end and on the other a queen or full size bed.  The lot is nice, it's lawn, and it's near the playground.  We've already decided that we are going to go back next summer and rent the RV, maybe even stay 4 nights this time.

Total mile traveled 648.9

Until next time!