Rainy Tuesday

September 8th 2020

With the last long weekend of the summer craziness behind us, it’s now time to look ahead to some of the fall projects to prepare the park for the winter. With the over night temperatures dropping into the 10ºC (50ºF) this will most likely be the last week for the swimming pool, unless there is a big warming in the near future. Something about getting out of that 80ºF (27ºC) swimming pool into that cool fall air that just seems to take the fun out of it.

There is a new Northlander park model moving in today, with the set up crew scheduled for tomorrow (weather permitting) and with that we are watching the start of the park going through another end of season change, as the deadline is fast approaching for renewals to be paid, we have already seen some people pulling their trailers out and the 2021 season people moving in almost the next day.

The 2020 season has seen a lot of people taking advantage of the high demand for recreational properties here in Ontario, and selling off their units, as well an influx of transient travelers, looking to get seasonal spots as the pandemic turmoil continues. And I think one of the biggest surprises is how many transient campers have enjoyed the seasonal experience and are settling in for the long stay.

The reasons for staying are various but it appears that many are still concerned that next year we will still be battling this Covid pandemic, so settling in seems to be a way of stabilizing next years travel plans. We hear almost every day of canceled trips, not only this year but travel hopes for next year. As many believe until there is a proven vaccine, a lot of people will just hunker down. I personally know a lot of people that are not traveling at all this winter, a lot just fearful of the disaster still going over the border just south of us.

We have yet to venture out to a restaurant for a sit down meal, oh we have supported many local establishments by purchasing take away meals, and we did take in a patio when they first opened but it as not a very pleasant experience, so have not had the urge to partake again. Although we are hoping to get to a restaurant in Bayfield in the next couple of weeks for a dish we had last year, and it’s one of those meals that just wouldn’t do well as a takeout dish, and a half hour drive, so we will see how that goes when we get there.

Right now we are looking for a new cellular plan, I’m still using our old business plan and while great, for our lives back then, it is not working well now. As we need full coverage both here and internationally, and the Canadian companies seem to be leap years behind what some of the other countries plans have to offer, and mobile data is another expensive hurdle. But I have about a month to put something together and because our American coverage provider has failed because of the pandemic, as they catered just to snowbirds and vacation travelers with a variety of plans as short as 48 hours and up to a six month snowbird plan. I’m also working on an international plan that could fill all our needs as we travel, with just one phone and number.

The next few weeks will see many decks and sheds moving from one end of the park to the other as they are sold by those who are leaving the park and purchased by the new people in the park. This has to be one of the most entertaining things that we see during the year. With groups carrying many different items, chunks of decking, and fully assembled sheds, gazebos and the like.