You know it’s been a great travel year when you have to break down into two blogs.
Getting back to Canada in April, it was time to get my 1969 Econoline out of storage and ready to roll. She would have a busy summer.
Vanfest 27
Every year for the last 27 years, I have been in the same place in June. I am so proud to be a part of this magnificent show. The people and the pretty vans and pick-ups are not to be missed.
This year did not disappoint. With over 200 shiny vehicles on the show field and over 450 through the gate, it was a fabulous weekend. Shananagans and shaggin wagons. You can not beat it for a fun time. Check out the history of Vanfest in this blog.
Three Van Shows in Three weeks
This year, the 51st National Van Show was held in my favourite state of Massachusetts. New England Van Clubs always put on a fabulous event, and this one was no exception. Beautiful with a few moments of turbulent weather, sweet looking vans, and darn good people for a week of fun and frivolity.
I planned to travel to Massachusetts for the Nationals, then up through New Hampshire and Maine to Dusk Till Dawn’s van show in Prince Edward Island and back to a C’old School Van Show in Ontario. I took my 1969 Econoline for the most awesome road trip.
I had a special surprise when my friend Tom, who did nothing spontaneously, decided he would travel with me to Massachusetts. With our two old vans, it turned into quite an adventure and an awesome road trip.
My heart always beats a little faster when I cross that Massachusetts state line. The beauty and essence of this state are different from all the rest. Read all about my love for Massachusetts here.
The 51st Nationals Van Show, Greenfield Massachusetts
What turned out to be “our” first stop on this amazing tour was Greenfield, Massachusetts. I have been to this fairground a few times. A beautiful fairground with plenty of trees, which you do not often find, and plenty of power to go with it. They are extremely clean grounds with a horse track in the middle. In the mornings, you can sit and sip your coffee while watching the horses go around the track. Not your usual sight at a van show, but then again, you never know. Lol
I think my favourite part of the event was the cruise. There was a line of vans as far as the eye could see. Hundreds lined the roadways to a destination that both surprised me and delighted me. It was a beer and coffee brewery. I am not sure about the beer but the coffee was great!
It was so nice to hug so many friends and see all their pretty vans. The bands, vendors row, and the pure entertainment of vanners made it a week to remember. About 3/4 of the way through the week, my friend Tom told me he had decided to follow me to the next van show in PEI. I told him we would be wiggle-wagging our way up the coast. He had never wiggle-wiggled before, so it was to be a fun experience.
Salem, Massachusetts
Ahhh, Salem. If you have never been, it is a trip worth making. This would be our first stop. I will tell you it was hot and busy. Driving my standard, three on the tree, 69 Ford through there was a sweaty experience. Touring a little in town, we decided to camp for the night and finish our tour in the morning. Our friend Jim was staying in a little campground in New Hampshire nearby, so that would be our first campground. It is a very hilly and quiet campground. Just by chance, our campsites backed onto an old graveyard. How very cool!
The Lion Roars on the Coast of Maine
In the tiny town of York, Maine, there is a small quaint campground. Tom and I pulled in and parked. We were so close to the coast that you could hear the waves hit the shore. After a quiet night, coffee was the first agenda of the day. It always is with me. If you follow me on Facebook, you already know that. Lol. As we sat and chatted about our adventures for the day, I thought I heard a lion roar. We both looked at each other, and it roared again. We laughed. The woman told us we may hear that, but he only roars when he is hungry. A small zoo behind the campground created a most unusual sound on the coast of Maine.
We wiggle-waggled our way up the coast of Maine, stopping at places like the Penobscot Narrows Observatory, and you can not go to Maine without going to a lumberjack show.
The drive through Arcadia National Park is a must go destination when in Maine. This beautiful park shows you the tranquillity of the forests as well as the furousness of the ocean. It also has some awesome tourist destinations and small seaside villages that you just have to explore.
Back to Canada
Crossing the border into New Brunswick, my GPS took us on a little bit of a detour. Not because it was wrong, because I set it wrong. Lol. If there is a way to get lost, I can figure out how to do it. We were about 2 hours out of our way and pretty much in the middle of nowhere. With it getting dark, we headed for the Mactaquac Provincial Park where we had reservations and crossed our fingers that the moose stayed in the forests.
We arrived late, and the gates were closed. A security person appeared, and he matched our names on a list he had, and we were in. Pheww! He then asked if we had been there before. Since we had not he would arrange a guide to our campsite. That was awesome!!! It was darker than dark, the roads looked more like trails, and the park was huge. A beautiful stay in a beautiful park.
Dusk Til Dawn’s Van Show
Crossing the Confederation Bridge to PEI is thrilling every time. The vastness of the ocean at the point that land can only be seen as a dot is a fascinating experience of ahh and oh my stars. Lol. Just over the bridge was a great weekend of East Coast hospitality. The east coast has a special breed of people. There is a warmth that you experience that I have never experienced anywhere else.
This was my first experience at Dusk Till Dawn’s Van show, and I can not wait to go back. Such a fun time and a down-home experience. It’s not every day you kiss a potato after all. When you add in a custom van cruise, it was a fabulous weekend I want to experience again. I also had a video of my 69 done there by JJ Lightening out of Florida. What a fabulous experience that was. Check it out here.
On to the Next Show
Wiggle-wagging our way through New Brunswick with a stop at Shediak and a campground near Edmundston, we headed back to Ontario for our next show.
While going that way, a stop had to be made at my friend Andy and Becky’s private event park. Our friend Ivan Benic was painting Andy’s Argosy motorhome. Ivan is an amazing painter. He has done some dazzling work, and this was a work of art. It was fun to watch him create and work.
Vanamania
C’old School Vanners are a great bunch of people who put on an excellent show. The showfield looked beautiful in the sun with all the vans. Ed’s Garage was the band and rocked the park on Saturday night. If you are in the Belleview area and they are playing, make sure to go, but wear your dancing shoes because they are going to make you move.
I got to park and visit with some good friends I do not see often and laugh with the group that has hit every van show with me. People from places like Florida, Illinois, and Ontario traveled differently to all the same places. It was the perfect end to a fabulous journey, and my 69 Econoline loved it as much as I did.
Van Switch
Back to Southern Ontario to change vans, get some hugs from my grandkids, work on an UnClutter Your Life project, and then another trip back to Eastern Ontario for my friends Andy and Becky’s grand opening of their private event park Camp LottaRock.
This private event park has a main stage that looks like a jukebox, ponds with beautiful fountains, and even bumper boats equipt with water sprayers to add to the fun. There is even a church in the park, so the wedding and reception are just steps away. Inquire with Party in a Box for a perfect venue for your event.
Indiana is Calling
I heard it. Loud and clear. A trip to Indiana for C.A.V.E’s event was in order. Held at Jasper County Fairgrounds in Rennsalar, Indiana, it is always a fun time. My Midwest friends are so entertaining. The van games are always fun with broomball and the idle race. Truly, if you have never hung out the side of a van and pushed a ball with a broom around pylons, then you are missing out on a really funny and exciting time. It was a great show and a great weekend.
Old Joliet State Prison
When in the Midwest, I have to make a stop to see Molly, Maggie, and Dave. Every time I go, we explore somewhere different. This time, we went to Old Joliet Prison for a self-guided tour of the ruins of what is left of an old and famous prison. As you walk through the gates to see buildings lying in ruins and the ones still standing majestically at guard, you experience the reality of a time gone by.
The prison once held the likes of John Wayne Gacy, James Earl Ray, and Baby Face Nelson. As you peered into the stark cells, you could imagine what people faced while staying there. The walls looked around the outskirts of the prison.
As we roamed the grounds, we spotted a concrete opening in the middle of the lawn. It was a staircase leading underground. Filled with water, you could hear the lapping water echo as it moved. When we inquired as to what it was, we were told it was a passage to underground tunnels that the guards would use to move through the grounds. The watchtower in the middle of the yard could only be accessed by these tunnels. All were now filled with water. Too bad, it would have been a great experience to walk through.
The most famous part i believe is a scene in a movie. In the first scene of the Blues Brothers movie, Elwood picks up his brother Jake to go on a wild adventure.
It was a delightful afternoon spent with two very special young ladies.
The 69’s Last Run
Here comes fall with its wisps of winter in the air. This is the time of year when thoughts go to putting her away for the winter. We had to go on one last run to a friend near Dunneville, Ontario. It was a great weekend spent with awesome friends enjoying our last ride. On Sunday, we all enjoyed one last show in Welland. While it was not a van show, we had a pretty good showing of vans in the over 1000 vehicles that were there.
Northern Ontario in the Fall
Northern Ontario is beautiful at any time of year. With the fall colours, it transforms into works of art. My friend Kim and her husband Tom (yes, the same Tom that wiggle waggled with me) decided a trip North was calling her. Off we went to Restoule Provincial Park. I took my Roadtrek because it’s cold up there in October, and indeed, I was right. Restoule Provincial Park has a beauty and a tranquillity all its own. The campground sits on a beautiful lake surrounded by trees. We even got to see a spray of the northern lights. It’s an amazing sight. It was a fun if cold stay.
We decided to travel along Highway 60, which runs through Algonquin Provincial Park. The first and largest Provincial Park in Ontario, there are very few roads leading through the park. It is a backpacker’s dream. There are a few campgrounds scattered throughout the park. Mew Lake is one of the few campgrounds in Ontario Parks that is open all year.
A beautiful display of fall colours in all their glory.
The Haliburton Forest
Turning south after coming out of the park, we decided on a trip to Haliburton Forest and its unique display of sculptures within it. The Haliburton Sculpture Forest is a place I have been to before. Here, though, there is always something you miss. 120 sculptures of all different types, made with different materials, line the walkway through the forest. It is an interesting and stunning work of art.
Haliburton Forest is a privately owned forest with its own wolf pack. You can visit the wolves at the Haliburton Wolf Center, where you can hear the whole interesting story of how a forest has been privately owned and maintained since the early 1960s.
Silent Lake Provincial Park
Silent Lake Provincial Park near Peterborough, Ontario is another Ontario park that is open all year long. My first winter camping experience after I moved into my Roadtrek was there. I do not think I have stayed there in the summer. Deep in the woods, the leaves turned, and that north wind blew across the lake. It would be our last stop on our fall northern tour.
A Colourful Surprise
In Southern Ontario, witnessing the spectacular Aurora Borealis is rare. A solar storm created a sky filled with magnificent colour. My grandson and I headed to the beach to witness as the horizon glowed, and the colours reached into the skies. It was a moving experience for both of us.
Checking off a Bucket List Item
One of my bucket list items was to take my girls to see the Trans-Siberian Orchastra. I have always been mesmerized by the videos I saw of this dynamic show. In late December, I received a most thoughtful gift. Three tickets to see this magnificent show. It was everything I thought it would be and much more. The energy and talent along with the lights and pyrotechnics combined to create a memory none of us will forget.
It was a perfect ending to a wonderful year.
I hope you enjoyed the memories of my travel year with me. I sure enjoy bringing you all along.
Thanks for coming along on my Chipmunk Adventure. See you next time.
Chipmunk
Love this blog! I can always use a coffee to keep me travelling!
Chipmunk's RV Life 