Vieux-Quebec!

Leaving Ottawa, we were headed to Quebec City, another short drive. In just under 4 hours we were checked into the KOA just outside of the city. KOA's are great, you always know what you are getting because they are all pretty much the same. The bikes were quickly unloaded and the kids and I were headed to the pool! When Keith joined us, he mentioned that he thought he recognized our neighbours who were camping next door to us. Sure enough it was a Royals Basketball family from Barrie who were on their way to PEI - such a small world!

The reason for stopping here was to show the kids Old Quebec City and the KOA provided a shuttle into the city. These are things you need to think about when you are in an RV - how are you going to get around once you reach your destination? Taking a 30ft RV around the cobblestone streets of an old town is not something even we are willing to do.

So early the next morning we were up ready to catch the bus into Old Quebec. It was about a 20 minute drive but our shuttle had a few (!) stops to make and 2 short hours later we were ready to explore the old city on the St Lawrence. Poor Keith, I knew he'd much rather be floating in his boat, but here he was surrounded by tourists in the blazing heat ready to sightsee. What a good man. Abby was demanding bagels and crepes but we held off and did a tour of the Citadelle before heading into the chaos. 310 stairs later and we were on top of the Plains of Abraham. My history knowledge was challenged to explain this to the kids, but I think they got the most important details. What my high school history brain didn't recall was that July 3rd is the Anniversary of the Founding of Quebec City.  Lucky us! Back from the Citadelle and after Abby's crepe, we happened upon a parade of sorts leading to City Hall. Keith could take comfort in knowing that he probably wasn't the sweatiest guy in the city. I'm not sure how these guys weren't fainting from the heat.

Happy Founding of Quebec City Day!

Aw!

After lots of souvenir stores, a few purchases, a nice lunch in a sidewalk cafe, some ice cream and lots of heat, we were glad that our shuttle gave us the option to leave at 3pm or 6pm - we opted for 3pm thinking at least we'd be home around dinnertime!! The traffic was nuts due to the holiday and all 4 of us fell asleep as the bus lurched and stopped over and over and over. Back at the KOA we did not take long getting to the pool and the kids enjoyed the jumping pillow and biking all over and exploring. At our campfire that night, Parker wowed us all with his marshmallow tossing (and catching with his mouth) as well as his life hack where he used an aluminum can to cook a wiener. Multi talented, this kid...I on the other hand enjoyed some Smashed Tea and Keith had his Bud Light Orange. Abby was just happy that we were all enjoying the evening together.

Not sure why Parker insists on acting like a Wanker in every pic!

One of my purchases of the day was our new friend, Bergy. Call it a weak moment and yes, I fell for the tourist trap which exists in nearly every store in Old Quebec, but this guy is just so darn cute. He is now a fixture on our dashboard and no matter how grumpy Keith and I get or how much the kids fight, little Bergy keeps on grooving with his cute little wiggle, reminding us that we love Canada and that's why we are here. Bergy won't give up.

Bobble Head Bergy

The next morning we were packing up and getting ready to hit the road again and I began to take notice of things you say in a campgrounds that are not your usual conversation starters. Take for instance, these mutterings that were said as the morning went on and we watched RV's, trailers and 5th wheels roll out of the KOA:
Me: That's a big rig!
Keith: This will be good to watch them back up
Me: Look at the size of the storage section!
Abby: There's so many Rentals! Rookies!
Keith: We could totally pull a car
Parker: There's another Maje, but she's a ginger
And my favourite...
Random stranger to Keith: Can I have a look at your rack? (bike rack) Apparently our bike rack is something to be admired.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but should we be worried that this is happening in La Belle Province?

Guess Who's Back?

Some people just never learn. The Desormeaux's are doing it again. We're a little older and a little wiser, but we are headed on another Canadian adventure with our beloved 30ft RV, Maje. I can't wait.

When we returned from our month long trip West during the summer of 2017, I knew I couldn't ask my kids to do another big trip right away. They needed to forget all the pitfalls of the open road and remember instead, all the fun we had and all the memories that we made. If you'd like to remember the good, the bad and the ugly, feel free to go back and take in the Desormeaux Cross Canada Adventure again. At the bottom of this post, simply click on older posts and it's all there.

A few days after we returned from that trip, I asked the kids what the highlights were. Just like I was done with driving, I was done with writing about driving as well. Thanks to my iPhone notes here are Abby's highlights:

-the Calgary Stampede (1st sno cone, the singing and dancing, fireworks, the actual stampede, barrel racing)
-Vancouver Island campground (Tofino)
-Lake Superior - it was really cold and I liked swimming in it
-Shopping in Jasper and the Bakery where we had to wait forever
-I like how you made fun of Daddy when he said 'Torfino"
-KOA with the huge pillow to jump on and the water slide
-Rainbow Falls campground when we had a campfire
-Going to Target
-Banff Mountains
-Calgary West Campground (staying there twice)

All great things, Abby! The same day she also told me that she didn't feel people were meant to drive as much as we drove, saying, 'It didn't feel right'. True story.

Parker on the other hand wasn't as descriptive but kind of mumbled his highlights:

-coming home
-ATVing
-Banff was really pretty
-I liked the trip, I liked it all

See? They've forgotten all the wrong turns, being hit twice, 2 flat tires on 2 separate occasions (but within 24hrs of each other), the fights, the swearing, the heat, the boredom of Montana...Despite all this, they now look back on that month in 2017 with fondness, enough fondness that no one has refused to come on the Desormeaux Epic East Coast Adventure. It's all part of my master plan. A week ago I asked each of them if they were excited to head out in Maje again. Abby told me she was VERY excited. 'Like so much mommy, like when I think about it, I get butterflies in my tummy. I love being together with my family and we are all together and playing cards and games and having campfires...' Awesome. Parker replied that yes, he was excited but, 'I really hope I don't run out of data...that would not be good.' Got it.

The addiction to wifi is real. As real as it was 2 years ago but for a different reason now. 2017 Parker was into Roman Atwood, YouTube videos of trick shots, Dude Perfect etc etc. He would literally shake thinking that he might have missed an uploaded video. I should've thanked my lucky stars. Silly, silly woman. 2019 Parker is in love and has just returned from the 'Drive In Goodbye Date' with the love of his life, Alexis. Now she might be reading this so I will say honestly, she is a lovely, lovely girl. It just makes for pretty dramatic foreshadowing when I think of my 13yr old, sad, lonely, grumpy son, in the middle of Nova Scotia with no data. We all will be watching our gb to make sure this doesn't happen.

There are a few differences on this trip. For one big thing, I'm not driving on my own. Driving out East is much less driving. There's no need to take a month to do what we are planning. This trip is 2 weeks long and Keith is taking the time to come with us. This means, flat tires, sewage issues and general maintenance is not all up to me, even though I know I can totally do it. Well, maybe I wouldn't be able to handle a sea of sewage like we encountered in Tofino (with Keith), but everything else - no problem. Again, click on the older posts, I can't make this up!

The most incredible thing that I realized after returning home, was that people were completely amazed that I even wanted to drive to Calgary and back with my 2 kids. Honestly, the second leg of the trip from the Manitoba border to Calgary was the most liberating, exhilarating experience I think I've ever had. We were still new to the adventure, a little jaded by some damn tires, but once we had new tires, we were rolling! Some of my fondest memories of the entire trip was the 3 nights we spent in the Prairies, just the three of us.

So here's the plan for the next 2 weeks. We are driving to Ottawa to spend July 1st in our nation's capital. Then, we are on to Quebec City for a few nights. After that we are headed to Tadoussac for some whale watching. After that we are off to Parlee Provincial Park and finally Cape Breton Island for a week. We are all packed and I'm pretty sure everyone is asleep, ready for an early start. Abby needed some melatonin because she was too excited. Parker wanted to leave tonight (good sign) and even contemplated sleeping in the RV (even better sign). Keith is looking forward to 2 weeks with his lovely family rather than his toilet snake and monkey wrench. He's grown to love the RV and has forgiven Maje for not being able to float on Georgian Bay. Me? I love the anticipation of adventure. I love seeing the world through my children's eyes. I cling to these moments when our kids are ours alone, to talk to, spend time with, connect with no outside distractions. The years are fleeting and I'm getting a glimpse of a time when my kids might refuse to come with me on these adventures. I'm going to savour this time and the memories that we'll make.