Lazy River Adventure

I am totally in love with lazy river tubing but the Pinawa area is the most beautiful spot I have done this in Canada (the caves in Xcaret Mexico were still my favourite despite the BAT!). I have tubed a couple of places in Manitoba (Asessippi & Roseau River) and in Penticton, BC but Pinawa had such beautiful rocks and trees along the river banks. It was just gorgeous.

Jamus & I have our own tubes so we didn't need to rent any but the rest of our group did. I would recommend the kind with a canvas-like cover to protect from getting it pierced. Wilderness Edge in Pinawa rents tubes for $20 each with tax and that includes giving a member of your party a ride back to the starting point so you can leave your car at the ending point without having to bring 2 cars. You can book this online as some weekends they do sell out. They also have change rooms, bathrooms and showers at their facility. So once you have gone to Wilderness Edge to check in and change they give you a claim ticket for tubes and the ride at the starting point and direct you on the map on where to go next.

So you go to the starting point at the end of Highway 211. Someone from your group will follow the driver back to the ending point and leave your car there while the rest of your party gets the tubes ready. We rented a cooler tube as well so we could bring lots of water, fresh fruit & berries in snack bags, cut veggies in snack bags, hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks and other snacks for the 2-3 hour ride on the river.

Once the drivers got back we headed down to the channel's starting point. You definitely need water shoes for this part as it is large rocky gravel. The temperature was 33 Celsius on a Saturday so you can imagine how busy it was so we did have to wait our turn to get started but it wasn't a long wait at all. You do have to carry everything down to the river's edge and part of it is steep so keep that in mind when you are packing up a heavy cooler.

Then you just get on the tubes and start floating. There are some rocks near the beginning but once we got past that we rafted our tubes together and enjoyed the float. There was some rocks and faster spots towards the end as well.

We saw lots of children on this tube ride. They do recommend bringing life jackets for the little ones as they have a limited number of kids ones in different sizes. It is very family friendly as most of this run is very slow and shallow although there are spots that get about 10 feet deep. As with any water activity, life jackets are important and rafting the tubes together so your children are always close to you recommended.

Here is the list of things I recommend to bring:
Shoes you can wear in water
Lots of water proof sunscreen
Water guns (we had a super soaker which was fun but others in our group got these water cannons at the dollar store for $1.25 and they were wicked!)
Waterproof case for anything like your cell phone & keys if you are taking it on the river but Wilderness Edge does not recommend doing that. They recommend hiding your key in the bush.
Water, lots of water... freeze some of it so that by the last half you still have cold water
Sunglasses (and maybe a sports band to keep them on)
Hat (even better if you can tie it to your head)
Waterproof camera or Go Pro with a floaty on them if you have
Snacks in waterproof bags
Towels, extras to put on the seats of car when you get out at the end
Change of clothes so you can change after you are done
Life jackets for kids or poor swimmers (they will provide but have limited amounts)
Small first aid kit in water proof container (my sister is always prepared!)
A water proof bluetooth speaker would be fun
Your adventurous friends!

Have you tried tubing somewhere in Manitoba? Where was it? I want details as we would love to try different spots.

Loud, hot, fast, summer fun!

We love going to the oval dirt race track for some loud, hot, fun on a Thursday evening. The closest one to Winnipeg is Red River Co-op Speedway just off Highway 75 near St. Adolphe. You can save a couple dollars per ticket by picking them up at any Red River Coop Gas Station but beware that they do run out of tickets sometimes so it isn't always best to wait till you get to St Norbert (the last one not the way out of the city) to buy them.

We decided pretty last minute that we were going and texted a few friends to see if anyone else was available. We went July 5th and they were celebrating Canada Day which just passed. They had some make up races to do from a previous rain out in June so we were getting extra races and fireworks. Jay and Irka decided to join us even though they would be late.

So we took a couple blankets to sit on and one to use to save them a spot. We went early so we could get dinner at the concession. They have things like burgers, hot dogs, pizza, taco in a bag, fries, chicken burgers, chicken fingers and a few other things. Their chicken fingers are really good, breaded chicken filets and we always enjoy their burgers or taco in a bag. They offer a large assortment of condiments including all the taco fixings, sourcrout

Some things you may want to bring besides something to sit on: If you have sensitive hearing you should bring earplugs. I do notice adults and really young children seem to wear them the most and Jamus says it really makes a difference to his ears to have a set. It is nice to have a pair of cheap sunglasses to keep the dirt out of your eyes. Some nights you could also need sunscreen or mosquito repellent. And it does cool off some nights towards the end so a sweater is always nice to have. If there is a chance of rain you may want to have a poncho and something to put down on your car floor as if it does rain it is a muddy mess in the parking area.

There is a ton of free parking. If you prefer to park close you can pay for VIP parking for $5 or if you need accessible parking and have a permit you can drive right up to the gate where VIP parking is and park for free by showing them your accessibility permit. They will also give you a lift in a golf cart if you let the parking attendant know you need assistance as the seating is up on the hill.

The races were so much fun. The fireworks show was really impressive as well. They did a great job!

Have you been to any of the race tracks in the province?

Glamping in the Whiteshell

We had the opportunity to get a Yurt at Nutimik campground for a couple nights. We were in Bay 1, Yurt 19. Yurts are soft sided canvas structures with a proper floor and furniture so it is not quite cabin but not quite tent. They have a double bed with a single bunk on top and a futon, a dresser, a table and 4 chairs, a lamp, a fan and a heater. They also have some clean up items like garbage and broom. 

They are set nicely in private sites. We had enough room to set up our dining tent, park our car and still have lots of room for the fire pit. The modern bathroom was about a 150 foot walk. The showers were down the road somewhat and the beach you can either walk a trail to get to (which has a beautiful scenic view but was too wet for us to trek this time), or you can take your car and park. 

The campground beach is small but it doesn't seem to get too busy most weekends. There are so many other beaches nearby. We love the scenery in the area. Blueberry Hill is that hill to the left. You can access it by hiking in behind some cabins before the store. It has a wonderful vista of the lake. Unfortunately, because of 2 full days of rain it was too wet for us to be trekking out on the wet rocks so we stuck to doing other things. 

There is so much to do in the area we didn't even touch the surface. Sturgeon falls is a short walk, over a bridge that was put up less than 10 years ago. Petroforms and Pine Point Rapids are really close by as well. There is a museum right in Nutimik. Of course, you can fish or go boating. 

I had specific things in mind for our two days there. I wanted to read and unwind, cook over the fire, go to the spots where my family had my grandparents memorials, and check out at least one spot we have never been. I grew up going to the Whiteshell every summer so even though there is unlimited things to do out there it would be interesting to see what we come up with. On Saturday we set up our stuff and got settled and then went off to one of our favourite spots that we always visit. Rainbow Falls at White Lake. It is Easy to get to from either side of the Whiteshell so we seem to go no matter where we are staying. We were going to do the hike but it was so muddy and the woman in front of us slid and fell in the muck so we decided to just enjoy the falls and the view on the lake. There were a ton of dragon flies landing on us and in the water. 

We capped off the evening with cooking steak on the fire and playing cards in the dining tent. 

Sunday we started out bright and early by heating some chai latte mix with milk in the kettle on the fire and sat and read for a while. We decided to head to Seven Sisters picnic area. It is outside of the Whiteshell but is where we had my grandpa's memorial. It was packed there with day campers out to have picnics but we grabbed a spot on the side of the rapids and just sat on the rocks. We had a picnic and reminisced about the many picnics we have had there both before and after grampa passed away. We walked around the area and compared the water levels to years gone by. I enjoyed watching the pelicans bathe in a calm pool in amongst all the rapids. 

We decided to head to Pinawa to find the suspension bridge but we took a wrong turn and ended up at the old dam instead. Since were were there we decided we would take a look as neither of us had ever been there. We ended up spending hours there looking around and walking. It was hot but Jamus loved looking at all the old ruins and I love hiking so this was a win for both of us. I especially loved getting in behind the old dam where you can be close to the water. We weren't prepared to go swimming so we just sat with our feet in the water. We had brought our cooler with us so we had lots of snacks and drinks. Despite this being a provincial park the outhouses there are not kept up at all. There was no toilet paper and they were disgusting compared to most of the trail outhouses we have seen. Despite that we can't wait to go and spend a full day there in the future. 

We ended that day by heading back to the yurt, having a big fire and cooking dinner. We were tired from all of the heat but enjoyed the quiet campground as it was almost empty now that it was Sunday evening. 

Monday morning we cleaned up our site and the yurt. We had a fairly comfortable stay. Jamus is a bit too tall for the bed or the futon but otherwise it was great. We decided to go for a late morning swim since it was already so hot and packing up was sweaty business. We used the showers before we left the campground and then set out on our way. 

Our next stop was Brereton Lake. We picked some daisies and then we went down to Gram's old dock - we still know who owns it and they told us to go whenever we want. We had Gram's memorial there so we sat on the dock and reminisced about the good old days. Did you know there is a trail to a beautiful ravine behind the cabins at the store? We used to go up behind there with the other kids in the neighbourhood all the time when we stayed with Gram and Grampa Bill.

Anyway, we decided to stop in Falcon next since Jamus had never been and I had only been in there once before. We went in to the Lakeshore Campground and asked a ranger there if we could use a campsite for an hour to make lunch. He said he wasn't going to stand in anyones way of enjoying the outdoors on such a beautiful day so we had a little fire and cooked up some dogs and left over bacon from breakfast. We still had some cheese left from the day before too so we had some pretty gourmet camp dogs. After stretching our legs around there we decided it was too cool for a swim now and headed home. It was still a long drive and it was getting to evening already. 

All in all we had a great time. I finished a book. We went to 2 new places and had a ton of fun. 

Manitoba Getaway!

We decided last minute to book a room up at Lakeview Resort Hecla so we could have a much needed getaway and enjoy some nature. We do love it there and they allow us to bring our dogs. The dog friendly rooms are laminate and tile so they don't get stinky like some other dog friendly places.

Because we booked so last minute we just got a room, not a suite which was fine since it was just for one night. It still had a very nice tub/shower and a fridge so we could keep the dog food in the freezer.

The hotel was full so overall it was noisier then when we have gone in the past. We were at the end of the hall by the stairs and door to outside so we heard it open and close a lot. It was handy for taking out the dogs though.




I enjoyed their adult only spa and pool area. They have a variety of pools ranging from hot tub to arctic pool. I love their salt pool. And the spray they have in the sauna is so refreshing. Jamus enjoyed a nap after the long drive.

Then we went to explore the area. We went to Hecla Village and checked out the docks and saw lots of people fishing. We saw an eagle checking things out from the top of a pool near the lake. We enjoyed the pelicans and watched a fisherman bring in his nets. The dogs loved exploring and the walking on the paths near the lake.

 

We did a movie night in the room to hang with the dogs and ordered room service. The food was really good. I had the Manitoba Walleye and Jamus had a burger. 

We ordered room service for breakfast as well since taking the dogs to the restaurant isn't appropriate. If the trip wasn't so last minute I would have been more prepared and brought something we could have made in the microwave as I have done in the past. But their food is great so it wasn't a hardship! 

The drive home we took our time and went to check out Camp Morton as we have a cabin booked there in August. Then we went to Gimli and took the dogs for a walk along the lake, got gas and a snack for the ride home. Then we ended up going into Winnipeg Beach to see if anyone was on The Gator at the marina. They had already left so we kept on going and finished the day by stopping for dinner at Half Moon in Lockport. It was a short trip but we made the most of it and had a blast. 

Where is your favourite Manitoba get away spot?

Movies in Luxury!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mom wanted to see the new movie with Melissa McCarthy called "Life of the Party" so we decided to make an event of it and take her to the newly renovated Landmark Cinemas 8 Grant Park.

We have been the the Cineplex VIP theatre and love it there so I will do a comparison.

Both have comfortable seats that turn into "loveseats" if you push the middle arm up so they can be coupled or put the arm down to be separate.

VIP you can rock in your comfortable chair. Landmark you can recline the seat and put your feet up!

Landmark has more space between the chairs behind and in front of you to allow for the recline but this also means if people around you are talking you aren't as likely to hear them.

VIP is 18+ which means no one under the age of 18 can come in at all. That one could be a pro and a con! They also sell alcohol.

VIP has in-seat service till the show starts.

VIP only has 3 theatres so there is a limited time for each movie that plays there. Landmark has 8 so a movie will play there longer.

Both theatres offer pre-purchased tickets with seat selection.

Landmark prices vary from $6.99 to $15.99 depending on promo days and if it is 3D with their regular price being $10.99. VIP varies from $13.49 to $19.99 depending on the promo but offers less choices of times of the day.

Have you been to both or either? Which one do you prefer?

Spring Break Craziness!

We decided to take the youngest niece (2) and nephew (5) to Hide n Seek Playground and Cafe during spring break to work off some extra energy.

Wow!

That place is huge and the crowd was insane. I felt like we lost the kids so many times. They do have a good system at the door so the kids can't just leave but it is very easy to lose them in the maze. D loved it so much. He went off on his own several times and if his sister followed he would help her out. They did very well and had a ton of fun.

There are several slides, tons of things to climb, ball pits, bridges, a cannon room, ropes and so much more. The space is massive. It is great for many ages. I think even my 10 year old niece would still have fun there. The 2 year old is quite adventurous and independent otherwise she would be more limited there as parents aren't allowed in the maze on the second level (although I did see some).

The food was what you would expect. Mostly fried snack foods but they did have some fruit cups, cheese sticks and cut veggies available. It would be nice if some families didn't grab a table and keep it all day (I'd say about 7 groups did this), especially when the place is so busy that there isn't enough tables for even half the people there but the majority of people were considerate.

I think my sister in law and myself were way more tired by the end then they were but she did say they slept on the way home so it did tucker them out. I know the kids loved it so I would definitely take them again. I would prefer not taking them on spring break next time.

A beautiful fall hike in the Peg.

There are lots of options for an urban hike but we had never been to Fort Whyte Center so we decided that is where we should head to. 

The restaurant was closed for a private event the day we were going so we stopped on Waverly at Cora’s to have a late brunch first. 

The facility was lovely and had a really nice gift shop. You see the a garden, chickens, pigs and the bison on your drive in. 

The hikes are all marked and there are maps available and the features of each walk. Some are quite short so we did a series of a few of them. I loved and hated the floating paths. We were there on a weekday when there was school field trips there. In the future I would wait till after 2:30 to go, or do other paths first. I was so uneasy being on the floating paths with the groups that were or there. Otherwise it was awesome. So many types of ducks and birds. We saw an otter. And for being in the city it was pretty peaceful. 

It is $8 per person but if you have a CAA membership they offer you buy one get one free. They offer a ton of activities and list a calendar of events on their website. It would be a great place to try snowshoeing, cross country skiiing, fishing, canoeing as they have equipment to rent, among other things.