OUR SUMMER JOB

So, now with all things winter behind us I can get to telling you all about our summer plans. 

Although managing campgrounds is something we want to get away from - we knew this year we would in order to get ourselves in a position to relocate and settle down in the fall. 

We did have BIG dreams last November, you may recall, of heading up to the Yukon. We sent out a ton of letters with our resumes but didn't have much luck. In the end we figured that it was too far anyway. We could have secured a Park Manager job then at Muncho Lake way up in BC, just as we could have last spring, but in the end the distance, no cabin, no electricity, bugs and three hour drive (one way!) to get groceries scared us off.

So, we narrowed our focus. In the new year we sent out our info to all the Contractors operating BC Parks in the lower half of British Columbia. In February we heard back from the fellow who took over the bundle from our previous boss, who in turn offered us a park.

THE SAME PARK WE STARTED WITH!

And the same park that in the fall of 2006, led us to look at each other and swear that we would never ever manage a park again!

Gulp!

Eight years later and three more years of park managing wiser - we decided to go for it. Mainly due to the fact that we didn't have any other options but also realizing that it wasn't such a bad gig after all.

We took ourselves way to seriously with ENFORCING rules to the letter the first time around.

Although the park doesn't open until May 15, tomorrow we are heading to:

Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park - click on the name to get all of the info. Since we don't have any of our own pictures I've had to borrow these ones.

Source

A 58 site, fairly rustic campground in the forest, set on two lakes - Kentucky & Alleyne Lakes. Pretty - right? They sure are and very popular with the fishing crowd. You can see an arial of the area on Google here.

I got this picture from Family Outdoor Adventures - actually, the blogger gives a pretty good description of Kentucky Alleyne.

Source

If you are looking for us - that is where we'll be this summer (unless you are a serial killer of course!) Starting May 8th for 147 days straight. That's right - when we work we work. Seven days a week for five months. No commute - no Mondays.

Last year we managed a park in east central Alberta. It was ok but not really our place (Too cool and wet for starters), on the other hand the campers were nice and they were very clean. For the two summers before that we managed Skihist and Gold Pan Provincial Parks.  If you would like to know what this type of job entails I wrote A Day in the Life of a Park Facility Operator back in September 2012 and I wrote my first post about being a PFO at BCP in 2011.

And the bad news?

Well, here's the thing. Unlike the last three summers - there is no cabin. There is no electricity. There is no internet.

No kitchen, no plumbing, no showers.

A bar sized fridge in our van.

At 3,400 feet = cold in the early part of the season.

We'll be camping in Hraefn for  f i v e   m o r  e   m o n t h s. (Drag that out as you read it as I'm doing).

Is that crazy or what?!

Boy, won't we be happy to move into a house (the house yet to be determined) next fall.

That is why we didn't leave the USA without investing in a tent - a very large tent, and a queen sized blow up mattress. It's going to be tent city in the K-A compound. Don't worry, I'll take a few pictures for you once it is all set up.

Of course you probably just caught the one part that will affect you - if you are a regular reader of course - no internet.

Yes, after pretty much stating last year that we would not go another summer without internet we are back to a summer without internet. Sigh. Back to a few posts a month I guess.

Fingers crossed that this will be our 5th, and final, year managing a campground.

Because no, we are not traveling next winter and yes, we are going to finally settle down - get a house and real jobs in the fall. Maybe. (I say maybe because although we are sure - you are not. You don't believe me - so guess we'll all have to wait and see - right?!)


Leaving here tomorrow, after totally overstaying our welcome with family (actually the strata rules), we were planning on taking a week to tour around before heading to the park.

Strike that.

After a month here in the lower mainland (read b u s y) we are headed straight there for the peace and quiet of the forest.

First chance we get, I'll post some pictures of our ride to the park and what it is like there now - certainly not like the pictures above at this time of year! We'll just be happy to see most of the snow melted!

Teresa

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