Saturday

Camping all Summer at Manic 5

The summer 1981 we decided to purchase a 21-foot mobile trailer and camp all summer up near Manic 5. No I was not on holidays for the whole summer, I worked at Manic 5 from Monday to Friday and finished at 5 pm. So it was great to do both, work and pleasure.


My wife Mado, daughter Mel 5 years old, my two sons Gary 12 and Bob 13 were all tickled about the idea and I was also excited about this also. It will give me the opportunity to spend more time with my love ones. Also to show them what the outdoors and wild life is all about. Although they knew quite a lot already.


School had just finished it was a Friday and that same day around 5 pm we were on our way up to Doreen Lake. With the trailer behind our 1975 GM vista cruiser station wagon. We had a good 3 to 4 hour drive up that steep and winding road to Manic 5. It was 238 km. drive.


We arrived around 9 pm everything went well. We decide to leave everything as is and sleep in the trailer like it was. Tomorrow morning after a big breakfast will be the installation of our home for the summer. The boys made a camp fire, we all sat there until midnight, it was a beautiful place the full moon was reflecting on the calm lake and I could see on the children, face that were happy and looking towards having a great summer. This without no television and the kids said that they could do it, the complete summer without watching TV.


We were the only ones camped in the wilderness and 5 miles from Manic 5. Doreen Lake is a small lake with small speckle trouts 8 to 10 inches in size. Like we say the best eating when their pan size. The whole family are all crazy about fishing even Mel my daughter, she caught her first speckle trout she was a little over 2 years old. I can still see her today, she held it in both hands and started kissing the fish, saying I caught one Papa I caught one.


The next morning after a great sleep and a good breakfast we were ready to put the trailer and all in place. Like we said we are here for the summer. Today is the 20th. June and we are not leaving here until school starts and that is the 6th. Of September.


Well it took the weekend to get all in place. We also dug a well, I had a water pump, generator, boat and motor, chestnut canoe, nothing was missing. Our fishing gear even spare ones for the visitors. Also brought my 32spc. Winchester rifle, as in the wild bush like this, wolves, bears do come pretty close. No garbage is left lying around and a trip to dump was once a day.


It was Sunday afternoon and the boys Bob and Gary decided to get some speckles or brookys for supper. They asked us how many do we want to eat for supper. I remember saying at least 4 nice size one’s. They were back an hour later with 20 nice trout, 9 to 10 inches in size and red. Great supper that night, oh yes supper is always late when your camping. It was 8 pm. All this was cooked out side on the open fireplace that we also built during the weekend.

That evening was just sitting around the campfire with the guitar and singing and me telling my stories about the old days. I said Dad has to go to work tomorrow morning and he starts at 7 am. I think 11 pm. is a reasonable time to go to bed during the week and latter on the weekends. Everyone said okay for that and we know that everyone gets up early when you’re out camping.


This story will continue next week....

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