Sunday, May 23, 2010

MAY 24TH WEEK-END....THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER:))

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GEARED UP FOR SUMMER & READY TO RUMBLE

In Canada we commonly refer to this as the May 24th week-end & it is the traditional kick-off to summer.  It's a big celebratory week-end with folks pouring out of the cities & heading for cottage country & the beaches like here in Bayfield, Grand Bend, & Goderich.  Many boats will be going back into the water after a long winter in storage.  Cottages will be opened & aired out.  Stores, shops, art galleries, eateries, & cafe's will be open for another busy summer.  Lots of parties & fireworks going on.  The teenagers will flock to Grand Bend about 20 minutes down the coast from us & the police presence there will be tripled & quadrupled for the week-end.  A lot of the rowdy teenagers who used to hang out in 'the Bend' back in the 60's have since grown up & are now retired in Bayfield........ including me.

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'GRAND BEND BEACH'....PROBABLY A COUPLE OF THOSE WILD TEENAGERS FROM THE 60's.....REMEMBERING WHEN:))

Unlike the tourists who flock to Bayfield we remain hidden in our little pine forest about a 5 minute drive from the heart of the village.  Traffic will be chaotic & the small local grocery market will be shoulder to shoulder with people picking up everything from bags of ice to an endless supply of wieners, charcoal, & suntan lotion.  We learned years ago to make sure we have all our groceries or anything we need before the week-end tourist gang rolls in & especially on the long week-ends. 

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ALONG BAYFIELD'S COLORFUL & PICTURESQUE MAIN STREET

It is a perfect week-end to stay home because the roads & highways can be heavy with people racing to & from their cottages.  Camp grounds & Provincial Parks will be jammed packed full & will basically stay that way right up to the Labor Day week-end in September.  The only times we would ever go to the Provincial Parks anymore around here is either before the May 24th week-end or after the Labor Day week-end.  The Pinery Provincial Park which is a half hour south of us is totally beautiful in Spring & Fall when the hordes of people are not there.

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ANOTHER BAYFIELD SUNSET

Noticed on Facebook that MOTTY & PATTI are now in the Bryce Canyon, Cannonville, & Kodachrome Basin area of Utah. (you might want to read their post about returning to their rig after 3 weeks to find a very much most nauseating stench)  The places Motty & Patti are visiting right now bring back a lot of memories for us.  Utah is one of my most favorite States simply because of it's beauty.  That whole southwest area of the United States is like no other.  I have picked out 3 separate blogs & photo albums of our memorable times in & around Cannonville Utah.  Check out...............WILLIS CREEK SLOT CANYON...SLOT CANYON PHOTOS

ATOP GROSVENOR'S ARCH...GROSVENOR'S ARCH PHOTOS

DESCENT INTO BRYCE CANYON...BRYCE CANYON PHOTOS

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MAX CROSSES THE SHALLOW CREEK IN WILLIS CANYON

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LOOKING BACK & DOWN INTO BRYCE CANYON WHERE WE HAD JUST HIKED THROUGH THE 'QUEENS GARDEN' FAR BELOW

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NOVEMBER 15TH, 2007 - VIEW FROM ATOP GROSVENOR'S ARCH AFTER A HEFTY CLIMB FROM THE VALLEY FLOOR BELOW....I FIRST CLIMBED THIS IN 1992

GROANER'S CORNER:((  "Grannie, do all fairy tales begin with, 'Once Upon A Time?"  "No darling.  There is a whole series of Fairy Tales that begin with, "If Elected I Promise'."

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

6 comments:

  1. Bayfield looks like it's own little bit of paradise. Have a good week ahead, Bayfield Bunch.

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  2. What beautiful pictures...I seem to always be saying that but what can I say??? They are awesome. Thanks for sharing your pics of Utah. We have so many places on our "to see" list we might be full-timing for years to see it all. :)

    Take care and hope you survived this May 24 weekend. :)

    Mike & Gerri
    http://freedom2roll.blogspot.com

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  3. I like to stay away from crowded weekend spots. And traveling in the off season is my preference, even though the weather is always dicey.

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  4. We didn't get a chance to visit Bryce and Willis Canyons this year while we were in Utah but after seeing your pictures we are definitely going to have to return to Utah soon to visit these places.

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  5. Al,
    You have some amazing pictures here. Either you have some kinda miracle camera or you have a good eye! Gorgeous scenes!

    No wonder you have such a following.

    Emjay

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  6. We love Canadian Provincial Parks but we usually travel in Canada in September when they are not so crowded! The UT photos are great Al!

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