G'Day everyone!  While I've been peeking at this wonderful forum for a while, I finally decided to join up and make a post or two!  Little Kopit, Furphyslinger and a few others may recognize me from another forum and I suppose I should tell you right from the git-go that I'm the owner of the RVing Outpost in Abbotsford, Wisconsin, USA.  Just so you all know, I checked with Derek before posting to ensure it was OK to mention our store.   Don't worry!  I don't plan on spamming the forum!  I'm hoping that I may be able to offer some insight into Dutch Oven (or Camp Oven, as you Aussie's call it) cooking the way we do it here in the USA.    

For a bit of background -- I had never used cast iron until I met my husband.  He had about 4 or 5 skillets that he kept hanging on the wall in our house.  They were seasoned beautifully and I fell in love with them.  They're nothing special -- no markings or if there are, they're "Made in Taiwan."  However, they're smooth as glass and clean so easily that I've come to the conclusion that as long as you know what you're doing and care for your cast iron properly, it will reward you for many years to come.    

Since those first pans, I've added to our collection, and use my cast iron as "decorations" as well as cooking in them!   I now have 2-1/2 walls in our kitchen with cast iron that is "decoration" but also use them all the time!  

Here's a couple pics of the cast iron I have at home:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j26/gjmiklas/RVO%20Products/CastIronCollection-310-29-07.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j26/gjmiklas/RVO%20Products/CastIronCollection-210-29-07.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j26/gjmiklas/RVO%20Products/CastIronCollection-110-29-07.jpg

I also have five Dutch (or Camp) ovens of my own that I use at home as well as when we go camping!  Course, lucky me, I have access to all kinds of GREAT cast iron whenever I need it!   ;D

I'm looking forward to getting to know folks here!

Julie

Hi Julie and once again welcome to not only COCIA but also Australia.


Derek

Maybe I should explain my avatar and signature . . . the avatar is a picture of our "camper."   The truck is a 2003 Chevy Crew Cab (4 doors to fit us and our three kids -- Aaron-16; Erica-13; and Abby-10) Duramax (diesel) with an Allison Transmission.   It is a short bed (6-1/2 foot), so that it fits in the garage.  I have a Husky 16K slider hitch in the bed to pull the camper with.  The camper is a 5th wheel Cedar Creek 32BHBS (33-1/2 feet long).  It is a bunk house model and has two slide-outs -- one in the living/dining area and one in the bedroom (the part above the bed of the truck).   When we ordered the 5th wheel, we had it painted to match my truck, so it looks really AWESOME going down the road!   ;D   And YES, before you even say or think it, we are spoiled!     ;D

I'm not sure what you folks all know about campers or RVs in the states, so if I'm giving too much information, please forgive me!  

I do almost ALL the driving when we go somewhere -- but that's only because the truck is MINE!   ;D  (My husband, Greg, has a small SUV.)   I'm so used to my truck as it's what I drive every day, so I don't mind driving when we have the camper attached.    I do ALL the backing into campsites (I'm just better at it than he is!).

As for my signature, the map of the US is all the states I've visited.   My parents traveled when I was growing up, and I was fortunate enough to visit 48 states by the time I was 16 years old and I've YET to fly anywhere!    The picture of the chicken is FRED.  He's our first rooster and just too pretty!    We have lots of pets here in the middle of nowhere in North Central Wisconsin, including a wonderful German Shepherd (Maddie), three cats (Murphy, Mitzi and Micky); 20-some chickens (including Fred), two geese (Larry and Rufus -- although Larry should be Loretta or some such thing) and three goats -- Bambi, Spud and Rudy.    

Hope that helps to explain a little more of who we are, and what the pictures mean!  

Sorry it's a bit long-winded!  

Julie

Welcome Julie
We are pretty relaxed crowd down here, and I am sure you will here form the members down under, as you already have a few Aussies on your site now more will join in the near future.

Muzz

Muzz -- thank you!  

I can't help but wonder when I see your name!   My maiden name was Muzynoski, and one of the nicknames we had was "Muzz" or "Muzy"!  

I mentioned once to Furphy that my parents almost moved to Australia in the 60's.  Apparently there was some sort of "homesteading" thing happening, where if you moved and lived in a certain area for a certain length of time, the land was free.  They were seriously considering moving, until my dad got a job as a police officer with the Milwaukee, Wisconsin police department.    If he hadn't gotten that job, I'd most likely be posting from Oz!    :o   :)

Julie

Hi Julie

Well talk about a surprise great to see you here and I envy you your 5th wheeler we have only begun to see them here in the last few years and they do impress the truck looks great "cost of diesel aside" and I am sure its a lot of fun

Guys Julie is great to work with and her store has gear never seen here but we have a lot of things not seen in the US either so we will be able to share a lot with Julie and the best part is she does a great deal for us as well

anyway welcome Julie and look forward to doing some bush bashing with you on the sita and letting you see and hear about the real Australia  you will find that the people on here are into cast iron at least as much as you are and we all love the bush
so jump in with both feet and enjoy
cheers Kel

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Now, this is funny, me welcoming you to COCIA Julie, but I've been here awhile and I'm mouthy over here because I ask about Oz.

I can see I shall have to update my signature so that my places been maps are there and yours won't be only.

I've 'known' Julie since early 2004 when I first got into forums.  That was before she started talking about the store.  About now 3 years ago I travelled from Newfoundland to Iowa to get my truck camper.  Coming back I actually passed quite close to Julie.  She had invited me to come stay a night, but I thought she was really way up north in the state right up near the border, say near Boundary Waters, so I didn't try any further.

On that trip I tried to find an RV supply store, family run, typical of the US I grew up in.  Nothing, Nada,  0.......  I had to put up with Camping World.  & believe me the one I found, had nothing on RVing Outpost.  

So, welcome to COCIA Julie (from Canada)

:-/

Julie
Muzz /Murray I am on your site as(Sundryed) We hope to here more from the top end of the world/ camping /cooking /and all things outdoors

Muzz

Hello Mrs. Mick (Julie)
And much welcome from me here downunder.
Your skillet collection looks really good, I saw an original old one recently in a "bric a bac" shop for $75.
The problem was, the bloke behind the counter knew exactly what is was. Not a skillet (well sort of) but made to put the caul of a sheep on to render out the fat. Instead of bars it has little points which support the caul whilst letting the fat run out underneath, through a small spout then into a container. Usually a number 3 prune tin!
So if you spot one with that description, I could be in the market (assuming for sale!)
The 5th. wheeler movement is groing in strength down here, but if you want to see the outback of the country something slightly smaller is more appropriate.
This is our rig, cant even take a pic. without Peggy wanting to know what is going on! ::)
Cheers and Welcome.    mikel

---

G'day Julie, I hate to be left out of anything so I will also welcome you to down under, not a bad place to be !

To add to what mikel said about fifth wheelers, I've just returned from a motorhome/campervan rally in outback NSW, about a thousand vehicles where the 5th wheelers numbered about fifty, that's fifty more than would have been there a few years ago.

Saw several Cedar Creek units plus other imported makes mostly towed by V8 Ford F250s, 5th wheelers are really gaining popularity here.

pd

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone!!!!!     I'm sure I'll have fun here and will certainly learn a lot and am looking forward to it!  

We used to have a 25 foot travel trailer with a rear slide out queen bed.  It was GREAT, but we decided we needed more room after a VERY soggy weekend.  Five people cooped up inside with a wet dog . . . there just wasn't room.    One of the best things about the fifth wheel is how easy it is to tow.   Granted, the thing's HUGE -- 13-1/2 feet tall and 33-1/2 feet long -- which, with my added in, make us about 48 or 49 feet long when we're going down the road.  (Sorry, I don't know metric!).   This 5er tows so beautifully, with absolutely NO sway.  That's what's so great about it.  

I just LOVE hitching up and going down the road!  Not only is a great feeling to be getting away somewhere, but I LOVE the looks I get from truckers and others when they see ME behind the wheel and Greg in the passenger seat!  LOL

We definitely have limitations on where we can camp with such a big rig, but with the store, we don't have much time to camp these days anyway.   We only managed to get out four times this summer, which isn't much!    :(    

I can see why 5th wheels are becoming more and more popular, with their ease of towing, quick   hitching and unhitching and the fact that they have lots of room and lots of storage.   Really makes for a nice setup, if you have a big enough truck to tow them with.  

Even with the price of diesel here, I LOVE my truck and wouldn't trade it for a gasser for anything.   ;D

Hi Mrs Mik,

Welcome, now that we have completed the niceties can I pick your brains.

The Calgery Stampede is on next July, do they have any camp oven cooking competions, wishful thinking on my part, also can I get a lodge or camp chef oven in Calgery, will be flying into Vancouver on the 28 June then flying out to Fiji on the 18 July for 3 days then back to Sydney.

My son is getting married in a place (wait for it) call Moose Jaw, apparently we also travel through Kicking Horse, strange names they have in Canada.

Cheers

Hi thenewme

yeah names are strange alright but try explaining Dirrenbandi or Wagga Wagga to those guys

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Your right there Furphyslinger, thing that really amazes me is that when my son comes home his speech is so slow, I feel like shaking him.

Was speaking to him yesterday and he was telling me that he will drive to Vancouver in his vehicle and show us the must see sights between Vancouver & Calgery.

Was going to have a crack at him about speaking proper english, have never heard him refer to his car as a vehicle before, really strange.

He did tell me that people in Canada find it hard to understand him when ever he arrrives back from Oz due to the fact that his speech speeds up again.

Cheers






Furphyslinger wrote on Nov 3^rd, 2007 at 7:01pm:

Hi thenewme yeah names are strange alright but try explaining Dirrenbandi or Wagga Wagga to those guys ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Thenewme,  Calagary is a COW town, to be sure, the Calagary Stampede is all about celebrating the old west and raking in tourist $, but I'm not sure whether they get into 'chuck wagon' stuff or not.

Here's the official site:  http://calgarystampede.com/

Now, if you've got an address for shipping to in Canada, near where you're going to be, why not go look at http://www.rvingoutpost.com/cooksupplieslist.php  and get Julie to ship what you want to that address?  I'd check the airline regulations too.  Both Derek and Furph can tell you about postage to Oz.  So, can I.  To send one book to Oz cost me $20.00 CAD.

The other thing to remember is Canada has its differences from the US.  We're very proud of these.  

I'm tooting my own horn, but I'd suggest that you look at the links in my signature.  There it's called RVing in Canada.  This is the wording on the link:  http://www.rvingoutpost.com/articlespecs.php?jobnum=50  There are 3 articles, one with general info. about coming to Canada and one with Travel Tips West.  All have key links to things you might want to check out.  I wrote them at Julie's request for the Articles section of the store home page.  They are directed at those travelling by RV, but of course, they overlap with other types of travel.

& go ahead and pm me, I'm not in the industry, but I enjoy answering travel questions.  

My biggest tip is to use google for searching.  If you go to http://www.google.com.au/ and you put in 'google Canada' you will get  http://www.google.ca/.  Any country which has urls specific to the country will have a special google section.  You  can click on the circle for pages from Canada or Australia or .......  the local domain url .  That will make pages from that part of the world come up first.

BTW, that kind of google is great for checking local spelling too.

8)

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Furphyslinger wrote on Nov 3^rd, 2007 at 7:01pm:

Hi thenewme yeah names are strange alright but try explaining Dirrenbandi or Wagga Wagga to those guys ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Hey Furph it is DIRRANBANDI aint no eeeeeeeeeeeeee's in it not like Goondiwindeeeeeeee
The DIRRANBANDI DANDY

---

Or

---

or

---

Or

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That all reminds me of the old song by Luck Starr - I've been every where man.

I’ve Been Everywhere
by Geoff Mack©, as sung by Lucky Starr (1962)

I've been everywhere...

Well, I was humpin' my bluey on the dusty Oodnadatta road,
When along came a semi with a high and canvas-covered load.
(Spoken) "If you're goin' to Oodnadatta, mate, um, with me you can ride."
So I climbed in the cabin and I settled down inside.
He asked me if I'd seen a road with so much dust and sand, I said
"Listen, mate, I've travelled ev'ry road in this here land."

Chorus:
Cos "I've been everywhere, man,
I've been everywhere, man.
'Cross the deserts bare, man;
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been ev'rywhere.

Been to:
Tullamore, Seymour, Lismore, Mooloolaba,
Nambour, Maroochydore, Kilmore, Murwillumbah,
Birdsville, Emmaville, Wallaville, Cunnamulla,
Condamine, Strathpine, Proserpine, Ulladulla,
Darwin, Gin Gin, Deniliquin, Muckadilla,
Wallumbilla, Boggabilla, Kumbarilla,
I'm a killer.

Chorus
(Spoken) "Yeah but listen here, mate, have you been to..."

I've been to Moree, Taree, Jerilderie, Bambaroo,
Toowoomba, Gunnedah, Caringbah, Woolloomooloo,
Dalveen, Tamborine, Engadine, Jindabyne,
Lithgow, Casino, Brigalow and Narromine,
Megalong, Wyong, Tuggerawong, Wangarella,
Morella, Augathella, Brindabella, I'm the feller.

Chorus
(Spoken) "Yeah, I know that, but have you been to..."

I've been to Wollongong, Geelong, Kurrajong, Mullumbimby,
Mittagong, Molong, Grong Grong, Goondiwindi,
Yarra Yarra, Boroondara, Wallangarra, Turramurra,
Boggabri, Gundagai, Narrabri, Tibooburra,
Gulgong, Adelong, Billabong, Cabramatta,
Parramatta, Wangaratta*, Coolangatta, what's it matter?

Chorus
(Spoken) "Yeah, look that's fine, but how about..."

I've been to Ettalong, Dandenong, Woodenbong, Ballarat,
Canberra, Milperra, Unanderra, Captain's Flat,
Cloncurry, River Murray, Kurri Kurri, Girraween,
Terrigal, Fingal, Stockinbingal, Collaroy and Narrabeen,
Bendigo, Dorrigo, Bangalow, Indooroopilly,
Kirribilli, Yeerongpilly, Wollondilly, don't be silly.

Chorus
I've been here, there, ev'rywhere, I've been ev'rywhere.

Thenewme wrote on Nov 3^rd, 2007 at 4:36pm:

Hi Mrs Mik, Welcome, now that we have completed the niceties can I pick your brains. The Calgery Stampede is on next July, do they have any camp oven cooking competions, wishful thinking on my part, also can I get a lodge or camp chef oven in Calgery, will be flying into Vancouver on the 28 June then flying out to Fiji on the 18 July for 3 days then back to Sydney. My son is getting married in a place (wait for it) call Moose Jaw, apparently we also travel through Kicking Horse, strange names they have in Canada. Cheers

Thenewme, LK has given you some good information and knows much more about Canada than I do.    

However, I CAN answer your question about shipping!   We can certainly ship any of our items (we don't sell Lodge, only Camp Chef) to Canada and do so rather frequently.  I'm sure shipping to Canada will be much less than shipping to Australia.   My suggestion, as you have limited time there, would be to ship it about two weeks before you're due to arrive, just to make sure it doesn't get stuck in customs or some such thing.    I assume you'd have me ship to your son, which is why I suggest shipping early, as I'm sure he won't mind holding onto the oven until you get there!   As I tell all our international customers, don't pay any attention to the shipping calculator on our website.   All I need is a postal code and I can then give you an accurate shipping quote.    

I've heard that you don't have to pay duty in Oz unless it's over $200, but I believe there IS some duty to pay when shipping to Canada.  Maybe LK can tell us more about that?

Hope that helps to answer your questions!  

Julie

Yep,

One is going to get hit with the GST, Goods & Services Tax and Provincial Sales Tax.  In Alberta there is no Provincial Sales Tax.  & it looks like the GST under the present government* will be going down because ......  Presently, it's 6%.

& it is  very important to have things shipped via United States Post Office  (USPS).  An alternative is United Parcel Service (UPS).  Both have a fee for the service of collecting the taxes.  With USPS that's $5.00 CA$.  With UPS that fee is $30.00 on amounts from $20.00 to $200.00.  

------

* want to put in snarky remark about collecting lots of revenue from taxes  high gas prices thanks to 'fuel futures' being on trading markets.  This is the usual rvers bellyache about gas prices in N. Am.

:-/

I've Been Everywhere rates an entry in Wikipedia, which has place names for N.Am. Oz and NZ.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I've_Been_Everywhere

Now maybe the Furph and a few more might like to hear The Man in Black (Johnny Cash) sing it.  I think this link might get that version for you.

http://www.last.fm/music/Johnny+Cash/_/I've+Been+Everywhere


What's up with the software Derek, how come it won't make the link to Johnny Cash recording link clickable?


:-/

It's written so that it doesn't link.  Very sneaky actually.  It has /_/ in it and that prevents it linking.


Derek

Sneaky, indeed!   It's not the YaBB software, but the software at that site, LK.

The Johnny Cash version is the one I'm familiar with!   He's one of my all-time favorites and truly a music pioneer.  Been listening to him since I was a child.  

Julie

Thanks Mrs_Mik & Little_Kopit

Have logged into Google Canada now and will check it out.

Mrs_Mik can you tell me how much it would cost to have a 10" & 5 " camp chef shipped to Oz, could you also do a quote on shipping just the 10" to OZ my post code is 2259, I am thinking about having the 5" shipped to my sons home in Calgery which I believe is in Alberta.

What part of Canada do you live in Little_Kopit. may have to pull up with our rv's and charge the batteries (just joking), we have organised 2 x 6 berth campers they are called C28 and the link is http://authentik-canada.com/pop_camping-car-mha.htm

My husband & myself were quoted $200 less for a 4 berth that we had to pack the bed up each morning and then make it of an evening (don't think much about doing that daily for 18 days), was not interested in that and then got a quote which was $500 dearer then the 6 berth to have a 4 berth with a stand alone bed, decided to go with the 6 berth (hey it's $500 cheaper).

Seems hubby & I have now scored the 30 year old daughter and grandson as we have so much room in our RV along with No 1 son who will climb in with us for a week when we first arrive in Vancouver, rv's booked from the 1st July and the wedding is the 12th.

Should be fun travelling around with him showing us the sights.

Cheers & thanks again

I don't know that rental company, but it is interesting to hear about different ones.  Let us know how you like it.  I know of others who have rented in Canada.

As for where I am, well 3 guesses and the first 10 don't c0unt.

http://www.lynnestcalbums.phanfare.com/show/external/175834/225047/16479003/file.jpg

That's the route of my 2006 holiday.

Here's one of those links, it's good to get to know.  http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/canada_e.html  & as you can see Calgary is in Alberta.  Remember, I said Alberta doesn't have sales tax.  Hover your  mouse over the map and you will pick up the provincial and territorial names.

Oh, I wonder if Julie knows that Canada is bigger than the US.  We have all of these islands and they make quite a difference.  Here in this province we call Labrador the 'big land', but our whole province is the 4th from the smallest.  Americans look to Alaska as being huge, and it is, but most of our provinces are close to it in size.  Nunavut and Quebec are larger than Alaska.

How long has your son been in Canada?

:-/

Hi Little_Kopit,

Think it may a little too far to travel to the other side of Canada to charge up our Batteries, hehehe. ;D ;D ;D

Is there much fee camping for RV's in Canada, can we just pull over at a nice spot for the night, just curious, not into caravan parks, I know we will have to visit one every 2nd or 3rd night to get our washing done with so many littlies coming along :'( :'(.

Cheers

Thenewme wrote on Nov 4^th, 2007 at 7:25am:

Hi Little_Kopit, Is there much fee camping for RV's in Canada, can we just pull over at a nice spot for the night, just curious, not into caravan parks, I know we will have to visit one every 2nd or 3rd night to get our washing done with so many littlies coming along :'( :'(. Cheers

Washing every 3 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.  Well, you know I'm not a parent of human children.  My current dependents are pictured in the albums about the 2006 trip in the map.

We don't call it free camping.  In most of N. America it's called boondocking. & to me, that's in the boonies, country, trees, wild stuff.  But there is a bunch who think parking in a big box store* parking lot is boondocking.  I don't get that.  I wouldn't think that tolerable, but I have camped on cement.  I prefer cooking outside and being with my 'family', and cement parking is a fish bowl.  But it's free.

Hey, do you really want to spend you time at the laundromat?  Isn't it possible to bring enough to wash once a week.  Often if you pay for a night in a campground, they will have a laundromat.  Search the links for campgrounds.  & hey, listen, you can request the provincial tour guide online, you know.  & say, if you have skype, you could call and ask.  That way you'd get additional brochures about things that interest you.  

Now, I don't know what interests you.  Frankly, I'd rather see things 'out of town' than spend my time seeing the sights in cities.  Most of our cities have bypasses.

*Walmart, Canadian Tire....

:-/

Hey girls washings easy just get a 20lt or 4 gallon plastic drum with a lid and half fill with water and soap suds drop clothes in and put the bucket on the floor of the camper over the axles and drive the movement of the vehicle agitates the water and clothes and all you need to do is rinse and dry we usually have 2 drums one for washind and the other for rinsing
try it you will be amazed
Furphy

Think the washing will be every 4th day, that's what happens when you have 3 boys aged 7, 8 & 9 and a toddler aged 18 mths, if the daughter with the 3 kids did her washing weekly she would have to spend 2 days in the laundry getting it all done, hey ask anyone Little Kopit when you get 3 little boys together and they are cousins they get dirty and it does not matter how hard you try to keep them clean.

We are not looking at camping in shopping centre car parks and shopping is the furthest thing from my mind, my sister who is also travelling to Canada was telling me that her daughter and herself are looking forward to going to Edmonson shopping Centre as it is supposed to be the largest shopping centre in the world, you need a car to get from one end to the other, I can tell you that is something I do not want to see.

Camping out for 18 nights and travelling fron Vancouver to Saskatchewan do you thing that we have any chance of seeing the northern lights from these areas, much rather see the northern lights the a big shopping centre, if I want to go shopping I can do that at home.

My son travelled to the USA & Canada when he was 24 for 12 months, 6 weeks before returning home he meet his fiance, they corresponded for about 18 months then she come to Australia for about 6 months, when she went home they both travelled backwards and forwards for about a y18 months, he is in construction and christmas 2 years ago walk around the major construction sites in Canada looking for work, one of the people he spoke too took him on doing all the paperwork with the Australia and Canadian Governements and he ended up in Canada last year September, come home again in July and flew back to Canada in September.

That's our life story

Cheers

Hear what you are saying Furphyslinger but with 5 maybe 6 adults and 4 kids we will need 44 gallon drums.

If it was just my husband and myself it would be easy.

We do have an adventure coming up in December, down to Wilson Promertry Bear Gully, Apollo Bay, the otteways, Great Ocean Road, The Grampians, Mt Kosiosko and then home, will be taking plastic 20 ltre drums to do the washing in.

Thenewme, you might enjoy this album from a trip to BC by a Dutch couple in 2007.  http://cornelius.phanfare.com/album/325395#imageID=19901547

The photographer is  a member of RVO.

:-/

Little_Kopit wrote on Nov 4^th, 2007 at 6:45pm:

Thenewme, you might enjoy this album from a trip to BC by a Dutch couple in 2007.  http://cornelius.phanfare.com/album/325395#imageID=19901547 The photographer is  a member of RVO. :-/

LK

Thanks for that link.  Certainly is a beautiful place.


Derek

Thanks Little_kopit,


Breath taking.

I really have something to look forward too.

Cheers and thank you

Well, have a look at the rest of the albums, travel ones, although he's put up some family stuff going back in time.  

8-)

Will do.

Cheers



Little_Kopit wrote on Nov 4^th, 2007 at 7:59pm:

Well, have a look at the rest of the albums, travel ones, although he's put up some family stuff going back in time.   8-)

Thenewme, sorry I didn't see your post until now.  I will certainly get to you with shipping quotes!    I should have some time to do that tomorrow and will send you a PM.  

To continue on the "boondocking" issue . . . we've been known to use parking lots to spend the night, but that's only when we are traveling long distances and just need a place to stop for the night for a few hours rest.   We've done that a number of times, and when you don't stop until 10 or 11 p.m. and you're back on the road at 5 or 6, it's silly to pay a campground for all those things you won't be using.  

As for "traditional" boondocking -- out in the woods, etc., while that's a great option for LK, with the truck camper, it's really not something we can easily do with a rig as big as ours.  I'd love to do that, and maybe someday we'll get a truck camper so we can, as we have some beautiful National Forrest land just 45 minutes away from our home!  

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is just up the road and they have plenty of fabulous places to boondock.   We've not camped there, but we've driven through the forest quite often and it's absolutely beautiful!    

Julie

P.S., we have strange names, too!  The forest is pronounced "Shwa-ma-gon" !    

As with many places in Wisconsin (and other states), the name comes from an old American Indian word.  


Quote:

The Ojibwa tribe gave this land the name "Chequamegon," or "place of the shallow water." It was here in these pristine, low waters that the tribe would canoe down the tranquil Chequamegon Bay and fish its abundant supply of smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and trout.

Two points.

1)  Julie, you  & I know someone who  has taken a 40' motorhome into many a National Forest and lived there for a month at a time.  He has GPS and talks to National Forest Rangers.  I'm sure such could be done in some Canadian crown land   Crown land = gov. land.  I think it is possible in British Columbia to do more outdoorsy boondocking.  I can point you to where you can read more about this.

2)  I just have to drag up my best known example of a North American indian name that is very well known.  The Mik'maq Indians have been in Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland for a long long time.  I think that some must have been 'hired' by the French when they came to settle.  You see, the Mik'maq word for "where the river narrows" is Quebec.  & that is both the name for a major Canadian City and a province, west of normal Mik'maq  territory.

"Where the river narrows" is very important.  You see when the British navy and army came to win North America from the French, the French didn't think the English would be able to cross the shallows of  where the St. Lawrence River narrows.  But the English had a young officer with them who was learning about surveying and turning that into water navigation.  His name:  James Cook.

Oh, and to be really selfish, it was during Cooks time surveying Newfoundland waters that he learned the secret to keeping sailors from getting scurvy.  Without that Cook wouldn't be a part of your history in Oz.     & you might be speaking Dutch.


8-)

LK
coupla' beers & I'm speaking "Double Dutch" any way!!

Neat piece of Info though.

Mick

G'Day Julie (Mrs Mik)
Am a bit late coming into this one but anyway. Muzz put me onto the RV Living site & I must confess that I haven't spent as much time there as I would like (common malady!). I'd like to have a good look about, particularly while the $ is the way it is.
Hope you're getting plenty of value out of COCIA, as I am. One of my mates married a girl from Corcoran, California so we're getting a bit of an education in some of the American custom.
She's a good scout & loves camping & the great outdoors. Anyway Julie, later.
Hooroo for now. [smiley=1.gif]