Travel companion
Hello. I, too, am a widow who loves camping. I live in rural Ottawa, Canada. We had a small travel trailer/ truck, which my wise husband ensured I knew how to drive. Parking it was a different matter, but I entertained a few campers with my efforts. John died in early 2018 and I realized that if I wanted to continue to camp, I needed a rethink. I was very lucky to find a 2009 Winnebago View, in immaculate condition, with only 16,000km on it. A life insurance legacy bought it for me, so I see this as John’s last gift to me. A retired teacher, I had a number of friends who were interested to see how things would work out. I’m sure a few thought I was mad. But one put me in touch with a friend of hers, also recently widowed, who had bought a brand new Roadtrek with a plan to travel through Canada. We met, got on well and camped together a few times. We decided, early on, that it would work best if we each drove our own rig and socialized at our destination. We had so much fun that we thought it would be a good idea to firm an informal camping group. We were able to place a notice in Explorer Magazine, saying who we were ( two retired teachers)and what our objectives were (to meet up with like minded camping enthusiasts). We had a good response and formed the Solo (plus) Campers. There are 5 RVs and 7 campers, as we have two couples. Over the last 3 years we have had a great time, despite Covid. I had 6 rigs camped in my driveway, and we all visited a couple who live north of Toronto. As soon as restrictions allowed, we planned short stays at local Provincial Parks and a couple of our group headed off to the West coast. We decided to visit Newfoundland this last summer. It was a return visit for several of us, and a new experience for a couple of others. We even co-opted a Camper from Florida and gave him an honorary membership for the trip. 5 weeks of amazing experiences. We camped in some beautiful spots, both designated campgrounds and boondocking. I had never done this before, and was a little nervous. Camping with the group meant you were never out there alone. Which, after all, was the purpose of having a group. We split up a few times and regrouped as we travelled. I travel with a new puppy, which had some challenges, but he is a great co pilot. I celebrated my 79th birthday on this trip. I am fit and healthy, my kids think I am slightly mad, but I am not ready to slow down yet. So, unless you feel you need another driver to share the load, consider joining, or forming, a group of travel companions.
Good luck. If you ever come north, there is lots of room in my driveway.
Katy 2
