Fine dining in Port Hardy and a cheap RV fix

Posted on Friday, 2022-Jan-28th by ralph
Airport Ocean view camping pxl2022-01-12

Beach view on Port Hardy airport grounds

Having had two days at Port Hardy RV Resort’s high prices, I wasn’t going to extend for my last day waiting for a wheel alignment. My walks had come up with some spots nearby I could boondock / stealth camp at for a night, but before I committed to one of those, I decided to drive back to Fort Rupert, where Port Hardy’s airport is located. The locals had suggested camping by the beach on airport grounds. It looked promising from a survey of the googles aerials, so off I went to check it out.

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Port Hardy awaiting the final fix

Posted on Tuesday, 2022-Jan-25th by ralph
Hardy Airport Spot PXL_20220112_210649955

Airport camping, really.

Driving out of Fort Rupert had me a bit nervous. Would my RV handle the same after the steering repair? But I was only travelling five minutes down the highway to Port Hardy RV & Resort, then another five minutes into town for the alignment. I was reassured as I hit highway speed – the RV handled exactly the same as before, telling me that the wheels were at least close to true. I was hoping to quickly get my alignment done and be back out at Rupert Inlet where I had planned to go originally. Instead, I end up with a bit of an extended tour of Port Hardy, and some boondocking back near Fort Rupert, at the airport.

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Fort Rupert while awaiting repairs

Posted on Friday, 2022-Jan-21st by ralph

My tour of Fort Rupert was thrust upon me by some unscheduled off-roading as I explained in my previous post. I was ‘camping’ at the repair shop, with power. At least I was stuck in an area with things to see. My repair shop had beaches within walking distance, if the snow wasn’t too deep! I also had a little convenience store close by, plus the airport hotel down the way had a little liquor store. In terms of being stuck somewhere awaiting repairs, I could do way worse!

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Off road not the way I wanted it

Posted on Tuesday, 2022-Jan-18th by ralph

I had done my two weeks at Cluxewe Resort, and was feeling antsy to get out. But the weather had decided to throw a curveball of 10-30cm of snow forecast overnight, with me leaving the next day. I decided to make up my mind to go once I saw how much snow had fallen. It was not even 10cm where I was at, so I pack up, and head off to Rupert Inlet, for some camping where I had previously scouted out a spot. It was not to be.
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The scenes of Cluxewe

Posted on Friday, 2022-Jan-14th by ralph

Estuary Sunset Mist PXL_20220104_233952958 Cluxewe Resort was my home for two weeks as I hunkered down in some of the most brutal winter weather that Vancouver Island had seen in recent times. While it was snowy and cold, there were times the sun came out a bit. Being outside wasn’t that bad, even if there was no sun. So I managed to explore all around the campground and beyond where I could reasonably walk to.

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A Last refuge beyond which all hope is lost

Posted on Tuesday, 2022-Jan-11th by ralph

The cold and snow at Cluxewe Resort arrived with a vengeance. I was inside my RV, heater under my feet, looking out through a crack in the blinds, trying to keep all the heat I could near me.  The world had closed in, with only my little space of heat and light to huddle in while the wind howled and the snow flew outside. My RV felt like a last refuge beyond which all hope is lost. If you are looking for pretty scenery from around here, you can skip to the next post – this is all the trials and tribulations of surviving the cold in an RV.

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Hunkering down for the winter I was trying to avoid

Posted on Friday, 2022-Jan-7th by ralph

Minor Tree Delay SR600797My first boondocking spot had been a great success. The snow had even mostly melted, leaving me hoping I could avoid further winter woes, but it was not to be. My shaky internet signal downloaded a forecast of snow and brutal cold, at least brutal for these parts. I left my spot as the first new snow was falling – having a few hanging trees to deal with on the way out from the weighty wet snow.

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First boondocking with a history bonus

Posted on Tuesday, 2022-Jan-4th by ralph

Steam engine gearing SR600743My original plan had been to head out to one of the recreation sites in the Port McNeill area. But the roads remained icy for days following the snow – including adding a bit more ice with rain falling in the cold middle of night. So my plan now was to find something close by I could still drive to.  I was finally going to do some boondocking!  What I found worked out reasonably well, with the bonus of some of Vancouver Island’s most significant historic remains!

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Port McNeill straddling logging and tourism

Posted on Friday, 2021-Dec-31st by ralph

Haddington Beach Trail PXL_20211214_223307354It turns out I left Naka Creek just in time as the mostly rain forecast turned into mostly snow, which turned into mostly ice. Good thing I booked a week at Broughton Campsite, the roads were crap everywhere off the mains! But I would have a lot of time to explore Port McNeill while I stocked up and stayed warm with full hookups again.
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Snowed in at Naka Creek

Posted on Tuesday, 2021-Dec-28th by ralph

RV in da snow PXL_20211206_161356579
Part of why I’m doing this traveling bit is to avoid winter. I hate snow. But Vancouver Island will get snow sometimes, I’d just hoped it would hold off a while. But it was not to be, the snow fell in copious amounts, leaving me with no way to leave on the road I had come in on.
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