Are you tired of winter? Have you begun to dream? I know that I am; yes my mind lately has been drifting in and out of summer mode. I think it is understandable as Calgary has been in the grasp of an exceptionally long Chinook which has seen temperatures soar in to the single digits and close to double digits too. Lots of sun and melting snow helps to create the illusion of spring. Alas the first day of spring is still six weeks away, but our own local rodent Balzac Billy did not see his shadow yesterday on Ground hog day, so could it be true, that Calgary is in for an early spring? I guess it is possible and certainly it is a nice dream to hold on to. Not that winter has been too bad this year in the prairie province; in fact it has been down right reasonable except for a two week stint of -40c, this winter has been pleasant?!? Can you say that about winter? Now as always I am torn every winter. I not only miss my RV but I love to Ski, so trying to enjoy the snow and cold is always at best a confusing mix of emotion and excitement. Never the less it is time to start dreaming and getting ready to play the booking game, if you have not already started.

Ah..Yes the booking game. Did you play on January 8^th with Parks Canada? I know I did and I lost. I did get a spot but not what I wanted, but alas that is sometimes the outcome of playing the booking game. This year though I only needed one National park reservation, the rest of my bookings will be with Provincial campgrounds where I tend to have better luck. Booking seems to work a bit better when you book three to four months in advance of your arrival date. Certainly the booking servers work better without all the load that can come with a single opening day for the entire season, like what is experienced with Parks Canada every year. Sigh! Hopefully one day Parks Canada will wake up and change their system to a more moderate booking regimen.

OK, enough bitching about Parks Canada. On the 22^nd of February is when I will start my Provincial bookings along with booking my ferry passage for this summer’s trip back to Vancouver Island. This time it is my Brother that is getting married, and Lorraine and I along with my Son will make the journey to the west coast to attend a Rednecks wedding.  This will be our big trip of the year and will see us on the road for 25 days. The rest of the summer season we have a bunch of weekenders planned as well as an 8 day trip to Cypress Hills in both Saskatchewan and Alberta. Cypress Hills is an Inter-Provincial park that straddles the border between these two provinces. I hear that the Saskatchewan side is much like a resort where as the Alberta side is more secluded and rustic. Either way it should be a great trip!

Well that is all for now, so I hope that you all are staying warm and snugly in your Glampur hovels and are dreaming of the warm spring and summer months ahead. If you have not already done so it is definitely time to start planning the summer season for 2020, there is still time to get yourself ready and book those sites online and on time.

Till next time,

Happy trails,

The Glampurs