July 2026 Canlife Correspondence: Canada's Parks, Coastal Drives, Celebrations, & Creative Cooking!

Lost Between Two "Fins"

The boat slowly pulls out of the marina and blasts a quick toot of the horn, as much for the tourists and tradition as to alert other boats.  We motor past the breakwater and slowly pick up speed, cutting a clean V line through the calm morning sea.  Within seconds we're cruising, taking in the tree covered isles of the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, from our seats in the stern.  

Suddenly, the boat slows and everyone, even the children, jump up, fingers pointing, and scream, "FOCK! FOCK! FOCK!"  

“Did they just say…?”

The boat isn't sinking, we haven’t hit a submerged ledge, no, all the excitement comes from the small group of harbor seals, “phoque,” which now surround the boat.  The French word for seal sounds exactly like the word that escapes my mouth when I bash my head into a low hanging branch... happens more than it should, really.  

Now why didn’t my five years of French study cover some common names for marine mammals?  You’ll have to talk to my amazing teacher, Madame Sterns. Dogs (chiens), cats (chats), livestock perhaps, but our course of study stuck a little closer to the farms and fields of central Michigan than the salty granite coves of the Rivière Saint Laurent (St. Lawrence River). 

Seeing part of this coastline during travels to Newfoundland and Labrador before was no substitute for being here now.  Last summer, after two weeks along the Straits of Belle Isle, we ducked into the easternmost portion of Quebec and drove south to the end of the coastal road in the tiny village of Old Fort.  We met a handful of people, a few modest structures, a boat launch and a simple sign, “FIN.”   We wondered what it would be like where the road ends from the other direction?  Hwy 138 lacks 250-300 miles of Quebec’s Cote Nord (north coast of the St. Lawrence), leaving many villages accessible only by weekly ferries, private planes, or personal boats.  The OTHER end, coming from the west, stops in the tiny, mostly English-speaking, town of Kegaska and we discovered it’s treasures this week -- answering last summer’s question.  

Along the Cote Nord we’ve uncovered much more than we anticipated, including the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve which boasts beautiful and delicate monolith rock formations akin to the hoodoos common to Utah’s more famous parks.  Along the road, waterfalls plunge from vast tablelands of the Canadian Shield formation -- nearly straight into the icy waters of the seaway.  Anywhere else, these magnificent falls would attract worldwide attention, at least a viewing platform, but here they are so numerous that we had to cautiously walk out onto the narrow roadway bridge to catch a good photo. Whales troll the richly productive waters in search of sustenance, which can be abundant here in part because of the icy cold Labrador current coming down from the north and the deep waters of the river. The islands and sea mounts cause nutrients to flow from the depths up to the surface, which supplies the food chain. 

On either end of the road, we’ve found similar ecosystems, and landscapes, even the same plants. One gem is the humble Cloudberry, Bake Apple (as they say in Newfoundland), or Chicoute (in Quebec based upon an Innu word shekuteu, or fire). This plant produces a delicious raspberry-like, orange fruit cluster that ripens in July and practically bursts into your mouth -- if you’re lucky enough to find one.  For many Quebecois, prized picking patches are carefully guarded, shared only on their deathbed, because the fruit gives greatness sparingly.  Only the female plant produces any fruit, and only one single berry per summer from each stalk. Some summers are abundant; others are just duds. 

But what lies between these two "FIN" road signs -- from Kegaska to Old Fort -- remains unexplored for us.  While many Canadian politicians talk about completing the road between these signs, the reality is uncertain.  Do the dozen or so villages reached by ferry even want the road?  While certain opportunities will no doubt come from such infrastructure, not the least of which would be more RVers like us, but what would be lost with such an “improvement?” These communities are some of the earliest established western European settlements in the region and they’ve been going without a road for a very long time. Perhaps a future bike packing trip along this coastline will help us fill in the blank spots, hop on the ferry, spend some time in each community along the way, or possibly even kayak between the granite islands in fairer weather. 

When we hear someone say “phoque,” it still makes us giggle inside, but there’s so much more experience in that word now than could be measured in a high school French vocab quiz.  There will always be more roads that we cannot reach, always more coastlines or mountain ranges to put on a bucket list, always more adventures to discover if we’re lucky enough to keep this rolling lifestyle up!  While checking into a small campground on our first night on the Cote Nord we were asked where we were from.  “North Carolina,” we replied.  “You’re lost!” she laughed.  Exactly...but, look what we've found!

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Extend Your Travels Beyond the Border...Explore Canada!

How many of Canada's 10 provinces and 3 territories can you name?  If you only came up with a few, you are not alone.  Most U.S. citizens can only name a handful, and many folks we've met have never even heard of some of the provinces bordering the United States. 

We certainly didn't know much about Canada prior to becoming full-time RVers.  Although we'd both done a great deal of international travel, we were nervous about crossing the border with our RV for the very first time in 2012.  We quickly discovered those worries were unfounded.  Follow the rules and regulations, answer the border guard's questions truthfully...and they'll wish you a safe trip.  As of this month, we've crossed into Canada about 20 times with Hamlet in tow and can't seem to get enough of what we find on the other side -- friendly people, fascinating history, jaw dropping scenery, and so much more.

But where to begin? While only slightly larger than the United States, Canada is a land of superlatives -- from some of the tallest glacier-topped mountains along the Pacific Coast to the highest tides in the world in the Bay of Fundy to the largest wildlife on the continent.  With choices like these, it certainly can be hard to decide where to start, especially with limited vacation time.  Our best advice -- pick a province or region that sounds interesting to you and build an itinerary around it!  You simply can't go wrong.

In addition to hundreds of stunning Provincial Parks and Regional Parks, Parks Canada manages 37 national parks, 11 national park reserves, 5 national marine conservation areas, 171 National Historic Sites, 1 National Urban Park, and 1 National Landmark.  Being national park nerds, we've had the great pleasure of experiencing 55 Parks Canada sites so far...with a few more on our bucket list for this summer!  And, for you city lovers, Canada is full of intriguing and historic cities -- Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and Halifax...just to name a few. 

Campgrounds and boondocking areas are very easy to find using various apps and resources, with some of our old favorites, including; iOverlander, Harvest Hosts & Boondockers Welcome, and Parks Canada.  We typically travel 99% reservationless and have found that campgrounds rarely fill up, even in the summer.  On the rare occasion that they do, most national parks and many municipal parks offer overflow areas for a night or two, which allows us to wander rather than speed through from one place to the next.

Check out Canada's National Parks: The Ultimate Solar Powered Road Trip to start planning your own RV adventure!

Video of the Month:  Go Far RV Solution Kit Installation! 

Last month, we selected Karin from Maryland to install Renogy's NEW "Go Far" RV Solar Solutions Kit into her 2021 inTech Flyer Discover travel trailer. She was SO MUCH FUN to work with! We removed the very basic (and nearly worthless) 4-year old, 100Ah lead acid battery that came with her rig. In its place we added:

• 300Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery that has nearly 6X the energy storage.
• 2000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter to run multiple AC appliances.
• 50A DC to DC Charger with MPPT to regulate the solar charge AND recharge effectively while driving.
• 200W ShadowFlux Solar Panel to the roof that produces power, even in shady conditions.
• 300A Battery Shunt for wireless monitoring.

All of these components (along with all of the pre-cut, pre-labeled wiring, fuses, and switches) are designed to make your DIY solar installation a simple weekend project! Check out our step-by-step installation video, along with our review, and some key tips for installing your own.

Be sure to use promo code "GOFAR" to save $200 off the Go Far Kit, or get $300 off a Go Further Kit (offering larger and more powerful components for those with greater energy needs)!

It's High Time We Gave Hamlet a Big Ol' Shine!

Is your camper OLD or just made to look OLD?  It's a funny question we get from hundreds of people at campgrounds, gas stations, grocery store parking lots, and just about anywhere else.  For the record, Hamlet prefers "OG" or "vintage" as he's 69 years young now!

While we brought Hamlet back to life in 2011-12 and continue to do regular maintenance, he needs some spiffying up from time to time.  A few years ago, we gave Hamlet a makeover by sanding and re-shellacking his wooden interior, and replacing some worn out linoleum. 

This past spring, Hutch decided it was finally time to try the patented aluminum polishing system touted by the experts, Vintage Trailer Supply.  He's wanted to do this for years, but never wanted to invest the time or money in the necessary equipment. In just about a week of focused effort (and in between several epic North Carolina thunderstorms), Hutch accomplished his goal of bringing Hamlet's shine back to a mirror finish!  Well done, dude.

Dreaming of restoring a vintage of your own?  Learn more about the process, tools, polishing creams, and more that you'll need to bring one of these cherished OG's back to life!

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Marks Your Calendars...America's National Park Week is August 22 - 30!

“Celebrate America’s Story” in honor of our nation’s 250th anniversary by exploring where many of America’s important stories are shared...and make some of your own special memories!  Each of America's 433 park sites will host themed programs and events during each of the 9 days -- see individual NPS websites for details.

2026 National Park Week Theme Days

• Sat, Aug 22: Kickoff Saturday and America 250 Grand Pix
• Sun, Aug 23: Safety Sunday
• Mon, Aug 24: America in Motion Monday
• Tue, Aug 25: National Park Service 110th Birthday & Fee-Free Day
• Wed, Aug 26: Watch Wildlife Wednesday
• Thu, Aug 27: Thankful Thursday
• Fri, Aug 28: Freedom Friday
• Sat, Aug 29: Staff Saturday
• Sunday, Aug 30: Junior Ranger Day

We'll be fulfilling our own bucket list national park dream adventure during this BIG event -- as well as celebrating our 58th U.S. National Park, our 14th Nomadiversary, and our 26th Wedding Anniversary -- all while exploring Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior via sea kayaks and tent for 9 days!  We can't wait!

Plan a fun national park RV road trip!  Our Best of America's National Park Series highlights the best hikes, camping and boondocking options, activities, and scenic drives in each national park.  Each month we add a new park to our series, with the latest being Grand Canyon National Park.  And, just for fun, here are some highlights of Hutch's 19-day rafting adventure in the Grand Canyon from July 2024. 

Coming next month to our Best of America's National Park Series...Denali National Park --complete with the NEW Denali Sled Dog Puppy Cam!  Can't wait for the CUTENESS? Get a BIG dose now! 

App of the Month: Translate AI - Live Translater

Whether we are ordering a dinner or reading an informational sign at the campground, the further north we've traveled in Quebec, the less common it is to see and hear English.  When we arrived at our first Quebec Sepaq park a few weeks ago, we discovered that all of the interpretation signs and tours were only offered in French.  While Hutch's 5 years of high school and college French has come in handy, we quickly found an app that has been tremendously helpful with translating text, speech, signs, and more. Decided it was well worth the $10 per week to have this helpful resource in our back pocket!  

Food Prep That Always Pays Off on Road Trips

A long day on the road can often be the tipping point between wanting to make a delicious home cooked meal or simply saying, “let’s just go out tonight!” With gas and campsite prices skyrocketing, one easy way to travel on a budget is to redefine what it means to dine out!
Doing some food prep before your road trip will help you stick to your budget, your dietary goals, and requires less prep and clean-up so that you can just enjoy the journey you’ve worked so hard to plan!  Read our tips in RV Trader Magazine...

How We Earn Our Boondocking Freedom 

We started boondocking before we even knew what it was. Call it dry camping, dispersed camping, it means parking your RV in a legal place, no campsite, and no reservation. It also means no services, toilets, recycling bins, potable water, nor electrical outlets.

But, the freedom to explore and enjoy these gorgeous natural locations comes with an incredible, yet simple, responsibility. We need to tread lightly and advocate for these places so they remain accessible to us and the next generation of RV & camping enthusiasts. 

Our upcoming feature article in Escapees Magazine: Sharing the RV Lifestyle provides 6 actionable steps that every RVer should take to minimize their impact while maximizing their enjoyment. Look for our upcoming article in the Fall 2026 Issue!

Not an Escapees Member yet? Join the other 122K RVers who are part of this fantastic club of travelers!  Their quarterly magazine -- loaded with creative tips, travel inspiration, and practical advice -- is just one of the many great benefits of becoming a member. Join today and save 20% off an annual membership with CANLIFE20!

In Front of the Mic: Our 2027 Winter RV Show Seminar Line-Up is Shaping Up!

For all you planners out there, we thought we'd give you a heads up where we'll be speaking next winter.  Whoop whoop...we just scheduled 5 RV shows -- with 2 NEW ones for 2027*!  Join us...we'd love to see your smiling faces in our audience.  Seminar topics TBD by each show.

• Greensboro, NC*- Jan 8-10
• Grand Rapids, MI - Jan 14-17
• Charlotte, NC - Feb 5-7
• Raleigh, NC - Feb 19-21
• Milwaukee, WI* - Feb 25-28

In the meantime, we'll see y'all in Hershey, PA for America's Largest RV Show held September 16-20 at the Giant Center!

Parting Shots - Highlights of the South & North Shores of the St. Lawrence River

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