btwinnipeg

For the past week, I’ve been taking advantage of summer in Manitoba and spending some time camping, tanning, and exploring areas of our province I’d never visited before.

I spend a few nights tenting in Riding Mountain at Clear Lake, and then I headed out to the Pembina Valley, to stay at the Stephenfield Provincial Park.  That’s where I had the first ever experience of staying in a “yurt”.

Some of you may be asking “A what now?”.

I know this because that’s the question I’ve gotten almost everytime I answer the question of what I did during my week off.

A yurt, by definition is “a portable, canvas-covered, wood lattice-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by nomads in Central Asia”.  In other words, it’s kind of a combination tent/cabin complete with electricity and furniture that is becoming a common addition to several of Manitoba’s provincial parks.

It’s also just a nice change from the set-up/take-down/sleep on the ground/can’t stand up tenting we’d been doing previous.

Check one out if you get a chance!

Luv, Jenna

I’m sure you noticed last week I was away from the show on vacation , I was camping in the middle of nowhere . The couple that my wife and I live next to successfully talked me into camping for the second year in a row out at Black lake. I’m not big on “roughing it”, I like room service and a pool but I must say I’ve learned to love it. I love waking up in a puddle because a certain someone I’m married to didn’t zip up the window and we somehow slept through a downpour , I love getting up in the middle of the night to answer nature’s call and tripping over the exterior support ropes holding the tent up sending me face first into the base of a whispering pine. The camping was fun despite the rain and I will go again next year , I just need to figure out how to hook up the microwave and big screen tv to the car battery.

To those of you following my blog, I apologize that it’s been awhile!  And unfortunately, I really don’t have any excuse other than to plead lazy-ness!

However, the good news is that it was worth the wait!  A few weeks ago, I put myself out of my comfort zone and tried something I’ve always wanted to do.

ZIP-LINING!!!!!!!  It was an absolutely amazing experience… but trust me, you would NOT have wanted to be in the car with me on the ride there!  I basically spent the entire two hours creating reasons why I SHOULDN’T go zip-lining after all… and even told my friends to drop me off at the nearest town and leave me on a patio until they finished!  Luckily, they didn’t listen to me, so off we went to Manitou, Manitoba!

One thing I have to say, I didn’t realize our province is so beautiful.  I’d never spend any time in the heart of the Pembina Valley, and it is so picturesque that you can hardly believe you’re still in the Prairies!

We arrived at Hy-Wire Zip Line Adventures and I was still feeling as if my stomach was in my throat.  But after a quick safety lesson it was time to step off the platform!  I was the third person in my group to go… and I can’t tell you much about that first zip as my eyes were shut the entire time!  I did make it safely to the other side, and the following zip lines (five in total) were exhilerating!

By the third one I was going first, even allowing myself to let go of the rope (of course you’re safely harnessed in!) and lay back and enjoy the scenery.  You feel as free as a bird, and I can tell you – this girl plans to make the trip back out to Manitou for round two! 

Maybe I’ll even try going upside down…. ORRRRRRRRRRR maybe not!

Luv, Jenna