Next Stop on the Chronic Railroad

More than 30 years ago, we took a camping vacation with our two young children; the youngest of which was in the midst of being potty trained.

I think we needed to have our heads read on that one.

When driving a washroom may well be non existent when you need one - like in a traffic jam on the Tappen Zee bridge in Upstate New York.  In a campground, the washrooms may well be a long walk away from the camp site.

Our salvation was that we had a potty in the shape of a VW Beetle complete with top/lid which fit into the narrow floor space of the back seat of the car.

Looking back from a few years perspective, taking a camping vacation during this time when the acute was morphing into the chronic was probably not the best of ideas either.  It brought out the best of our relationship and the worst of my condition as camping by it's very nature is physically challenging at it's best.  To compound matters, the weather during this trip was cold - which taxed me even more and made the symptoms loom large.

Yet we persevered.  Sandwiching good times with "other" times.

For example, our next stop after Tobermory was Saulte Ste Marie and a KOA where we had camped several times when the children were ... well ... children.  We had no idea if it was still there.

It was.

It had a new owner.  A few changes had been made but otherwise the layout was the same as it had been 25 or so years earlier.

The Algoma Railroad sill ran it's Agawa Canyon trip which we'd done several times in the past again with young children. 

We were planning on heading up to a small town called Manitouwadge to drop in on some relatives and had contemplated doing the Agawa Canyon ride on our return to take advantage of the Fall Foliage tour - which by the way is the same ride just more expensive.

However, we decided to do it before we headed on.

We started out in fog.

With me snapping away through the window of the train completely mesmerized and energized by the scenery passing by.

Lakes, trees, small villages and even a very long trestle and a dam and more (not shown here) were captured by my camera.  It evoked memories of other trips years ago.  The same scenery, the same rails, the same terrain with different perspectives as we aged and had more life experiences.

I'm thinking here is where we needed our heads read again as we both decided to ascend this loooonnngggg staircase upwards so we could have a good view - and take pictures - of the canyon.

We made it to the top.  Huffing and puffing.  Desperately needing rest. 

But. We. Made. It. To. The. Very. Top.

Despite everything. We challenged ourselves that morning.  I challenged the fatigue, the daunting sight of this long staircase.  I challenged all the residual fears and all the emotional injury and stuff which was still hanging on from my recent experience with bullying.

I was able to have small communications with people - especially with hubby present.

I was able to be the self that draws people to me. 

To shine.

To sparkle.

For one last time before the battleship grey of the chronic engulfed me totally.

And I took some awesome pictures and made good memories.

That may have been the last really good day I had for a very long time.