Author: John

Originally born in North York, Ontario. I now live in Virginia. I post stories mostly about canoeing, expeditions, camping and life in the RVA.

Douthat State Park – “Tonic for the Mind, Body and Spirit”

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Date: 10/24/25-10/26/2025, Temperature: Highs of approx 60F Lows approx 33F, mostly sunny.

The view from on top of Carter Mountain Orchard, in Charlottesville, Virginia. A good pit stop for apples, apple cider and donuts.

“Virginia State Parks are a tonic for the mind, body and spirit”. This creedo is printed on Virginia State Park trail guides, and I couldn’t agree more. I’ve heard so many great things about the Virginia State Park cabins but I have never actually stayed in one. They are also known to book up very quickly so I reserved a cabin at Douthat State Park about a year in advance. Situated near the Virginia and West Virginia border, Douthat, is one of Virginia’s oldest state parks, featuring miles of fishing streams, a 50 acre lake and loads of trails.

The jewel of Douthat State Park is a clear, 50 acre mountain lake. The lake is fed by a Wilson Creek, a park of the mighty Jackson River watershed. We brought along our Nova Craft Prospector canoe to paddle the glassy waters. It’s remarkable how noisy day to day life can be. You don’t really notice such a thing, until you sit on an empty lake, hearing a woodpecker rap on a tree, miles away. I do think such experiences are important to our soul and nervous system, to help reset and get away from the bustle of day to day life. As someone who sees dozens of patients per day, it is such a welcoming feeling.

The kids particularly loved the trout fishing streams at Douthat State Park. They are stocked with rainbow trout, and the kids spent hours just casting and reeling. The leaves were at peak color change, the wind was sharp and crisp and the falling leaves around us made for such a mesmerizing backdrop. It hadn’t rained in several days so the water was particularly clear. The slim outline of the trout were visible underneath the shadows cast but moving leaves. This perpetuated the excitement of the children.

We spent time exploring the trails, bike trails, cabins, and the well stocked camp stores. The kids also loved the cabin as well. Douthat State park was thoughtful enough to provide a bundle of firewood waiting for us at the cabin. I suspect that most visitors don’t use all of their wood, because there was an accumulation of it at our cabin. We put it to good use, especially when it dipped near freezing at night. I brought my old Wetterlings axe to split it into kindling. I can’t believe I’ve had that axe now for over 15 years. Still working just as good.

The cabins do not have wireless internet or cellular service, and this is a great thing. We filled our time, reading, painting, photographing the landscapes, enjoying the wood burning fireplace and playing board games.

Exploring small towns in the Virginia mountains, is always time worth well spent. Douthat State Park is only 15 minutes away from Clifton Forge where we had lunch at Jack Mason’s tavern and picked up some local provisions. Their warm food and dark ales were especially welcoming on a chilly fall day. On the way home, we stopped in Lexington, Virginia for coffee and picked up some books at the “The Bookers”. THis quaint book store is like a scene out of Harry Potter, the books were stacked up to the ceiling and in every which direction. Very cool book store.

Jack Mason’s tavern was very warm and welcoming
exploring a maze of books in “The Bookers” in Lexington, VA.

Douthat State Park is simply beautiful. The park is well laid out, the facilities are accessible and clean and the cabin was stellar. There are plethora of activities to partake, trails to hike, streams to fish, paths to bike, a lake to paddle, not to mention the excellent visitor center and camp stores and structured activities – an outdoor enthusiast could easily spend a week here. Thank you to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and to all the staff at Douthat State Park.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season ahead!

Photos taken with Sony a6700 (tamron 17-28mm lens)

Visit the Douthat State Park Website here: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/douthat

Seabrook Beach, New Hampshire

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Our annual family beach trip typically has us driving to the Outerbanks of North Carolina, however we took a detour from our usual plans. Instead, we went to visit my sister up north and hit the New England beach scene. We were going to Seabrook Beach in southern, New Hampshire. Situated between two very busy beaches (Hampton beach to the north and Salisbury beach to the South), Seabrook Beach spans only a few miles of a sandy, peaceful and residential beach. The drive up there would be around 10.5 hours. Even with our mini-van packed up with surfboard and all, it was a comfortable and easy drive. Leaving early in the morning helps to beat the D.C. traffic out of Richmond.

A road trip through New England would not be complete with stopping in the pizza capital of the U.S. We stopped in New Haven, to enjoy some classic New Haven “apizza”. With the thin crust and minimal amounts of cheese, the kids were big fans. We went to “Modern Apizza”, one of the “Big Three” apizza establishments in New Haven. (Frank Pepe Pizzeria, Modern Apizza and Sally’s Apizza”).

No beach trip is complete without a trip to the local beach store. Catalano’s Market (Seabrook, New Hampshire)

The kids were road warriors. We spent 5 days there soaking in Vitamin D, relaxing, breathing in the salty air, and swimming in the clear, chilly waters. During this time of year (early August), Seabrook waters have reach their peak temperatures which is still a chilly 68 degrees. We went for the full New England coastal experience, diving into local lobster roll excursions and visiting the town of Portsmouth, where the kids enjoyed the boat town vibes, food, sea shell shops, art and of course ice cream.

Far from the beach, rocky shoals created a calming view of white caps and gulls

I really loved the vibes at Seabrook, what you see is what it is. It is a residential area with a view cafes, markets and restaurants, that’s pretty much it. I remember asking a local if there was anything here to see. “The beach is pretty much it!”. Perfect for us, as we just wanted to relax and catch a few waves. The water was very glassy on our last day, and the waves rolled beautifully. The Seabrook beach scene was really what we needed. As much as we love the Outerbanks of North Carolina, it was getting a little hectic there for us, and in some areas, way too overdeveloped.

As with all time near the water, it passed by too quickly. It felt like one beautiful wave of memories. The kids noted it as one of their favorite vacations, so mission accomplished. We hope to come back one day.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy summer.

The Mini Forest – short film by David Hartman

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David Hartman is one of my favorite film makers. Based out of Ontario, Canada, his messages and themes hit close to home for me. His filming style is thoughtful, well-paced, beautiful and a breath of fresh air compared to the overstimulating films and movies of today. I came across “The Mini Forest” and thought I would share. The film speaks to sustainability, growth, and how our individual actions can have profound effects on the earth. It has certainly got me thinking about my own lawn…

“Terrell Wong is about to plant 100 trees in her small Toronto backyard, a dense mini forest based on the Miyawaki Method. What at first seems like a simple act soon evolves into a complex story about dirt, lawns, fungus, wildlife, native species, and finally the human brain. An anti-lawn anthem from director David Hartman, The Mini Forest explores this innovative form of afforestation and the importance of restoring the native woodlands that once covered so much of Canada and the World.”

see more of David Hartman’s work here: https://davidhartman.ca/

Earth Day Weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains

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When I think of spring in Virginia, I envision the Blue Ridge Mountains. The beautiful pallet of light greens that paints the waking forest after a long winter slumber makes the sunlight radiate even brighter. The clear skies, are once again open to busy birds going to and fro, getting ready for the season. The sound of the rivers and creeks in the mountains as they flow and meander through an endless course, feeding life along the way. It is a special time.

I can’t believe it has already been one year since our last Earth Day weekend get-away. Last year in 2024, we spent it the Allegheny Highlands canoe camping at Lake Moomaw.

This year, we took a slightly slower pace, with a cabin just west of Charlottesville. The mornings were certainly still chilly at around 35F, but the days quickly warmed in the radiant sunlight. Everything was waking up and it was special to experience this time of year.

Mayflies are pretty amazing aquatic insects. Not just an important food source for the native brooktrout in Virginia, Mayflies are often used as the symbol for the ephemeral nature of life. Their fleeting adult lifespan of just 1-2 days is a reminder that existence is finite. They also symbolize rebirth and new opportunities for growth.


I wish everyone good health and a happy spring.

Shot on sony a6700 with Tamron 17-28mm lens

Happy Spring Equinox: Gardening with Kids (inspired by the book: the Gardener. By Sarah Stewart)

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Spring is always such an inspiring time of the year for me. The bright sunshine and longer days never fails to evoke in me a feeling of rejuvenation and excitement for what is time to come in the next months. So last Spring we started a garden on the deck.

One of my daughter’s favorite books of all time has got to be “The Gardener” By Sarah Stewart, Illustrated by David Small. The story takes place during the Great Depression and centers around a young girl with a passion for gardening. Her parents’ strained financial situation forces her to go live with her uncle in New York City until they achieve some stability. In the busy and sterile, concrete jungle of New York city, she finds a way to bring gardening to her uncle’s apartment building. He shares her love of gardening to her uncle and the customers to his bakery. The story is presented as a series of letters written home from our protagonist, over the course of a year. It is a beautiful and heartwarming story and the illustrations are stunning.

Feeling inspired, my kids wanted to start a garden on the deck of our house. So in March, we began researching, planting seeds, flowers, trees and started our own little garden. Everyday brought new discoveries for the children. There was always something that was sprouting, new colors to see, new scents to take in and something tasty to try. All of this continued into the fall!

sweet potato
blueberries
Vietnamese Mai Flower

Overall, it was a memorable and fun experience for them. Happy Spring everyone. Go outside and plant something.

Baking Bannock (winter holiday version)

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Setting up a stove in Temagami, Ontario

Bannock is a popular food item for us to make on canoe and camping trips. It is a simple, warm and tasty bread that can be easily baked over an open fire / oven. From the recipes of the First Nations people to the Scottish, there are innumerable ways to prepare bannock. Some involve leavening agents and some don’t. Some people bake it and others fry it. Over the years, I’ve learned to keep it simple, light and fluffy.

Over the winter season of 2025, Richmond, Virginia received snowfall on January 5-6 (approx 3 inches) and then subsequently January 10-11 (another 3 inches), we decided to was the perfect chance to make some winter holiday bannock (with cranberries). The kids did not mind the extended holiday break. Let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups of all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/4 cup of pecans
  • 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries
  • 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
  • oil
  • 1 cup of milk (can also use dry milk powder and water as a replacement)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Dry mix the flour, baking powder, pecans and brown sugar
  2. pour in the cup of milk and add the cranberries
  3. gently mix all of it together to disperse the milk evenly. (You don’t want to over mix it because this will punch out all of the gas)
  4. If you’re cooking with an oven, oil the cast iron skillet and get the oven temp to 350F. Place the contents into the skillet and bake until ready (usually approx 25min to 30min)
  5. If you’re cooking over an open fire, keep your skillet facing the fire, you can usually use a stick to prop it up. Based on the weather conditions, it will be done when it’s ready, the surface will become slightly brown and hardened.
  6. FINISHED

ENJOY

Cranberry bannock
bannock and sledding

Enjoy! Hope everyone stays safe and healthy this winter!

Outdoor baking tip: (consider a reflector oven!)

If you spend a reasonable amount of time baking outdoors, you could consider getting a reflector oven. The reflector allows for a more even heat distribution and easier to control temperatures than an open fire. Svante Freden of Sweden, makes an excellent, lightweight, aluminum reflector oven for baking in the outdoors. https://www.canadianoutdoorequipment.com/reflector-oven-by-svante-freden.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqjuGjAky6FZN4tMEjufelaGKQlVISv6CPWfuRRWCOc3bn41gn-

Over the years, we’ve gotten alot of use out of our reflector oven from Svante Freden.