The Best Is Yet To Be

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
the last of life, for which the first was made.
Robert Browning

Last year, after a cold and wet camping weekend in the rain at Jasper National Park, and a month later being furiously attacked by mosquitos at Lakeland Provincial Park, Michelle and I decided it was time for an upgrade. We kept our tent for backpacking and canoeing excursions, but for car camping, we purchased a teardrop trailer to protect us from blood-sucking insects and cold rainy weather. At our age, we think we deserve some creature comforts.

2003, just outside of Ottawa.


I have many fond memories of camping when I was growing up. When I was very young I remember camping with my grandparents at Pine Lake and sleeping in their canvas tent. Also, camping with my parents who owned a small tent trailer, and later a large trailer. Michelle has always been a tent camper, spending many nights with her family camping in Drumheller.

When we started dating we borrowed a friend’s two-man tent to go backpacking in Kananaskis Provincial Park. After we got married, we purchased a three-man tent, and by the time our third son was born, we owned a six-man tent. We never considered owning a trailer: camping to us meant living outside, sleeping on the ground with sleeping bags, and cooking meals on the picnic table. Our boys enjoyed our camping trips which included backpacking trips in the Rocky Mountains.

Backpacking in the Rocky Mountains in 1994.
Everyone had to take a turn doing dishes.


Somewhere near Drumheller.


When we began researching trailers and camping vans, we wanted to be sure to find something that would maintain our connection to the outdoors, and a custom-built teardrop trailer manufactured by Gnome Homes filled the bill. It is only one step up from tenting: we sleep off the ground on a comfy mattress with pillows and blankets and the back opens to a kitchen. There are lights for reading in the evening, and a charging station for our electronic devices. The bonus is it’s cheap to pull, and we can store it in our garage.


This year, Michelle and I are enjoying making new camping memories with our teardrop trailer. Inside our Gnome Home, we had the phrase: “The best is yet to be” engraved on a plaque mounted inside. We are currently traveling to Dawson City, Yukon, a trip that we would have never considered if we continued camping in a tent. The trip has been the best yet ……well, except for mosquitoes. Not even a trailer can protect us from being attacked by those pesky blood-thirsty insects at an infested campground.

Pelly Crossing, near Dawson, Yukon.
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Dean Johnston

I am a retired science teacher living in Edmonton, Canada. I've been married for over 30 years to my wife Michelle. We have three sons, a daughter-in-law, and recently became grandparents for the second time. Our family also includes Michelle's mom who lives with us and our youngest son's partner and last but not least, our dog McDuff. As I have gotten older I have come to understand the importance of remaining healthy, both physically and mentally. As a result, I like to write about activities that I am passionate about, like biking, running, and cross-country skiing. Aside from physical activities, I also like to write about interests of mine that help me remain active like traveling, backpacking, and canoeing. Finally, to remain mentally active I like to write stories of my family, both past and present before my memory fades. Thanks for reading my blog.

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