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I just thought I would tell you all about our weekend, since it was such a unique experience for me. Our eldest son and family recently purchased a remote off-grid cabin and 66 acres in north/central British Columbia. He went with my DH in March to inspect, receive keys etc, so DH has spent a weekend there already. I went with DH on Thursday and returned yesterday.
The drive is about 6.5 hours from our house, and involves a ferry ride across a lake. The paved roads end for the last 20 minutes, so gravel roads through mostly cattle ranch land and forest, some of which had burnt in a large forest fire in 2018. This area is on a high plateau; spring comes late and there were not really signs of spring. Trees were still leafless, and grassland was brown still. Pockets of old snow were in shaded areas.
We arrived and after unlocking the gate, drove down the long wooded drive to see a log cabin on the edge of the forest, with open grassland and a lake beyond. The property is half forest, consisting of mostly spruce, pine, hemlock and (I think) aspen. The grassland is mowed for hay by a nearby rancher. The forest on the opposite bank of the lake looks desolate, since it burned in the fire. It is just blackened tree trunks, but I'm hoping it will show green undergrowth when the spring really starts there.
We opened up the cabin, which is about 20' x 30', two stories and has a front porch. The interior is one large room, with raw log walls, a central propane heater, kitchen area well equipped with cupboards, sink, propane stove and fridge. We didn't get the fridge started, apparently there is an issue with it. We kept all our cool food outside on the porch in hard sided coolers.
Upstairs, or up a ladder, really, are two large bedrooms, one with a queen bed, designated as the guest room, and the front room with a queen and two singles, with a nice bay window overlooking the lake. The front room had two closets, one which held a porta-pottie. Details on that at some other time... no indoor toilet!
DH turned on the propane, and we lit the stove for warmth. I settled in to explore. There were signs of mice in the upstairs closets built under the eaves, and in one corner of the kitchen. My son has a bearskin rug that our dog did not at all like, so I rolled it up and put it up in their room. The ladder up was too steep for the dog, so we set up her bed in the corner, which satisfied her.
We had two full days there, many hours were spent cleaning for me, and for DH, sorting out the shed and outbuildings. There is quite a bit of gear needed for off-grid living! We did get a chance to meet the neighbours, at a farm just south of the property. When we walked over, the husband (around 70, was milling logs with his own mill, and the wife had just finished making doughnuts, so we had a nice visit. They showed us their holding, 3 horses, greenhouse, garden etc.
Both days I walked the property, though a path in the woods, along the far fence line, and back through the grass field along the lake, which has a very steep bank and is not that easily accessible. There were signs of moose, bear and wolf. I did carry a a walking stick and had my dog, but will buy some bear spray for safety. On the lake were ducks, geese, and the woods were full of birdsong.
We headed home Sunday tired from physical work, but mentally refreshed. We will go up again for Victoria Day long weekend with DS and family, but I admit it is a long way to go, and while my DH loves it, I can't see myself spending more than a few days at time so remotely. It does give me appreciation for all those pioneering people that came before us to settle this large country.
Thanks for reading if you have stayed the course.
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