Slept in this morning very tired and worn out from Brampton with having problems with the laptop and finding vacation apartments/cabins in Oxtongue Lake, Barry's Bay, Ottawa and Montreal. Nice to have coffee in bed with Richard and relax didn't get up till after 8.00am.

Both rejuvenated after a shower and breakfast very cold this morning the temperature dropped to about 4 degrees over night and tomorrow they said it might be minus 1. Rug up day today. All packed and ready to go we are so used to living out of a boot (or as they say in Canada trunk) now. Handed the key back to the Owners and said we had a relaxing stay with no TV and WIFI (a bit naughty saying that hope they get the hint to hurry up with the connections).

Nice to get away from the roadworks as the crew started working on the bridge near the cabins at 7.00am glad we stayed over the weekend and not a week day. Virtually had Hwy 60 through Algonquin Provincial Park to ourselves for a short time this morning. You know it is Monday all the workers are back in full force on the roadworks bit of a slow ride through parts of the park.

As Richard missed the road to Cache Lake yesterday we pulled in there to see the Historical site where a town was built back in the late 1800 and used up until 1959. A train took the wealth folks right to the hotel but now the forest has taken over nothing remains of the town only a few metres of the rail track and 450m of platform. We saw the photos and old film of Algonquin Town when we were at the visitors Centre. It is bloody cold and the Biffy's (outdoor toilets) are a bit high on the nose so we will wait till we get to the Visitors Centre to go.

Richard was concentrating too hard on the road or in dreamland and we missed the turn off to the Visitors Centre. I was looking at the map and getting change for coffee when I noticed we were 10kms passed too late to turn back for the WIFI and coffee. Hopefully Whitney just outside the park has free WIFI somewhere but unfortunately it is a tiny one horse town so no checking emails.

Highlight on the highway apart from the leaves on the trees changing colour was seeing high tension power lines haven't seen these since Brampton. Jill went a bit off when we approached Madawaska instead of keeping on Hwy 60 we went round a couple of back streets (shorter route the GPS picks) and came out back on Hwy 60. There could have been a McDonald’s (ha!ha!) with free WIFI or a Library seeing it is a bigger town than Whitney. It is nice that a lot of the towns are by lakes or rivers like Madawaska which is by Bark Lake where there is a Camping/RV site and lots of cabin resorts round the lake where people can fish, canoe or go out in boats. Passed a big lumber/logging company on the outskirt of the town.

One wonders how people in small towns survive either tourism or repairing the roads as this is an ongoing thing seeing the snow plough trucks dig up bits of the road in winter to remove the snow and ice then put salt on the ice to melt it.

Finally entering the area of Barry's Bay as we approach Carson Lake where Cabins, Resorts are and homes along the highway. Not sure where Barry's Bay Cottage Resort is till we find the Information Centre which we found out is closed on Monday and Tuesday how stupid!! Needed petrol so drove back to the Esso Station (doesn't like International MasterCards) $132.8 better price than Oxtongue Lake. Paid inside and the attendant said Metro across the road was the best place to shop (only two supermarkets in town) bought some more chicken legs to BBQ for the next two nights.

Browsed round the Mad Outdoor Fish and Tackle Shop but nothing interesting and the Columbia jackets were too dear looks like I will be buying our tow-in-one jackets at home. Found out there is free WIFI at the Library but guest what it's not open till 1.00pm we are not having much luck today with WIFI but at least we know the address of where we are staying for the next two nights. Seeing it was 12pm we decided to have lunch so decided to go to the Carson Provincial Park by the lake. Well that was laughable the road Jill took us down was to homes and cabins on the lake so we found a spot by the highway by Carson lake for lunch. Took a walk by the lake by the wind was bloody freezing so lunch was in the car looking at the lake and coffee to warm us up followed by the car heater.

We had a few attempts at trying to find Barry's Bay Cottage Resort saw a sign when we can in. Tried the address we saw on the board at the Information Centre that was 6kms on the other side of the town but not there. In frustration we pulled into a petrol station there and asked for directions. The Owner was lovely she went online and gave us the correct address as she said there were no cabins this end of Barry's Bay. Back we went through the town looking for 20876 Hwy 60 which should be somewhere near the other cottage resorts. Car right up our rear and we missed it just passed Carson Lake the signage is very poor with no warning pulled into a driveway and slowly drove back letting cars pass and we FOUND IT.

Drove down the gravel road between the cabins to No. 16 parked the poor old dusty Pontiac near the pit (outdoor fire) and chairs and went inside the cabin. The Owner Heather gave us this larger cabin for the same price as a small cabin on the shoreline as that was booked the first night we arrived. No. 16 is a big 2 bedroom with lounge, gas fireplace, kitchen and bathroom. Very nice and comfortable the maintenance man Geoff saw us and said we were early which we were (3.00pm check-in) told him we were tired and worn out by trying to find Barry's Bay Cottages. He showed Richard how to use the TV and heating system as the cabin or cottage was very cold including us.

  We settled in very quickly got the cabin all nice and warm then walked down to the lake just through the front cabins (some were closed for repairs or winter). So nice and peaceful here, all the cabins are unlocked so we were sticky-becks and looked inside all nearly the same decor as ours. Walked up the road between the cabins to the track and followed it for a bit but it was cold and we didn't know if it went around the lake so we turned around. Checked out the Moose Community Lounge (in the main Building) where you can also get WIFI Geoff and his son were there fixing something else (at least he is doing his job). He has been here for four years and is semi retired doing the maintenance work for the Owners and enjoying the lifestyle.

Geoff and his son were repairing the steps of No.18 when I mentioned Richard couldn't get WIFI in the cabin and he said to go in the back entry of No. 18 (no-one there for a few weeks) and use the WIFI. This I did but the reception is only three bars and a bit slow but I managed to do answer my Montreal emails and get Yannick's apartment address. He is very quick in answering my questions all I have to do is find a place for the first night (21^st) in Ottawa the other partments I emailed don't do one night which is a pity. Richard came over with his ipad and checked a few things, he had a sleep when I first went to No. 18.

Getting hungry and cold the heating wasn't warming No. 18 so we went back to have an early dinner. With the BBQ I bought some foil to put on the grill so the flames from the BBQ wouldn't burn the chicken and the chicken legs turned out beautiful.

Watched some TV with Richard nice to relax in front of the fire but it got so hot we had to open the front door to let some cold air in to cool the cabin. After having a shower I tried the laptop and low and behold I go online WIFI is three bars here and I was able to cut and paste three days on the blog with photos. It took so long was tired by 9.30pm and pulled the pin I had enough so Richard turned the TV off and we went to bed.

The cabin was lovely and warm plus the bed was very comfortable didn't take long to go to sleep.