Monday, 20 August 2012

Bodina Resort Crane Lake, Alberta

Bodina Resort At Crane lake Alberta

We headed out to Crane lake to check out Bodina resort and were surprised!!
The water quality in the lake was awesome it was actually not green unlike many alberta lakes!  Crane lake is located approximately 23 kms west of cold lake on highway 55 turn north on crane lake road and drive about 5 km. West of Crane lake west campground. The two are actually touching one another. 

There are a total of 45 campsites 15 with power, 30 with power, water ,sewer. Prices range from $27.30-$31.50 per night. At first sight I thought what a crappy campground but we drove 2 and a half hours from Edmonton so we were staying! The campsites are less than private and very crammed together! But and its a big but, What the campsites were lacking the staff and lake sure made up for. There is a little store run by Bodina resort that has anything and everything a person could need from eggs to bait it is well stocked and the soft serve ice cream was a big hit on a hot weekend with the kids.  The resort has an arcade and showers I never viewed them but they said they were there. You better however be prepared to use your rv bathroom because the only others are a port a potty that was never emptied the couple nights we were there, filled with flies swarming at your cheeks. or the outhouse down by the beach that also had a foul smell and butt hungry flies. The campsite is well within walking distance to the lake maybe a minute or two depending on your site. The beach is almost no existent there are a few sandy small sandy areas but the sand in these areas is just enough for you kids to play. the sand is quality sand nice soft white sand like you'd see at an ocean. The beach area is a little rocky in some spots but not to bad. They have to dedicated swimming areas for the kids and at first I thought how odd they are shaped funny and are small but upon closer review of the two areas I realized they are actually sand bars in the deep lake the water is about maybe 4 feet deep in these areas but once you go past them it becomes deep very fast. If you are into boating this is the lake for you! You can pull your boat right up to shore without lifting the motor. The boats on the lake were impressive and the boat launch was busy all day! The water is I'm told like glass and perfect for water skiing, wake-boarding etc. You can get a very good show sitting on the beach watching young people show their skills and pound the tunes as they pass the shore. I bet there was over a 3 million dollars in boats on the lake the saturday we were there, it was something else. But back to the Lake. The lake is not a large lake like cold lake or slave lake so it is warm. Warm enough for my kids to spend 3 entire days in it at least 6 hours a day and not come out with hypothermia. It is a very clean lake you can also fish off the dock for walleye. My husband and kids caught 5 small to medium sized fish from the dock in less than an hour. 



So with that being said I give this lake 2 thumbs up! what the campground lacks the lakes warmth and beauty make up for! Makes me want to buy a boat. We will  be returning to bodina resort. 




Monday, 2 July 2012


My Personal Review of the Palamino Ultra Lite T-274

It is crazy how fast this school year has gone by ! A few days in to summer holidays and we just purchased a new travel Trailer !! Here is a little review of it.
We purchased a 27ft Palamino Ultra lite T-274The trailer has an awesome floor plan a queen bedroom it the front and four rear bunks in the back.The kitchen and sofa area are a slide which makes this ultra light trailer feel so much roomier than it actually is. The trailer weighs just over 5200lbs and is easily towed by our 1/2 ton. The interior fabrics are highly washable and a nice dark colour called latte. There are more than enough cupboards and storage compartments inside and out to house everything a family could need to have a well stocked vacation. My only issue it the fridge it never seems to get cold enough you can run it off of propane or electricity and I have tried both and either way the fridge is never cold enough and there is no way to adjust the temperature. I would highly recommend this trailer to anyone who is looking for a lightweight affordable travel trailer.  The power awning is a very nice option no more struggling with a big bulky awning just a push of a button.I would also recommend the air conditioning option be purchased as the trailer can get very toasty. The jack knife sofa is actually more comfortable than you think I have slept on it with my 8yr old son and can tell you it looks like it would be terrible but it's not so bad. the sealy mattress on the queen bed is one of the best features of this trailer it is actually very comfortable especially compared to some  of the cloth covered spring type mattresses most other trailers have. The beds in the bunk area are hard! they need  a mattress pad on them even for kids I bought 2 queen sized foam pads on sale and cut them in half to fit the bunks and now they are great for kids or adults. Go take a look at this trailer if your thinking of buying a lite weight bumper pull it is not as fancy as some of the other trailers but  is well equipped for price and is very light for a trailer with a slide.

  • Travel Length : 32' 8"
  • Interior Height : 6' 6"
  • Hitch Dry Weight : 845 lbs.
  • Dry Axle Weight : 4365 lbs.
  • Total Dry Weight : 5210 lbs.
  • GVWR : 7845 lbs.
  • Exterior Height : 9' 3"
  • Exterior Width : 8'
  • Fresh Water Capacity : 30 Gals.
  • Black Water Capacity : 30 Gals.
  • Gray Water Capacity : 30 Gals.

STANDARD FEATURES

  • 14" Tires
  • 20,000 BTU Suburban Furnace
  • 55 AMP Converter with Battery Charger
  • A & E Awning
  • Aluminum Framed Superstructure
  • Create-A-Breeze® Fan (Mandatory Option)
  • Dometic® 6 Cu. Ft. Refrigerator - Double Door
  • EPDM Rubber Roof
  • Fiberglass Exterior Surface
  • I-Beam Frame (E-Coat)
  • Outside Marine Grade Speakers
  • Outside Service Lights (3)
  • Outside Shower
  • Oversized Bathroom Skylight
  • Patio Light
  • Roof Air Ready - Ducted
  • Six Gallon Gas/Elec. DSI Water Heater
  • Spare Tire, Bracket & Molded Cover
  • Stabilizer Jacks with Sand Pads (4)
  • Stove Cover
  • Tinted Safety Glass Windows
  • Torsion Axle, Independent Suspension
  • Tub/Shower Surround
  • TV Antenna/Cable/Satellite Ready
  • Two - 20 lb. LP Gas Bottles with Molded Cover
  • Vacuum Bonded Laminated Construction








OPTIONAL FEATURES

  • Air Conditioner (13,500 BTU)
  • Air Conditioner (15,000 BTU Upgrade)
  • Aluminum Wheels
  • AM/FM CD/DVD Player
  • Counter Top Extension
  • Diamond Plate Front
  • M & T Raised Panel Cabinet Doors (Mandatory Option)
  • Microwave
  • Outside Gas Grill
  • Raised Refer Door Upgrade (6 Panel)
  • Roof Ladder
  • Serta® Mattress Upgrade
  • Slide Topper Awning
  • Sliding A.B.S. Storage Tray
  • Three-Burner Range with Oven
  • Water Purifier