Today was Victoria Day here in Canada, or as I and my high school friends always called it, May Two-Four. It was named in honor of England’s Queen Victoria and has been observed in this country since 1845, originally on her birthday, which was May 24, hence the nickname, although now it is always on the Monday immediately preceding May 25. The holiday is a federal statutory holiday, as well as a holiday in six of the country’s 10 provinces and all three of our territories. It is a distinctly Canadian observance and, unofficially, the start of the summer season.

Since childhood, and especially through my teens and the first decade of my marriage, the long weekend was the first camping trip of the year. I always looked forward to those three days with great anticipation and as a working stiff, I’d try to extend it to four by leaving on Thursday. This allowed us to grab the best camping spot before the crowds showed up. On those occasions where the weekend was a reunion of sorts with friends, showing up early allowed us to reserve a group of campsites all together. (This was in the days before the Internet and online reservations, so it was first-come, first-served)

What did we do on those halcyon days? As little as possible as much as possible. With the tents pitched and the campfire started, we’d all get comfortable and catch up on our lives since the last time we met. Of course, as time passed those happy meetings were replaced by camping trips with my wife and growing family.

In 1977, the year after we married and with an infant son a bit less than six months of age, we decided to make the ten hour drive south to Rapid City, South Dakota to visit the Mount Rushmore Memorial. We had so much fun on that trip, and saw so many fantastic sights, that it became our destination of choice for the next sixteen or seventeen years, until they were too “mature” and “worldly” to appreciate the experience. After that, we satisfied ourselves with going alone or taking our grandson and showing him the unique and wonderful features in the city and nearby Black Hills.

We haven’t been there in years, but that area still holds a special place in my heart.

So where is the glimmer of gold in this tale? Victoria Day falls one week before Memorial Day in the US, so a trip south meant we could enjoy the sights, take in the scenery, and do all of the touristy things without having to deal with the crowds of summer tourists. For that one weekend, the city and surrounding area was relatively calm and serene and a real joy to experience. Selfish? Maybe, but still a great way to spend a few days.