Welcome to A Crock of Schmidt. Here you will find campground reviews from all my camping adventures over the years. I also share cool attractions and destinations we’ve been to, great hikes we’ve done, and some insights on our hobbies. Once in awhile, I toss in some ramblings on whatever nonsense moves me at the moment. Thanks for coming by and I hope you find something that helps and/or entertains. If you do, kindly tell a friend about this place.
Heritage Acres Farm Museum
May 26, 2025
Unlike my elementary school self, I’m rather fond of pioneer museums. I quite enjoy these trips through history even if my childhood possessions are looking uncomfortably closer in time to the museum exhibits than to my current possessions. So, on a rainy, cool May long weekend I took another such trip at Heritage Acres Farm
Lytton Recreational Panning Reserve Site 2
May 12, 2025
Lytton, British Columbia is home to two public panning reserves. One is right in town and the other is six kilometers to the north. Both are on the Fraser River, which any fan of Dan Hurd knows, has gold everywhere. The reserve in town, known as Lytton Recreational Panning Reserve Site 2, encompasses a two
All Our Metal Detecting Finds in 2024
May 5, 2025
Two steps forward, one step back is the idiom that best describes our third season of metal detecting. Actually, two steps back is probably more accurate. Maybe even three steps. Point is our activity regressed in 2024. I’m honestly not sure why this happened. Life, I guess? Changing priorities. Changing interests. Whatever the reason, we
All Our Metal Detecting Finds in 2023
April 28, 2025
Spring of 2023 marked the start of our second metal detecting season, and we were eager to get busy digging. We were also a bit wiser and with that, a bit more discerning, dialing back the “dig everything” mantra that characterized our first hunting season. Enough pull tabs, already! Additionally, a new weapon was added
All Our Metal Detecting Finds in 2022
April 23, 2025
We began our inaugural metal detecting season as soon as the snow melted in the spring of 2022. Although eager to begin accumulating treasure, we didn’t have a clue what we were doing so we just took the mantra “dig everything” to heart and, well, dug everything. The first place we hit up was the
BC Wildlife Park
April 13, 2025
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. It’s not my favourite adage; I’m not much of a lemonade drinker. But on a recent road trip to Kamloops, we were forced to whip up a batch of this beloved summer beverage. And though our lemons were exceptionally sour, our visit to BC Wildlife Park made rather
Giant Ammonite Fossil in Fernie
March 28, 2025
The Giant Ammonite in Fernie, British Columbia has long been on my bucket list. I learned of it while researching things to do on our various summer adventures and have wanted to see it in person ever since. This dream finally came true during our Labour Day 2023 camping trip to Mount Fernie Provincial Park.
The Most Common Finds When Metal Detecting
March 15, 2025
Whoever coined the phrase “the chase is better than the catch” must have been a detectorist. Outside of jilted lovers, no group of people appreciates the bittersweetness of this idiom better than those in the metal detecting hobby. I’d argue that most treasure hunting is solely about the chase if only because there never is
How To Start Metal Detecting
March 8, 2025
A few years ago, we noticed that our son possessed an intriguing skill. A knack, if you will. He could find lost coins seemingly anywhere. Walking down the alley after school? Oh look, a dime! Standing in the arena parking lot? Oh look, a quarter! Roasting marshmallows on the campfire? Oh look, a Loonie! So
Exploring Abandoned Mines Museum
February 26, 2025
Unfortunately, as of May 10, 2025, the mine has been closed by the British Columbia government. All tours are on hiatus and the museum is not open. Owner is not optimistic this will change. In early July of the summer of ’23, my son and I set forth on a nine-day camping adventure through British