We’ve been talking about getting a touring vehicle for some time. The romantic notion of travelling the highways and byways of North America has appealed to us and to do so you need the right car. Vans were in the discussion mix, but a mini van wasn’t ticking all the boxes and an actual rv type van wasn’t practical. Solution: a large SUV that will serve all of our needs. When Rudy got his Ford Expedition in June, we knew we needed a road trip to test its merits. We re-hatched our plan to travel west. The plan was derailed twice due to circumstances, but we were determined to make it this time.

So we planned our route using travel days of 7 to 8 hours per day of driving to avoid night driving and arrive at destinations at a reasonable time. Rudy packed up the vehicle and included camping gear in case it was necessary or feasible along with our regular travelling stuff: clothes, snacks, drinks and a few gifts.

Day one wheels up at 9 am. Our destination is Wawa Ontario. The weather is perfect and we set off via Hwy 26 to 400 North. The landscape is rugged and beautiful. Trees are just starting to show their true colours and the ribbon of highway never ends. I’ve booked us into accommodations in Wawa and when doing so discovered that a lot of venues are sold out. I thought that strange, but everywhere we went there was lots of people, buses and transport trucks.

Wawa was a bit underwhelming, the place I wanted to book was sold out so we chose another place located on the highway just outside of town (thereby missing the infamous Wawa goose). When we pulled into the motel there was a food truck out front featuring East Indian cuisine. The motel consisted of adjoining rooms and cabins in the back area. Rudy went to check things out and came back declaring that we had been upgraded to a cabin. Upgrade may be too generous. I didn’t take pictures. We had a light bite at the food truck: burgers. And we sat outside on our “porch” to eat. I joined a bird watching group online and was able to add to my life list of birds: a common raven. Rudy was up most of the night because we felt a bit unsafe.

Up early, for good reason, we take off for Fort Frances our last stop in Ontario. The drive was lovely again thanks to perfect weather. And we entered an area with more hills and lakes. The rocks remain also. Gas is pricey: $1.47 per litre! We stop in Thunder Bay for lunch and were pleasantly surprised by the vibrancy of the city. Of course the fabulous weather had people out and about! After lunch we continued the journey and arrived in Fort Frances. Our accommodations at La Place Rendezvous were located on the lake and river system that adjoins to the US. Again, the hotel was fully booked! Since we had a substantial lunch we decided to try the chef’s borscht soup: it was delicious!

On day three we are heading to Regina. We leave early in hopes to arrive at our accommodations on time. The weather is, again, outstanding. We pass Falcon Lake (where we will stay on the return journey). Our lunch pit stop is outside of Winnipeg; and it’s a busy stop for food and gas with lots of other travellers. We arrive in Regina at Stone Hall Castle. It’s a medieval “castle” right across from the university of Regina. Our host recommends a place on the lake for dinner and we are eager to get back to watch the Bills play in the Thursday night game. There’s a theatre room in the castle with a giant projection screen. Since our destination the following day is Medicine Hat Alberta, we have extra time in the morning to enjoy our surroundings.

The castle is an interesting place. The owner has lovingly restored it to medieval splendour by procuring pieces from the day. It’s definitely the most unique place we’ve ever stayed! Bonus: the Bills won!

After a relaxing morning at the castle, we head to a pastry shop for a small snack, coffee and off we go. Destination: Medicine Hat

The drive is sunny and smooth. And only 5 hours from Regina! We arrive at my brother’s place late afternoon. It’s a hot, sunny 31C as we are greeted in the backyard. How nice to see John and Tam! Their home is a spacious and beautifully updated (they are DIY royalty!!) and big. We are delighted to spend two nights in their bright and cosy spare bedroom.

We are able to see my brother’s colleague from work and his wife as we nosh on yummy food. Cigars are fired up and an evening is spent covering all manner of things. In the morning we have coffees (John is a coffee snob) and eggs before heading out to tour the area. A hike through the park is followed by a quick pit stop for snacks and drinks. In the afternoon we stop by a country market in Redcliff a town adjacent to Medicine Hat. Redcliff’s claim to fame is the greenhouse capital of Canada. A farmers market offers all kinds of fresh produce and prepared foods. We grab a few things before heading back home where John and Tam prepare a feast!

In the morning we head out for breakfast at the local golf club. It’s a bustling restaurant offering a hearty breakfast and outdoor seating which we enjoy. After breakfast we head out for a walk to highlight the desert like landscape. And then we have to get going to our next destination: Calgary (with a pit stop in Vulcan).

Short but sweet. The biggest shocker for me is that John and Tam have been in their house for 20 years and it was our first time. Wow.

After leaving The Hat early afternoon, we make our way to Vulcan. I was too excited to see my friend Donna and her girls to take pictures. Vulcan is a small town that lives up to its name. There’s Star Trek references everywhere including a spaceship! Donna and her husband bought a small piece of land in town and are in the midst of building their retirement lovenest which includes a great studio space for her business: Diamond Clay Studios. She makes amazing things out of clay. My favourite is the “dink pot”. As it happens, they were hosting a family bbq and we were invited. The whole gang was there. It was grand. I spent most of the time with the newest family member,Paige, Donna’s 9 year old granddaughter. Shortly after dinner we took off for Calgary.

We spent the night in Calgary and, on the advice of John, decided to head to Jasper. Again, accommodations were scarce!

The hotel in Calgary was really great and I would highly recommend it: The Westley

It’s a Hilton property and (bonus) we used points! No charge.

The following morning, after a delicious breakfast, we carried on. First stop, Canmore which is a neat, posh little place en route to Banff. On our way there we passed by the Calgary winter Olympic installation for ski jumping. We had a quick pit stop in Canmore (which was absolutely packed on a Monday!!) before continuing on to our final destination for the next two nights.

Now the scenery has completely changed again. Goodbye desert coulees and hello majestic Rocky Mountains! The drive was gorgeous.

The highway took us past the Athabasca Glacier part of the Colombia Icefield. When we pulled off the highway for a closer look, a fellow Ontarian gave us access to the lodge parking lot where we had a short hike to the viewing area. Breathtaking!

Then on to Jasper. Luckily my brother helped us secure passes which we were required to display in our window at all times. Jasper National Park is a huge area and we were staying in the park for the next two nights.

Upon arrival at Jasper Inn and Suites we were happy to see there was a restaurant on site. Perfect for a quick bite before the Monday night game 🏈

On the final approach to Jasper, you are stunned to see the devastation of the wildfires from last year. It’s eerie and somber as you pass miles of scorched forest and then, closer to town, buildings. Mother Nature can not be more brutal. Very sad to see.

There’s simply too many things to choose from and when you’re short on time, you just have to pick a couple of must do’s that fit your personality. In reality you could spend tons of time with the amount of activities that are possible. It’s mind boggling.

We chose two things that we could do without rushing or having to drive too much. Our choices were perfect. First, a quick coffee and toast at Smitty’s. Then a short drive to the Jasper Sky Tram where we took a cable car to the peak of Whistler Mountain. The tram was damaged during the wildfire and the cables had to be replaced. They have a piece of the cable on display so you can see and touch the material. The short ride up ends at the welcome centre which encompasses a gift shop and restaurant. We walked the trail to see the views and we spotted some birds! Above the tree line there’s not much but rock and these little (noisy) birds! It was windy and cold, but the sun was shining hot and bright (I got a slight face burn).

After a short hike we enjoyed a bowl of delicious mushroom soup with a grand view. Then we descended back to the base camp and started our trek to Miette Hot Springs. Just outside of town we drove high into the mountains to enter the hot springs facility. There was a ton of parking and I’m glad it wasn’t full! We went in and the friendly staff gave us an orientation. Then we entered the pool area. There are four pools cold and colder and hot and hotter. We settled into the hot pool and relaxed for a couple of hours.

When we returned to our hotel, we were too pooped to go out again. Instead we stopped at the grocery store and I purchased some buns and cold cuts for a quick bite. Our suite had a kitchen area as well as sitting room and separate bedroom.

Next stop: Edmonton

So long Jasper. Edmonton here we come. Rudy’s daughter, Sarah and her husband David, as well as our nephew, Ben are in Edmonton. We have some visiting to do! Sarah is actually in ,Spruce Grove a nearby suburb.

We start with a quick visit to Sarah to say hello and bring dinner. Her hubby is working out of town so it was the three of us and her two cats, Biscuits and Gravy; they clearly rule the roost.

The next day we pick up Sarah and do a bit of touring around. Pit stop at the Italian Centre for coffee and sweets. We are trying not to over do it as we are meeting Ben for dinner. After we drop Sarah back at home, we freshen up before dinner. Ben, kindly, has chosen a spot in Spruce Grove where we are staying. He’s a total carnivore and he picked an amazing spot called Barbacoa.

It did not disappoint! Firstly was an Old Fashioned for Rudy. They featured a number of artisanal cocktails and this was one. Wasn’t Rudy’s favourite but it vanished nonetheless. The wine list was stellar and we chose a bold California cab sav. Yum. It paired beautifully with our food: steak tartare served with the marrow on a massive beef bone, rib steak for me, strip for Ben and filet for Rudy. Totally delicious!! We had a wonderful conversation about a million things and then called it a night. Short (too short) but very sweet.

And the next day we rolled on. First stop on our journey home: Moose Jaw

The drive was uneventful. Leaving the mountains we remarked how crazy it was that we lived in Blue Mountain, but after seeing the Rockies …. Yup. More like a small hill. But for Ontario it does the trick.

Moose Jaw was a busy place as well. We cruised through town to get a lay of the land and grab a bite. We find a place called The Crushed Can where we have a beer and a bite. Watch some sports on one of dozens of TVs. And then Rudy makes a discovery: Pac Man video game!! Turns out it was old and a bit beat up, but Rudy had a good round and we laughed about the memories we have around Ms Pac Man. Those were the days.

Before we left on our trip, a friend told us she grew up going to Falcon Lake for summer vacations. She grew up in Manitoba. As it happens, we had chosen Falcon Lake to stop for the night. Nice coincidence.

The drive from Moose Jaw to Falcon Lake was a blur of agriculture. One huge field of crops after another. But 7 hrs or so later, and after passing the centre of Canada just past Winnipeg, we made our way to The Hotel at Falcon Lake located in a huge park. A recreational hub with lots of family oriented activities. The rooms were nicely updated and very comfortable.

Another early start heading to Terrace Bay and we are back in Ontario. The home stretch. Driving around Lake Superior is astounding. The islands, rivers, lakes and rock formations are awesome.

Our accommodations in Terrace Bay are moderate. A pine log cabin feel. But a nice restaurant attached was super handy.

Next stop is our last night on the road. We are ready to sleep in our own bed again. So heading to Espanola which is past Sault Ste Marie (where we stopped for lunch) where pulp and paper are the thing.

The day’s drive takes us along Lake Superior and the over to Lake Huron. More stunning views of green forests and blue waters. The sun continues to shine on us.

It’s our last day on the road, but with a twist. We are not going around Georgian Bay, we are going through it. Via the famous Chi-chi-Mon Ferry from Manitoulin Island to Tobermory.

The drive from Espanola to South Baymouth (where we catch the ferry) is just over an hour. We arrive early enough to get our car in line and then pop into a local diner for breakfast. There’s a couple of interesting gift shops featuring indigenous crafts. When we arrive at the ferry dock we are fifth or so in line. By the time we finish breakfast the line is massive. By coincidence it’s Sept 30 which is Canada’s national day of truth and reconciliation (a public holiday) so lots of activity makes sense.

We board the ferry and park as instructed. Then we are required to leave the vehicle and go to the public lounge. It’s a huge cafeteria with lots of seating and bright sunny views of the vast water.

We get a seat by the window and fetch a couple of coffees. The food offerings are great; one man in line was on his second helping of cabbage rolls. He thought they were the best ever!

As we cruise towards land there’s a lighthouse on a small island and then several more small islands appear. We slowly move into the harbour at Tobermory. Now we know the end of our epic adventure road trip is coming to a close. It’s comforting to see all of the familiar landmarks as we make our way to The Blue Mountains and we laugh again at the term “mountain”.

In all a fabulous vacation!

We had a great time. So nice to reconnect with family and friends 🩷 so amazing to see our great nation 🇨🇦 at the ground level 😊 so grateful to have met such nice people along the way. But! …..

There’s no place like home 🥰