Through the Heart of Canada: A Vanlife Rite of Passage

An unfolding theme to my 2022 has been rapid, big changes. While I tend to have a “general” sense of direction in my life (now, finally, sort of), I am also like a leaf in the wind. So when opportunity knocked, and inspiration struck, I went for the chance to spend the summer in Calgary.

While my first ever vanlife trek took me from Ontario to Newfoundland, this would be my first time driving west. I had no idea what to expect beyond a general impression given by what others had said in passing. I was told that it took forever to get out of Ontario, that Manitoba and Saskatchewan were flat and boring, Alberta could be a culture shock, and that I’d love BC.

As I looked up sights to see along the way, I saw that this portion of the country was called “the Heart of Canada”. And not long before heading out, I happened across the movie One Week on Netflix. It’s got Joshua Jackson and a guest appearance by Gord Downie, and chronicles the story of a young man who, in the face of a severe diagnosis, decides to drive from Toronto to the BC coast by motorcycle. It’s a very “Canadian” movie, and as I passed motorcycles on my own drive, I thought of it often, making sure to stop off at some of the “World’s Largest” pit stops. Similar to my own outlook on life, this movie reminds us to do the things that are worthwhile in life while we can, to not take time for granted, and to be honest about who and what matter to us.

As a Canadian vanlifer, doing this drive (3,500km) felt like a right of passage.

DAY 1

I clued up some things before hitting the road – refining the packing/ storage process, visiting a couple of key locations to say my goodbyes (trail and cemetery), and then I did a short drive to Parry Sound, where I spent my first night. The further north I got, the nicer the highway became, as the terrain shifted just east of Georgian Bay. (One of the great things about exploring Ontario in my van via thru hikes is that I’ve gotten to know the geography a lot better).

Side note: I’d been getting a bit of “spark knock” / engine knock with my van, so I decided to try premium fuel on this drive. It was painful what with the gas prices… but the knock has since disappeared.

DAY 2

I wanted to hike The Crack at Killarney Provincial Park, so I went 50km out of my way off the main highway. It’s a popular destination, lots of people and a crowded parking lot. While it is described as one of Ontario’s toughest hikes and a 12km (total) there-and-back, I’m not sure I would agree with those assessments. Then again, perhaps that’s partially due to my experience level. Even at a good clip, a 5km/hr hiking pace is what I would expect from myself. This trail took me two hours – including taking a bit of time to take in the views at the top. With the sections of rock climbing, I wouldn’t think I’d have been getting in more than 4km/hr.

One thing that was nice about this hike was that there really weren’t that many bugs – in stark contrast to the Rideau Trail. You also kind of get a sense for what type of hiker you are when around others doing the same, and I guess I’m the “on a mission” type. One guy did not seem to like it when I passed him and had to attempt to get the upper hand afterward. I also seem to enjoy rocky terrain – maybe the East Coast Trail and Bruce Trail have influenced me in that regard (but give me rocks over swamps any day).

All in all, the rock climbing was fun and the view was a nice reward. I would definitely recommend this hike.

Following the hike I drove to Sudbury to grab dinner, and out of curiosity, to get a feel for the city. I couldn’t put my finger on the vibe, but noticeable were the quarries and lakes. Evidently Sudbury is known for rocks and mining.

While it was getting late (relative to sundown), and I could have spent the night in Sudbury, I wanted to get more miles in, so I kept driving. I immediately regretted this decision, as my next planned overnight spot was Sault Ste Marie, which was still 300km away, and I was losing light. I was not keen on driving in the dark in moose country. My go to in the dark is to tail a truck, but I was on the lookout for somewhere to stop. In a little place called Spanish I spied a truck, a trailer, and a campervan all looking like they’d stopped for the night, so I pulled over into this little gravel area off the road and chanced it. No signs, no disturbances.

DAY 3

The drive to Sault Ste Marie, which lies on the US border with Michigan, took me along the waters off Lake Huron. I saw a fox just off the highway, as well as signage alerting me to the fact that Sault Ste Marie is home to the first female Canadian astronaut, Roberta Bondar, who flew aboard NASA Space Shuttle Discovery in 1992.

After some errands and planning in Sault Ste Marie, I headed to Lake Superior Provincial Park to see the Agawa Pictographs. It was a very short hike and some treacherous footing along an outcropping of rock above the lake in order to see some very cool images in ochre.

Then I headed to Pukaskwa National Park. I had just enough time for a couple of short hikes before sun down. The terrain reminded me a lot of Newfoundland.

On the way out of the park I had a baby black bear run across the road in front of me. I ended up chancing another turnout for my overnight stay – it was fairly dark when I got there, but come morning – once again graced with no disturbances – I found that I was actually in a really serene spot, surrounded by forest and across from a small lake. The stars were innumerable in such a remote area, too.

DAY 4

My first stop as I headed toward Thunder Bay was Ouimet Canyon, the biggest canyon in Canada, and it took my breath away. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel small, and in turn makes your troubles feel inconsequential.

Next I headed to a Thunder Bay amethyst mine (Diamond Willows) where you get to fill a bucket with pieces of amethyst you find yourself around the mines for a very reasonable price considering what amethyst goes for in stores (you also pay in the coin of the realm with many a mosquito bite).

Of the cities I was to pass through, Thunder Bay and Winnipeg were the ones I was warned about, and upon checking, they do have higher crime rates. So I kept my time in Thunder Bay to a minimum and just filled up on gas and grabbed a snack for the road.

I proceeded to Kakabeka Falls, about 20 minutes north of Thunder Bay, which is also definitely worth the stop – it’s literally right off the highway and a sight to behold.

I saw an adult and young moose as I continued my drive north. While driving around Lake Superior had been extremely picturesque with rolling coastline and the water, north of Thunder Bay is where things petered out and became straight and flat. And I found it strange that the speed limit here, despite being straight and flat, remained at 90km/hr – maybe because of wildlife?

Once again, I kept my eyes peeled for a suitable overnight spot off the highway and ended up turning into an asphalt area near Upsala. The van was mostly hidden behind tree line here, and despite it looking like it could be the kind of place teenagers came to hang out, I had no issues. A road worker drove through around 8am – there may not have been signage, but I didn’t know if there were bylaws in the area, so I hit the road shortly after. This was probably the worst spot for mosquitoes. It was also where my clock first went back an hour – which was a welcome change as I tried to jam pack my days.

DAY 5

I stopped at the Walmart in Dryden, ON to break up my drive and plan my day. It’s a very small town, but has everything you need for the road.

As I drove through small rocky “cliffs” on either side of the highway, lakes and forest, the northern Ontario landscape blended as I finally crossed the border into Manitoba. I wasn’t in Kansas anymore.

I had been considering stopping in to Winnipeg, but was a little nervous after a friend told me of their “welcoming party” where the windshield of vehicles from out of province get smashed in. I don’t like to let fear stop me, but there is also a fine line between bravery and stupidity. I decided to chance it as there were a couple of things I genuinely wanted to see – and who knows when I might ever be here again.

The first thing I stopped to see was Saint Boniface Cathedral. This felt like a safe area and I had no qualms about leaving my van to explore. There was a little cemetery and a view across Red River of some prominent Winnipeg landmarks. The Cathedral ruins were lovely.

I had really wanted to attend the Hermetic Code Tour at the Manitoba Legislative Building, an architectural tour on hidden hieroglyphic inscriptions, numerological codes, and Freemasonic symbols within the building’s structure. But I found out after I got there that it was not currently being offered. I toured the building grounds and luckily Strider was right where I left him upon my return.

I drove to a Brandon Manitoba Walmart for the night. As usual, there were other RVs there, which is always a comfort. I saw what I’m guessing was an elk or caribou off the highway.

DAY 6

I wanted to stop somewhere in Saskatchewan and Regina was on my route. But I’d be lying if I said this ad didn’t play a crucial part in my wanting to visit:

I looked into what there was to see here and I came across a castle – right up my alley! Stone Hall Castle is a stone fortress housing the owner’s collection of medieval historical artifacts, the oldest being a chest from the 1400s. The tour gives history of the original owners and then takes you room by room, describing the history of various furniture, customs, paintings, and other uniquely acquired historical items. There are a lot of beeswax candles here (the owner makes and sells them) – I love beeswax candles.

Next I hit up the Queen City legislative building, which I’d heard was the biggest in Canada. It lies on the waterfront of Wascana Lake, and has beautiful gardens before it, which were dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II.

Driving through Saskatchewan, there was something expansive and charming about it. I didn’t feel the same as others – I thoroughly enjoyed the landscape. Sure, it was flat in areas, but there were also rolling hills, farmland, lakes, and something about a sunset on a horizon as far as the eye could see. I also found that, Regina at least, felt safe and clean.

I made it to Moose Jaw to see Mac the Moose as well, where I was introduced to prairie dogs for the first time, before driving to Swift Current Walmart for the night.

Looking up at my first “World’s Largest” (or in this case, tallest) structure – I couldn’t help but think about the movie One Week. There was a definite inspiration within that film that was lifting me up on parts of my own trek across western Canada.

While Walmarts are fine overnight spots, I missed the little turnouts along the Ontario TCH that I’d grown accustomed to seeking out – the prairie highways are not conducive to this in quite the same way. But unfamiliarity simply requires exploration to broaden our skill set and knowledge base. I happened to see a couple with a small trailer who looked to be spending the night beside Mac the Moose. I also saw an RV on a strip of land running through a lake off the highway, and figured they were camping there, too. Southern Ontario doesn’t have much of any crown land, so I’m looking forward to expanding my vanlife overnight repertoire in that regard out here.

DAY 7

I began my day by driving to Medicine Hat – I’d made it to Alberta! Another “World’s Largest” – the Saamis Tepee.

Then I was headed to a destination I was really looking forward to – Dinosaur Provincial Park. It wasn’t so much the proximity to dino fossils that captivated me, but the badlands landscape.

Dinosaur PP has several trails for hiking (I hiked them all, some of them twice), but access to the natural preserve is only by guided tours, so I booked one for the following morning – I was staying the night at the campground. My favourite trails were Coulee Trail (which gave great panoramic views) and the Badlands Trail (which brought you close up within the hoodoos).

One reason I loved the badlands so much was because it reminded me of Joshua Tree – one of those places that calls to my soul. JT also happens to be home to a musician who created a song which to me is the epitome of how the desert would sound in musical form:

There’s also something about the desert that I just love. Who knew there was a place like this in Canada (hailing from the east coast – I sure didn’t). Rattlesnakes, scorpions, black widow spiders, and cacti can all be found here. I only saw the cacti. The biggest annoyance was for sure the mosquitoes. And the sagebrush was a defining feature of the land – I rubbed the leaves between my fingers any chance I got to smell those distinctive volatile oils.

DAY 8

After a lovely stay in the campground (bonus – you can view photos of sites when booking and choose ones with shade), I took a guided tour through the preserve. I learned how “hoodoos” are pillars of sandstone with ironstone caps and the name comes from the NOLA / hoodoo practice due to the impression of being “bad magic” or with regards to “bad spirits” (even the landforms here were considered to be beings because they cast shadows), likely for the same reason these are called “bad lands” – because of the harsh terrain. Vision quests occurred on these lands (not everyone was successful in receiving a vision from the creator). There is a dinosaur named after Draco Malfoy (the Dracorex hogwartsia). And it is 3 degrees hotter in the badlands than in nearby areas due to the rocks. We even got to look for fossils (something I was not very good at) and people actually found them.

Side note: I couldn’t help but think of the bands Dinosaur Bones and Dinosaur Pile-Up while in this park…

I did my hiking and took advantage of the camp showers, then was on my way to Drumheller. The Walmart once again had several RVers, and the parking lot was right at the base of some of that quintessential badlands terrain. Before dark I hit up the World’s Largest Dinosaur before picking up dinner and winding down for the night.

Day 9

First stop of the day was Drumheller’s Little Church. It is very small.

I then headed to the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, which houses one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs.

I sort of lucked into seeing Horsethief Canyon:

And then the time had come for Calgary!

Conclusion

It’s looking like I’ll be in Cowtown for the summer, but beyond that, who knows. I’ve got some ideas, but anything could happen. I’m definitely leaving room for serendipity on the road to my goals.

I usually close out my blog posts with a song, but there are two songs that struck me this time. The first was sort of the unofficial theme song for my drive – I played it on repeat:

The second is one that was featured in the movie One Week, and the lyrics, well, I think they’re pretty self-explanatory:

Until next time,

Kat

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